NC STATE DEFEATS PITT IN ACC CHAMPIONSHIP AS MIAMI PREPARES FOR A FUTURE UNDER DIAZ
December 31st, 2021
Coral Gables, Fla. -
Miami Head Coach Manny Diaz leans back in a leather-bound chair, limbs extended in a primal yawn. The wooden armrests groan under a force they were never meant to withstand. The springs beneath the seat are screaming, begging Diaz for relief as he leans even further back, appearing almost parallel to the floor.
“How many teams can say that?” he asks me above the din of his agonized throne. I snap to attention. “How many teams can say they beat both of the ACC title contenders head to head? I’ll answer it for you: not many.”
Miami’s head coach finally leans forward to his desk. I exhale, the chair (newly purchased after Diaz’ 24 million dollar, 4 year extension, I would learn) snapping upright like an animated corpse responding to shock therapy.
“Technically Wake Forest or someone else did too, maybe it was Cuse or Mr. Brown’s team... great leadership on those squads. But how many did it back to back?” From somewhere deep in the folds of his emerald green suit jacket, Diaz pulls a 12” Cuban cigar. “How many teams?”
“You’ll answer it for me,” I reply.
“I’ll answer it for —” Diaz cuts himself off at my response and meets my gaze for the first time. “That’s right. The history books will say it was just us.” He eyes a cigar cutting tool like a 9 year old might a loaded gun.
“Just my U,” he continues. “But that’s the benefit of having time, having resources, having determination and… having fan support.” He stands, looking at himself in the reflection of a Gator Bowl Trophy. (There’s no score on the placard. Miami hasn’t played in the Gator Bowl under Diaz, though the Hurricanes did beat a COVID-riddled Kansas State team in double overtime, finishing the season 9-4.)
“The sweet support of our fans has made this all possible. The support of our athletic director, Blake James, obviously coming in a very close second. (James’ contract was also extended after the 2021 season, given a special stipulation known as “tenured appointment to oversight”, or a lifetime extension). “Of course, I helped a little.”
“Of course.” I reply, rising from my chair to meet him. “One more thing, Manny —”
“Coach Diaz,” he corrects. The interview is over. It was over when I booked it.
“Coach Diaz… how will your team adjust to the loss of Tyler Van Dyke, who just announced his transfer to Georgia?”
Diaz turns back to me, fighting the cigar in his mouth. He stares over my head, hands in the suit pockets, flapping the arms of his jacket like a cartoon duck.
“Loss? All Tyler Van Dyke did here was win, all we do here at Miami is win, so Tyler leaving cannot be a loss.” He smiles, broad as the spread of his season-opening loss to Alabama.
Upon reaching the door I turn back and scan the man once more, contemplating the successor to Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson… and Al Golden: cream boat shoes, sockless feet, Bermuda golf shorts and that green tweed jacket, choking beneath a halo of cigar smoke. “Well if it’s not a loss, then what would you call it?”
Diaz doesn’t think long. “A win,” he says, smiling. “I’d call it my tenth win of the season.”
