Yeah, we heard… "The Streak" is over

Seems a lot of sports media outlets felt the need to chime in this week regarding Miami’s first round NFL Draft streak coming to an end this week. Sad how “outsiders” feel the need to tell their version of the story, not having lived through it and basically Googling their fingers off in an effort to fact check. 

The New York Times even had their say, as sports writer Judy Battista attempted to craft a clever little tale. She spoke of the length of the streak, mustered up an anecdote about streak-starter Warren Sapp playing his entire career and even participating on “Dancing With The Stars” before the streak would end.

Like most, she got her shots in about Miami’s recent demise and the fact that some smaller schools are producing some random first round talent these. As if it’s so unheard of that a Delaware (Joe Flacco) or Tennessee State (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) can trap lightning in a bottle once in a blue moon. 

Credit to Judy for getting some quotes from Howard Schnellenberger, the legend who officially put Miami on the map, as well as Tom Luginbill, the recruiting expert who pinpoints the program’s decline (recruiting-wise) in 2003. Schnellenberger got his digs in about Miami’s previous coaching regime not focusing enough on local talent, chasing too name national big names. She even got a quote from Larry Coker, a man still in denial and defending his tenure:

“The overall talent in South Florida wasn’t as good as it has been as far as really great talent. The key for Miami is always the talent level in South Florida. When I left, I think there was good talent. Were there six first-round draft choices? Obviously not, but the talent was good.”

Keep telling yourself that, Larry. Banished to Nowheresville, Texas after two years in the TV booth.

Of course there were the cliche statements that national, non-Miami writers will make. Battista took her cheap shot at the Orange Bowl (“But just as the decrepit Orange Bowl stadium crumbled a few years ago, so did Miami’s supremacy”) and dig that UM was losing recruits to smaller in state schools (“es have proliferated, more teams play on national TV. That has helped put lower-profile teams on the recruiting map. On national signing day in February, Miami Pace defensive back Kayvon Webster, who had committed to Miami, signed with South Florida”).

It what should’ve been a pro-Miami article, applauding what has been accomplished over the past fourteen seasons — 33 first round draft picks — Battista instead finds a way to stroke Florida and Urban Meyer, praising the UF coach for “hurting Miami the most” by “making inroads into what had been Miami recruiting territory”. She goes as far to say “everyone agrees” with this sentiment.

Battista then enters “idiot” territory when she wrongly explains the Bryce Brown situation. Forget that his signing with Tennessee has absolutely zero to do with today’s NFL Draft or Miami’s streak – she’s quick to point out that he signed with the Vols, “even though his older brother plays for Miami”. I’m sure that had nothing to do with Randy Shannon pulling Brown’s scholarship offer and taking the Canes out of the recruiting battle for the top flight back. Nice fact checking, Judy.

Enough about yet another ignorant writer who followed the standard “How an outsider covers Miami” type fluff piece. Today is about celebrating the streak, acknowledging why it’s coming to an end, learning from mistakes and starting a new.

Bruce Johnson will be the lone Cane drafted this year… if he’s drafted at all. The last time Miami had a mere one draft pick was defensive back Gene Coleman in 1980. The last time no Canes were drafted? 1974. The 2009 Draft will either match 1980 or 1974 today. That’s how far this thing has fallen.

I spent the better part of this decade longing for NFL Draft weekend; a spring time football escape. A reason to talk Canes and a day when ESPN would stroke all things UM for several hours on end. It was basically a free, subliminal infomercial for next year’s recruits. “Come to Miami, become an NFL superstar someday”.

A lot of folk in the anti-Shannon camp get miffed when the rest of us beat the anti-Coker drum. “How long are you going to blame Larry?”, they ask. Personally, I’ll blame him until his final recruit is off campus and no longer part of this team.

How can you NOT blame Coker when you watch today’s draft? Today a fourteen-year old streak ends. One that even endured the late 90s probation era. Butch Davis still brought in top flight talent when UM was stripped of scholarships and on probation. Coker was recruiting when the program was reaching BCS games and riding a 34-game win streak and he still found a way to screw things up. No recruiting coordinator in place, no in roads with local high school programs and his thumb nowhere near the pulse regarding UM’s culture and the way things are done.

This isn’t about Urban and the Gators, Bryce and Kayvon’s last minute snub or the effects of a move to the ACC. This is about an old man and first time head coach who had no business taking over one of the strongest brands in college football.

Coker ran this thing into the ground, which is why 2+ years after his departure Miami is still going 5-7 or 7-6 and it’s the sole reason the Canes are matching numbers achieved in ’80 or ’74 on draft day, instead of enjoying the success the program has grown accustomed to.

Rebuild it, Randy. Get this thing back on track and let’s start a new streak in 2011. (Yes, ’11, not ’10. Keep the seniors home next year as part of the rebuilding process.)

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