Some Memories Never Fade

Sean Taylor was born in Miami on April 1, 1983. 

Perhaps by fate, or maybe by coincidence, it was later that same year that the University of Miami, behind a quarterback named Kosar and coach named Schnellenberger (seen below with QB Jim Kelly), would win their first college football National Championship by beating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. 

That game, which put the UM program on the big-time college football map, has often been referred to as the "Miracle in Miami".  Sean's Taylor's birth in April of that year could also be seen as a miracle for what this young man would soon bring to his team and its fans in his home town.

Sean grew up in a tough South Dade neighborhood and later attend Gulliver High School where he would help them win the Class 2A State Title. His spectacular play would help him become the #1 ranked prep player in Miami-Dade County by the Miami Herald.  Sean was so dominant at the high school level that he played multiple positions including running back, linebacker and defensive back. 

After a spectacular Senior season and a hotly contested recruiting battle, Sean decided to attend the University of Miami. It would prove to be somewhat ironic that Sean would wind up being one of only four true freshmen to play in 2001 on the Hurricanes fifth National Championship team. 

Even at this early stage, Sean's life had seemingly come full circle. From being born during the Miracle in Miami season of 1983 to contributing to what was arguably the best UM team ever, the Canes 2001 championship team. Sean Taylor, a hometown boy had already grown to become a hometown hero and would eventually become a true legend to Canes fans in the 305 and beyond.

As Junior at UM in 2003, after beating FSU at Doak Campbell Stadium in the pouring rain seemingly all by himself, Sean would win a slew of college football awards. After that season, Sean decided it was time to take the next step in his carrer and would opt for the NFL draft.   

He would be the first of six Canes selected in the first round that year (an NFL record) when he was drafted fifth overall by the Washington Redskins. 

By 2006 there was no doubt that Sean Taylor had become the dominant player at his position and was honored by being selected to the NFL Pro-bowl that year. He was nicknamed "Meast" by teammates for being part man, part beast. Taylor would become one of the most feared hitters in the NFL and gained the respect of his peers at the highest level of competition.       

Entering his third year as a Redskin, Sean seemed to be at the top of his game and the NFL talent pool. By the tenth week of the NFL season he was tied for the league lead in interceptions and was considered an automatic selection for his second straight Pro-Bowl. 

Then came the fateful night of November 27, 2007. Sean Taylor, while at home asleep with his wife and 18 month-old daughter, awoke to a loud noise in his home. In an effort to protect his family, Sean confronted the would-be burglars. He was shot once and would later die from the severe loss of blood as his femoral artery was torn apart by the single bullet.   

That night would end the life of a real Hurricane hero.

Sean Taylor's sudden and tragic death shocked his family, friends, teammates and the Hurricane faithful. When he died the day following the shooting, we promised to never forget his contributions to the University of Miami. This blog article is our simple way of proving that we have not forgotten Sean Taylor, #26, who played at The U and was proud to wear the orange and green. 

Some memories never fade. 

And even now, if you close your eyes, you can probably still see him, #26 back peddaling into open space, picking off another deep pass, splashing through the rain and the mud at the Doak, weaving down the field behind several blockers, refusing to be denied and diving into the end zone for a pick six. 

 

That is how Miami Hurricane fans will remember Sean Taylor. As a miracle of a man who at times seemed completely capable of beating the other team all by himself.

Comments

[roachcane77]

RIP Sean T. #26!🙌🏼❤️🙌🏼

[Sarasota 'cane]

the late, great Sean Taylor!

RIPower!

Go 'canes!

[AeroCane]

Sad!

[CGNC]

Belated Happy Thanksgiving! Never forget Sean Taylor. I remember getting our blog article and our comments to his family through his attorney. We're nothing here, if not committed. Seems like it was not that long ago and at the same time a million years.

[HerbieIbis]

We've never had anyone close to him since he left.

[TonyCane]

Happy belated Thanksgiving!

Things are a bit glum for the Longhorn fans out here in Austin. Some fun facts...

Texas compared to Miami last 10 seasons:

WINS:
Texas - 71 (35 in last five seasons)
Miami - 75 (39 in last five seasons)

RECRUITING
Only once has Miami had a recruiting class in the Top 10 (2018). Texas has had six. Two of the last three were in the Top 3.

[86Cane]

And Texas lost today to Iowa State.

[The Herb]

Can have a lot of great recruits but if u fall short at certain positions, it's going to hold u back. That, and lack of development.
Take us: CB, LB and lack of developing consistent QB play.
Oh line but we seem to slowly be building it up and now have some talent.

[nemo2020]

Nice analysis TC.
Thank you!

NEMO

[AeroCane]

Lol
Nebraska has another south Florida leave - this time Ronald Delancy a CB from northwestern

[roachcane77]

The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes' next scheduled game at Wake Forest on Dec. 5 has been postponed by the ACC due to COVID-19 tests within the Wake Forest program, the league announced on Saturday.

It is unknown at this time if or when a game against Wake Forest will take place.

[The Herb]

Well, that should be about all the Flo. Kids that signed with Nebraska, have now left. I guess those players will think twice about playing us against them.

[YooperCane]

Canes in at #9 in coaches poll, hoping the same in the AP....Go Canes!

[86Cane]

Canes in at #9 in coaches poll, hoping the same in the AP....Go Canes!

Posted by: YooperCane | November 29, 2020 at 12:48 PM

Seems that us NOT playing can be helpful?

[AeroCane]

Seems that us NOT playing can be helpful?

Posted by: 86Cane

I think 4 more weeks in the season - if we are #9 now, we should be up to #5 at end of season as long as we don’t play again! Lol

[YooperCane]

86 and Aero that’s some funny ass shit but true! 😂 Seems like we are trending up for sure! 🤷‍♂️

[RCCF]

Anyone have the scoop on these fantom games we are looking at?? I keep hearing BYU could sneak on the schedule as well as possibly moving other games up and or adding an ACC team to make up for Wake....any inside info??

Recruiting Wise:

Not Inside Info but seems we're gonna take kids we missed on originally via Transfer Portal. Kids leave the U high and dry only to find out college towns are social desserts and trouble finds you faster than legal fun.

We need some CB's honestly feel some of our S should convert to CB (Balom, Frierson[who never should've been converted], Washington, not sure on Harrell but him too lol...they still would have 3-4 S on roster and incoming if I'm not mistaken

PLEASE Move Amari to MLB he'd fit well w/those boys..

PLEASE leave Malik Curtis at WR

Also see a QB coming in from the Transfer Portal and possibly a WR...

This may be our Biggest Pull from the Transfer Portal especially with all the remix rules being applied. Free Year, No Sit for Transfer, and the least hassle ever in NCAA History add in 1st season of pay for play and FL as a state signed the dotted line. Things are looking GOOD 👍 👌

12%
RCCF

[AeroCane]

RCCF
I think the game needs to be ACC but not sure

As for the rest- I agree 100%, although frierson is not a cb IMO and amari is not football smart enough to be mlb (maybe OLB though)
The talk is that Curtis will be given the opportunity at WR
As for the portal, yes, qb (if king does not stay), WR, CB and a DE of both roche and Phillips move on

[The Herb]

Curtis to stay on offense.
The only High school kid we really have a prayer at is Brown and he is ok. Some say 4, some say 3 star.
Carter, if he were to move would be OLB.
Portal for a QB. If Garcia was going to flip, he would of already done so, unless he waits to Feb. But I think he is enrolling early, so that is a moot point.
Roche will have a tough decision to make. He is probably going to be an OLB in the pros.
Phillip's would be better served to come back unless these last 3 or 4 games he continues to keep climbing up, like he has been.
King needs to come back. He's had a good year, which may have been better, had we had spring practice. These WR's are just now coming around and it took opening the comp up to motivate them to start playing like their pay grade.
Bolden needs to come back. Dude started out like gangbusters but has seemed lost the last 3 games.
Everybody just needs to be consistent and that is the missing ingredient.
7-1 says we are but struggling to beat the sisters of the poor, says were are not close to where we need to be. We should be averaging 40 pts. A game with this offense but because we can't run consistently and our WR'S were MIA the first part of the season, we have kept the games close.

[TonyCane]

It's set to be Duke next Saturday at 8pm.

[HerbieIbis]

Thad Franklin waiting to sign in Feb. The Herb says Why? Looks to me, that he is no lock.

[HerbieIbis]

For our sake, I hope it's not raining Saturday.

[58 Straight]

I hope it's not raining Saturday.

Posted by: HerbieIbis | November 29, 2020 at 10:18 PM

Or cold.

If it is cold AND raining we are totally screwed.

[AeroCane]

Duke should equal big win but with manny and Blake who the heck knows
Wake would of been a tougher game IMO so we got lucky coming off the long break.
With FSU basically blowing this season off, maybe they have a few key recruits we can steal (can anyone say CB?)

[The Herb]

FSU is a train wreck and we thought we had it bad.
They do have 3 CB'S verballed.

[alpine]

i think it was hc shannon who pointed out that playing at duke is always tricky
. . . evidently, king's leadership will be needed early . . . on the long walk from the locker room to the field; making sure the guys don't get winded or used up

[AeroCane]

Alpine
LOL

[AeroCane]

FSU
3 committed DB’s - 2 3 star and 1 no star (not sure if any are CB’s)
Also, their 4 star QB commit just decomitted

[RCCF]

Kids Choosing Floriduh:

The DC getting cussed out by the HC on national TV. Gator Defense is TRASH and you don't know who the next DC is.

Kids Choosing FSU:

Really? Can you say Dump! Best players refused to play, and recruits dropping daily..

Hey Manny Go Cruit Those Boys!

12%
RCCF

[CGNC]

Ok so Duke on 12/5. Weather is a high of 54 with morning showers - low of 31. It will be chilly.

Alpine LOL on Shannon saying playing Duke is tricky - that is because he always ran out of time outs halfway into the third quarter

[AfriCane]

For those who wants us to play BYU or another strong team; put that crack pipe down. We r coming off 3 weeks later off. And we still have to play UNC. Duke is the perfect tune up win need for that game. It’s not going to look preety and we will make mistakes. But we will still win. Do that against BYU & u loose. And then u might loose against UNC, especially if the kids r demoralized from that loss.

[AfriCane]

Fock Jake Garcia. We always running after these Cali QBs that do something else. Let him go to USC. He’ll end up transferring in a year like the rest of them. It’s the Cane Curse.

[86Cane]

Aero...don't be silly. I already posted this weeks ago. FSU has SERIOUS recruits at CB: 2 of them are 4 stars and one 3 star.

https://247sports.com/college/florida-state/Season/2021-Football/Commits/

Can we steal any of them remains to be seen but as long as Stump, uh I mean Rumph, it is questionable.

[RCCF]

T2 Decommits From Tennessee
CANES ALERT

12%
RCCF

[YooperCane]

Phuck Norte Dame punching their ticket to the ACC championship game. The ACC should have never invited them assholes to join the conference this year. They should have left them on their own island like the prefer to be. Now we are on the outside looking in, this is phuckin bullshit.

[AfriCane]

We should bounce the foking Lepricons next year.

[The Herb]

T2 looking at Auburn.
When we start to get consistent, the QB situation will take care of itself but until that day happens?
N. Dame will get their drawers blown off against Clemson, just like we probably would have, matter of fact let zN. Dame be the sacrificial lamb against Bama or OSU.
They are not that good and we ain't their yet.

[86Cane]

We should bounce the foking Lepricons next year.

Posted by: AfriCane | December 01, 2020 at 06:52 PM

I am 86Cane and I approve this message.

[RCCF]

My Hope is National Voting Keeps Us Alive as an At Large

12%
RCCF

[VA Cane]

79- 94 we were independents.....I loved it!!!! We were hated we lost some games we should have won...missed a couple more titles had we focused we would have won...but people were afraid of us...didnt wanna play us....people feared the U!!!!..we joined Big East 95...i loved being independent playing cussing fighting ND...and whoever else wanted it!!!!!

If we were really good now like then...i would rather be independent going round the nation beating ass...on tv....kids flocking to play here TITLES!!!!! It would be grand....but now it is so much harder to do it....ya know the $ conference thing....but I still wish we could be that era dominance....NOW...and be independent...I loved being HATED!!! what ya think CGNC?

[Harry Miller]

VA those were the days, the good old days when every body hated us. More fans filled the other teams stadium then had ever been in attendance before. Hoping to see them beat us. Then we would kick their ass in front of them. Except Washington my friend up their never let's me forget it. We went all over the country kicking their ass's on their field. Boy those were the days.

[alpine]

N. Dame will get their drawers blown off against Clemson, just like we probably would have, matter of fact let zN. Dame be the sacrificial lamb against Bama or OSU.
They are not that good and we ain't their yet.

Posted by: The Herb | December 01, 2020 at 08:10 PM

^^^this!

- i'm fine playing a couple more games, 3 if possible, and hoping to win out
- do that and we get a decent bowl
- IF win the bowl game, and then we start feeling real good about ourselves and our off-season
- get pummelled again from the clemsons of the football world, and the off-season ego starts in droopy mode, like the gangsta pants showing half the boxers

[roachcane77]

- i'm fine playing a couple more games, 3 if possible, and hoping to win out
- do that and we get a decent bowl
- IF win the bowl game, and then we start feeling real good about ourselves and our off-season
- get pummelled again from the clemsons of the football world, and the off-season ego starts in droopy mode, like the gangsta pants showing half the boxers
Posted by: alpine | December 02, 2020 at 02:20 AM

AGREE 💯%.
Let's finish STRONG, and recruit like CRAZY this offseason!🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
History has shown that finishing weak, and losing in a "minor" bowl game has NOT been helpful to the cause!😞😤

We need to have a CRUSHING "STATEMENT" WIN against Duke this Saturday, and continue the momentum through to the finish, (no matter what N.Lame and Clemson do.)

Let's Go CANES!🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[58 Straight]

We went all over the country kicking their ass's on their field. Boy those were the days.

Posted by: Harry Miller | December 02, 2020 at 01:29 AM

Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end...

[58 Straight]

We need to have a CRUSHING "STATEMENT" WIN against Duke this Saturday, and continue the momentum through to the finish.

Posted by: roachcane77 | December 02, 2020 at 07:26 AM

U mean something like 34-13?

[roachcane77]

😂34-13 would ALMOST be crushing enough... (although hitting the 50's would make a better statement!)🙌🏼

[RCCF]

I Feel Like ND Was Gifted and Clemson Accommodated. NO WAY 1 Loss to Clemson
is Worse Than Losing to Syracuse (Assuming ND Loses)...

12%
RCCF

[The Herb]

34-13 means we stop our streak of winning ugly.
3 week lay off = more ugliness
34-24.
We find a way not to let the subs get reps once again.

[86Cane]

We find a way not to let the subs get reps once again.

Posted by: The Herb | December 02, 2020 at 01:43 PM

Just another sign of good, solid coaching? LOL

[KYcane]

We find a way not to let the subs get reps once again.

Posted by: The Herb | December 02, 2020 at 01:43 PM

This

It’s been a huge problem for years