Not close to accurate. That was a fun decade. I loved attending those games. The Orange Bowl was special...period. So that aspect alone made the games worthwhile.
The team was never boring. We had ultra talented players at key positions throughout the decade, from Chuck Foreman at the outset to the promise of Jim Kelly at the end. Quarterbacking was an exception until Kelly. But the defensive tackles came in waves and that allowed us to outplay our general ability level countless times, from the famous upset of Texas in the 1973 opener to twice nearly upending a dominant Oklahoma team as massive underdog when the Sooners were in their early wishbone heyday under Barry Switzer.
I was a young teenager but I already understood one aspect: You couldn't get carried away with recent results as opposed to the overall level of the team. Consequently every time the Canes would play one of those surprisingly impressive games, and everyone would start projecting great things ahead, I would say nope...we're not that good. Plummet likely. Friends in school and fans seated next to me would congratulate me on figuring it out beforehand.
OJ Anderson might have been the greatest offensive player in the history of the program. That in itself was a '70s treat. His feet and instincts were surreal. Anderson is still criminally underrated by younger fans, ones who see his Giants clips and envision a bigger plodding running back.
Powerhouse teams came to the Orange Bowl annually. They would bring lots of fans and often their full band. We were playing the likes of Alabama and Oklahoma and Notre Dame and Texas. You got a feel for their fan base and traditions.
Plus we had the annual crack at the Gators, unlike today. That game could make the season. Obviously there was animosity between the two fan bases but it hadn't reached the '80s level yet, partially because the two teams were not nationally relevant.
I feel immensely sorry for younger fans who grow up believing that Florida State is our main rival. Unbelievable. There is nothing as overpowering and satisfying at hatred toward anything related to the University of Florida. With Florida State it's more like hating a car wash.
Denouncing the '70s looks clever only when you know what the future held. Meanwhile during those '70s seasons we had no idea the Canes would ever be worth more than an occasional minor bowl. It's like the rules of catching a pass today compared to 30 years ago. Easy to fool yourself when you don't understand the mindset of the time frame. Nobody was fretting that we're going 3-8 when it should be national championship potential. The Dolphins defined South Florida. The Canes were the fun Saturday warmup.
