Canespace

U Had Me At "I Love UM"

By Estela Perez-Somarriba - HurricaneSports.com 

I love UM.

I am still trying to understand what has happened in the last few weeks.

I know, however, that everyone reading this is on the same page as me.

Beginning with COVID-19 cases increasing in my hometown, Madrid, transitioning into online school, the cancellation of all professional and collegiate leagues and everything in between, this has been difficult to process, not just for me but for every student-athlete in the country. I personally have had one foot in Miami and another one in Spain, but I have been lucky enough to have the best possible environments and families in both places. 

After the NCAA released an announcement saying that spring student-athletes could have an extra year of eligibility, a new window of opportunities and possibilities opened up for me. The fact that both the NCAA and the University of Miami gave me the chance to come back and finish my college career like I had always dreamed was very thoughtful. 

Many things went through my mind over the first few days because of a mix of feelings about leaving UM in those unexpected terms and my desire to play professional tennis in the next years. Even though my family has always supported me in every decision I have made, investing in any long-term project is definitely a challenge with all the uncertainty going on. 

However, I came to the conclusion that I could achieve both goals while making the most of this incredible opportunity and decided to stay.

I love UM.

This University and tennis program have given me everything to succeed and accomplish my dreams on and off the court. I cannot put into words how much pride and honor I have had while representing the U. Finishing my career like I had always thought I would is something that means a lot to me.

I'm Learning To Fly, But I Ain't Got Wings

As Tom Petty would say: "And coming down, is the hardest thing."  

Tom Petty was very prophetic when he wrote this song.

Well, the good old days may not return
And the rocks might melt and the sea may burn

I'm learning to fly 
But I ain't got wings 
Coming down 
Is the hardest thing 

Sure he was messaging a different audience and he had a different meaning but when I heard it it made me think about our current situation and circumstance.

None of us have ever been here before. None of us knows if we will make it out alive. Coming down is bad, but is clearly not our greatest concern.

Well, some say life will beat you down
Break your heart, steal your crown
So I've started out for God knows where
I guess I'll know when I get there

I'm learning to fly around the clouds
But what goes up, must come down

It is the crashing, burning and dying that we so much want to avoid.

The sports activities and arenas we all loved are vacant right now.

The real life activities and survival of the fittest are taking center stage.

A month ago I joked about attending the "Last Game Ever". 

And now it doesn't seem so funny, does it?

I'm learning to fly, But I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing.

I will see you at the next game, whenever, and IF ever, that is...

The Last Game Ever Played

I have been attending University of Miami athletic events since 1972.

When I was only 10 years old my father took me to see a University of Miami football game in the Orange Bowl on a Friday night. We sat in the employee's section in the upper deck on the north side of the stadium when only about 20,000 fans would show up for a game. Miami High played on Thursday or Friday nights in the OB also and could draw about 10,000 against their rivals.

But I didn't care how many people were there, I only cared that my dad took the time out of his busy work schedule to take me to the game and watch the Miami Hurricanes play their hearts out for the fans against what was almost always superior talent. It was a blast and I cherish those memories.

And I got to see players like Chuck Foreman and Burgess Owens. Rubin Carter and Dennis Harrah. Eddie Edwards, Ottis Anderson and Fred Marion. Those guys were heroes to me and as great as any player on any team at the time.

We often lost but it was always a treat to spend time with my dad and maybe have a hot dog (mustard/relish) and a coke and cheer for the team wearing orange and green. Those were good times for a young kid growing up in Miami.

Since that time long, long ago I have attended so many UM sports events that I can't even begin to try to tell you the whole story. Along the way there were so many glorious victories and some stunning defeats. At home and on the road I was there to watch the rise and fall of many great UM teams in several sports. It was a roller coaster ride through history with so many good and bad times.

Last Wednesday night I attended the Miami vs UCF baseball game in Orlando on the beautiful campus of the University of Central Florida.

And as it turns out that may be the last game ever played.

The baseball stadium at UCF reminds me of the UM baseball stadium back in the late 80's and early 90's. Back in the day in Coral Gables I was part of a group that called ourselves the "Right Field Rowdies". We would hang out behind the right field fence, drink some beer and fire up the grill (and maybe a few other things) and watch the smoke blow across the field at Mark Light Stadium.

We would yell things, sometimes borderline offensive, at the right fielders of the opposing teams as they stood in right field. It was wrong, but we were young, and dumb, and drinking, and well you get the picture. We gave them hell, intimidated the players and it often worked to our advantage.

The funny thing was we never got harrassed, or removed or escorted out of the area behind right field. That would certainly never be allowed in today's athletic events. I guess those were the days.

At the most recent game at UCF, the opposing fans were friendly, the game was played in typical fashion, and Miami won 3-2. But as I stood there in that stadium, among many other fans, I had this thought run through my mind that:

"This could be the last game I, or anyone here, ever sees."

The Corona Virus seems to have taken the world hostage. You can't go out in public or even be in large crowds anymore. You are advised not to congregate in more than groups of 50 people. But at the ballgame nobody seemed to care.

Sports events and entire seasons are being cancelled all around. The sports world has been turned upside down and ESPN has nothing to show on it's 24 hour news feed. The only thing I have to possibly say is this: 

Maybe I was at the last game ever played.

Should He Stay Or Should He Go Now?

USING CANES BASKETBALL HISTORY TO LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF WHETHER COACH LARRANAGA SHOULD STAY OR GO 

by Alpine; March 10, 2020

The Canes actually began fielding a basketball team way back in 1926, but the U dropped it in 1971. In 1985, it was phoenix-time as the Canes rose from the ashes and resumed play. As an Independent, BILL FOSTER led UM the first 5 seasons to a 78-71 record. During this time, Foster never had more than 12 losses and never less than 13 wins.

In 1990, LEONARD HAMILTON took over the reins and posted a 9-19 record.

In 1991, the Canes joined the Big East Conference . . . during their first 3 years there, Hamilton's teams posted Big East records of 1-17, 7-11 and 0-18; his overall record his first 4 years (1990-94) being 34-65.

During Hamilton's next 3 years (1994-97), the team upped it's game slightly, going 26-28 in the Big East; 46-39 overall and making it into the NIT twice, (though bowing out in the 1^st round).

In 1997, Hamilton's hard work finally began paying off: 1997-99 the Canes went 41-17 overall; 26-10 in the Big East (2^nd place both years) and were invited to the NCAA Championship.

In his last year here (1999-2000), Hamilton's Canes posted a 23-11 overall record, but were 13-3 in the Big East, winning the regular season title . . . they also made it to the Sweet 16 at the NCAA tournament.

Unfortunately, Michael Jordan swooped in with fools gold and our coach left us for the big leagues (where he was employed for about a year, before taking his talents to FSU).

After Hamilton, we spent 4 years under coach PERRY CLARK. His claim to fame was that, in his 2^nd year with us, his team reached the NCAA tournament after posting a 10-6 record in the Big East; 24-8 overall. That was followed up by 2 losing seasons (25-33 overall; 8-24 in the Big East) and he was thankfully shown the door.

The Canes joined the ACC in 2004 with a new head coach, FRANK HAITH. Haith recruited decently, but was a totally incompetent coach: in his 7 seasons with the Canes (2004-2011) his overall record was 129-101 and 43-69 in the ACC . . . his best season was his 4^th (23-11 overall; 8-8 in the ACC); it was his first and only time reaching .500 in the ACC, which means, he NEVER achieved a winning season in the ACC!

In 2011, we finally got lucky and hired JIM LARRANAGA, who immediately went 9-7 in conference play and indeed, in 6 of his 9 years with Miami, the Canes had a winning ACC record.

But Larranaga's reign is a tale that needs to be divided into 2 parts: the 2011-2018 seasons and the 2018-20 seasons.

In the 7 seasons from 2011 - 2018 his overall record was 161-79 overall, without a single losing season (unlike every other Canes coach). Within the ACC, he had a winning record every year except the 7-11 record in the rebuilding year of 2013/14, after his entire line-up graduated or, in the case of sophomore Shane Larkin, turned pro.

During this 7-year span, a couple notable accomplishments:

- in 4 of the 7 years, the Canes went dancing in the NCAA tournament and TWICE reached the Sweet 16

- in 2 of the other 3 years they went to the NIT, once reaching the Finals (losing heartbreakingly by 2 points)

- in 2012/13 the Canes won both the ACC regular season AND the ACC Tournament Championship, becoming the first (and only) ACC school not named Duke or NC to win both in the same season since 1974 (NC State)

- the Canes were in the top 25 three times during this period (#5 in 2013; #10 in 2016; #22 in 2018)

But in 2018/19, the Canes posted Larranaga's first losing season (14-18), including a 5-13 record within the ACC . . . WHY??!! Did Larranaga suddenly forget how to coach & recruit?

If we look closely at that 2018/19 season, we see:

1- 5-stars Lonnie Walker & Bruce Brown turned pro (+ Jaquan Newton graduated)

2- Larranaga was falsely implicated in an FBI investigation of corruption: recruits fled the uncertainty of major sanctions and we were left with ZERO recruits = ZERO freshmen

3- the NCAA slow-walked the Dewan Hernandez case (arguably our best player); eventually, the NCAA arbitrarily and non-sensically declared him ineligible for the entire season

4- Deng Gak is injured and out for the entire season; Rodney Miller needs to redshirt

This is basically the definition of a "decimated roster".

In 2019/20 (without the FBI & NCAA sticking it to the Canes), Larranaga brings in 3 good recruits + grad transfer, Keith Stone . . . unfortunately, freshmen need time to develop and since there are ZERO sophomores, we wind up not having enough bodies to pick up the slack when injuries hurt the Canes mid-season.

The Canes still manage to pick up 7 ACC regular season wins, which is more than NC!

I mention NC, because in the 17 seasons Roy Williams has coached there, they were #1 in the ACC regular season 9 times! This year, they were 13^th! They were in the NCAA tournament every year except 1, (NIT invite) . . . but this year, (unless they become the ACC tournament champion) they will miss the post-season entirely!

So even storied programs can hit a bump in the road!

Or looking at Windy's favorite, FSU's Leonard Hamilton (seen above with FSU Cheer):

1- out of 18 years there, he has only posted 8 winning seasons in the ACC

2a- 2010-12 (his 9^th & 10^th seasons at FSU) his team had two good seasons, going 11-5 and 12-4 in the ACC (3^rd place both seasons)

2b- they follow that up with 7 mediocre seasons, during which FSU only made it above .500 in the ACC twice! 

2c- 2019-20 FSU achieves 1^st place in the ACC by posting a16-4 record.

Obviously, Hamilton is a very decent coach, but he has not been a basketball god by any means! In my opinion, Larranaga has been the better coach.

So before you dump on Larranaga, get to know your history! Not giving him time to dig himself back out of the hole the NCAA/FBI dug for him would be ridiculous & ignorant.

Hurricane Hardballers Remain Highly Rated

The University of Miami baseball program remains ranked among the top teams in Division I, coming in as high as No. 5 in polls released Monday.
 
The Hurricanes (11-4, 3-0 ACC) are ranked highest by Baseball America, moving up one spot to No. 5 in their top 25. The Canes also jumped up one spot in the USA Today Coaches Poll, climbing to No. 8.
 

Miami held its position in three polls, remaining at No. 7 in the D1 Baseball top 25, No. 9 in Collegiate Baseball's poll and at No. 11 in the Perfect Game poll. 

The Canes ascent in the rankings comes after they went 3-1 last week, dropping a midweek game at FAU before sweeping Pittsburgh in their first ACC series over the weekend.
 

Miami bounced back from its first midweek loss of the season with an impressive showing in their first taste of conference play.
 
One swing of the bat by Alex Toral sent the Miami Hurricanes home winners in their ACC opener on Friday afternoon.The reigning ACC home run king hit a rocket off of Pitt right-hander C.J. McKennitt that got out of Mark Light Field in a hurry, giving the Canes an 11-inning 5-4 walk-off win over Pittsburgh.
 

Strong pitching and timely hitting helped the Hurricanes secure a series win over the Panthers Saturday night. The Canes (10-4, 2-0 ACC) got another excellent outing from Chris McMahon, while a three-RBI showing from Adrian Del Castillo helped propel Miami's offense to a 5-0 win.
 
An offensive explosion helped the Canes complete a sweep of their ACC rival with a 14-2 win on Sunday, as Jordan Lala and Anthony Vilar's three-hit performances led an offense that combined for 18 hits in the series finale.

The Canes hit the road this week, traveling to UCF for a midweek matchup on Wednesday at 6 p.m. After facing the Knights, Miami will continue on its road swing for a weekend series at Virginia Tech beginning Friday at 4 p.m.

Speed Kills

When Mike Harley learned his new offensive coordinator spent the last two seasons holding the same job at SMU, the first thing he did, of course, was study the film.
 
What Harley saw as he watched the 2019 Mustangs score touchdown after touchdown was that the receiver wearing his same number – James Proche – had plenty of touches and lots of big plays.
 
Harley was inspired.
 

"I'm looking at it like, 'Okay, he wears No. 3, too. He's catching a lot of balls. Let me study this guy,'" Harley said. "And then I looked up all the [records] for the University of Miami – the career leaders and stat leaders in yards and catches and I realized this offense can put me in the right position to break records and be remembered, from an individual standpoint. … This offense is just great for my skill set, but as a whole, on offense, everyone can eat."
 
Cam'Ron Harris had a similar realization when he, too, watched how some of offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee's former players performed last year.
 
Former SMU running back Xavier Jones totaled more than 1,200 rushing yards, a number that caught Harris' attention, particularly given his efforts to be Miami's lead back this fall after the departure of DeeJay Dallas.
 

But what Harley, Harris and the rest of the Hurricanes are learning is that if they're as to be as dynamic as they want to be in Lashlee's offense, they're going to have to make changes.
 
The biggest? Adjusting to a much faster tempo that doesn't give anyone on either side of the ball much time to catch their breaths between plays.
 
"The past two years, I wasn't in a fast-tempo offense. … It's not easy," Harris said after the Hurricanes wrapped up their second of 15 spring practices on Tuesday. "You have to get ready within eight to 10 seconds every play. We can run 30 yards and we still have to get back, every play. [Lashlee's] been on top of us, every day. If we're loafing, there's punishment. If we do the little things wrong, there's punishment. He's been on our tail, but I think that's what we need as a whole unit."
 

Added receiver Dee Wiggins, "We're going to get tired, but I mean, it's a process thing. You know we have to get used to it. So as the days go by, we've got to get better and better at it. We've got to get better at conditioning. … It's only Day Two, and we're getting the hang of it. We've just got to take it day-by-day and keep working."