The Beast : A Lot Of Coals In The Fire

This is truly a time of year that I love.

Football recruiting underway, hoops in full swing and baseball around the corner. The next two months will be a fast ride on the UM sports train and I’m jonesing for the ride.

I apologize for being incognito lately. I keep holding back, waiting for the football staff to fill out before getting back to my regular schedule – and we were just about there before Jeff Stoutland decided last minute to take his talents to Tuscaloosa. Still, with so much else going on, I couldn’t hold out any longer.

Of course with my luck a new offensive line coach will be named this afternoon and I’ll be back in front of my computer, though it’d have to be tomorrow morning as I’m off to see Linkin Park kick off their North American tour tonight. (Sorry, music geek. I know.)

Let’s open with a quick note about the next offensive line coach at Miami. True, there are rumors circulating regarding one Arthur Francis Kehoe coming back to The U. I made a few calls over the weekend and from what I was told, yes, there is a chance. That said, Art had litigation against the university and whether we like it or not, he was terminated from his long-standing position. Keep those facts in mind for a second.

It’s my understanding Art was fired mostly for his recruiting efforts, or supposed lack thereof. Do I know the real story? Not exactly. I do know that Larry Coker was forced to fire a handful of assistants after the 2005 Peach Bowl (LSU 40, UM 3) and Art was one of many who took the fall.

Did Art stop recruiting or did his old boss stop pushing him to recruit? Again, we don’t know – but what I do know; he never stopped coaching.

When you think about the job Art did with all those guys on the 2001 offensive line, it’s truly amazing. Joaquin Gonzalez was a walk-on while Brett Romberg, Martin Bibla and Sherko Haji-Rasouli were raw talents out of Canada. Even the giant Bryant McKinnie was a JUCO transfer who spent his first collegiate playing years in Scranton – which is hardly the path a prized recruit like Seantrel Henderson took – and Art got all those guys playing as good as you could possibly could.

Go ask Ken Dorsey (whose jerseys were normally sparkling clean after every game) if Kehoe coached those guys up and see what he says. Art can flat out coach and motivate.

Since leaving Coral Gables, Art coached at Ole Miss and in the UFL. He did interview for some NFL openings, but Art is more suited to the college game. He loves being an older brother to these kids.

The biggest difference between when Art left UM and today? Al Golden. If you work for Coach Golden, you have no choice but to be maniacal about recruiting. Every single assistant on this staff is a recruiting freak and should Art be welcomed back into the fold, there’s no chance he doesn’t go balls-to-the-wall recruiting-wise.

Personally I think the time is right. Bring one of the all time Cane greats back to UM. I don’t know if it will wind up happening, but it’d definitely be something I’d be in favor of.

Now to hoops … do we start with the good or the not so good?

The men’s team lost a tough one to Florida State and it really was a sloppy game for the most part. The Noles couldn’t hit a basket in the first half and the Canes had offensive problems of their own in the second half.

Unfortunately in the ACC there’s just no margin for error. You pretty much need to play at least .500 ball in conference to have a chance at reaching the Big Dance. Miami is now 1-3 in conference and would have to win seven of their remaining twelve to have a good shot at making the tourney.

Looking at the remaining schedule I see maybe four games where the Canes have a solid shot at winning, but that means somewhere along the way Miami would have to take down some of the better teams in conference – Duke or North Carolina at home and / or Boston College and Florida State on the road. It’s possible, but I would call my bookie just yet.

After last night’s loss I received a lot of unhappy tweets, Facebook posts, texts, emails and smoke signals. Canes fans have high expectations, as they should. That said, Miami is basketball in the ACC is not like Miami football in the ACC. When the Canes left the Big East, they were expected to dominate their new conference in football, while being competitive in basketball. Everyone needs to keep their expectations in sync with reality.

Several people have told me Miami’s loss to Florida State was akin to the football team’s mid-season loss at Virginia. Not quite. The Noles are a good squad on the hardwood and the Cavs weren’t anything to write home about on the gridiron.

Before we play the ‘fire Coach’ game, can we at least let the season play out? This next month is key and let’s see if this squad can pull together, earning some quality conference wins. Unless a team is winless, nothing is more upsetting than hearing fans talking about canning a coach halfway through the year.

Take a deep breath and get your butts to BankUnited next Wednesday as North Carolina is in town.

Meanwhile, the women’s team continues their domination, having won seventeen in a row. They’re currently undefeated at home and they’re moving up the polls, thanks to two of the best players in the country. This is a fun group to watch and they’re even more fun to be around. On top of that, their head coach is one of the best in the business – on the court, on the recruiting trail and as the big sister these players look up to.

I know it’s “women’s basketball” but if you aren’t paying attention to what Katie Meier and her kids are doing, you’re missing one of the most underrated sports stories in this town. Plus, tickets are five bucks a game. A fin. You can’t even buy popcorn at the movies for five bucks. Without a doubt this is the best sports dollar value in town and most of you are missing it. Thankfully I’m not. I took the wife and the kid to the game last Friday night (yes, I bought tickets!) and we had a blast. You will too. Check it out.

Lastly, a great edition of allCanes Radio on Wednesday night. For those who missed it, check the archives here. We had on some great former Cane hoopsters, Alex Fraser and Brandon Okpalobi, as well as Senior Associate Athletic Director, Blake James, who did a great job talking about the fan experience (tickets, parking, etc.) for Canes football. We also heard from Coach Meier, Reggie Johnson and new Canes offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch.

Next week’s edition of allCanes Radio is slated to come your way Thursday instead of Wednesday, as to not interfere with the Canes / Tar Heels showdown. Stay tuned for details.

Also on the horizon, we’re going to throw our first-ever allCanes Signing Day Party, so mark your calendars for Wednesday February 2nd. We’re setting up shop next door at the Titanic Restaurant & Brewery, starting at 8am ET, mowing down food and “morning beverages”.

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