Confirmed Alonzo Highsmith (joining Miami staff, 5.25 update)

[TheOriginalCane]

Oh yeah I also forgot to say that Blake was a done deal also. I was sure of that before I even was sure that Manny was being fired. There was just too much smoke around Blake. I mean like back in the summer it was almost certain he was going to be gone.

Tried to tell people...but that whole "meeting with boosters where they offered a blank check if Beta Blake could just explain his dream project and Beta Blake said he wanted new locker rooms to make @brock happy and a couple more analysts" was disastrous for Beta Blake's tenure.

You cannot present a more stark contrast in human beings between Beta Blake James and Joe Echevarria. It's simply not possible.

 

[Empirical Cane]

Ferman is no longer gonna be the laughing stock of Canes reporting anymore. I'm actually happy about that in a weird way. As much as we rag on him, a good redemption story to the top of Canes reporting (Jon Gruden) is well fitting for him.

Good interview, btw

i don't get the Ferman hate.

I probably don't know some backstory whereby he bïtchslapped somebody during some ghey fireside chat or something.

 

[Handsome Squidbum]

Who knows? I don’t exactly like hypotheticals. What happens if we are attacked by aliens?

By the way it’s not a theory it’s a fact. Reinvestment in football was coming no matter what, and Manny was history.

It would’ve taken an incredible number of rejections and circumstances for Manny to have squeezed out one more year, it would’ve been extremely unlikely. But there was a general sense early on, that I wasn’t even aware of at the time but found out later, that Mario was going to take the job.

There was a time early in the season last year when I thought that was little chance of Mario coming, because I didn’t know where the money was going to come from, I mean we all knew there was going to be a recomitment to football - there there was a lot of talk about that, but there was even more that I didn’t know - like people like Ruiz and the Mas brothers stepping up and the willingness to use internal funds and profits from other divisions

All the power people and decision makers were 100% done with Manny though, before the season was over. He was a dead man walking no matter who the next coach was.

You mentioned that the decision was made after Michigan St. I think if the season had ended at that point, you would be correct. Forgive me for being skeptical*, but I have a hard time believing that after 15 plus years of pathetic football and lack of support, if Diaz had ended the regular season on a 6 game win streak to finish 8-4, beat FSU for the 3rd straight year, snuck into the acc championship game (due to a Pitt and UVA loss), and beaten Wake Forest in the acc championship, that UM would have changed coaches. Id say the chances would be slim to none that UM would have fired Diaz after winning UMs first acc championship ever, despite what may have been said after Michigan St.

*I'm not doubting your word, I'm doubting Frenk would have had the balls to fire Diaz if he won the acc title.

 

[Salt]

Yup he seems to be there media guy now. Probably why he wanted Mario hired so bad

Who would have thought that the rise of Canedom would include the resurgence of Ferman?

 

[423Hurricane]

Even if that was the talk, I still think Diaz Sr and his cronies on the BOT would have found a way to save Diaz's job for one more year. For example, whether Diaz stayed or left, the Mas bros still wanted to build a soccer stadium. Diaz Sr still has friends on the county commission, zoning board, etc. He could have made it impossible for the Mas bros to find a stadium site unless they gave his boy one last chance. I don't believe Mario would have ignored UM and Ruiz if they knocked on his door after the 2022 season, especially with Lincoln Riley jumping into his conference and likely pinching a few recruits that Mario wanted.

Water under the bridge as far as I’m concerned. I’ve moved on to the point where I don’t even think about the previous staph and barely remember who they were.

 

[TheOriginalCane]

You mentioned that the decision was made after Michigan St. I think if the season had ended at that point, you would be correct. Forgive me for being skeptical*, but I have a hard time believing that after 15 plus years of pathetic football and lack of support, if Diaz had ended the regular season on a 6 game win streak to finish 8-4, beat FSU for the 3rd straight year, snuck into the acc championship game (due to a Pitt and UVA loss), and beaten Wake Forest in the acc championship, that UM would have changed coaches. Id say the chances would be slim to none that UM would have fired Diaz after winning UMs first acc championship ever, despite what may have been said after Michigan St.

*I'm not doubting your word, I'm doubting Frenk would have had the balls to fire Diaz if he won the acc title.

Look, I'm not trying to argue with you or anything. But you are putting this all on the Ws and Ls, and there were some other things at play.

First, Manny had been OFFERED more resources on the coaching side. He chose not to use those resources. Manny rejected the hiring of Alonzo and he rejected the hiring of a DC. Let's not forget who was AVAILABLE 12 months prior to when he was offered and accepted the UM DC job...

Second, there was already a groundswell building to fire Beta Blake. So even in your "Manny wins out" hypothetical, you still have an AD that would have been replaced, and it is not uncommon that a new AD might lead to at least one new head coach.

Third, go back to every post from last year where someone asked the question "what will it take for Manny to save his job" and I repeatedly said "win out". And, yes, if Manny had gone 10-2 in the regular season, maybe there was a legitimate argument to be made for "let's see what happens next year". BUT. Manny didn't win out. We didn't get any new verbals for months. We looked like crap in several games, and the fan support was waning. AND, Mario had expressed interest. So no matter how much we try to hypothesize about whether "10 wins" would have "earned" Manny another shot, you also had a multiple Pac 12 championship coach and UM alum as a legitimate OPTION. So whatever you can say about "Manny just won 10 games", your OPTION is also capable of winning a P5 conference. And THEN when you factor in all the other things about funding, alum support, ticket sales, player discipline/penalties, recruiting, etc., you come to a pretty compelling conclusion that Mario is worth the leap, regardless of whether Manny wins 10 games.

What is Chris Rock's line, something like "you're only as faithful as your OPTIONS"? And Miami had a **** good option. So we have to look at both sides of the equation, not just the "but but but what if Manny wins 10 games?" side.

 

[Fzac75]

You mentioned that the decision was made after Michigan St. I think if the season had ended at that point, you would be correct. Forgive me for being skeptical*, but I have a hard time believing that after 15 plus years of pathetic football and lack of support, if Diaz had ended the regular season on a 6 game win streak to finish 8-4, beat FSU for the 3rd straight year, snuck into the acc championship game (due to a Pitt and UVA loss), and beaten Wake Forest in the acc championship, that UM would have changed coaches. Id say the chances would be slim to none that UM would have fired Diaz after winning UMs first acc championship ever, despite what may have been said after Michigan St.

*I'm not doubting your word, I'm doubting Frenk would have had the balls to fire Diaz if he won the acc title.

In all seriousness WHO THE F CARES?!! What is the point in debating this hypothetical? Is this an attempt to hopefully have this resonate in the multiverse and help some alternate reality where the University is dealing with such a dilemma that this back and forth and debate can reach through ripples of time and reality break through the dimensions of reality and get to the BOT of UM of that reality and help them make sure they do what was done in our reality?

Clearly your insistence is that you wish confirmation that your theory is correct. Yes you are correct then had Mangringo won out and won the ACC and won the bowl game then he would have merited staying as coach, the University would have kept him and there is even a chance Blake would have stayed as AD, and the University would have scoffed at all the movers and shakers and power brokers behind the scenes, who we clearly know already, had been working on changing and reinvesting the program. In fact your theory would have convinced all those power brokers to follow UM’s wishes and keep Mangringo and Blake. You happy?

Now onto enjoying the moves being made by the Columbus Cosa Nostra and it’s Imperial Fleet spreading throughout the far reaches of College Football Galaxy…..BTW I am not an alum but is there any chance I can get an invite to the Columbus Class of it doesnt matter what year reunion at UM this year…..

Nevermind got the invite with my season tickets (rim shot!!)

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

Even if that was the talk, I still think Diaz Sr and his cronies on the BOT would have found a way to save Diaz's job for one more year. For example, whether Diaz stayed or left, the Mas bros still wanted to build a soccer stadium. Diaz Sr still has friends on the county commission, zoning board, etc. He could have made it impossible for the Mas bros to find a stadium site unless they gave his boy one last chance. I don't believe Mario would have ignored UM and Ruiz if they knocked on his door after the 2022 season, especially with Lincoln Riley jumping into his conference and likely pinching a few recruits that Mario wanted.

Honestly, and I know you’re not going to believe this, Diaz Sr. does not have the pull that people think he does.

I’ve been posting that for years. Check my post history. I’ve heard this from people that would know. Just because somebody runs their mouth doesn’t mean they have influence.

For some reason he became the bogeyman of CIS, a political Baba Yaga if you will. When in fact, he was more of an annoyance and could not drive policy even if he wanted to.

 

[TheOriginalCane]

Honestly, and I know you’re not going to believe this, Diaz Sr. does not have the pull that people think he does.

I’ve been posting that for years. Check my post history. I’ve heard this from people that would know. Just because somebody runs their mouth doesn’t mean they have influence.

For some reason he became the bogeyman of CIS, a political Baba Yaga if you will. When in fact, he was more of an annoyance and could not drive policy even if he wanted to.

Yep. People forget how little power EX-Miami politicians have. What is Alex Penelas doing right now?

Oh, except for Crazy Joe Carollo. That cucaracha will outlive us all.

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

….if Diaz had ended the regular season on a 6 game win streak to finish 8-4, beat FSU for the 3rd straight year, snuck into the acc championship game (due to a Pitt and UVA loss), and beaten Wake Forest in the acc championship, that UM would have changed coaches.…

If we’re going to have that many conditions on a what if, I’ll do you one better, if I could grow a ***** I could fūck myself right now, except then I’d see myself in the mirror and throw up.

Bro that’s a lot of what ifs.

All I can tell you is that from the conversations I had with people throughout the year it was clear to me that Manny was gone and short of an impossible set of circumstances he was dead meat.

He wasn’t going to automatically and magically become a better coach, and one of his biggest failings was having his team prepared especially toward the end of the season as he proved with North Carolina the previous year. That was not going to change.

I discussed that what if he wins out hypothetical with people, and I would always get laughter back and they would say it’s Manny were talking about here. He would find one game to majestically screwup, at least one. Everybody had seen what they needed to see, honestly, after Michigan State.

He could’ve also magically transformed into Saban if we’re going to thrown down hypotheticals.

 

[pacusmc]

Dan Lambert to James:
If you had all the resources financially what would you add right now?

James:
A new locker room and some analysts.

Lambert:
That’s it???!!!!!!! You gotta be ****tin me!!!

As was stated from the OGs
“Until they change who’s in that building it doesn’t matter who you hire as coach”

Also, Flo said we ain’t done.

 

[pacusmc]

You mentioned that the decision was made after Michigan St. I think if the season had ended at that point, you would be correct. Forgive me for being skeptical*, but I have a hard time believing that after 15 plus years of pathetic football and lack of support, if Diaz had ended the regular season on a 6 game win streak to finish 8-4, beat FSU for the 3rd straight year, snuck into the acc championship game (due to a Pitt and UVA loss), and beaten Wake Forest in the acc championship, that UM would have changed coaches. Id say the chances would be slim to none that UM would have fired Diaz after winning UMs first acc championship ever, despite what may have been said after Michigan St.

*I'm not doubting your word, I'm doubting Frenk would have had the balls to fire Diaz if he won the acc title.

You can rationalize anything with ifs.
Frenk had the balls to cuss out the AD at a home game in front of fans.
Don’t let dudes that are in power fool you cause of the way they look or talk.
You don’t get to be president of universities or any big corporation by being a pussie.
Manny was gone before most on here even knew it.

 

[TheOriginalCane]

You can rationalize anything with ifs.
Frenk had the balls to cuss out the AD at a home game in front of fans.
Don’t let dudes that are in power fool you cause of the way they look or talk.
You don’t get to be president of universities or any big corporation by being a pussie.
Manny was gone before most on here even knew it.

How close were you? In honesty, it might have been Frenk's wife...

 

[JamesQuall]

I gotta get back on my booty gif game.

You killin it my guy!

You a real one brother but you best stop sleepin bruh. You been slackin my guy.

 

[Scorpioncane]

Here's my problem with this theory - what was Plan B?

If Cristobal beats Utah, goes to the Playoffs and has a change of heart - what's Plan B?

Everything we're seeing happening now is happening because of Cristobal and his connects. What happens if he says no?

Nothing happens because he said yes!

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

Nothing happens because he said yes!

Don’t forget there’s a multi-verse. There’s some universe out there, out of the infinite number, where he said no. So we have to worry about that.

 

[TheOriginalCane]

Don’t forget there’s a multi-verse. There’s some universe out there, out of the infinite number, where he said no. So we have to worry about that.

One of my favorite comic books when I was a kid...

 

[Negro-Wan Kanobi]

You a real one brother but you best stop sleepin bruh. You been slackin my guy.

Spoiler: You right I been slackin

 

[JamesQuall]

Spoiler: You right I been slackin

View attachment 187311View attachment 187319

 

[rsa coral gables]

Interview with Zo and ferman recorded today|

what an awesome interview.

this version of the Miami program is the sphinx and Alonzo is one of the most important pillars of its re-ascendance, having been one of the first local recruits who stayed at home and was instrumental in the first national championship. this fact is not to be disparaged or diminished. he's akin to a founding father of the players who made this institution what it was.

i saw Alonzo 3-4 times the summer of 2020 and 2021 and each time when you mentioned the U he smiled, as if he had something up his sleeve and knew it was just a matter of time. that time has arrived.