NVA CANE
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Thanks to Sota for finding this in the WEZ.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...de-miami-hurricanes-0329-20150328-column.html
[h=2]DAVE HYDE[/h]
South Florida Sun-Sentinel dhyde@sun-sentinel.com
Al Golden on UM pre-season game: "we'll clean up the mistakes".
Miami alums edgy at spring game
Do you hope like they hope? In impatient pain? With edgy love? They were all on the sideline again Saturday, all the generations of University of Miami football, reducing their history to a word while hand-signaling the "U." "Champions,'' someone in the few-dozen alums said to the camera instead of, "Cheese."
"Champions,'' they all said, Warren Sapp beside Bennie Blades beside Lamar Miller beside Tolbert Bain beside Kenny Calhoun, who once upon a time broke up Nebraska's two-point conversion for the first title. Picture taken, they all then turned back to the field to watch the next play of Saturday's spring game at Lockhart Stadium . They watched for a glimpse of champions in the uniform they once wore.
And they wondered. And … "We hope," Blades said. Confident hope or counterfeit hope? "We hope,'' he said.
They clapped in the right places, went silent at mis-plays, and grumbled among themselves when things went wrong. As things did. It was a spring game, after all. But only once did they show the kind of spontaneous emotion they played with on their best days.
"There it is!" Calhoun said, pointing on the field and turning to the other old-timers, who began nodding in agreement. "There's what I want to see!"
On the field, far from the finished play, two Miami linemen were on the ground, fighting, as a referee ran to break them up. They were wrestling, really, two overly-padded combatants. And it wasn't so much the fighting the alums loved.
Malik Rosier on UM pre-season game: "we have to step up. It's spring. We're not going to be perfect. We're not trying to be perfect. We're trying to do what we can do and get better for the season."
"It was that intensity — that's what we weren't seeing much of out there,'' Calhoun said. "That's what we haven't seen enough of. I know it's just a spring game, but I need more effort. They might think they're playing hard. But, come on, I need to see it." He shook his head. "It's not out there."
If it wasn't there last year when Miami had five players who could be drafted in the first three rounds, would you expect it to be there in a spring game? And if Miami went 6-7 with measurable talent like that, can it be expected to improve without it?
"We all want the best,'' as Tolbert Bain said.
The surprise at Miami now is even this annual alumni weekend had an undercurrent of discontent. Only former players were formally invited to Friday's reunion.
The old coaches? Jimmy Johnson had to call to see if he was invited (he was, but didn't make it, as it turned out. Howard Schnellenberger showed at Saturday's scrimmage.) Former support staff, from doctors to trainers? They weren't invited. More grumbling by the players.
Brad Kaaya on UM pre-season game: "season starts in January, not September"
Of course, love trumps all. Even in midlife, these players are full of love and personality and appetite and conflict.
When offensive line coach yelled for people to back off the sideline, Sapp yelled from 30 yards away, "Come and make me, Art!"
So many faces. So much history. There were Tolbert Bain and Darrell Fullington, who won a ring, yes, and also watched the "Hail Flutie" pass sail between them. Gino Torretta's Heisman Trophy was on display for fans to take a picture with, though Torretta was off on a family cruise.
"A lot to build on,'' Hurricanes coach Al Golden said of the scrimmage.
"There were some guys that felt comfortable and some guys who had to go through this. It's great to get them in this atmosphere."
As Golden talked, the alums did what they've always done. Fullington, for instance, did some footwork before cornerback Artie Burns, showing him technique. Blades, once the nation's best safety, pulled aside today's top safety, Deon Bush.
This is what always has separated Miami from other programs.
They have tradition. Miami has family. And family cares. Cares enough to invest. Cares enough to help. Cares enough not to sugarcoat.
Are things improving? Fullington stood there not answering for a second.
Two seconds.
Finally, he said what every hopeful Canes fan does today: "It's a work in progress."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...de-miami-hurricanes-0329-20150328-column.html
[h=2]DAVE HYDE[/h]
South Florida Sun-Sentinel dhyde@sun-sentinel.com
Al Golden on UM pre-season game: "we'll clean up the mistakes".
Miami alums edgy at spring game
Do you hope like they hope? In impatient pain? With edgy love? They were all on the sideline again Saturday, all the generations of University of Miami football, reducing their history to a word while hand-signaling the "U." "Champions,'' someone in the few-dozen alums said to the camera instead of, "Cheese."
"Champions,'' they all said, Warren Sapp beside Bennie Blades beside Lamar Miller beside Tolbert Bain beside Kenny Calhoun, who once upon a time broke up Nebraska's two-point conversion for the first title. Picture taken, they all then turned back to the field to watch the next play of Saturday's spring game at Lockhart Stadium . They watched for a glimpse of champions in the uniform they once wore.
And they wondered. And … "We hope," Blades said. Confident hope or counterfeit hope? "We hope,'' he said.
They clapped in the right places, went silent at mis-plays, and grumbled among themselves when things went wrong. As things did. It was a spring game, after all. But only once did they show the kind of spontaneous emotion they played with on their best days.
"There it is!" Calhoun said, pointing on the field and turning to the other old-timers, who began nodding in agreement. "There's what I want to see!"
On the field, far from the finished play, two Miami linemen were on the ground, fighting, as a referee ran to break them up. They were wrestling, really, two overly-padded combatants. And it wasn't so much the fighting the alums loved.
Malik Rosier on UM pre-season game: "we have to step up. It's spring. We're not going to be perfect. We're not trying to be perfect. We're trying to do what we can do and get better for the season."
"It was that intensity — that's what we weren't seeing much of out there,'' Calhoun said. "That's what we haven't seen enough of. I know it's just a spring game, but I need more effort. They might think they're playing hard. But, come on, I need to see it." He shook his head. "It's not out there."
If it wasn't there last year when Miami had five players who could be drafted in the first three rounds, would you expect it to be there in a spring game? And if Miami went 6-7 with measurable talent like that, can it be expected to improve without it?
"We all want the best,'' as Tolbert Bain said.
The surprise at Miami now is even this annual alumni weekend had an undercurrent of discontent. Only former players were formally invited to Friday's reunion.
The old coaches? Jimmy Johnson had to call to see if he was invited (he was, but didn't make it, as it turned out. Howard Schnellenberger showed at Saturday's scrimmage.) Former support staff, from doctors to trainers? They weren't invited. More grumbling by the players.
Brad Kaaya on UM pre-season game: "season starts in January, not September"
Of course, love trumps all. Even in midlife, these players are full of love and personality and appetite and conflict.
When offensive line coach yelled for people to back off the sideline, Sapp yelled from 30 yards away, "Come and make me, Art!"
So many faces. So much history. There were Tolbert Bain and Darrell Fullington, who won a ring, yes, and also watched the "Hail Flutie" pass sail between them. Gino Torretta's Heisman Trophy was on display for fans to take a picture with, though Torretta was off on a family cruise.
"A lot to build on,'' Hurricanes coach Al Golden said of the scrimmage.
"There were some guys that felt comfortable and some guys who had to go through this. It's great to get them in this atmosphere."
As Golden talked, the alums did what they've always done. Fullington, for instance, did some footwork before cornerback Artie Burns, showing him technique. Blades, once the nation's best safety, pulled aside today's top safety, Deon Bush.
This is what always has separated Miami from other programs.
They have tradition. Miami has family. And family cares. Cares enough to invest. Cares enough to help. Cares enough not to sugarcoat.
Are things improving? Fullington stood there not answering for a second.
Two seconds.
Finally, he said what every hopeful Canes fan does today: "It's a work in progress."
