One final "Classic" this week…

I’ve rambled on enough about epic games of yesteryear. I’m too tired to type and I’m sure you’re sick of the ranting and raving at this point.

The 2002 Rose Bowl was on today and I didn’t even watch the anticlimactic “battle”. No. 1 Miami had No. 2 Nebraska in a 34-0 hole by halftime. The only blunder, a missed extra point by Todd Sievers.

Ken Dorsey was near perfect. Clinton Portis couldn’t be stopped. Andre Johnson was a man amongst boys. Jeremy Shockey is still flexing somewhere after a touchdown grab.

James Lewis had a great pick six. Portis just broke off another run. Johnson just embarrassed the boy-sized corner who couldn’t keep up with him. Halftime.

Fast forward the majority of the second half, in order to not stomach Larry Coker taking his foot off the gas and allowing two uncalled for scores. Marvel at the fact future superstars like Kellen Winslow II, Sean Taylor and Antrel Rolle are playing special teams as freshmen.

Learn the true meaning of the word ‘depth’ when you look at the Canes ground game. Portis as your starting tailback. Najeh Davenport injured and on the sidelines, allowing Willis McGahee to take over at fullback. Watch future NFL star Frank Gore taking some meaningless handoffs in mop up duty.

While watching, try not to let your mind wander as to how Coker let the wheels fall off a handful of years later.

The 2002 Rose Bowl is a thing of beauty. At least the first half is. I own it on DVD, I have the game on the ol’ iPod for when I get drunk and want to show friends how great we were and I’ve beaten the 2001 highlight DVD into the dirt.

I appreciate ESPN Classic replaying this one, but next time dig a little deeper in the vault and show me something a bit more exciting. Here are five semi-recent Miami classics I’d rather have watched this week – not counting UCLA (1998), Florida State (2002) or any CBS epics that can’t be shown on the Disney-owned ESPN Classic (re: FSU 2000, VT 2000, UF 2002, etc.):

5. – Miami 16, Florida State 10 (OT) – [2004] – You can literally have the first 50 minutes of this snoozefest. Give me the Devin Hester blocked field goal, the Sinorice Moss jailbreak screen, the Chris Rix OT fumble and the Frank Gore rumble to paydirt for the game winner. You could easily sub this one out for the win over West Virginia in 2003, another average game with an amazing final few minutes. The 28-21 win over Pittsburgh in 2002 could make it’s way into this fifth slot as well.

4. – Miami 65, Washington 7 – [2001] – So NOT a great or entertaining football game for anyone that doesn’t bleed orange and green. The epitome of the all time revenge beat down for a team you wanted to send a message to.

3. – Miami 41, Louisville 38 – [2004] – Flew from San Diego to Miami for this all time Thursday night classic comeback. One of my favorite Orange Bowl experiences ever. Something about the magic that comes from a night game, a huge deficit and the validation of making the right call to trek east. Had the Canes lost, this one would be in the vault as one of the worst weekends ever.

2. – Miami 18, Boston College 7 – [2001] – “The Immaculate Interception”. Ed Reed being Ed Reed. Matt Walters displaying some of the best hands a defensive lineman has ever shown. The brilliant knee of Mike Rumph. Dorsey’s struggles on a cold, windy day in Chestnut Hill. The look on the faces of all those loser Bostonians, still living in an era where the Red Sox were bums and the Pats were just starting to make some noise. I doubt it came as a shock to their fans that the Eagles gave another one away. Seeing the Canes steal a would-be loss en route to Pasadena… epic game.

1. – Miami 38, Florida 33 – [2003] – A comeback for the ages. One of my favorite all time games to put on and enjoy like a fine wine. Down 33-10 late in the third, Miami’s defense shuts down the dirty Gators and scores 28 unanswered. All. Time. Classic. Just mentioning this one to a filthy Florida fan makes them squirm.

Honorable Mention – Miami 27, Virginia Tech 7 – [2005] – ESPN’s theme this week was “Before They Were Stars” for the upcoming NFL Draft and the ’05 Canes weren’t necessarily chock full o’ stars, so it doesn’t fit the bill. That said, a good reminder that Miami isn’t really that far away from some semi-memorable days. The win propelled the No. 5 Canes to No. 3, behind No. 2 Texas and No. 1 USC. A loss to Georgia Tech two weeks later erased all that, but for one night Miami proved that they could rise to the occasion and shine on a national stage.

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