Poking fun at one’s rival is a God-given right, but when attempting to do so, at least have a strong punchline or a valid point. Another approach might be a subtle, read-between-the-lines type of zinger, where everyone knows what was implied without it actually being said, but Muschamp chose neither.
At his first gathering with Florida boosters days back in Lakeland, Muschamp was asked about luring former Gators wideout and Hurricanes receivers coach Aubrey Hill out of South Florida months back.
Muschamp stated, “He called me more than I called him. He wanted to get out of Miami. I don’t blame him”, to which the orange and blue, jorts-wearing crowd erupted in applause.
Oooh, git ’em Coach, git ’em!
So enlighten us, Will, why don’t you blame Hill for wanting to get out Miami? A private university nestled on a picturesque campus in Coral Gables. A proud program with five national titles in football – two more than your new school. A nationally recognizable brand. A team that funnels more top talent into the NFL than any other program (maybe you were too busy writing one-liners to realize there were eleven Canes in last year’s Pro Bowl and ten in this year’s). A university smack-dab in the middle of the biggest and best recruiting hotbed in the nation.
Regarding the city itself, a quick Wikipedia search might educate you a bit:
“Miami is a major center and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. In 2010, Miami ranked seventh in the United States in terms of finance, commerce, culture, entertainment, fashion, education, and other sectors. It ranked thirty-third among global cities.
In 2008, Miami was ranked as “America’s Cleanest City” according to Forbes Magazine for its year-round good air quality, vast green spaces, clean drinking water, clean streets and city-wide recycling programs. In 2009, UBS study of 73 world cities, Miami was ranked as the richest city in the United States and the world’s fifth-richest city, in terms of purchasing power.
Downtown Miami and South Florida are home to the largest concentration of international banks in the United States, and is home to many large companies both nationally and internationally. The Civic Center is a major center for hospitals, research institutes, medical centers, and biotechnology industries.
For more than two decades, the Port of Miami, known as the “Cruise Capital of the World” has been the number one cruise passenger port in the world, accommodating some of the world’s largest cruise ships and operations, and is currently the busiest in both passenger traffic and cruise lines.”
Oh the cretins who choose to live in the 305 when Gainesville is such an obvious step up.
Great job luring UM’s former wide receiver coach back north, as Hill is a UF alum – but lest not forget he’s also a Miami native, so the shots you’re attempting to take at a rival, you’re also directing at your assistant’s hometown. Well played.
Next time around take a page from first-year Miami head coach Al Golden if you want to rib a loathed in-state program, with the goal of firing up your fan base.
Weeks back, Golden put on his ‘marketing & branding’ cap, announcing that the Canes were “South Florida’s team”, while working tirelessly to introduce ‘The U’ to junior high kids in the TriCity area.
When asked about empty seats at Sun Life Stadium last Thanksgiving and the standard attendance knock – one that Florida fans are always quick to throw at Canes – the Miami leader stated:
“I know this — we have a better chance of filling our stadium than Gainesville has of putting an International city right outside its city limits.”
“The expectations here are high, but if you’re a coach, you want to be associated with a program that believes in winning national championships. That’s what fuels us as a staff right now — the yearning, coming to work every day knowing there’s something absent.”
Seems a little more poignant and well thought out than, “I don’t blame him” as your punchline.
The war of words will continue between Florida and Miami, both with first-year head coaches, mountains to climb and no meeting on the books until 2013. Should Muschamp wants to match wits or get cerebral with Golden, he might want to up his game before the national media starts grilling him as he won’t always have an audience full of easily amused Gators in tow.
… and Coach Muschamp, Miami tight ends coach Brennan Carroll has a one-liner for you, too. So easy even a Gator can figure it out. Check his Twitter feed. Short, sweet and to the point:
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Will Muschamp is a freaking joke. The only reason Florida fans consider this a good hire is because he was the coach in waiting at Texas. Whatever the hell that even means.
The guy has zero head coaching experience and just took one of the biggest jobs in the country. He's following Urban Liar and two titles in a three year span, while also looking to replace Tim Tebow, something Urbie couldn't do last year while Florida went 7-5 on the regular season.
Muschamp is walking into a tough job and the pressure is on. Period.
Down at Miami, Al Golden has his work cut out for himself, but at least the man has been a head coach and understands what it takes to build and maintain a program. Golden may have Temple on his resume, but he has real experience and knows what it takes. Muschamp will be learning on the fly, while Golden will rely on what he learned with his last job. Big difference.
Muschamp better keep coming with the one liners because as this season rolls on, it's all he'll have. Anyone see UF's schedule this year? Another 4-4 run in the SEC could easily be in the cards.
Tennessee, Alabama, @LSU, @Auburn, Georgia and @South Carolina. Out of conference schedule still a joke, besides Florida State, but those are seven very loseable games.
Do you want to guess where is Jimbo Fisher is in all this?
Fear the Spear!
why are you even responding to some #dumbgator? the only reason G Ville makes the national news during offseason is that crazy lunatic preacher burning the Qur'an.
I don't think anyone "Fears the Spear" when even UF has more football national titles than FSU.
And the U is head and shoulders above both. FSU can probably match the Gators in numbers of worn jorts, though.
Flori-duh is going to buy their way out of that game for sure.
Same Ole Canes living in the past. If you want to talk about national titles then Notre Dame would still be a feared name. It's about the present. Florida has twice the program that Miami has. Muschamp's dig was not at the city of Miami, it was a dig at the program.
Learn some reading comprehension.
Anonymous Gator fans are always funny.
Enlighten us as to how Florida currently has "twice" the program Miami does as the Gators went 8-5 last year and the Canes went 7-6.
Florida's 2006 and 2008 titles are as much "the past" as Miami's 2001 championship, all four before that and UF's 1996 ring. The past is the past is the past.
Tim Tebow = the past. Urban Meyer = the past.
Florida's 2010 run proved how much talent was lost (and not replaced) on those 2008-2009 teams. Steamrolled 31-6 at Alabama ... a loss to sorry-ass Mississippi State ... rolled 31-7 by an eventual four-loss Florida State team.
Miami and Florida were comparable last year and the difference entering this year is Al Golden versus Will Muschamp -- a guy WITH head coaching experience, who turned around the worst program in college football versus a defensive coordinator with no experience who became 'big name' as the 'head coach in waiting' at Texas.
... and to your sarcastic point about learning some reading comprehension - maybe you should re-read the blog as we touched on both the city of Miami AND the rich history of the football program.
If it was a 'dig' at the program and / or the city, Muschamp is still a clown. Hill wanted out and "I can't blame him". What a burn. Ow. That stings.
Thanks for stopping by ... and past, present or future, it's still five titles to three.
hey allCanes..
looks like UM's future is starting to look much better than UF's.
one of the state's best young talents has said it's his dream to play for The U and that Miami is the ONLY school in Florida that he would go to.
http://recruiting.scout.com/2/1063812.html
kid could be Dorsey with a stronger arm.