How did you become a Hurricanes fan?

Moved to south Florida in the early 70s. Would watch the coaches show on Sunday morning. If I remember correctly, the Notre Dame coaches show was on right before it or after. So I became familiar with the team, and rooted for Miami, and funny enough, against Notre Dame. The big moment was a peach bowl win, and as I watched sitting on the floor watching the game, I told my mom the the Hurricanes were on their way up.

Sports on tv back then was completely different from today. There were about 2 games televised every week on ABC. Not much else.
 
Both my parents were alumni and I grew up in the Gables. My folks had season tickets from '54 until 2002. I remember going to the Orange Bowl in the 70s and early 80s to watch the canes. I wore 47 in high school because it was OJ Anderson's number. I was lucky enough to watch the Canes become a national power against all odds. I was in the OB for the 1st title win against Nebraska. What a ride... I still make a few games a year despite living in Silicon Valley. See you at the Stanford game!
 
You first.

Honestly, I’m a pretty recent Hurricanes fan. While I’ve always supported Miami, I didn't truly get into football until 2016, when I started watching every game. For basketball, I didn’t start watching until 2017.

I became a die-hard fan because of my dad, whose love for the team came from my grandpa. I never actually asked my grandpa how he got into them, but I definitely need to ask him!

I’ve attended quite a few games over the years:
  • 2018: L Miami vs. LSU (First game)
  • 2019: L Miami vs. UNC (Good game, still can't believe gave up that 4th and long).
  • 2020: W Miami vs. Louisville (Deriq King masterpiece)
  • 2021: L Miami vs. Alabama (Terrible game)
  • 2022: W Miami vs. Georgia Tech (Thought Jacuzzi Brown was the real deal lol)
  • 2023: W Miami vs. Texas A&M (Great game)
  • 2024: W/W Miami vs. Virginia Tech & Miami vs. Louisville (Two of the craziest games I've ever been to)
  • 2025: W Miami vs. Notre Dame (Crowd was awesome, never forget that night.)
It’s all about the U!
 
Awesome story. Skip Bertman was my father’s college friend and fraternity brother at UM. A friend of mine played for him at LSU in the 80’s.
Small world. I believe my uncle was at LSU in Bert’s first 2 years there. Maybe 2nd and 3rd years.

He always tried out at UM as an OF/1B and Skip made him a pitcher at LSU. 6’4 lefty throwing maybe 75-78mph but it would just naturally have a foot of run and fall off a table and a big loopy breaking ball. He K’d Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro back to back in his first ever appearance (or so he says) against Mississippi State on the team that went to the CWS.
 
Both my parents were alumni and I grew up in the Gables. My folks had season tickets from '54 until 2002. I remember going to the Orange Bowl in the 70s and early 80s to watch the canes. I wore 47 in high school because it was OJ Anderson's number. I was lucky enough to watch the Canes become a national power against all odds. I was in the OB for the 1st title win against Nebraska. What a ride... I still make a few games a year despite living in Silicon Valley. See you at the Stanford game!
Holy ****, are you my twin? I live close enough to you in the Bay Area as well. Only difference is I grew up on Miami Beach not Coral Gables, and I didn’t wear that number. 🤣
 
I grew up a few blocks from the OB and used to lay outside the apartment looking at the stadium lights and listening to the announcers call the game. Growing up I never made it to a game and always followed high school football and kids who were expected to play for UM. Now in my 40’s I have season tickets and take my daughter. Something as a kid I only wish to have done.
 
Miami vs fsu in tally 2009. I always followed the canes from afar as a youngster, but I’ll never forget watching that game and knowing it will never be a team I love more.
 
In 1989 I was 9 and turned on TV to see Miami & FSU. Saw the hitting the trash talk and I knew then that’s what football was/is supposed to look like. Loved them ever since even growing up in South Louisiana. I have gotten **** constantly from LSU fans especially over the last 20 years until we hired Mario. I want a game with LSU to get some payback for our last two matchups:
 
I shared a truncated version of this in the "How Did You Find CIS?" thread:

My older brother (@RickDerris) was a lifetime Hurricanes baseball and football fan. He even had a full ride to play baseball (along with one to another "UM" - University of Michigan), but ultimately opted to take a different path.

At the end of 2022 when his health deteriorated and he needed full-time care, I moved him in with me so I could be his care giver.

I did my best to be sure he had access to the things he loved (because no one likes being stuck living with, or being taken care of by, his kid sister) and that included having whatever channels he needed so he could watch CFB.

We spent the 2023 season watching Hurricane football games together. He taught me about the sport (usually while looking at me as though he wondered if our parents were first cousins because my questions probably sounded retarded), the culture, the era of greatness, and the team he loved, etc. He was no fair-weathered fan and had been fully loyal for the previous 36 years.

That last season (for him) wasn't that great (thanks, TVD), but he had high hopes for the 2024 season with a new QB, Cam Ward.
We had planned to go to the opener at UF, but he passed away in May of that year before he got to see the change in the tide to where we are today.

I watched the '24 season by myself and fell in love with the very same team he had, and even more so with the sport of college football itself.

The next season (2025), I bought season tickets. As soon as I got back to my hotel after the ND game, I booked a room for January for the weekend of the National Championship because I knew that's where we'd end the season. I attended every home game, including that National Championship game, and I watched an average of 8 to 10 college football games each week (gotta keep tabs on the competition!).

I wish he could be here to experience where we're headed or to even just watch games with again, but I think of him each game (I still text his old number a picture from my seat before kick-off) and I know he'd be tickled to know that he passed on a fan legacy, and now a love for the sport itself, on to me.

And also I may or may not have sprinkled some of his ashes under seat 22 in row 6 of section 241 at the ND game so he could always be there. Allegedly.
can't imagine the pain of losing your brother but this is such an awesome story!!
Cheers to you and your family and Go Canes!! I'm sure he was smiling down during that Playoff run last year
 
Born and raised in Oklahoma with the Sooners being shoved down my throat. Hated their colors. Grew to hate the Sooner nation. Leaned towards the orange of OSU Cowboys. A coach named Jimmy Johnson created some buzz out here. Same time Schelly had beat Nebraska. I liked Miamis swagger. When JJ went to Miami I followed. Been bleeding Orange and Green every day since then. Moved to South beach in 89 because I had to be closer to my Canes. That was a great era. Made it to the OB once.
sounds similar to my story except I was Nebraska / Huskers! I don't hate Husker nation but late 90s is when I really started to like Miami over Nebraska
 
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