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1990 Miami-Cal....

k9cane

k9cane

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for years, I couldn't find this game for some reason, and Ive always regretted not driving up the coast to be there. But this is one my personal favorites as Miami, after a stunning loss to BYU in the opener as the defending national champions and #1 ranked team, went to Berkeley. There's a great back story to this game, after the BYU loss, Canes alumni like Michael Irvin really got on the current players for not just losing, but not having fun and celebrating.

So this game they go buck wild. I mean, Don Cornelius should've been our coach this game, they did everything short of the Soul Train line in the second half as they pulled away. If there was a hip-hop dance to do at the time (Running Man, the George Jefferson, the Troop', 'the Roger Rabbit' -- they did it, and looked so **** good doing it, I will say)

So after this game, Dennis Erickson was forced to apologize for his players behavior (boooo!!!) by Tad Foote at next weeks press conference. Poor Dennis, he never truly understood what he had gotten into at UM, lol, And he forced them to tone it down.

Next week they play a good Iowa squad and for that game at the Orange Bowl, I remember our guys like Wesley Carroll and Randall Hill starting celebrations and then abruptly stopping them, and shrugging their shoulders as if to say, 'Like Luke Campbell, we're banned in the USA'. It was hilarious, they would do it right in front of Erickson (which was telling). But they would start to do high-fives and then freeze, and wave their hands as if to say, 'Opps, can't do that,' -- and shake hands, instead

Even their non-celebrations, were celebrations

This is why I loved this team, it's why I got such a kick out of them. They really were a a banned of disciplined renegades

Anyways, the team was on it's best behavior the rest of the year --- and then the Cotton Bowl vs Texas happened. And the rest is history

so here it is -- the game that was in my view the genesis of 'the Miami Rule' that would be instituted for the 1991 season. Enjoy:

 
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Awesome find. Great game to rewatch. By the way, that YouTube channel has a TON of the old games on through about a decade ago. Some even have the old commercials which is a heck of a nostalgia trip.
 
k9cane said:
for years, I couldn't find this game for some reason, and Ive always regretted not driving up the coast to be there. But this is one my personal favorites as Miami, after a stunning loss to BYU in the opener as the defending national champions and #1 ranked team, went to Berkeley. There's a great back story to this game, after the BYU loss, Canes alumni like Michael Irvin really got on the current players for not just losing, but not having fun and celebrating.

So this game they buck wild. I mean, Don Cornelius should've been our coach this game, they did everything short of the Soul Train line in the second half as they pulled away. If there was a hip-hop dance to do at the time (Running Man, the George Jefferson, the Troop', 'the Roger Rabbit' -- they did it, and looked so **** good doing it, I will say)

So after this game, Dennis Erickson was forced to apologize for his players behavior (boooo!!!) by Tad Foote at next weeks press conference. Poor Dennis, he never truly understood what he had gotten into at UM, lol, And he forced them to tone it down.

Next week they play a good Iowa squad and for that game at the Orange Bowl, I remember our guys like Wesley Carroll and Randall Hill starting celebrations and then abruptly stopping them, and shrugging their shoulders as if to say, 'Like Luke Campbell, we're banned in the USA'. It was hilarious, they would do it right in front of Erickson (which was telling). But they would start to do high-fives and then freeze, and wave their hands as if to say, 'Opps, can't do that."

Even their non-celebrations, were celebrations

This is why I loved this team, it's why I got such a kick out of them. They really were a a banned of disciplined renegades

Anyways, the team was on it's best behavior the rest of the year --- and then the Cotton Bowl vs Texas happened. And the rest is history

so here it is -- the game that was in my view the genesis of 'the Miami Rule' that would be instituted for the 1991 season. Enjoy:

Click to expand...

Agree with you 100%!
 
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canes1996 said:
Awesome find. Great game to rewatch. By the way, that YouTube channel has a TON of the old games on through about a decade ago. Some even have the old commercials which is a heck of a nostalgia trip.
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Just watched the 2002 game against Tennessee with commercials. Technology seemed like the flintstones. Laughed my *** off at A Plymouth Sunfire commercial. my wife cracking up and said “what a piece of sht!”
 
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RattlerCane305 said:
I remember ****nio Hall making a joke on his show about how much we celebrated and kicked their *** that game. Said we were eatin' Doritos, dancing with Vegas Showgirls and 2Live Crew was performing...
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I dont care what anyone says, having been lucky enough to have done stories on many of those guys (and getting to know them a bit) from that era for various websites, these were great guys. I say that with no hesitation. They were fun showman, and the overwhelming majority of them got their degrees and are productive citizens post-football, who are doing great things for their community. And while the university may not ever admit it, they did incredible things for that institution and it's brand.

They weren't just playing football, they were doing sports and entertainment( to me, they were the 80s version of the Georgetown Hoya's, Roddy Piper, Public Enemy and the Dallas Cowboys, all wrapped into one), and they left a mark on college sports and beyond. It's why they have had multiple books, and documentaries (at least four 30 for 30's focus in on that era of Miami football) and just look at their impact on pop culture from 'the Rock' (Dwayne Johnson) and the guys who have crafted careers in the media
 
One of my favorite quotes of all time is “smile say yes and do what you’re going to do anyway”. If our Miami Hurricanes history has taught me anything, it’s that people will always find a way to vilify success. When people fail, it makes others feel better about themselves. There’s enough success, happiness, money and whatever else floats your boat to go around. Don’t hate anyone for winning and doing it the way that makes them happy. It might not be your way, but dam if it works.... jealously is just ugly. Kids having fun and winning to this day, isn’t considered politically correct. Celebrating success and winning with your team is frowned upon in every sport and league. In life, business, sports and every other moment one can have, if you enjoy it you’re considered a jerk. The word humble is another way to say “mind your tone”. **** that!!!! Live for G-d, family, real friends and yourself. The rest are hoping you lose and whatever you lost goes to them. Enjoy the moments, there aren’t nearly enough in this life to waste one. 🙌
 
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Boarcane said:
One of my favorite quotes of all time is “smile say yes and do what you’re going to do anyway”. If our Miami Hurricanes history has taught me anything, it’s that people will always find a way to vilify success. When people fail, it makes others feel better about themselves. There’s enough success, happiness, money and whatever else floats your boat to go around. Don’t hate anyone for winning and doing it the way that makes them happy. It might not be your way, but dam if it works.... jealously is just ugly. Kids having fun and winning to this day, isn’t considered politically correct. Celebrating success and winning with your team is frowned upon in every sport and league. In life, business, sports and every other moment one can have, if you enjoy it you’re considered a jerk. The word humble is another way to say “mind your tone”. **** that!!!! Enjoy the moments, there aren’t nearly enough in this life to waste one. 🙌
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The story that I love -- and it goes back to the 87 comeback at Doak vs FSU -- was during that game, FSU was really handling Miami, honestly, for most of that game, they were the superior team. But going into the 4th, CBS had this great shot of our guys ( and I think it was one of our Olineman, Rod Holder) putting four fingers, and I recall thinking, 'Nah, it's not their day, they're not coming back." But behind Steve Walsh and Michael Irvin, they did. Somehow they found a way. That game sealed my Miami Hurricane allegiance for good.

So fast-forward to the spring of 89, Jimmy leaves for Dallas( still a sad day in my life, lol) and Dennis Erickson is walking around campus as he was either hired, or about to get the job, and he sees a group of Hurricanes on Greentree Practice Field basically conducting their own workout, a really large number of guys. Erickson said he had never seen anything like that

The story I was told by Claude Jones (then a soph) was that as coach Johnson left, the players had their own private meeting. And guys like Bernard Clark basically said, "OK, transfer if you want, do it now. But we have enough here to win a national title whoever is our coach. If you want to transfer, do it now." To me, as much as I loved our '30 for 30', those are the stories that needed to be told

Another story that really says a lot about the character and personality of the program back then(that makes Claude crack up every time he tells it) is during Erickson's first meeting with the squad inside the weight room, right in the middle of Erickson's speech, 'Tiger' Clark just stops him in his tracks, and goes, "Excuse me, coach, but we just need to know one thing -- we know you have that offense of yours you run, but you're not touching this defense, here, right? We're already national championship caliber. Don't mess with this."

Claude says that the look on Erickson's face is something he'll never forget. He was stunned by the hubris. Like he literally had no clue what he had gotten himself into at Miami. After Jimmy, whoever came in after that, if it was a complete outsider, they really weren't going to dictate to them. Which is why I thought Gary Stevens could've been very successful here, but who knows

But the kicker is that Russell Maryland, one of the nicest guys ever, later steps up and says to Erickson, "hey coach, you're going to let us celebrate, dance and stuff, right? That's kinda our thing, here. That's Hurricane football."

Hey, what was ol' Dennis gonna say at that point?
 
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k9cane said:
The story that I love -- and it goes back to the 87 comeback at Doak vs FSU -- was during that game, FSU was really handling Miami, honestly, for most of that game, they were the superior team. But going into the 4th, CBS had this great shot of our guys ( and I think it was one of our Olineman, Rod Holder) putting four fingers, and I recall thinking, 'Nah, it's not their day, they're not coming back." But behind Steve Walsh and Michael Irvin, they did. Somehow they found a way. That game sealed my Miami Hurricane allegiance for good.

So fast-forward to the spring of 89, Jimmy leaves for Dallas( still a sad day in my life, lol) and Dennis Erickson is walking around campus as he was either hired, or about to get the job, and he sees a group of Hurricanes on Greentree Practice Field basically conducting their own workout, a really large number of guys. Erickson said he had never seen anything like that

The story I was told by Claude Jones (then a soph) was that as coach Johnson left, the players had their own private meeting. And guys like Bernard Clark basically said, "OK, transfer if you want, do it now. But we have enough here to win a national title whoever is our coach. If you want to transfer, do it now." To me, as much as I loved our '30 for 30', those are the stories that needed to be told

Another story that really says a lot about the character and personality of the program back then(that makes Claude crack up every time he tells it) is during Erickson's first meeting with the squad inside the weight room, right in the middle of Erickson's speech, 'Tiger' Clark just stops him in his tracks, and goes, "Excuse me, coach, but we just need to know one thing -- we know you have that offense of yours you run, but you're not touching this defense, here, right? We're already national championship caliber. Don't mess with this."

Claude says that the look on Erickson's face is something he'll never forget. He was stunned by the hubris. Like he literally had no clue what he had gotten himself into at Miami. After Jimmy, whoever came in after that, if it was a complete outsider, they really weren't going to dictate to them. Which is why I thought Gary Stevens could've been very successful here, but who knows

But the kicker is that Russell Maryland, one of the nicest guys ever, later steps up and says to Erickson, "hey coach, you're going to let us celebrate, dance and stuff, right? That's kinda our thing, here. That's Hurricane football."

Hey, what was ol' Dennis gonna say at that point?
Click to expand...
Knowing Dennis...he probably went to his office and busted out a 5th of Jack...
 
Erickson was the recipient of the 2nd Greatest Collection of talent in NCAA History....to not Win a NC with that Group of Savages would have been totally Unacceptable...
 
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The great quote from that comeback at Doak was from FSU’s linebacker Kirk Carruthers. From Sports Illustrated “we’re winning, it’s the 4th quarter, but we look across the line of scrimmage at Miami, and they know they’re going to win.” (Or something along those lines!)
 
I still wonder how many NCs Jimmy could have won had he not left for the NFL. Anybody else than Jerry Jones buys the Cowboys and Jimmy might have stayed around for another five, six years. The NFL was JJ’s goal but I don’t recall HCs jumping from CFB to the NFL like they do today.

Imagine if he could have been lured back to Coral Gables after he and Jones parted ways.
 
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