Take my emotions, throw ’em in a blender and hit “puree” right now. Talk about a rollercoaster of an evening and a season.
Random thoughts which are running through my mind tonight:
>>> Happy Thanksgiving. Anyone who didn’t appreciate today, look no further than the highlights of tonight’s game. Jeanette Pata and some siblings on the field. Friends and family holding up Bryan Pata’s #95 away jersey. Players touching it for inspiration or just for a second, to feel like they were patting their fallen teammate, brother and friend on the back one more time.
Anyone you know and love, hopefully you enjoyed some quality time tonight. We’re not promised tomorrow.
The Patas and this group of Hurricanes would give anything to see Bryan once more. Especially on a day like today. Appreciate those you love. Nothing more, nothing less.
>>> Larry Coker, Larry Schmoker. Today wasn’t about the embattled sixth year coach or his job security.
Miami lost two straight since Pata was murdered. This was the first home game since his last time suiting up (Virginia Tech.) The Canes came into the Orange Bowl tonight and they knew what they were up against.
Coaching rumors swirling, four straight losses, injuries, work ethic and heart being questioned, etc. Boston College came to town to win a game and take one step closer to an ACC title game berth. Miami squashed that right out…
>>> … and what sweetens the pot isn’t the fact that the Eagles are now 0-15 against the Canes since the gnat lauched the overrated pass in college football history.
It wasn’t even the salt in the wound when ESPN stuck Doug Flutie – sans the ’84 mullet – in the booth tonight. Nah. This was karma. Sweet revenge. Justice. A prayer answered. Whatever you say when the stars are aligned and both sides get what they deserved.
A portion of Boston College’s online fan base acted like pure scum after Pata’s murder. Check out the message boards. You can still find some of that anti-Miami venom floating around out there.
They called us, “Thug U” and trashed some good kids. Others said this is what happens when you recruit hoodlums.
This was all about Pata. I believe in my heart of hearts he was looking down on the OB tonight. Guardian Angel or however you view it, his presence was felt. The Orange Revolution had their banners hanging in the end zone and at night’s end, one was on the OB turf being prayed over, cried on post game by Pata’s teammates. For a moment, he was there again.
The lesson? Respect The U. Whether 5-6 or 11-0, We’re still Miami.
This season has been tragic, but don’t count out these kids’ ability to rise up. These Canes were 0-for-2 in games dedicated to Pata with one shot left; at home. You hadn’t heard the last fromm Miami. Third time proved to be the charm and they gave #95 the only gift they could; a win in his honor.
>>> Will tomorrow be D-Day for Coker? We’ll see. He was jovial and fired up tonight. Was that faux hope or does he know something we don’t? Is he returning? Or is this a man so strong in his faith that no matter what the outcome, he was going out with a bang tonight and appreciates his time at Miami?
CaneSport is reporting an 11am ET press conference and has boldly state that Coker will be let go. We’ll see.
Still, say what you will about Larry Coker “the coach” – Larry Coker “the man” again proved he’s a class act.
If he’s relieved of his head coaching duties, I pray that the University of Miami finds another role for him. This program needs him in some capacity. He’s one of the better ambassadors The U has ever seen. He’s given 12 years of blood, sweat and tears to this program and truly adores UM. I just don’t believe he’s our best head coaching option, moving forward.
As my spinning head and turkey-bloated gut hit the sack tonight, I truly pray for a new direction regarding Miami Football. I hope this is that turning point. I can’t take 6-6 or worse. It’s time for a rebirth. Come on up for The Rising.
I stated day’s ago that if Coker’s firing depended on tonight’s game, I wanted a loss. Once you lose five games, it’s time to focus on next year. For the greater good of The U, I felt a loss tonight solidified chance.
Tonight, that seems secondary. Of course, tomorrow morning is another story.
When that clock hit 0:00, I was thrilled the Canes pulled out 17-14. It’s Thanksgiving. Pata and our kids deserved it. If it is Coker’s last stand, then let him go out the same way he came in; on top. We’ve lost too much this season – on and off the field. Everyone who bleeds orange and green – we deserved a win tonight. If for nothing else, just to remember what it feels like.
Come Friday, I feel the Coker odds are at 75% regarding getting canned in the next day or so. Entering today, I had those odds at 90%. Will he now get the sentimental vote and benefit of the doubt, saving his job? I have no clue. With our admin, I have a better shot at tonight’s Fantasy Five than determining the fate of this head coach. Ryhme or reason haven’t proven to be Dee or Donna Shalala’s strong suits as of late.
Tomorrow is tomorrow and we’ll see how it plays out. Cross your fingers… toes… legs… Should Coker return, we’ll have 365 more days to piss and moan to no avail.
I started a piece this morning, “An Ode to Larry on Coker Eve” but family, in laws, two dinners and some football kept me from finishing. A Miami win puts that article on the shelf for when the time is right. Be that Friday… or 2008.
Tonight, we need to let this one be all about Bryan Pata and our kids’ effort to honor him. As I wrote weeks back, I never met Pata – yet the past 2+ weeks I’ve thought about him several times a day. It consumes me and I’m a stranger. I can’t even imagine how torn up his friends and family are today.
Our Canes lost back-to-back games after his death. How much pressure do you think they put on themselves to win tonight? They failed him their last two outings – falling short at Maryland and running out of gas the Virginia week. Miami willed themselves to this win for Pata. They weren’t going to be denied a tribute to #95 on senior night, in what would’ve been his final home game.
Faced with their biggest challenge in weeks – backs to the wall – Miami got it done when it counted. ESPN. National TV. The ultimate family day. As cliche as it sounds, tonight will bring everyone some closure. Or at least one step closer to finding some.
Meaningless in the record books or on the scoreboard? Absolutely.
Indelible in the minds of every Cane missing Bryan Pata on Thanksgiving? Have another look at the photo accompanying this story. Our kids wanted to honor their fallen brother.
Tonight, they made him proud. Job well done, Canes.
.:Canes305:.
I agree 100% that Coker is a good ambassador for the program and should be retained in some capacity if reasonsibly possible.
He’s a good man and a great supporter of the players. He also seems to have a genuine love for Miami.
I’ll be somewhat sad to see him go (if he is gone) for that reason, but he is not the man for the sidelines anymore at Miami. Head Coach: no. Figure head? Yes.
Yesterday was the perfect way to end this season. The players, coaches all played as if there is no tomorrow. They went out and had fun. Coker, knowing he was going to get canned in less than 24 hours composed himself, put on smiles, and coached a good game. ESPN (sans Erin Andrews) surpisingly supported the U. Kirk Herbstreet put in some good words about the “real” U and how the media is portraying them incorrectly. Erin Andrews needs to be fired for the line of questioning she gave to Coker immediately after the game. She didn’t just ask 1 question about his job security, she wouldn’t let him go and just kept at him. It’s a good thing that Coker is the nice, classy man that he is and just answered them calmly and went about his business. If this was Spurrier or Carr, she wouldn’t have seen tomorrow.
Lastly, kudos to the players. Who handled the whole day with class and truly played with passion for their fallen brother and coach.
WE’RE STILL MIAMI! Go Canes!
We fans of the U, the day has come and I see on ESPN http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2674282 that Coker was let go today. As Chris said, I feel bad for the man but not for the coach. Instead of looking back and pointing out the coach’s shortcomings, we should look to the future of the program getting back up on top, back with and above the USC’s and OSU’s. I hope since this obviously had been coming for a while that Dee has a few leads and makes a good decision sooner rather than later. We need an offensive mind and maybe a new DC if Shannon chooses to leave or is let go by the new coach. We have some great pieces in place who just need to be shown the way and given a real chance at succeeding with better calls and better exceution. I am proud that they pulled out last night’s game, despite the season being ugly. We showed pride when ESPN obvioulsly came in looking to kick us while we’re down by having Flutie announce the game. These players deserved it. Larry Coker deserved it as a last game against a ranked opponent. Now we turn to the next coach and hopefully he can get some more good players in here who want to be here, and who have some pride and fight in them (not literally of course). We’re really not that far away from being a top team again when you look at the roster. We just need a kick in the rear and we can be back. As I said, I look forward to the next few days or weeks, and thank Coker for his service at one of the top and most demending spots in college football. Go Canes!
A win for Bryan with his family in attendance. #95, wherever you are, I know you are proud of our team, as all of us are.
Coach Coker, good luck to you, wherever you are headed. You are a very classy guy.