Another holiday season is here and allCanes wants to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to the U Family, CanesFam, supporters of “The U”, all who bleed orange and green and we thank you for all of your support and patronage over the year and especially this football season.
No, things aren’t where we’d like them to be—five losses on the year, out of the ACC race and having lost to an arch rival yet again, but today isn’t the day to dwell on those things. Enough of that takes place on a day-to-day basis, both during, after and before football season.
Today is about silver linings and focusing on the positives—in life, with family and as fans of this program. For those struggling to find anything good right now regarding the University of Miami, a few quick reminders:
For starters, give thanks that Miami Hurricanes football ever became something in the first place. Three decades ago, a perfect storm got underway and much like Malcolm Gladwell discusses in “Outliers”, timing and circumstance came together for this program, setting the stage for a hostile takeover of the sport in the 1980’s.
The four national titles over a nine-year span put the Hurricanes on the map, gave this program relevancy and the brand remains strong today, despite the losses. (Look no further than ESPN calling for “The U Part 2”, a sequel to the successful 30 For 30 that originally aired in 2009, with the new installment debuting on the four-letter network December 13th.)
Whenever one chooses to bitch about the state of “The U”, fact remains that Miami had no business becoming a powerhouse in the first place. Small private school in a metropolitan city full of transplants who have forever treated the program like a professional sports franchise; on board when wining and onto something else when not.
The success in the eighties, the bonds that were forged, the “us against the world” and revolving door of head coaches who found success and moved on—it is what gave Miami the grit to come back from probation in the mid-nineties, better than ever.
This is a resilient program that is bigger than any individual and this is a tough city that will not settle for mediocrity—chewing up the weak and issuing a challenge to the next individual ready to get this thing where it belongs.
Save all the Al Golden frustration for another time and fully realize that a corner will eventually be turned with our without him.
While you’re in the giving thanks mood, thank your orange and green stars that Howard Schnellenberger even took this job in 1979 and was able to build a program that was ready for that moment when opportunity struck—a mountain of New Years Day upsets in January 1984, followed by upsetting what at the time was the best college football team in the game’s history.
Without Schnellenberger, there is no Jimmy Johnson putting his fingerprints all over this program and furthering the cause, as well as any of the success that followed thereafter.
Back to the previous point, it’s not only a miracle that Miami football came together as it did three decades ago—but the fact it carried on for another decade-plus with four different coaches, three of which who won national titles—the more time that passes, the more amazing the feat.
Give thanks for Brad Kaaya and the fact that Miami finally has its first real quarterback since Ken Dorsey left town a dozen years ago.
A few guys came in with high hopes and flopped—Kyle Wright and Jacory Harris—while others like Kirby Freeman and Stephen Morris never turned a corner. There were also the never-was guys who chose a different path for one reason, or another—David Thompson, Preston Dewey and Gray Crow.
The Hurricanes have always been as good as the guy under center and Kaaya is the real deal—showing his worth as a true freshman in 2014. This is the type of kid you build a team around and hope to make a run with.
“The Kaaya Effect” will help recruiting on the offensive side of the ball and can be that spark that reignites “Quarterback U”—luring in future greats who want to learn from him and pick up where he leaves off.
Give thanks for Duke Johnson as well, and prepare to say goodbye as it appears the NFL is around the corner. Johnson, like make of future greats in the mid-to-late 1990’s, chose the Canes when Miami wasn’t the popular choice.
A top back nationally, the Norland High local product was all Miami from day one and showed other locals from that 2012 signing class that it was all right to stay home, amidst turmoil, negative recruiting and an NCAA investigation. Locals like four-star safety Deon Bush or five-star cornerback Tracy Howard, who also had countless offers, but pledged their allegiance to “The U” and helped turn things around recruiting-wise under Golden.
Johnson enters this weekend 34 yards shy of breaking Miami’s all-time career rushing record of 3,331 yards—surpassing greats like Willis McGahee, Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis and current-record holder Ottis Anderson, who took four seasons to set the bar, compared to Johnson’s three.
Johnson is a one-of-a-kind kid and his choosing Miami was a pivotal moment for the in-repair program. His service here goes beyond words and here’s hoping that fans aren’t as focused on a five-loss Canes team this weekend, but what is most-likely the final home game for one of the best to ever put on that “U” helmet.
Give thanks that a new era is on the horizon and remain optimistic. With Donna Shalala stepping down as president, it’s a blow the University of Miami as her leadership and innovation will be missed, but new blood could prove positive for the football program.
Fact remains, Shalala is understandably loyal to Golden for his efforts to guide Miami through two-plus years of an NCAA mess he didn’t create and bought the head coach some time to get things turned around.
Whoever comes in next—they’ll have a blank slate regarding both Golden and athletic director Blake James. Expectations will be high and as always with a new boss in charge, everyone will be expected to perform and is fighting to keep their jobs.
It’s been a 14-year run with Shalala and her efforts have made the University of Miami a better school. Alumni and supporters of this university owe her a ton of thanks.
Next up, “The U” will welcome it’s sixth president in school history and sky’s the limit regarding where things go next. Reason in itself to remain optimistic.
Lastly regarding “The U”, some real-deal thanks for Jim Larrañaga finding his way to Coral Gables and giving Miami fans a basketball program looks to be a force during his tenure.
After such an incredible run two seasons ago, Larrañaga and his kids were in full-blown rebuild mode last year, but appear to be back in the mix, cracking the rankings at No. 17 this week.
The Hurricanes are currently 6-0 on the season and are seeing instant impact out of two JUCO transfer in guards Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan, as well as Manu Lecomte.
Miami football has had its struggles and Hurricanes baseball hasn’t sniffed Omaha since 2008, but this basketball program is giving fans of the orange and green something to root for as those other sports get it together.
With that, it’s Thanksgiving. Get offline, disconnect from life, enjoy time with friends and family, while appreciating another flew-by-way-too-fast year that will soon be in the rear view.
Lots is happening all around us on a global, national and even local level, but we’re often too caught up in the minutia of our day-to-day to appreciate what’s going on, as well as what’s right underneath our nose.
Appreciate more moments. Focus on the positives. Give thanks as there’s a lot of good going on within all our worlds, should we take the time to notice.
Happy Thanksgiving, U Family.
It’s great to be…