After a few days, the dust had settled on the Robert Marve saga. To the point where Eugene Marve retracted his statements, apologize to Randy Shannon, as well as the University of Miami.
Dad’s hollow warning to future recruits regarding the situation at The U? It fell on deaf ears as Ray Ray Armstrong and Dyron Dye as both committed to Miami last night at the Under Armour All-Star game.
I really wanted to let this one go and not say anything… but I can’t. Not after finally reading the biased article by Dan Wetzel over at Yahoo! Sports. A few folks forwarded me the link to the article that ran last Friday, but I ignored it. It was the holiday season, I was in a good place and frankly, I wasn’t in the mood for any more negativity. It’d been a long week.
When cleaning out the Inbox today, I found Wetzel’s piece staring me in the face. A few lines jumped off the page. I read on, much in the same way you double-take something vulgar on the Internet. You don’t want to look… yet you can’t turn away.
Which was exactly Wetzel’s point when he chose to put the University of Miami on blast regarding this Marve situation. An accomplished sports journalist and screenwriter, Wetzel was calculated in his trashing of the Canes.
For as much success as Miami has experienced the past three decades, it’s common knowledge this is still a small, yet brash fan base. A small private school with big time success. If you’re a Cane, you loved every minute of it. As an outsider, Miami was the poster child for Public Enemy #1.
Everyone’s second-favorite team eventually became whoever the Canes played on any given Saturday.
Wetzel’s been around long enough to know this. He jumped at the opportunity to appease the masses with this recent beat down. Most definitely a calculated move as kicking the Canes when they’re down is good business. Just ask Alexander Wolff. It got him the SI cover story on June 12th, 1995.
“Broken Beyond Repair” was an open letter to Edward ‘Tad’ Foote, where Wolff called for then UM-pres to shut down the football program. No knock on Butch Davis, but he was “Mr. Right” yet “Mr. Too Late”.
Six year later, Davis had the Hurricanes back – building it up the right way, stocking the cupboard with all the right kids. From the depths of probation to No. 2 in the land. A year later, even with his departure, national champs.
So easy a caveman could do it… and did.
Wetzel’s piece on the State of Miami in the wake of Marve? Nothing more than following Wolff’s blueprint. Pile on. Take the easier angle and appeal to the masses. Kick the Canes when they’re down. People eat it up.
Fact is, no one’s even talking transfer or restrictions if the junior Marve kept his temper in check, got his ass to class and competed harder for the starting job.
The real story here? How about the unearned sense of entitlement many a high school senior takes into his college experience. An out of control recruiting game and out-to-make-a-buck sports media has turned the process into a three ring circus. Players are out of control, with parents more overbearing as a stage mother.
If Papa Marve spent more time preaching to his son the value of competition and reminding him that a man is only as good as his word, #9 would’ve reacted accordingly.
He also wouldn’t have turned tail and quit.
Come hell or high water, the “kid that broke all Tebow’s records” would’ve showed Tebow’s heart and made it his mission to win the starting gig.
Spare the sob story, Danny Boy; “Marve found out this week that he was never anything more than a mercenary, just a pair of swift legs with a strong arm brought to the University of Miami to win games.”
Marve was no hireling. Players get as much out of the program as it gets out of them. NCAA Football is the resume that earns you a shot at the next level. You make a commitment, you honor it and you compete. At least, that’s what winners do.
It’s this newfound sense of entitlement that has teenagers negotiating for immediate playing time and a ‘guaranteed’ role as starter.
Based on Marve high-tailing it, he’s proved the stereotype. Being named numero uno and starting 11 games wasn’t enough. Team Marve didn’t like looking over their shoulder. They weren’t fans of the term ‘open competition’ or the true freshman QB who showed up early and came to play.
Marve sized up the competition, thought things over and bailed. Jacory Harris aside, Marve didn’t care for Mr. Shannon’s rules, either.
The first player on Randy’s watch, suspended for some late night tomfoolery also happened to be the kid the new coach was baking the program’s future on. Not off to a great start.
Marve didn’t step up and lead. He skipped out on class and when suspended for the second time in a season, he skipped town. Back to Tampa to talk ‘future’ with the fam and his overbearing former high school coach, instead of preparing with his teammates for the bowl game.
One side is working on becoming a team, while it’s former quarterback played ‘every man for himself’.
If Robert Marve and family are all about protecting themselves and their best interest, why shouldn’t the University of Miami do the same?
Break a commitment or contract in ‘real life’ and there are consequences and penalties. Quit a job before your options vest and you’re not seeing that money. Sign a contract to sell your home, change your mind, try to get out of it and see what happens.
If a player commits to a program, it’s and three to four year commitment. Coached passed up others to bring said superstar on board. A game plan is built around the new talent. Up and leave and you see a ripple effect on your depth chart.
Players have the right to leave, but it can’t be easy. These are college kids, on campus to learn life lessons. We’ll call this one, “giving up something to gain something”. You can go, but you can’t go anywhere. You can also stay here, compete and live up to your commitment.
As a head coach of a vulnerable program in rebuilding mode, Randy Shannon had to draw a line. Being a teacher and leader of men, one final lesson for the young Marve.
To those programs who feel it’s alright to tamper with Miami’s starting quarterback; no mas. Shannon isn’t having it. To the critic too ignorant to understand why, pay closer attention.
Banning a player from going to a conference school is a no-brainer. So is blocking a transfer to all state schools. Eliminate the “why here, but not there” argument completely. Those who tamper, Shannon had to draw the line.
Without these transfer criteria and no repercussions for tampering, where does the game go?
Who comes calling next year? Who gets in a player’s era about depth charts and a lack of playing time? Commitments mean nothing and coaches are re-recruiting kids already signed with other programs. Promises are made and frustrated kids are breaking their word, picking up and going where the wind blows.
Everybody pays in the end. The program takes a hit and recruiting has a void to fill. On the other side, players fail to live out a valuable lesson — at a time when it should be all about learning, becoming more responsible and growing into men.
Wetzel says Shannon is out to intimidate his players; “dare to leave and I’ll bury you”.
Not even close. There’s a lesson here for all parties involved and there are repercussions for one’s actions.
Wetzel also quipped, “Clearly at Miami you’re a piece of meat. If you’re going to go there, you better hope and pray it works out. If not, they might try to bully you off to the other end of the country”.
Safe to assume Wetzel didn’t take the time to read Gary Smith’s piece in SI last fall. The legendary sportswriter actually formed his opinion after spending time with Shannon.
Smith didn’t see the same bully Wetzel describes:
“One day the freshmen would chip in a few bucks and join the 35 or 40 other players who’d eat pancakes and eggs and catfish that [Shannon would] pick up at 5 a.m. at Jackson Soul Food to fill their bellies before their 6:30 meetings, and they’d begin to see another side of him.
Then they’d risk entering Randy’s office with an upperclassman and find their teammates, seven or eight at a time — often the players who’d come from the harshest circumstances — lounging about as if it were their rec room. Some rifling through his desk drawers, closet and refrigerator for snack bars, muffins or peanut butter and jelly that they’d pitched in for him to buy. Some dozing in a chair. Some watching TV or game film, or talking life with him.
Somehow he’d sense what was troubling them, sometimes before even they could. They took things to him that they wouldn’t drag into white coaches’ offices, not in a million years, nor even the offices of those black assistants who’d been raised by schoolteachers and ministers. Because those guys wouldn’t get it, man, couldn’t possibly know what it was like for Javon Nanton to have grown up with a mother on crack and a dad missing from his life, or for safety Kenny Phillips to have three buddies who were shot and killed in separate incidents, all within a few weeks.
They’d tiptoe around the raw stuff, those assistants, trying to say the correct thing, or spoon out something straight from the coaches’ can. Not Randy. Players could take the worst to him, and the worst from him. They could talk to him in shorthand. They wanted what they could smell all over him: survival.”
A few years ago this time, Team Marve didn’t feel the head coach was a bully, either.
Shannon was a huge reason Robert ended up at Miami. In an article Dad called Randy ‘the next Tony Dungy’ – at the time, a recent Super Bowl winner, a quiet leader, a teacher and stand-up human being.
Since then, what or who in the equation has changed? My money is on the flighty pupil, not the wise teacher who’s remained steadfast. The one who’s endured real hardship and has overcome real adversity.
Process that Dan Weztel and you’ll finally see the guy Gary Smith told everyone was “hiding in plain sight”.
In the end, here’s hoping you’re a better man than Wolff — capable of eating crow, or at minimum mustering up a heartfelt apology.
Robert Marve. A kid with potential that gave up too quickly and created this mess.
Randy Shannon. A solution, not the problem.
Marve was a place holder QB til Jacory got here, a back up plan just in case jacory either didn’t pan out, or chose to go elsewhere. It’s simple to see this, anyone choosing not to is doing just that, choosing not too.
FUC|< Dan Weztel!……..
Excellent piece. Very well done.
Weztel’s piece depicts Miami as the only program that puts restrictions on transfers. He mentions some behind the scenes moves by Dad as though that’s just the story Miami is telling. Obvioulsy this guy is buying what the Marve’s were selling. He misses the whole point of what Shannon did: it’s about respect and doing things the right way. If you want to go to Tennessee or LSU, then you make calls and moves AFTER you are granted a release, not in season. Like I said before, 83 other players don’t habve an issue with Shannon, but because 1 starting QB did, then Shannon must be taking the request personally. Not at all. As for the mercenary comment, mercenaries usually go to the highest bidder and look out for themselves only. Obviously this term fits Marve, although Danny Boy has the term flipped in his head. If he can’t follow the same rules everyone else has, and be a leader as the QB should be, then shove off. See you down the road. It’s a shame you can’t man up and do what’s right. Next!
-Columbus Cane
Wetzel is an ass-clown…
But… he’s far from the only person taking rips at Randy Shannon.
I just stumbled upon this a few minutes ago: http://obsfifty.blogspot.com/2009/01/early-ranking-of-acc-teams-in-09.html
And trust me, there are many more out there just like it.
The Marve situation aside, will 2009 be the year Randy Shannon starts facing some scrutiny? I mean honestly, he’s not winning games at an acceptable level for The U… I’m not leaning either way on this, yet, but how long will Randy be given before the administration and boosters start putting some heavy pressure on him? The two year vacation may be over, Marve transfer or not.
“If he wants to transfer, he should be able to transfer. Anywhere he wants, no questions asked. Football programs take recruits based on frivolous things such as favorite colors. They can’t reasonably expect deeper if they want to go. Besides, Marve already has to sit out one season as punishment.”
This is a quote from Wetzel’s article. Is it just me, or does that make no sense at all?
Martin
Have you all forgot that Shannon said Jacory would be the started at spring practice before marve asked for a release????????? The first time in three years Shannon has named the started and no competition for the starting postion? Hellow??????? Shannon picked Jacory as his man and wanted rid of Marve with that move!!!!!!
Have you all forgot that Shannon said Jacory would be the started at spring practice before marve asked for a release????????? The first time in three years Shannon has named the started and no competition for the starting postion? Hellow??????? Shannon picked Jacory as his man and wanted rid of Marve with that move!!!!!!
Robert Marve was suspended around December 19th. Instead of practicing with the team, he headed home to Tampa to hang with his family and plot his future.
The writing has been on the wall for upwards of a month. When Shannon mentioned Harris being the guy going into spring ball, Marve already had this transfer underway.
You see guys, if we aren’t portrayed as thugs and gangsters, if none of that is going on to write about, then we need to be called out for doing the opposite. How dare you suspend a star athlete because he screws up a little…..we can’t win for losing !!!
Hated by many, loved by few, we are the “U.”
God I love being a ‘Canefan.
big pimpin
Here’s some buzz from rivals:
“There have been rumblings that NFL assistants Dirk Koetter (Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator), Mike Shula (Jacksonville’s quarterbacks coach) and Rob Chudzinski (former Cleveland offensive coordinator) may be targets of Miami coach Randy Shannon to fill his offensive coordinator spot. Don’t believe it. It’s highly doubtful any of that trio would take a post that many believe only pays around $250,000.
Miami could make a run at Al Borges, the former Auburn offensive coordinator who recently took the same post at San Diego State, or Mitch Browning, who was offensive coordinator at Syracuse this season. Browning’s ability to develop hard-nosed running attacks, which he did at Minnesota, would seem to mesh with the style of offense Miami wants to run.
Former Cleveland Browns quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer and Alabama quarterback coach Curt Cignetti also could get involved.”
And a slam from Mike Huguenin for no reason:
“Speaking of the Utes: Given Utah’s success of late – two BCS wins in the past five seasons, 49 victories, 5-0 bowl record – maybe it’s time to say “It’s all about the ‘U’ ” when discussing the Utes, not Miami” BTW his e-mail address is mhuguenin@rivals.com. Let him know what’s up.
-Columbus Cane
This is straight up slander for the sake of slander.
If this was some plug from Tampa who wrote the article and knew the Marves, it might make sense. That’s not the case. Dan Wetzel is a national guy. He wrote ‘Glory Days’ as well as a book on Zo Mourning.
He has no ties to Marve and isn’t “representing” Tampa. He simply chose to rip Miami for something that was actually the fault of the player.
Gary Smith’s piece is incredible. I forward that to anyone who questions Randy Shannon. It was well written by a writer who actually spent time with Shannon and got to know him. I’d be willing to bet Wetzel has never met Shannon face to face and hasn’t even scratched the surface with this story. He knows no details, he’s pretty much cleared Marve of all wrong doing and he wants to sweep any tampering talk under the rug, in an effort to back his argument.
He’s an ass. Horrible article, Dan. Great piece, AllCanes.
Man, you get it right everytime
Props to you man, cuz u know what u talking about and u really represent the “U”
thanks man
Once again, I say it is far past time that Shalala barred sportswriters from the University of Miami campus. That move is long overdue.
If they don’t like it, screw ’em!
Great piece. Very well written article.
Great piece all canes!!!I have an autographed Larry Coker football from 2001 and would love to have Coach Shannon sign it as Defensive Coach…but it will be even sweeter when current and future Canes along with Coach Shannon win it all in the very near future…at the “U”….Go Hurricanes!!!!Make us proud!!!!Back to the top of college football!!
so he should have stayed to practice with the team? for a game he wasn’t going to play in?
Nice piece once again. I’m glad we have someone on our side who is able to get out our thoughts on the internet. It drives me nuts having to read different articles of writers blasting our program. I’m glad we have a place like here where someone can defend us.
This in article in Rivals regarding the OC job.
Who’s in charge if cheaping out everytime it comes time to hire some sort of coach?
Read below and you’ll find out why I ask.
Who’s a good fit for Miami?
There have been rumblings that NFL assistants Dirk Koetter (Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator), Mike Shula (Jacksonville’s quarterbacks coach) and Rob Chudzinski (former Cleveland offensive coordinator) may be targets of Miami coach Randy Shannon to fill his offensive coordinator spot. Don’t believe it. It’s highly doubtful any of that trio would take a post that many believe only pays around $250,000.
Miami could make a run at Al Borges, the former Auburn offensive coordinator who recently took the same post at San Diego State, or Mitch Browning, who was offensive coordinator at Syracuse this season. Browning’s ability to develop hard-nosed running attacks, which he did at Minnesota, would seem to mesh with the style of offense Miami wants to run.
Former Cleveland Browns quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer and Alabama quarterback coach Curt Cignetti also could get involved.
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=897012
so he should have stayed to practice with the team? for a game he wasn’t going to play in?
Yes, he should have. Just like the other handful of Canes who were suspended for the bowl game. THEY all stuck around for practice. Marve was the only one who went home.
Again, further proof the writing was on the wall for a while now. Way before Shannon announced Harris would get the nod in spring.
great article…could you write a post about your thoughts on our future OC?
And the pot-shots just keep coming…http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3815468&sportCat=ncf
-Columbus Cane
Gene Wojciechowsk – a useless hack and confirmed racist – he’s best known for a racist article he wrote in Chicago a few years back – is anyone going to take this hack seriously?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Wojciechowski
It really makes me sick to my stomach seeing all this negative talk about Shannon and the University of Miami being the problem on the whole Marve departure.
I live in the Tampa area and every news paper in the city had a front page article bashing Shannon and riding on the jock of Marve and Weiner (his HS HC) and he took shots at him, referring to Shannon as Mr. Discipline and saying he doesn’t trust the University of Miami and that they don’t know how to teach good football.
It makes me sick that all of these journalists, head coaches, and whoever else, can take the side of a 20 year old kid instead of a 4 time national title winner and one of the creators of some of the best defensive players of this age.
It’s pitiful and Marve is acting like a brat who didn’t get what he wanted in the toy store. What a joke…
Just a little story about the Brown brothers:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/kevin_armstrong/01/05/browns.fast/index.html?eref=T1
-Columbus Cane
By the way, just for a comparison, Bruce Feldman stated on ESPN.com that a Gator lineman, James Wilson, had requested a release from the school and Urban Myth outright refused. So compare The U’s restriction to Myth’s: Marve can choose to play for any of 105 schools in D1, while Wilson had the choice of….0. So tell me why Miami is being taken to task? It’s a GD joke.
-Columbus Cane