On this joyous and festive occasion let me take a minute away from sports to wish each and everyone of you orange and green bleeding knuckleheads out there in Canespace a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year!
Now that we got that out of the way let us appreciate the fact that the Miami Hurricanes have finished the 2013 college football season with a 9-4 record and take look ahead to 2014.
Although some serious Hurricane die-hards out there in Canespace may not be completely satisfied with the final results of this season let us take the time to recognize the accomplishments and improvements of the UM football team under head coach Al Golden.
Even the most vocal critics of Golden must respectfully recognize the following achievements:
Miami has improved each and every year under Golden, going from 6 wins in 2011, to 7 wins last season and up to 9 wins in his third season at the helm in 2013.
In 2013 the Hurricanes scored more points on offense and gave up fewer points defensively than last year.
Miami had several players recognized by the ACC for their accomplishments this post-season and played in their first bowl game in four years.
Most importantly of all, the Hurricanes beat the stinkin' Florida Gators in what could be the last regular season meeting between the two teams. Therefore, that victory entitles Miami fans to perpetual bragging rights. Winning 9 games is good, but beating the Gators is priceless!
Looking ahead can only mean that we now have about one month and a week away from National Signing Day. Fortunately for us here at Canespace we have recruiting experts like OhioCane, UMike and LB who will constantly keep us up to date with which hat each recruit is wearing on any given day right up until NSD 2014 on the first Wednesday in February.
Well LB won't, he actually hates the recruiting game and could care less about where some high school kid is going to go to school, especially some jock who thinks he is all that and a bag of chips. However, LB is always good for doing some serious research for our continuing "By The Numbers" series of articles that will run through the off-season and up until Spring practice begins sometime in April.
So have fun but be safe out there Canespacers and have a Happy New Year!
The relatively well known saying that is the title of this blog has become fairly popular over the past few years. It came to mind as I was walking out of the Citrus Bowl the other night after the Miami Hurricanes were completely blown out of the Russell Athletic Bowl by the Louisville Cardinals 36-9.
So I thought I would put together a list of five simple wishes that many Hurricane fans probably had prior to the game, Miami's first bowl game in four years, that simply did not come true in Orlando .
Maybe in looking back, you might even say that these hopeful and optimistic prognostications were probably not very wise wishes to begin with?
Wish #1: We all wished that with the NCAA investigation finally over, and the supposed "cloud being lifted" off of the UM program, and with Miami being bowl eligible for the first time in many years, that Hurricane fans would have somewhere fun to go and something good to cheer about.
Result: The first part of this wish actually came true as several Canespacers attended the pep rally at Pointe Orlando on Friday and managed to spend some quality time walking around, eating and drinking in the popular I-Drive tourist area of Orlando. We met many UM fans for the first time and some that we have known for many, many years. The second part of the wish was a completely different story however as the Hurricanes laid a massive, steaming, stinking turd on the field at the old and soon to be renovated Citrus Bowl on Saturday night. There was little (sacking Bridgewater for a safety) if anything (0 points score by the offense until a late TD) to cheer for by those wearing orange and green in the stands. After four years of waiting for a bowl game the UM fans left the Citrus bowl either numb, or cursing or just shaking their heads while asking themselves: "What was that?" Be careful what U wish for.
Wish #2: As many here already know I wished all along that Miami would be selected to play in Orlando rather than Atlanta so I could attend the game since I, and many other Hurricane fans, live in Central Florida. I even bet my good friend and Canespace blogger Terrance a dinner over the bowl selection and won the bet.
Result: I regret making this wish. The game itself was absolutely miserable even though I was one of the few of the over 30 fans I met at the game who tried to remain positive even going into the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach. The parking was horrendous, the traffic around Orlando during Christmas week is no picnic and even though it was a "local game" for me I still spent more of my hard earned money on a pitiful entertainment performance by the Hurricanes than I would have liked. The bet with Terrance is now one in retrospect that I wish I would have lost. Don't you find it just a bit ironic that Terrance (in spite of his plan to attend) never made it to Orlando for the bowl game while I did but wished I didn't? Like I said, be careful what U wish for.
Wish #3: We all wished that with 15 extra practices for the bowl game and a month to prepare that at the very least these two things would happen: (1) The team individually and collectively would get better and execute at a very high level; and (2) That the UM coaching staff would have the team well prepared and demonstrate their coaching ability.
Result: This wish became just another of many wishes UM fans have had to throw into the dumpster during the 2013 college football season. The Hurricane fans' wish list (realistic or not) that was drawn up before this season is too long to get into right now but we will return to that another time. However, the preparation, execution and coaching from Miami was bordering on non-existent based on the performance on the field during the Russell Athletic Bowl. The UM offense looked completely unprepared for the Louisville defense master-minded by Cardinal head coach Charlie Strong. The UM defense, while playing relatively well for most of the first half eventually got tired (or overwhelmed by the UM offensive ineptitude) and surrendered over 500 yards for the sixth straight game. The only highlight was season MVP punter Pat O'Donnell who boomed several nice punts during the evening. When all you have to cheer is your punter playing well (think Matt Bosher), you wind up leaving the game early and angry like many UM fans did by the end of the third quarter. Even though we stayed, we don't blame them for leaving, they never wished for this.
Wish #4: I had wished that UM head coach Al Golden would use this bowl game as a tool that could once and for all silence even some of his most vocal and harshest critics and as a step forward in dominating the recruiting wars that are sure to follow as Louisville joins the ACC in 2014.
Result: Much to my chagrin, this wish most certainly did not come true and in fact may have made matters even worse. Golden and his coaching staff clearly opened themselves up to even more criticism than they had endured at previous times this season. Miami had several chances at winning their division of the ACC this year but dropped the ball both times versus Virginia Tech and Duke. Losing to a basketball school like Duke had stung the worst until the debacle in Orlando versus Louisville, a team that many Hurricane fans hate and one that is joining the ACC next year. If you thought that former UM DL coach Clint Hurtt was stealing talent from South Florida before the game then what do you think he will do after that thrashing about the head and neck the Miami Hurricanes took from the Louisville Cardinals the other night?
Wish #5: Miami fans wished for a bowl game win for the first time in many years, a solid 10 win season for the first time in what now seems like forever and some serious positive momentum going into the 2014 season and the high school recruiting and signing period.
Result: So how did that wish turn out? Not so good U say? If this wish were a dream it would be a nightmare, which is exactly what the Russell Athletic Bowl game was for Miami Hurricane fans, players and coaches. The team showed up in Orlando but did not show up to play at the Citrus Bowl. What makes it even more disturbing is that before the game I talked to one of the player's parent who said that Golden met with them in Orlando and told them that: "The team is ready, the guys are really motivated to play!" How can you be so out of touch with your team that you have no clue who is motivated or what "ready to play" is? With all due respect, all I can say that if that demonstration of lack of preparation and execution that we all saw on Saturday night is what Al Golden thinks is "ready to play", then I would hate to see the opposite of that.
At this point of the article I was just going to wish all of the great bloggers out there in Canespace a Happy New Year. But then again this wishing thing hasn't turned out so well for us this year now has it?
Yes indeed, I think we must all be very, very careful what we wish for.
The evolution of Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton as an NFL quarterback has gained serious momentum as his performance on the field has reached an entirely new pinnacle during the 2013 football season.
Newton has improved in almost every statistical category and has increased his QB rating from 86.2 to 89.2 in just one year. Newton has thrown 22 TDs with only 12 interceptions and increased his completion percentage from 57% in 2012 to 62% in 2013.
His favorite target just happens to be former University of Miami TE Greg Olsen who leads the Panthers with 67 receptions (774 yards/5 TDs) this season.
Newton's sudden success may be attributed to a new quarterbacks coach in Carolina: Former UM QB Ken Dorsey. The information below about the former Hurricane signal caller is from the Panthers' web site:
Ken Dorsey draws on his experience as an NFL quarterback and record-setting passer at the University of Miami as Panthers quarterbacks coach, moving to the coaching staff from the scouting department.
Dorsey assumes the position in 2013 following two seasons as a pro scout for Carolina from 2011-12. In this role, he advanced the Panthers' upcoming opponents each week as well as evaluated free agents and prospects on other NFL rosters.
Prior to coming to Carolina, Dorsey served as an instructor at IMG Academy. He helped train NFL prospects before the 2011 NFL Draft, working with quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.
Dorsey himself played six years in the NFL from 2003-08 after being selected in the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers in 2003. He spent three seasons with the 49ers and then three with the Cleveland Browns, making 13 starts and completing 214-of-408 passes for 2,082 yards and eight touchdowns.
A standout at the University of Miami (Fla.) from 1999-2002, Dorsey is the winningest quarterback in school history with a 38-2 record as a starter and led the Hurricanes to the 2001 National Championship. He was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in May 2013.
The two-time Heisman Trophy finalist (2001, 2002) set numerous school records and still ranks as the all-time leader with 9,565 passing yards and 86 touchdown passes, while his 668 completions and 1,153 pass attempts stand second. As a junior in 2001, Dorsey won the Maxwell Award - presented to the college football player of the year - when he passed for 2,652 yards and 23 touchdowns on 184-of-318 attempts to compile a passer rating of 146.1.
There is little doubt that Dorsey has made an immediate impact on Newton's performance this season. In fact, Netwon recently praised Dorsey for his coaching and its impact on his excellent play in 2013.
Here's a thought: Maybe the University of Miami could use a QB coach like that?
Louisville and Miami both entered the season with conference title aspirations and each ranked in the Top 10 earlier this year, but untimely losses have the future ACC opponents facing off in Orlando.
Miami self-imposed a bowl ban each of the last two seasons, making this the Hurricanes first postseason appearance since the 2010 Sun Bowl. Louisville head coach Charlie Strong has led the Cardinals to a bowl in each of his four seasons. A victory could give the Cardinals back-to-back bowl wins for the first time in program history, but as we see it, that is very unlikely to happen.
With an in-state bowl game, Miami should have a huge advantage based on the fact that it is the program's first postseason appearance in the Golden era.
Louisville will hope to avoid a serious Hurtt from the Hurricanes as they have not seen the same level of play that led them to the top of the NCAA rankings earlier this season.
On behalf of all of the many great people and talented bloggers here at Canespace we want to wish U a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
As you know if you have been around here for any amount of time this blog is more than just a Miami Hurricane sports blog. It is a family. A family of fans like no other blog on the Internet.
We would also like to thank the many good folks at the UM Athletic Department for their on-going support as well. James, Freet, Yandle, Marks, Restrepo and many, many others who read the blog and contribute to our discussion.
As we make our Christmas wishes, we ask U to join us in the Holiday season in wishing peace on Earth and good will towards all, except Gator fans of course.
Here are our simple Canespace Holiday wishes for 2013:
Every year on Canespace we go through this same process: Who are the players that will become a true Legend of the Fall?
So after the 2013 college football season ended we had a brief debate about which University of Miami football players should be selected as Legends of the Fall (LOF) for this season. Let us just say that there were many opinions!
Then we waited for the post-season awards to be issued and the fans to have their input into the process and after all of that here is what we have decided:
Offense: WR Allen Hurns and OL Brandon Linder
Defense: DB Tracy Howard
Freshman: WR Stacy Coley
Coach: Brennan Carroll
Bonus: P Pat O'Donnell
Miami Hurricanes punterPat O'Donnellwas selected to theUSA TODAY SportsAll-America Second Team on Wednesday. O'Donnell, a first-team All-ACC selection by both ACSMA and the league’s head coaches, is Miami’s first 2013 All-America selection. He is one of 13 selections from the ACC – the most of any FBS conference.
O'Donnell ranks third nationally with a 47.3 yards-per-punt average, which leads the ACC by nearly 3.0 yards per kick. O’Donnell has 20 punts of 50+ yards to his credit and 17 that have landed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. His current average of 47.3 yards per punt is a single-season Miami record.
Hurns is currently enjoying one of the greatest receiving seasons in program history. The senior leads Miami in both receptions (60) and receiving yards (1,138). He is only the fourth player with a 1,000-yard receiving season in school history and 19 yards shy of breaking the school single-season receiving yards mark. Hurns ranks seventh in Miami history in both career receptions (119) and career receiving yards (1,867) and eighth in career receiving TDs.
Linder, a preseason All-ACC selection, helped anchor Miami’s offensive line that paved the way for the Hurricanes to average 446.8 yards of total offense and 35.9 points per game. Miami’s offense scored 40+ points five times in 2013.
Coley played in all 12 games, making six starts at receiver and also saw time at kick returner and punt returner. He was a second-team All-ACC selection byAthlon Sports, third-team All-ACC by league's head coaches and honorable mention All-ACC by ACSMA and was tabbed first-team WR on247Sports' True Freshman All-America Team. He ranks second on team in receptions (30) and receiving yards (559) and leads the team with seven TD catches.
Coley is the only FBS player in 2013 to record a TD via rushing, receiving, punt return and kick return.
I voted for RB Dallas Crawford because I thought he was desrving of the award because he led the team in TDs and took over the rushing load once Duke Johnson went down. But that selection was apparently voted down.So maybe next year the Fort Myers product can make me and all of the other Canespacers proud in our next edition of: "The Legends Of The Fall" like these two proud young men below?
So which bloggers got it right and won a prize?
Only time will tell as we go back and look at the pre-season votes.
To all the Miami Hurricanes' fans everywhere, the dedicated bloggers out there in Canespace and all of the good folks at the UM Athletic Department, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season!
Now, I know that a few of you somehow managed to be really nice all year long while others were being completely naughty, but allMiami Hurricanefans deserve at least a glimpse at a very special Hurricane Holiday wish list that I have put together for the 2014 season.
AnACCtitle in any major sport (baseball, basketball or football).
A year with no coaching changes and greater continuity at The U.
A baseball team with great pitching, solid defense and a productive offense, but most of all, one that can beat theFlorida Gatorsand theFSU Seminoleson a regular basis.
A blog world with no trolls or haters.
A National Signing Day that is full of talented players, good students and maybe even a few wonderful unexpected surprises.
An offense that scores over 30 points per game, can run the ball with power and speed and can pass the ball down the field effectively while being efficient in the red zone.
A basketball team that plays with good fundamentals, fewer turnovers and fouls and more rebounds and points.
More consistent and improved play at the QB position where the play book is wide open and the game plan is to win games from the position under center not simply to play not to lose.
A healthy Duke Johnson to dominate opponents like never before.
A football team with a defense that is aggressive and attacks their opponent and is much more like a solid brick of sharp cheddar and not so full of holes like aged swiss cheese.
Pretty cheerleaders wearing orange and green that yell and scream and bounce all around.
Hurricane fans that are positive and hopeful and encouraging to their team and each other.
I know I was doing fine right up until that last wish but hey, a guy can hope, right? Canespace wants to wish U a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The University of Miami baseball team checked in at No. 13 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper annual preseason poll released Friday, marking the team’s best preseason ranking from the publication since 2010.
The Hurricanes return a number of key contributors from a team that finished 37-25 overall and earned the program’s college baseball-record 41st consecutive NCAA tournament berth in 2013. The Canes have not missed the postseason since 1972, marking the longest active postseason streak of any Division I program nationwide.
Miami will return its entire starting rotation in 2014, including Louisville Slugger All-American lefthander Bryan Radziewski and USA Baseball Collegiate National Team member Chris Diaz. The duo combined to make 30 starts this past season, and both finished among the top three in the ACC in ERA.
Both Radziewski (29th round, St. Louis Cardinals) and senior righthander Javi Salas (38th round, Minnesota Twins) decided to return to campus after being selected in the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, while Freshman All-America David Thompson (.286, six home runs, 46 RBI) will help anchor a Miami lineup that returns seven starters from a year ago.
Joining the returning nucleus is a recruiting class ranked among the best nationwide. The group was rated No. 4 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 6 by Baseball America – its highest ranking from the publication since 2006. The Hurricanes have had classes ranked among the top 10 by both publications in back-to-back seasons.
Miami is one of six teams from the ACC ranked in the top 25 of the poll, joining Florida State, NC State, North Carolina, Virginia and Clemson.
Season tickets to Miami’s 2014 season at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field start for as low as $99, with a Family Plan option (two adult tickets, three youth tickets) covering all 33 home games available for just $199. For more information, visit CanesTix.com or call (305) 284-2263.
On Thursday, while freezing weather and frigid temperatures spread all across the United States, sixteen very fortunate University of Miami student-athletes earned their bachelor’s degrees during Fall Commencement ceremonies at the BankUnited Center on just another warm, sunny Winter day in Coral Gables.
Thirteen of the 16 graduates were football players – Malcolm Bunche, Eduardo Clements, Akil Craig, Shayon Green, Allen Hurns, Alex Irastorza, Paul Kelly, Brandon Linder, Sean McNally, Stephen Morris, Clive Walford and Ryan Williams. Green walked during the May 2013 Commencement exercises (also graduating Thursday was Billy Sanders, who was a reserve tight end in 2010-11).
Also graduating Thursday were soccer’s Jordan Roseboro and baseball’s Alex San Juan and Michael Broad. Roseboro was a four-year letterwinner for the Canes from 2009-12 and finished with six career goals.
“Graduation Day is a celebration for not only our student-athletes and their families but for our whole community that has watched our Hurricanes give their very best effort in school and in their sport,” said David Wyman, Associate AD for Academic Services.
San Juan played two years for Jim Morris’ team (2012-13), finishing his career with a .264 batting average, one home run and 18 RBI in 64 games. Broad spent four seasons in the outfield for the Canes, playing in 178 games and making 147 starts. Broad hit .273 with 15 home runs and 94 RBI.
“Today we honor them for their commitment and contributions they made to our tremendous university and join them in celebrating their academic success,” Wyman said.
DECEMBER 2013 STUDENT-ATHLETE GRADUATES
Baseball (2): Michael Broad, Alex San Juan
Football (13): Malcolm Bunche, Eduardo Clements, Akil Craig, Shayon Green, Allen Hurns, Alex Irastorza, Paul Kelly, Brandon Linder, Sean McNally, Stephen Morris, Billy Sanders, Clive Walford, Ryan Williams