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A very special Fireside Chat with a Living Legend

The Franchise said:
I hate to say I told you so, but I've seen enough of this program to know what's going on. Let's get right to it, shall we?

I had this revelation while watching Diaz continue to flounder. Diaz reminds me of Don Jr. Looks polished. Yaps a good game. Zero substance. He's a fake manly nerd who talks about manly stuff. His idea of hunting would be to stay in a 5 star hotel in Dubai and be taken to an air conditioned shooting range where they line up a bunch of animals chained to a post 30 feet in front of him and give him a machine gun. It's the nerd life. The difference between the two is Diaz is trying to accomplish something, but he's simply clueless on how to lead.

I've harped on this fact forever, and the nerds don't get it, but you can tell everything about a football team by their focus and effort level. We are devoid of either. Of course, the dopes on here will litter my thread with "we played hard, but Lashlee sucks." We neither played hard or played focused.

We have a few players who give effort, but, overall, we're a lazy skinny jeans group. We're the guys with the tight pants that stop at the bottom of the calves with designer loafers we can't afford and a backpack that costs more than we make in a month.

Let's discuss some specifics in the pros and cons section of this incredible blog.

Pros:
This won't be popular for the guys looking for a scapegoat, but King played a great game. He was on target with some absolute darts. Yes he missed Harley to ice the game, but this game never should have come down to one pass at the end.

Harley. That's by far the best game he's played. He is a hard working kid, who took the criticism of the WRs personally. Good for him.

Chaney. He's our best RB right now. Yeah I said it. He's tough fast and runs harder than a 14 year old boy watching his mom's hot friend, Nancy, paint her toe nails in her bikini.

Pope showed some life and made a great acrobatic catch. Yeah he had another drop, but expecting Pope not to drop an easy pass every game is like expecting me not to ram my Pickett/Yellen takes from last week down your faqquit throats until your mascara runs.

And...that's it.

Cons:

Scaife set the tone early for the type of tenacity and the mental toughness that we have when he got bullrushed like the ghey fat kid whose dad forced him to play Pee Wee football even though he'd much prefer to be playing with his Barbies. This dude's been a major bummer.

Cam. He ran like he didn't want to be out there. I don't know if he's hurt or what, but I'm glad they finally yanked him. On that stretch play he looked like he was carrying a piano on his back. Weak effort last night.

Bolden on the TD to the TE gave a feeble effort. All he had to do was carry the guy out of bounds, and that stops the TD.

Carter needs to get a Target ad at this point. I can see him with the Target bullseye painted on top of his head saying "I love Target!" while running head-first into a wall like the Kool Aid pitcher dude.

Lashlee needs to realize you don't have to force balance for the sake of balance. King had a hot hand, and, in case Lashlee didn't notice, UVAG was without their best defender, Blount, and their other starting S Nelson. Run them ragged with the throw game. Throw it 80% of the time if you have to. UVAG is horrible against the pass and pretty good against the run, so what does Lashlee do? Yep. Force that ******* read option inside zone all night long.

What's with our new habit of running give up handoffs on 3rd down in our own end? We're just giving away series regularly every game with that ****.

Our pass rush was supposed to be a huge strength. It isn't. Phillips is a great effort guy, but if he's even thinking about leaving early, he needs a lobotomy.

Did you see the play where Ivey gave a huge cushion to a QB playing WR for pretty much the 1st time? Yeah, so did I. He let a QB run him off for an easy pitch and catch 1st down on 3rd and 11. That play summed us up. 3rd and 11 and he's bailing against a QB playing WR.

96 yard drive in 2:40 when we should have been icing the game. That drive speaks directly to the mindset of this team and why I have dwindling hope for Diaz. We were celebrating a win up 13 with 10 minutes left instead of bearing down and trying to open it up on them.

We let a 3 QB rotation control us for much of the 1st half. Keep in mind none of those 3 can throw the ball. Then, Diaz tells the halftime reporter "We need to make them beat us throwing it." Yeah no **** Don Jr. That should have been the idea from the beginning.

Gurvan Hall looked like he didn't even care on that coverage bust for the late TD. We were already in "we won, let's start taking pics for the gram" mode.

Tried to tell you guys last week we got lucky Yellen played. Nope. The CISpool clowns came for me claiming Yellen was just as good as Pickett. Then, they spent the whole week trying to be funny about how Pickett was a god. Flash forward to this week and look at what ND did to Yellen on his home field. That desultory performance against Pitt was what I feared for the remainder of the season and why last week's Fireside Chat wasn't all puppies and rainbows.

There are 2 or 3 L's left on this schedule if we play like we have the last 2 weeks.

I said it last week, and I'll stick with it. We're average. And we're average for the same reason we stunk last year--Don Jr. isn't a leader of men. He celebrates ****** efforts in wins against horrible teams like UVAG as if we just won a NC. He's not demanding enough, and it shows by the focus and effort level of his team. D$ tried to tell me we're in that next tier behind the greats, but we aren't unless that next tier consists of about 65 teams.

We are a little better than last year, and that's solely because of King. If we had Perry at the helm right now we'd be a 3 loss team. I don't know about you guys, but this game felt eerily similar to last year against a much better UVAG team with a much better QB and much better D.
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with the new rules allowing the players to keep their likeness rights, it's a brilliant idea!!
 
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The Franchise said:
Half of P5 wasn't playing until this week. Wisconsin would dog walk us. So would half the Big 10. Minnesota lost yesterday, but they're just as good or slightly better than we are. I judge teams by how they play, not by their record. Just because we've beaten some awful teams and are 5-1 doesn't mean we're above-average; it just means we're a little better than the terrible teams we're struggling with.

Let's see how we look when we play the other average to slightly above-average teams left on our schedule. We are death struggling with really bad teams, so that makes us average in my eyes. Go beat VT and UNC, and I'll revisit my opinion on where we are. Smart people are open to adjusting their opinions based on changing facts.
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VT is a 2.5 point favorite at L’Ville this week, and UNC opened as a 4 point favorite at UVA (already moved to -7). We were bigger favorites against both teams. VT is on upset alert.

I don’t disagree with your overall premise - that we aren’t a top 10 team, and that Manny leaves a lot to be desired. But I have to agree with D$ that we are winning games we used to lose and that we are above-average by any metric.
 
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Mr. Dynasty1 said:
So if we are a above average team, how can be ppl expect dominate performances against other average teams? Like what about this program and it’s 15 year history has ppl expecting blowouts or “beating the team your supposed to handily.” Isn’t it a signature of average teams to look mediocre and unimpressive?
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When people say, “team” we mostly think of the players on the roster. We have an above average “team”, player talent-wise. Now the expectation level is a point of contention because many of us expect the coaching staff to elevate that talent to an even higher tier, especially when they are great at articulating what it takes to be great.

As a fan base we have to decide on who we are waiting on to develop, so that this team can take the next step. Many of the coaches on the staff have shown their talent levels. I do not believe that they will scheme better or lead better, with better talent. And men aren’t made the way they used to be, no recruits are coming here to lead this team with their talent alone, and despite our coaching.

They are no more Michael Irvins, Tiger Clarks, Melvin Brattons, Ed Reeds and Jerome Browns being made.
 
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scrantoncane said:
VT is a 2.5 point favorite at L’Ville this week, and UNC opened as a 4 point favorite at UVA (already moved to -7). We were bigger favorites against both teams. VT is on upset alert.

I don’t disagree with your overall premise - that we aren’t a top 10 team, and that Manny leaves a lot to be desired. But I have to agree with D$ that we are winning games we used to lose and that we are above-average by any metric.
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”we are winning games we used to lose”...but have we really?

For the games we have won so far this season, we beat all of those teams last year...

FSU, Louisville, UVA, and Pitt.

We haven’t beaten any teams we lost to last season, yet... VT, GT, and UNC.
 
The Franchise said:
Half of P5 wasn't playing until this week. Wisconsin would dog walk us. So would half the Big 10. Minnesota lost yesterday, but they're just as good or slightly better than we are. I judge teams by how they play, not by their record. Just because we've beaten some awful teams and are 5-1 doesn't mean we're above-average; it just means we're a little better than the terrible teams we're struggling with.

Let's see how we look when we play the other average to slightly above-average teams left on our schedule. We are death struggling with really bad teams, so that makes us average in my eyes. Go beat VT and UNC, and I'll revisit my opinion on where we are. Smart people are open to adjusting their opinions based on changing facts.
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**** You ’Chise! FU for rubbing my nose in what I knew I had been watching — for weeks.

**** You for reiterating the two things I’ve hammered on this board from my first days, and been hammered for…that coaching is the number one ingredient (in fact, it‘s the top-10) and that the ACC is just that ****** of a conference. (I only disagree with you…that VT, UNC are anything to be afraid of. UNC lost to FSU for a reason; VT loses for the same reasons … they’re not nearly as good as their historical respect. Sound familiar)

**** You for reopening my scabbing memory of last year when I wrote paragraphs about Manny’s leadership to reveal a viscous pus oozing the lie that the wound was healed.

**** You for reminding me that I’m neither Morpheus nor the Oracle and believing in the one, is different than believing he’s the one. And I so wanted to believe.

**** You for saying this team is average. ****, it is; and I’ve known for weeks. I actually understand D$‘s point. Should the team be ranked where they are? Yes. But are there quite a few teams ranked below Miami in the SEC and B1G that would drag Miami for 4 quarters? Yup! But, even with the current pieces, could the team be better with elite leadership? Absolutely! And, that’s not my usual homer response. No, that’s years of watching football and understanding what makes organizations/management click.

I feel like Charlton Heston riding the horse at the end of Planet of the Apes, believing that he’s getting away only to see … the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

**** You, ‘Chise

*Silver lining: Nova does look like she has the good/good and I’m really not that interested in teaching her how to speak!
 
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HarrietTubmanCane said:
When people say, “team” we mostly think of the players on the roster. We have an above average “team”, player talent-wise. Now the expectation level is a point of contention because many of us expect the coaching staff to elevate that talent to an even higher tier, especially when they are great at articulating what it takes to be great.

As a fan base we have to decide on who we are waiting on to develop, so that this team can take the next step. Many of the coaches on the staff have shown their talent levels. I do not believe that they will scheme better or lead better, with better talent. And men aren’t made the way they used to be, no recruits are coming here to lead this team with their talent alone, and despite our coaching.

They are no more Michael Irvins, Tiger Clarks, Melvin Brattons, Ed Reeds and Jerome Browns being made.
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Im just confused because after 80% of the games we get these long dissertations on how average or mediocre we are. Then next week people saw we should beat team X by 3 TDs. How does that make sense
 
Mr. Dynasty1 said:
So if we are a above average team, how can be ppl expect dominate performances against other average teams? Like what about this program and it’s 15 year history has ppl expecting blowouts or “beating the team your supposed to handily.” Isn’t it a signature of average teams to look mediocre and unimpressive?
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We're average because of our HC. That's where the discontent flows from for our fans. We see the unrealized potential of the program, and it makes us sick. UVAG and Pitt (with Yellen at QB) are terrible. A team that recruits at our level should hammer those teams.
 
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The Franchise said:
Half of P5 wasn't playing until this week. Wisconsin would dog walk us. So would half the Big 10. Minnesota lost yesterday, but they're just as good or slightly better than we are. I judge teams by how they play, not by their record. Just because we've beaten some awful teams and are 5-1 doesn't mean we're above-average; it just means we're a little better than the terrible teams we're struggling with.

Let's see how we look when we play the other average to slightly above-average teams left on our schedule. We are death struggling with really bad teams, so that makes us average in my eyes. Go beat VT and UNC, and I'll revisit my opinion on where we are. Smart people are open to adjusting their opinions based on changing facts.
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The LAST sentence is a VERY important point and maybe THE most important point that can be made on this sports blog.

This is THE DIFFERENCE between a MOPE and a REALIST or healthy supporter. It’s healthy at this point to call the coaches what they put forth, it’s time to step up (if possible) just like the WRs did this week. Mopes CANNOT adjust their opinions, they are incapable of this.
 
Go Canes!! said:
Honest question. Coming off the bye if we beat NC State 34-10 what changes for you?
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But isn’t that the same team that played yesterday?

Any given week, Miami could connect on a few explosive plays and win — and not be better than yesterday’s game. We know it’s better than 2017, but … daman.
 
DMoney said:
It was a bad performance. We were lucky to win.

But people use the term “average” without considering the rest of the nation. There is a lot of bad football being played outside the Top 4. We’re playing less bad football than the other teams, which is why we’re 5-1.

This is a Top 25 team to me. It’s not a Top 5 team. It probably isn’t a Top 10 team. The story of the second half will be, “Are we closer to 10 or 25?”
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Is playing "less bad football" sustainable? Is it what we want the University of Miami to be? We're 3-4 plays a game away from being 3-3 and thats against nobody with a winning record besides Clemson and UAB (non- power 5).

Manny has shown nothing other than his off season selling (getting King, other transfers,etc.); to prove that he can build this team to a consistent 10 win, contending team.

What he's shown is that some years we're going to get lucky and be 8-4 to 9-3 and others we'll be unlucky and lose close games and end up 6-7. While playing undisciplined, boring, conservative, poorly coached football.

Sorry D$ but after last year, last night and 3 games in a row of regressing performances by our team, when we should be getting better, I've lost faith in the coaching staff and think we are just delaying the inevitable (which is firing Manny)
 
The Franchise said:
We're average because of our HC. That's where the discontent flows from for our fans. We see the unrealized potential of the program, and it makes us sick. UVAG and Pitt (with Yellen at QB) are terrible. A team that recruits at our level should hammer those teams.
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I get the sentiment but knowing who the coaches have been here. How are ppl still expecting dominate performances is my question? What in the world gives ppl the belief that things will be any different? How are people calling for blowouts of teams.
 
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