Where’s Axl Rose when you need him? Someone cue Slash on the acoustic guitar. Miami Faithful need to slow it down a bit after the big win against Georgia Tech. I don’t want to sound like I’m coming down from the mountain with the tablets, but we all need to learn a lesson here.
In the world of social networking, blogs, message boards and other instant response mechanisms, we’ve become so short on patience. We tend to live in the now as opposed to looking at the bigger picture. I don’t want to sit here and tell you that I’m any different. However, in this case, I had a feeling.
It’s happened twice this year. The #CanesFam has gone off the deep end about something, only to regain logic after seeing a situation improve.
It started with Jacory Harris. We all had a lot of information about Harris from these past few years and many were certain that Stephen Morris should be the 2011 starter. Despite all the reports that Harris was way ahead of Morris, despite Al Golden saying the same thing, fans felt they knew better and made it known that Harris wasn’t earning their support.
Interceptions against Ohio State and Kansas State fueled the anti-Harris hype, but over the past few games Jacory has settled in under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch and is looking like a completely different quarterback. A matter of fact, many of us probably owe the kid apology for booing him as if he were a former Gator being honored at our home stadium.
Most recently fan frustration was pointed at defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio and a majority of this fan base feeling the first-year Miami coach had no clue what he was doing. Riiiight. A guy who had Temple’s defense (Temple!) ranked high in several national categories, somehow forgot to coach.
Seven games in look at what happens when guys start to understand the system they’re playing. You get a game against Georgia Tech where Miami holds the Yellow Jackets under 200 yards rushing. The same Ramblin’ Wreck that had over 600 yards against Kansas earlier in the year.
You don’t want to read too much into one game but when you’re seeing improvement week-to-week and are seeing players responding, you have to take notice.
Anytime there’s a new coaching staff it takes time to get things going. Add to that the suspensions, injuries and roster management that Coach Golden and staff had to deal with and the job they’ve done this season has been nothing short of remarkable. The Golden-led Canes aren’t perfect and there are certainly some areas for improvement, but regarding the bigger picture this program is on the right track. As Miami grows and gets better, it comes back to that one word – patience.
This was never a national championship-type season after 7-6 last year, leading to so many fired coaches. Things still might get worse before they get better as there’s the NCAA investigation looming in the distance.
That being the case, take a step back, take a deep breathe and enjoy the present. UM is moving in the right direction and this Thursday is another step in the journey. Miami takes on Virginia a few days from now and while this will be another nationally-televised ESPN match up, let this be another rallying cry to get all Canes to Sun Life, giving UM a true homefield advantage against a team that helped derail the 2010 season.
Remember, for all of us who complained about the Dolphins honoring the Florida Gator at our stadium this past weekend, it’s time to put our money where our mouth is. UM will be honoring both the 2001 national champion football and baseball teams this Thursday night and both deserve our support, as do these current Canes!
Getting Cane rUffians to SunLife is a bloody FUTILE dream. Eh. In other words, it’s an IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. Heck, Miami couldn’t even SELLOUT their home game for Ohio.St. this season.
And speaking of the BIG PICTURE, which the opinionmeister alludes to above. It’s a bloody KNOWN FACT in major college football, that the Miami Hurricane football program has a shameful record for having at least a 3/4 stadium of rowdy Hurricane fans. Game in and game out. This includes the O.B. ( May the edifice R.I.P. Eh. )
Case in point. During the decades long ACME of Hurricane football, 50% of annUal home games failed to have a 70% capacity crowd. Get outta’ here. And yeah, yeah the Canes sold out games for F.S.U. and any other Top 20 matchup.
Now, don’t get moi wrong. Because I understand their are numerous socio-cultural indicators on why Miami Hurricane football doesn’t have that home COLLEGE GAMEDAY atmosphere. Even the HATED Jacory Harris allUded to that bloody FACT!
I gUess Miami fandom around the country and world should be content that a half-filled stadium is the norm. Well, at least until The Golden One’s program returns again to Top 10 and or Top 5 status.
“Remember, for all of us who complained about the Dolphins honoring the Florida Gator at our stadium this past weekend, it’s time to put our money where our mouth is. UM will be honoring both the 2001 national champion football and baseball teams this Thursday night and both deserve our support, as do these current Canes!”
AMEN brother!! Personally I haven’t missed a home game in almost 10 years but any Canes fan within driving distance should be ashamed if they aren’t at this game. I think we need to make that pathetic stadium as close to the atmosphere of the hallowed O.B. as is possible. Enough of this fair weather fan b.s. You can’t call yourself a fan if you’re only there for the team when they are winning. GO CANES!!!!!
Patience is a must because this is a long-term project. The looming sanctions will probably snuff out the progress being made on the field, unless it’s not as bad as we think.
Coach Golden and STAFF have the program going in the right direction. One point of concern is that Miami’s too marquee victories (so far) were against one-dimensional teams. Neither Ohio State or Georgia Tech were ever a threat to throw the ball. Let’s see how the team does against opponents with a passing game now that the defense is supposedly “getting it.”
On another note, while Jacory is certainly playing better, do you get the sense that he’s timid with the ball? The 8-23 performance against GT left a lot to be desired. This is probably a trade off for not throwing picks. Sometimes it seems like he holds the ball too long, opening himself up to getting hit or having to scramble. Are his primary receivers not getting separation/open or is he so scared of throwing a pick that he will only throw it to the receiver who is almost totally uncovered? I’m not trying to be too critical, but it’s just something I’ve noticed. Still, he’s playing much better and his total body of work is lightyears ahead of last year.
i agree with not boasting over the past two wins UM has had but you have got to understand that the canes are really the only ray of light this city has! the dolphins are terrible (and ross can care less about the area university) the heats season may never begin, and the only impact the marlins have had in the past 8 years has been screwing up our home games with in-field clay. Although i agree with your point i do feel people here jump the gun, but can you blame us. The canes are really the only thing we have left to feel good about….
holding my []_[] very high!
Beast i get what your saying about being patient with the process of returning to former glory. It takes time for kids to buy into new systems and new ideas. We all have had to at some point or another. The sad thing about booing of the gayturds is that the people in miami will seem to show up for that but not big time hurricane games. Georgia tech last week should have meant sold out crowd. I would love to look on the tv from my coach in idaho and see a full stadium every week but clearly i don’t. I don’t get how people can be on these blogs and news paper site saying how die hard they are about cane football and then say they won’t show up until they start winning. i think it comes down to two things. One the canes not having their own stadium, sure sharing with a pro team is cool just in case your a cane that won’t make it pro you can always say you played in a pro stadium and two cane fans to me seem way to bandwagonny. I don’t see as many true orange and green blooded fans as come on blogs and say they are. If you are a fan you get your ass to the game if not go watch the choke at doke or the fighting timmytebowsucks.coms in gainsville.
I personally would love to see the former canes and boosters and fans put together enough money to get the city of miami to help out and build a new orange bowl. I would be willing to put in some of the little money i make at this job of mine to help out.
I disagree re your statement about “we” called for Morris. I’ve always enjoyed watching J12. In terms of pure athleticism, he is way above average. Obviously, he was undercoached during the Shannon era. He’s an extraordinarily gifted kid, whereas SM reminds me of Brock Berlin — big arm, big heart, but missing that ineffable quality that makes a great qb.
I will be there !!