Whereas this blog is editorial-style, with long distance thoughts from a long-time, opinionated Cane, Manny’s reporting helps fans keep better tabs on the day-to-day regarding all things The U. No one is pretending to be something they’re not.
Being that this site is all about giving opinions, let’s throw another out there for discussion — Manny’s Friday rant was off base, out of character and definitely jumped the gun.
What is the point of a mid-April piece about ‘intruders’ breaching UM’s local recruiting wall – two months after Signing Day and ten months from the next one? Navarro claims that UM’s hold over local talent “is beginning to disappear like the ozone” and says that he’s hearing change in the voices of local players and their affinity for the Canes.
Ten months from now we’ll find out the fate of Corey Lemonier, Jakhari Gore, Jose Jose and Ivan McCartney. All grew up Miami fans and according to Navarro, all could wind up elsewhere because all lack some cult-like adoration for the hometown program.
Godforbid some high school seniors want to explore and see something outside their beloved 305 or 954 area code.
I don’t get the ‘sky is falling’ tone of Navarro’s piece. Not now. Not when things at Miami are looking better than they have in half a decade. The Canes finally have a playmaker and leader at quarterback. A slew of talented wideouts. A stable of running backs. Depth on the defensive line. Talent at linebacker. Potential in the secondary. A veteran offensive playcaller and a capable defensive position coach that will work with a defensive minded head coach.
With an exciting season around the corner, why in God’s name is Navarro sweating what some teenagers are saying regarding a decision they’ll make almost a year from now?
Ten months is a lifetime to a high school senior; especially a big time football recruit. Opinions change like the weather and these kids are all about following trends, being easily influenced and even more so, talking a big game. They’re kids. C’mon now, what did ANY of us really know when we were seventeen? Not a fraction as much as we thought.
Navarro asks why Booker T. Washington running back Eduardo Clements is favoring Georgia, despite the fact his former high school coach is now on UM’s staff and three of his former teammates are at The U.
The Knowshon Moreno train has left Athens and the Bulldogs have both Caleb King and Richard Samuel waiting in the wings, as well as a few lesser known backs. King and Samuel come highly-touted, but rather inexperienced.
In Miami, it’s the Graig Cooper and Javarris James show for at least one more year. Also waiting in the wings, Lee Chambers and newbies Mike James and Lamar Miller. Not to mention, out of nowhere safety-turned-running back Damien Berry, who tore up spring ball.
Two legit prospects at UGA versus a few proven entities and some new super freshman at UM? Might the depth chart have more to do with Clements’ waning interest than some conspiracy theory that Miami’s wall around South Florida is crumbling?
Same to be said for local receiver Quinton Dunbar, a recent Miami decommit from a few weeks back. Is this really an indictment on UM or simply another kid who reexamined the depth chart? Sounds more like Dunbar is trying to avoid an uncomfortable Bryce Brown-like moment and realizes an early commitment isn’t the best call if he’s truly looking elsewhere.
Leonard Hankerson, Aldarius Johnson, Travis Benjamin, Thearon Collier, LaRon Byrd and Davon Johnson all made a mark in 2008 and now Kendal Thompkins and Tommie Streeter are on healthy for 2009. That’s eight receivers Dunbar is looking up at depth chart-wise if he signs with Miami in fall.
Definitely not the place if you’re not in the mood to compete or expect the promise of immediate starting time.
Former wideout Jermaine McKenzie — a four-star prospect a few years back — recently left the program because of an influx of talent at Miami and inability to crack the depth chart. Others feel the depth at receiver sent Andre Dubose to Florida, instead of to Miami with high school teammates Dyron Dye and Ray Ray Armstrong.
When hearing that, is it a big deal of Dunbar, a three-star, also seemed to flinch when sizing up the current crop of talent and reopened up his recruitment? Furthermore, what’s the point of committing early anyways? Word is hardly a bond when talking about athletes and their supposed “commitment” to a university. I don’t know of many committed relationships where one party is allowed to keep their options open, while being wooed by other prospects.
The recruiting game is a joke and this double-talk from the mouths of babes means absolutely nada.
There’s a lot of football to be played between now and February 2010. The entire schedule and bowl season, actually. I promise everyone that Lemonier, Gore, Jose and McCartney do their fair share of flip-flopping over the next ten months. Let’s see how hot Clements stays on Georgia if their two new backs light it up this fall and clog up the depth chart. Let’s also wait and see Clements’ reaction if the hometown Canes have a breakout season. Same with Dunbar. Will these guys really want to look elsewhere and miss out at a shot at playing for the hometown team?
According to Manny, Miami isn’t the sexy pick right now. Some kids are fawning over the style and dare I say ‘swagger’ of former Cane Mario Cristobal over at FIU — 1-11 two years ago and 5-7 last season.
Let’s see how things play out for the Golden Panthers this year and let’s measure the growth of both local programs after the season. February is a long way away and not only can a lot change between now and then, you can bet that it most certainly will.
Kids were loving on Greg Schiano and Rutgers after a big time run in 2006, but the tide quickly turned a year later and hasn’t been the same since. Perception becomes reality, but as we know with high school kids, perception changes on a dime.
Let’s discuss all these supposed chinks in the recruiting armor after year three of the Randy Shannon era, not before. The present is too bright to ‘worry’ about what some high school phenoms might or might not do. The current crop of Canes are the ones who need to win games and ensure future players get on board and keep the tradition alive.
Focus on the kids who are here, not the game players who are stringing you along for the ride.
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Well said. A lot of these kids are spoiled. It's the "me me me" generation and I don't think Shannon will put up with many of them after hearing their comments. FIU? Even if they did become a real program, they'd still be in the Sun Belt. Hey, I'll take the Emerald Bowl in California over the New Orleans Bowl any day of the week.
great blog...
so here is how i feel about it...these kids that look at our depth chart and run away from it are the kids we dont need anyways...miami was built on competition and we want the kids who are going to look at that depth chart and say shit...i am coming in and going to the top of it and i am going to compete...you know randy was around that type of mentality for a long time at miami and he is rebuilding that...i remember for a long time i use to hear people say ...miami's second squad can beat most teams first squad...that is where randy is getting back to...and all of that starts with kids that want to compete...not kids who see a challenge and run away...these kids are getting more like bryce brown...did we not learn anything from that...look at the situation bryce walked into...really no competition for him...and two of their running backs at tenn...just left school...that is what these kids want...immediate playing time because they all think they are superstars...becuase their coaches tell them they are every day...and some website gives them five stars or some shit...they all learn real quick ...minus a small few...that the next level is the real deal...and they better work hard...but let these kids go to fiu...play on bad teams...i can tell you from personal experience that it is more enjoyable when you do a little on a great winning team...then when you do a lot on a losing team...it sucks...you get the personal awards...but you get your ass kicked all the time...who wants to be a john stockton, dan marino, etc...great players...never won the big one...come on...seems to me like these kids these days need some good parenting
also...miami does not need 10 five star players every year...and honestly that is not realistic..some of our fans...just expect every five star from around the entire country to come...and all these ratings dont really mean shit...these stars dont produce on the field the player does...i am from va...let's take va tech for example...their recruiting classes are rarely ranked high (#1-10) nationally...if ever...have gotten better over the years...but they always take three star guys and four stars...and once in a blue moon get a five star...and if that happens the damn valley shuts down and locally people expect a national title...but what tech does ...is they develop their players...and their players stay four years...and they win...and they compete every year..i mean look what they do in the acc...so you know...screw these kids that want to walk away from the competition..lets get these kids who have heart..can play and want to compete...and let our coaches develop them and coach them up...people need to stop worrying about what these 17-18 year olds say...randy and clint hurt i can promise you know what they are doing and got this under control...lets remember this...randy's first recruting class..espn#1..his second...espn#7...come on ...let the man recruit stop this nonsense..he will bring in another top 10 class...then man is a monster at this
va cane
mannys article wulda been great after the 2010 signing day if we missed out on a lot of local talents, but 8 months away, cmon now
Right on the money again, Mr Bello. I saw Manny's piece on Friday and was very disappointed. Like you, I am a fan of his work and didn't understand where that piece came from. Very pessimistic and out of place.
Recruiting is an inexact science and let's call it like it is, these kids are full of shit. They're teenagers with a sense of entitlement and they think they're much savvier than they are. They're playing the schools and the schools are playing them.
Like you, I say let's see where the six kids in this article wind up next February. I'm willing to say that no less than three and as many as 4-5 wind up at Miami.
If not, you can guarantee that another class of kids who WANT to be Canes will be on board!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very bush league piece from Manny. I expect better. Nice retort, AllCanes. You make some very vaild points.
Rich Pierce
SarasotaCane
so here is how i feel about it...these kids that look at our depth chart and run away from it are the kids we dont need anyways...miami was built on competition and we want the kids who are going to look at that depth chart and say shit...i am coming in and going to the top of it and i am going to compete...you know randy was around that type of mentality for a long time at miami and he is rebuilding that..
I agree VA Cane. The U is built on competition. Absolutely.
I'm not saying the six guys Manny mentioned are 'running away' from competition. For all we know, all six wind up in Coral Gables next winter.
I wrote what I wrote because I disagree with Manny that Miami should be in *panic mode* right now.
I don't care if a few high school kids don't think UM is the flavor of the week this week. Let's see what happens Signing Day 2010 and then assess the situation.
I believe a few of these kids wind up at Miami. All recruits go through this kind of stuff with the hometown team -- talking of branching out and looking elsewhere. How many times has Miami been on the other side of that?
Ohio-bred Marcus Hall was flirting with UM and a few other schools, but when the rubber met the road he wasn't turning his back on Ohio State. I think the same will be said for Gore and a few others. They're kids. They're sowing their oats. They want to know what else is out there.
Randy needs to win some ball games this year, prove that Miami is the place to be and in the end, these hometown kids that claim to love UM are going to get on board. I don't care what they say.
They're 17 and I'm a grown man. I've seen this story play out since my high school days when these kids were zygotes. They're not the first crop of athletes to talk this game.
Wow. Nail, meet head because that's what you just did here. You hit the nail right on the head.
I hate all this fearmongering and sky is falling type of stuff, too.
If Randy and his coaches can't recruit and lose all those kids in February, then it makes sense to write an article like this. Like you, I just don't understand the point of doing that now.
SLAM DUNK ARTICLE.
Excellent Rebuttal.
561CANES !!
I agree that it was a great piece and well written.
MaNny's a reaL F*C|< up!!!
WhO giVes a 5h!t whaT TheSe pUNks are sAying in aPRil???
wE ARe tHe U...