This blog is a tribute to Canes fan Herbieibis...
All of the elite athletic department folks look down at us with contempt.
Head coaches have done the same when questioned about their failures.
The media thinks we know nothing and we should leave the analysis to them.
To all of these educated yet narrow minded people we say: Choke on it!
The Armchair Boyz have been right every time and right from the beginning.
When Larry Coker lost his team leaders in Reed and Gonzalez and then proved couldn't recruit worth a damn because he was old and tired and relied on scouting system ratings of players we called him out. The next thing you know he had a punter playing at wide receiver and Coker had lost his mojo. Plus his QB recruits were awful. The Armchair Boyz saw it and called it out. And then, just like that likable Larry went on to stepping down the road in a sour mood.
When Randy Shannon was hired to save the program we cut him some slack. As a former player, defensive coach and local guy made good we thought OK, maybe we have something here. But it wasn't long before we figured out that he couldn't lead or gather a staff worth supporting. He then proceeded to alienate the local high school coaches and even the media turned on him. He then told Joe Rose on live radio: "Don't call the dogs out Joe". The Armchair Boyz saw what was happening and the dogs were readily summoned and Hurricane Randy was politely shown the way out the door.
When Al Golden arrived in what seemed a total surprise in the middle of the night riding on his 12 pillars of something or other that only he could describe (and zero accomplishments to show for it) the Armchair Boyz said: "Who is this tie wearing JoPa disciple coming here to fatten and slow our defense down to where the looked like dough boys on a cold winter day?" Nope, the Armchair Boyz were having none of that. D'Onofrio became D'No in short order and Golden apparently sank his ship with his butt buddy on a reef in Key Largo visiting Jimmy Johnson. Kehoe promised us. They have not been seen since.
Ah, and then stepped in the eventual and true Savior of the program, experienced head coach and former 'Cane QB Mark Richt. Fresh from his firing at Georgia where it was alleged that he couldn't win the big game, he came to Miami just to win enough to well, you know, enjoy life in shorts and sandals. Miami is kinda casual like that if you know what I mean?
But Marky-Mark seemed old and tired and at times disinterested. The Armchair Boyz saw that which is why he left fat and happy after just a few years and a hefty buyout clause. But then more empanadas are better than less, I guess?
And now we arrive at Manny, Manny, Manny. Oh, where do we even start? He left for Temple to replace Geoff Collins who went to Georgia Tech. Then Geoff beat Manny in his first year. Manny had a cup of coffee in Philly and said well maybe this ain't for me and high tailed it back to Miami at the URGENT wishing of UM AD Blake "Head Fake" James to apparently assume Richt's place among the scrap heap of recent coaches at Miami.
Surely Temple was hurt by Manny's sudden departure and incredible turn of events. Or well, maybe not so much. We'll never know.
When Diaz was announced we the fans pretended to be excited. Even for a brief minute (Turnover Chain) the Armchair Boyz were encouraged. This was going to be "The New Miami"! Whatever that meant it had to be good, right?
And then, well, it wasn't. It was worse than the old, really old MIami. It was worse than anything we had ever seen. And I mean ever and that's a long time. We got beat badly by ACC opponents North Carolina (first year coach), Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech (first year coach), and Duke. Add to that being beaten by inter-city rival FIU and former UM coach Butch Davis. Could it get worse?
And then it did. In the bowl game we scored ZERO points against La Tech after allegedly doing something call "practicing" for several weeks. The Armchair Boyz were clearly not happy. It simply doesn't get any worse than that.
So now we are signing off as the Armchair Boyz in recognition and consolidation behind Herbieibis who says: "I'm hurt dawg, don't ask me if I'm hurt."
The names are very familiar and read like a "Who's Who" of college football QBs.
Jim Kelly
Bernie Kosar
Vinnie Testaverde
Steve Walsh
Craig Erickson
Gino Toretta
Ken Dorsey was the last great QB to play at Miami.
And then, all of a sudden, it was over. Just like that.
It's interesting to see the lack of impact of star ratings for quarterbacks since then.
Let's take a look at Miami's quarterbacks since Dorsey:
2003-2004: Brock Berlin (5 stars) Above average
2005-2007: Kyle Wright (5 stars) Below Average
2004-2007: Kirby Freeman (4 stars) Below average
2007: Robert Marve (4 stars) Average
2008-2011: Jacory Harris (4 stars) Average
2012-2013: Stephen Morris (3 stars) Above average
2014-2016: Brad Kayaa (4 stars) Above average
2017-2018: Malik Rozier (3 stars) Average
2018-2019: N'Kosi Perry (4 stars) Below Average
2019: Jarren Williams (4 stars) Below Average
This doesn't include the quarterbacks who never even played, such as Kevin Olsen (4 stars) or Jack Allison (4 stars).
Meanwhile three star quarterback D'Eriq King is now being rated as an elite level quarterback. Johnny Manziel, Joe Burrows, and Marcus Mariotta were also three star players coming out of high school yet all became transcendent players for their college programs. It really points out how much of a crap shoot recruiting can be, at least at the quarterback position.
So when you think about it, you have to think that Miami's biggest challenge is finding that new star QB that can transcend over the "average" level and excel the team above the next level.
Who is that guy?
Is it the new QB King?
I guess only time will tell.