The U: One Of Our Own—Bryan Pata—Is Gone

Bryan Pata is dead.

Scratch that, Bryan Pata was murdered in cold blood. It’s finally starting to become a reality.

When news broke, I was too busy scurrying to find, read and see anything which had been publicized regarding this tragic event. Tuesday evening I shut the computer and got out of the house. I didn’t want to blog. I wanted to force myself to ignore this news.

I tried to see the Borat movie and while I had some laughs, my mind was somewhere else. I kept picturing a room full of Hurricane players and coaches trying to swallow this bitter pill. Visions of Mrs. Pata in a #95 jersey collapsing in the street continued to haunt me.

My ex girl lived at The Colony apartments in the mid 90s and I spent a few hundred nights walking around that parking lot and taking the rickety elevator to the third floor. Envisioning a Hurricane great murdered there in cold blood… I can’t even process it.

I feel like a chump for taking this as hard as I have. I never knew Bryan Pata, but I felt like I did.

He was and will always be a Hurricane. As a lifelong fan, I feel an instant connection with these kids the minute they sign on the dotted line every February. Once you show up on campus, you’re part of the family. Watching them grow during their tenure at The U and move on to greener pastures? It doesn’t get any better. I’m proud of every kid who puts on that “U” helmet and represents our university.

I never met Bryan, but after all I’ve read and heard about him these past few days, I sure as hell would’ve liked to. People can always muster up something nice to say about the deceased, but folks who knew Pata have taken this to another level. They’re not saying nice things in a moment of weakness; this comes from the heart. Pata was adored by many.

He was a leader. Friends and teammates sought council from him. He loved life and lived it to the fullest. He had big dreams and aspirations. He’s the kind of guy you wanted in the trenches with you be it a football game, a foxhole or when dealing with a personal crisis.

Two days ago he’s on Greentree Practice Field and the next, he’s gone.

I can’t wrap my arms around that.

If us fans on the outside are are crushed as we are, I can’t even fathom how close friends and family are taking this. A good kid three games away from embarking on an NFL career and weeks away from getting his degree from the University of Miami. Dreams of joining the FBI after football, with fellow teammate Kareem Brown.

Who wouldn’t be proud to know a kid like this?

A few media members and opposing fans, sadly.

Some moron named Mike Celzik wrote a slanderous piece on MSNBC.com Tuesday night while Pata’s family was still crying their eyes out at the crime scene. Celzik has since edited his “work” due to a slew of complaints, but his point was crystal clear – “when you recruit thugs, such things happen.”

A day later, Dan Le Batard grilled him about the piece on air. Celzik admitted that he’d never met one current Hurricane, but no answer as to how he justified labeling them thugs.

ESPN chimed in with their typical trash, starting with a headline Tuesday evening stating Pata was killed leaving the practice field. Woody Paige of Around The Horn, buffoon that he is, called Miami an immigrant city – implying that this sort of thing is almost to be expected.

Miami rivals Boston College have had classless fans running their ignorant mouths on message boards, preaching a similar message – that Pata was a gun-toting thug who got what he deserved. Classy, folks.

I hope the Canes pound the Eagles into that Orange Bowl turf for a 16th straight time on Thanksgiving night.

I’m amazed by how low we’ve sunk as a society. Death is tragic enough, but the piling on which has occurred since Tuesday night? It’s almost as sickening as the crime itself. How the mainstream media can lump this in with the FIU brawl or past tragedies at Miami? Since when were car accidents lumped in with murder for statistical purposes?

Chris Campbell and Al Blades were both tragically killed on the road after their playing days at Miami. For the sake of piling on, it’s sold has “Turmoil at The U” or some catchy phrase implying Coral Gables is a magnet for dispair.

It’s irresponsible, classless, disgusting and wrong.

Fights happen. Football is a rough sport. We’ve seen three such college football brawls in last year; one on the same day Miami played FIU. How in the hell can anyone lump that with a brutal murder?

A few years back, Baylor University had one basketball player shoot another.

Last year, an Arizona State starting tailback shot a former teammate in the face over a girl.

Weeks ago it was members of the Duquesne basketball team who were gunned down, hospitalizing all of them and almost killing two.

In all three cases, none were considered a reflection of their respective programs. Yet in the case of Pata being shot in an off campus apartment, the media decided it’s another strike against The U.

That’s wrong.

CBS Sportsline’s Dennis Dodd proved to be the only writer who ‘got’ what was going on.

In the past, Dodd has gotten on Miami’s case. But he’s also proven he knows how to eat crow, writing a solid piece on the Canes after their 27-7 win in Blacksburg last season. Dodd originally called for a colossal beatdown and the end of Miami’s legacy. A day later, he manned up and gave The U their props.

On Tuesday he wrote a heartfelt, poignant piece on Pata and The U, as well as the unimportance of wins and losses at a time like this. One paragraph gets me everytime I read it:

The Hurricanes are loved in South Florida. No matter what criticisms there are of the program, Miami is the biggest success story in the sport in the past 30 years. The Hurricanes changed the way we looked at college football — because we could not look away. They were/are entertainers, mostly great kids. Colorful players with colorful coaches. We wanted to be around them because they were anything but boring.

Thank you, DD. A great summary of Miami’s recent legacy and a nice tribute to a fallen Cane. Too bad more of the media can’t put their personal bias aside and realize this is a friggin tragedy. Nothing more, nothing less. It doesn’t matter where this happened or who it happened to. This event crushed a lot of people. Respect it.

Bryan Pata was a man. He was a brother. A son. A friend. A teammate. A mentor. An inspiration. He was out to do something important with his life and he impacted many.

Don’t believe me? Check out the message boards this week. Look at Bryan’s MySpace page and read the tributes.

Just when this program thought things couldn’t get any worse, everything came crashing down. This fan base has been cut to the core.

Screw 5-4 and meaningless bowl games. This program is reeling and it has nothing to do with wins and losses. A friend, brother and teammate was taken. That supersedes everything.

Even issues this fan base has with the coaching staff.

Many feel Larry Coker is gone Friday after Thanksgiving. Some wanted him out after the Fiesta Bowl. For others, the bitterness and resentment became official after the loss at Georgia Tech. For me, this run ended in 2003 after the 10-6 loss to Tennessee.

I’ve made my feelings clear on the matter the past few months. The U needs to go a new direction in 2007.

That said, dealing with this tremendous blow this week there’s NO coach out right now, needed at a program more than Coker.

Haters, hold off on the hate mail and let me explain.

Right now the Hurricanes need Larry “the good man” Coker to step up and be that fatherly figure. The guy who walked into homes and promised to take care of their sons the four years and beyond. This week, Coker is playing the role of mentor, friend, counselor – whatever.

The Canes could – and might – lose their next three ball games. But RIGHT NOW, that doesn’t matter. 5-4 and chatter about firing coaches needs to go on hiatus for two weeks. Come on now, people.

Deal with next season and this coaching staff’s future after Thanksgiving. The next two weeks are all about a bunch of beaten up 18 to 22 year olds who need more than a football coach. They need Coker to lead them through the most troublesome time this program has seen in a decade, since the Marlin Barnes murder back in 1996.

I challenge all of you to support these Canes in any way, shape or form in which you can. This program needs you more than ever. These kids need a packed house on Thanksgiving. It’s Senior Day. It would’ve been Pata’s last time running through that smoke. He’ll be looking down on the OB that Thursday. It’s the first holiday his family will spend without him. Make all of them proud.

To the anti-Coker contingent, I’m not asking you to change your tune. As stated previously, I too believe the program needs an overhaul after this season comes to a close.

But save the rant for later. If you want to resume the “Fire Coker” chants on Friday November 24th, no one will blame you.

Right now this is a time to put personal bias aside and support a group of kids that needs a oft fickle Miami fan base to get their back and help them realize everything is gonna be alright.

Rest in peace, Bryan. As crazy as this sounds, I can’t get you off my mind, bro. I’ve shed some tears this week and more are coming Saturday when the Canes take the field. These are those times in life that make you sort of question everything. Whatever your belief system, this is senseless and as low as it gets.

To all our kids heading to Maryland in the coming hours, keep your heads up. You’re all warriors for playing this weekend. We’re with you and proud of you. Stand strong. Leave it on the field. This is your bowl game. Ruin Maryland’s season and in the process, bring an ounce of joy to yours.

Actually, I almost feel bad saying that.

The Terps are going to commemorate Bryan with a moment of silence and #95 decals on their helmets as well. First class move. That program just went up a notch in my book.

Like everything tragic, this too shall pass. Until then it’s gonna hurt like hell.

Go Canes.

.:Canes305:.

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