My Thoughts on All of It

[Canes Brotherhood]

Anyone have the cliff notes?

 

[Deep End]

I understand your frustration, OP.

Great point about sports being a business and that fans need to treat it that way. After being a lifelong Dolphins fan I walked away from that horse shidt organization several years ago and have not missed them one bit. I did it with the NBA in like 1998 and didn't miss it. The one thing that I never felt I could walk away from was UM football. It just had too much significance to my childhood. That said, I have to wonder how much longer I can put up with it. There is clearly no desire by university management to win at a high level. Why should I support it at any level?

Indeed

I'll come back if/when the school starts taking their program seriously and puts in place some of the control-points that I mentioned. When we all treat it like a business, not just the schools/organizations, then perhaps there will be an interest on the part of the school (in this case) to improve their product. If they can't get it done, well, then perhaps as is the case with many corporations, changes at the CEO a/o board level need to be made.

I've lost interest in pro ball in the same way, and I'm not a Dolphins fan, another team, predating my Canes interest. I will watch both now on a week-to-week basis, probably usually watching nothing, but otherwise just watching a good game in general regardless of who the teams are. I do still enjoy a well-played game at any level.

 

[FtLaudCaneFan]

I don't post much, mostly just read, but my take is quite simple, and yes, I understand that some may tell me “see ya,” or “don’t let the door hit ya on the way out,” but the truth of the matter is that I’m already out and quite frankly, don’t care what anyone thinks. I also realize that I am also speaking, at least generally, for a good many fans. Yes, I realize that I “won’t be missed,” but then again I’m not so sure about that because there are quite a few “me’s” in this situation. Many of “me” will be missed. In fact, Richt, ironically, was already publicly begging for attendance late in the season. So will the donors that are fed up. So will the former players that can see thru this charade and are disgusted with it. I mean seriously, which former player is going to embarrass himself by coming back next year to give a pep-talk to a team led by incompetent coaches that don't hold themselves to standards associated with The U that those very former players knew.

And no, I didn’t even bother watching the bowl game, my prediction was 35-3 Wisconsin and that’s exactly what happened. I knew that we’d be lucky to score any points and I told my Canes game travel buddy that the O/U for Taylor’s rushing should be 250, which IMO he would have hit had the game not gone as quickly as it did. Either way, and as we all know, there’s no excuse for what went down.

Here’s where I break off. Schools and the league, the NCAA, always treat football like a business, but for some reason we’re not supposed to treat it that way. For some reason we’re supposed to treat it emotionally and pay whatever to “support the team” regardless of what it does to actually help itself. And yes, my take is the same for my perennially crappy NFL team that I almost don’t follow anymore apart from the analysis.

Now the players, and rightfully so, are treating it like a business by sitting out meaningless bowl games. Props to them. Smart!

But at The U we have an AD that hasn’t contributed one significant long-term thing, not one. And no, I won’t give him credit for the IPF.

We have a coach who, much like his predecessor although to even greater extremes, has turned Miami Football into his personal jobs program.

The most egregious example is Jon Richt.

We have a coach that is apparently afraid to hire qualified people from the outside, why, presumably as a self-preservation move so as not to give the school any options. Diaz should rightly have been the HC now otherwise.

Has anyone done the research on Jon Richt? His college, stats, etc.? In short, anything that might qualify him for a position of such prominence at such an esteemed, at least formerly esteemed, football school? Well I have. I can’t find one thing. Not one.

I’ve found nothing that would even qualify him to coach an average high school around the country much less what he’s doing now.

Here’s an excerpt from an e-mail that I wrote my Canes travel buddy about a month ago in response to an article I read about Richt and the program:

-----------------

Richt acknowledged that he holds his quarterbacks to a higher standard. (from the article) [And just like Golden he doesn’t hold his own coaches to anything even resembling a higher standard. His son BLOWS big time.]

Lastly, gee, I wonder to what extent Jon Richt, who’s 28, is responsible for this “immaturity,” either in damage-control mode or directly to whatever extent “immaturity” is related to talent. I mean it couldn’t possibly be that the 28-year old who …

… served one season as a “quality control coach” under daddy at UGA, …
…then as a highly-esteemed (sarcastically) “offensive assistant” on one of the most floundering offensive teams in the NFL (Buffalo) for a single season, …
… and who went to P5 football powerhouse (extreme sarcasm) Mars Hill College (a D-II team that plays in the South Atlantic Conference against teams not one of which either of us have ever heard of, particularly not in a football context, really; http://www.espn.com/college-football/standings/_/view/d2) …
… prior to coming to Miami where QB play has been an issue since he’s been the primary in that role, is even remotely the cause of all of this and perhaps at least some significant questioning of QBs that have notably more experience in high school than he has overall. Why on earth would anyone respect him, his opinions, or therefore his coaching?! I wouldn’t.

BTW, after some quick digging, here are Jon Richt’s impressively marvelous QB stats at the prominent Mars Hill College;

2009: 81 of 173 (46.8%), 1,188 Yards, 6 TDs, 9 INTs in 10 games
2010: 123 of 246 (50.0%), 2,125 Yards, 19 TDs, 13 INTs in 9 games
2011: 157 of 290 (54.1%), 1,899 Yards, 18 TDs, 9 INTs in 10 games
2012: 200 of 386 (51.8%), 2,936 Yards, 25 TDs, 20 INTs in 10 games

Four-year totals: 561 for 1,095 (51.2%), 8,148 Yards, 68 TDs, 51 INTs in 39 games, for a per-game average of 14 of 28 (50.0%), 209 Yards, 1.7 TDs, 1.3 INTs
Gee, I wonder who’s stats, minus rushing yards, that mimics.

Career at The U (Starts only): 332 for 620 (53.5%), 4,441 Yards, 34 TDs, 22 INTs in 22 games for a per-game average of 15 of 28 for 202 Yards, 1.5 TDs, 1.0 INTs.

Richt’s rushing “prowess” rivaled that of the least mobile QBs. At least Blowzier has a leg up there, obviously due to Richt’s coaching him. /sarcasm

And here’s a joke of a article; http://www.espn.com/blog/colleges/georgia/insider/post/_/id/17356

ROFLMAO

Richt may not have any vision as to how to build a program, but that sure clears a whole helluva lot of it all up, for me anyway.

The long and short of it is that Jon Richt has absolutely no business being an asst. coach at a school like Miami, PERIOD! He hasn’t earned **** in that way. Why his dad has him in there is a slap in the face to the program and the school. The fact that he’s even in that role is literally, a bad bad joke. The notion that he was, is, or ever will be the best candidate for such an important position is ludicrous. In fact, this makes Golden’s grabbing onto the pant leg of O’nofrio seem logical and quite reasonable.

The fact that daddy has done this, again, should terminally render his judgement incompetent barring firing his son following this season. Frankly, and if it weren’t obvious, he never should have been hired in that role to begin with.

No matter how you slice this, Richt is in damage-control mode, obviously, since he’s blatantly lying thru his teeth. That’s not good, for a number of reasons, as if that needs to be said.

-------------------

On a post side-note, Golden lost this team due to his lack of applying the same standards to his staff that he did to his players. I see the very same thing unfolding now under Richt.

Blowzier has all but zero chance of being drafted and I’m willing to bet that he’s not even on a roster besides a practice squad come September. If he is is certainly won’t be as a QB but as a utility player, but honestly, I simply don’t see where he’ll fit in in the NFL.

His stats have gotten continually worse since he started. His stats this season PLUMMETED under Richt Jr.'s tutelage from last season.

But last season they got significantly worse as the season wore on, aka, as conference play commenced. This season, well, simply LMAO, his stats are that of some QB that should be ensuring he finishes school and gets his degree because he’ll need it.

I certainly don’t have anything against Blowzier personally, frankly, it’s not his fault. It’s Richt’s fault for mismanaging this program and for even remotely thinking that any knowledgeable football fan even distantly considers that Blowzier really gives any team the best chances of winning.

He was HORRID in the last 6 games, one of which was the Notre Dame game in which he should have done much more where we won despite him. He posted 9 TDs/10 INTs over his last six last season. In his first seven games he posted 17 TDs/4 INTs.

BUT, 6 TDs/1 INT of those were against warm-up teams Bethune-Cookman and Toledo. Otherwise, in his first five conference games he had 11 TDs/3 INTs, still better obviously, but to show how much worse he got. Point being that he’s regressed under Richt.

Either way, I simply have no idea what’s going thru Richt’s head when he states, repeatedly, that Blowzier gives them the best chance of winning. That’s akin to saying that cutting my ears off gives me the best chance to hear someone breaking into my home. It’s akin to McDermott hanging onto Peterman while continually suggesting that he’s an NFL caliber QB. He became a laughing stock and if people outside the fanbase and program understood what’s going on here Richt would be an equal laughing stock.

And to what extent is Jon Richt responsible? What, Richt is “grooming” Jon for future success? LMAO If that’s what junior has to bring to the table he should go into politics instead. He has no basis for even coaching in the D-II where he sprung from, unceremoniously even! He’s an embarrassment. In fact, for his own dignity and what remains of his dad’s resigning would probably be in both of their best interests.

Richt not long ago appealed to fans to come to the games and said that he needed us. Well sorry Mark, unless you’re giving us student ticket prices and free parking, this is a business, remember. For you it’s even more, it’s a personal Friends & Family jobs program. Even then, sorry, but I’ve really got better things to do in life than spend hundreds of dollars traveling to games, home or away since I don’t even live in Florida.

So before I come to another game, home or away, and I mean that, and in fact didn’t even watch the bowl game and frankly, until someone told me two days prior, didn’t even know when it was, I want to know why I should pay my money to support your Friends & Family. I’m all ears. Because that’s what you’re asking me to do at this point. I’d just as soon give it to my family out-of-hand first.

If this were a generic football product, then you’d have to pay me to go see it. I’d much rather catch a good local high school game. Yes, really.

James needs to be fired as he’s the common thread in all of this nonsense with the football program. Unless I’m missing something The U has no good prominent sports teams. He’s either in over his head or isn’t taking the job seriously.

The new AD should be hired only if he’s willing to sign something holding coaches at The U accountable for not hiring their relatives or long-time friends w/o a formal written approval from him, the new AD. Golden and Richt have unfortunately made this necessary! It’s simple, if a head-coach wants to hire either a family member or long-time friend, he submits a letter to the AD asking for permission. The AD in turn must get permission from some predetermined board as such for what should be obvious reasons. Unless the coach receives a formal letter-of-approval, after a week it becomes a pocket-veto and he is denied the opportunity to hire that family member or friend, no further discussion necessary and no one outside the organization has to know. That eliminates any awkwardness. It’s insulting to fans to suggest that “the best man for the job” is a close relative or personal friend. That’s rarely if ever (never say never) the case. Richt Junior sure as **** isn't.

In the meantime, the school isn’t serious about the program. It isn’t, plain and simple. Am I mad, not as much as most of you, mostly I’m angry for being played like a fool, not really anything to do with the program. If they choose to they can hire the biggest buffoons in the country. If they choose to have the coaches, appropriately, on the sidelines with red false noses and clown shoes, that's their prerogative as well. That’s their option and for the BOT to deal with. I’d suggest, strongly, that it’s bad business, but what do I know other than I know that I control how and why I spend my time and money, with frankly, my time being more valuable than my money.

Fool me once (Golden), shame on you. Fool me twice (Richt), shame on me.

But as a fan, sorry, I’m not paying for this. I’m not even interested in watching it. It’s not worth my time or money. I have better ways to spend both. And yes, things like cleaning out my garage, truly, are ahead of that at this point. It’s something that needs to be done. I won’t be watching a single game until we have a new AD and head coach. If it takes too long, who knows, I may simply not care any longer.

And don’t worry, I won’t let the door hit me on the way out.

; )

Happy New Year!

My man you said it all!!! We are screwed!!!

 

[Canesq]

That's how you get him out. Tell him Jon's contract has to be terminated.

Mum can't be the hydration specialist anymore either - we're not running a Mom and Pop store.

Good chance he walks.

He’s not leaving millions. He’ll call Blake’s bluff. Not sure if Blake has the stones to just fire the son. And who will Blake get to replace the son? It could be an embarrassing situation

 

[Deep End]

I have absolutely no issue with a long time Cane who doesn't post much to begin with sharing his frustrations and disappointment in a well thought out, well written post.

The majority of us feel the same way and have expressed such on here many times.

For those of us that have been around way before the "U" was even a thing, we've been through mediocrity that rivals the last 12-13 years. I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, being a Cane is kind of like being Spanish, or a Floridian, or white/black/Hispanic. It's ingrained in my blood and will forever be - good, bad, or indifferent.

Thanks!

Unfortunately for me I'm truly done until I see a legitimate effort to truly bring this program back to national prominence.

Football has changed, drastically, over the years. As a business it's far from what it was in the '80s and even the '90s. The NFL has ruined itself in many ways, unfortunately I see the college game not all that far behind. When everything becomes about money it's typically not good. For the NFL, if I happen to be interested in one of my team's games, after it's been played, I'll watch the "every snap" and highlight videos in less than a half-hour and see the entire game w/o commercials, reviews, and the other nonsense.

Having said that, it is about money so schools have to adapt. It has become big-business. If it's a business then everyone should treat it like one, not merely one side or element.

What's not in my blood is serving as a sucker for someone or something trying to play me for a fool by playing on my emotions in order to separate me from my time and money. I might be somewhat prone to yield on that a little of say Richt were to say, I'm giving half my salary back because I don't feel that I've earned it. That might sway me somewhat, but seriously, odds of that happening are nil.

 

[Deep End]

View attachment 73313

Says the person who joined a mere 3 months ago and has nearly 2,000 posts.

Too much time for you, what, five minutes, to read it all.

Yeah, I can see that you save your time for more precious pursuits in life.

Happy New Year to you my friend.

 

[gruntking]

I read half of the short story before I was called off for a "honey-do"... however, kudos for the OP... he should post more often and avoid the lingering pent-up disgust with our Miami football program. Posting the first chapter of his novel titled "The Richt Years" is not going to be read by some members here.
Regardless... keep it up dude... you're a good read... I'm a fan.

 

[OldhamA]

He’s not leaving millions. He’ll call Blake’s bluff. Not sure if Blake has the stones to just fire the son. And who will Blake get to replace the son? It could be an embarrassing situation

What bluff?

He's a minor coach on the staff. It takes zero political sway to fire him.

 

[gruntking]

I understand your frustration, OP.

Great point about sports being a business and that fans need to treat it that way. After being a lifelong Dolphins fan I walked away from that horse shidt organization several years ago and have not missed them one bit. I did it with the NBA in like 1998 and didn't miss it. The one thing that I never felt I could walk away from was UM football. It just had too much significance to my childhood. That said, I have to wonder how much longer I can put up with it. There is clearly no desire by university management to win at a high level. Why should I support it at any level?

I agree totally... though my disgust with the Fins goes back to the early 90's... and in addition, Dolfans didn't help either... I would get harassed for wearing my Buffalo and Cowboy's caps around town... such intolerance!

 

[L A M P]

What parts I read seemed on point. I gave it a go but less is more my friend. Self edit. Godspeed.

 

[423Hurricane]

Thanks!

Unfortunately for me I'm truly done until I see a legitimate effort to truly bring this program back to national prominence.

Football has changed, drastically, over the years. As a business it's far from what it was in the '80s and even the '90s. The NFL has ruined itself in many ways, unfortunately I see the college game not all that far behind. When everything becomes about money it's typically not good. For the NFL, if I happen to be interested in one of my team's games, after it's been played, I'll the "every snap" and highlight videos in less than a half-hour and see the entire game.

Having said that, it is about money so schools have to adapt. It has become big-business. If it's a business then everyone should treat it like one, not merely one side or element.

What's not in my blood is serving as a sucker for someone or something trying to play me for a fool by playing on my emotions in order to separate me from my time and money. I might be somewhat prone to yield on that a little of say Richt were to say, I'm giving half my salary back because I don't feel that I've earned it. That might sway me somewhat, but seriously, odds of that happening are nil.

Can't disagree with any of your points and understand your disdain for the current state of the U football program.

You're obviously not a sucker realizing that you have other things or interests to occupy your time and spend your hard earned money on.

It's a choice we all make - to support or not - the past, present or future of the U. For me, I surmise that it's a distraction 4 months or so a year from the everyday chaos of everyday life. I try to keep things in perspective and be realistic; difficult as it may be.

Hang in there. Hopefully, the state of the U will improve in he near future.

 

[deleted19096]

@Deep End bro, I don't blame you for throwing in the towel. Anyone with a sense of self worth has thrown in the towel after Thursdays red wedding.

 

[Deep End]

What parts I read seemed on point. I gave it a go but less is more my friend. Self edit. Godspeed.

Thanks! As I've mentioned however, my posts, and formerly pieces elsewhere, are not for everyone. In fact, they're for a minority that enjoy meaningful writing backed by facts, figures, things not printed elsewhere, etc., and that don't mind spending five or ten minutes reading as such. I don't waste my time regurgitating what is typically found in "headline articles." There's nothing less meaningful than going to your NFL team fansite to see "what's new" for the day and seeing literally, a dozen or more headlines from varying sources all essentially saying the exact same thing.

I provide different angles, takes, and info. Again, otherwise why bother.

 

[Deep End]

@Deep End bro, I don't blame you for throwing in the towel. Anyone with a sense of self worth has thrown in the towel after Thursdays red wedding.

Thanks!

I actually threw mine in the moment that I realized two things; first, that the program has become a jobs program and a personal retirement program for Richt. Secondly, that Richt clearly didn't know what he was doing if he really believed that Rosier was the team's best chance for winning. Rosier is a third-rate QB (at the P5 level anyway) that has zero chance of playing QB in the NFL. There's nothing on record indicative that we've won even a single game primarily because of him much less that he gives us the best chance of winning. His steady-state has become that when we win it's despite him and his play.

Ergo, Richt is either a moron or is playing us for fools. Either way, he's here for a while, so why bother, eh. Honestly, I can't believe that the players still believe in him. The team/school's going to have a real mess on their hands sometime next season, a much bigger mess than anything we've ever seen. Should be interesting to see how they handle it.

Like I said, to continue to support the team isn't really supporting the team at that point, it's supporing Jon Richt, Richt, and his other buddies on the coaching staff. No thanks.

Thursday's ****-show was simply another symptom of the greater problem. As I said, I didn't watch it, didn't even know what day the game was on until two days prior and only because my Canes buddy told me. He watched it with disdain.

I will say that I think that the tarps will once again be necessary next season. And how many times are the former greats going to come back to talk up the program when from the top down the school itself doesn't even do its part. It's rhetorical, nonetheless.

 

[gruntking]

Says the person who joined a mere 3 months ago and has nearly 2,000 posts.

Too much time for you, what, five minutes, to read it all.

Yeah, I can see that you save your time for more precious pursuits in life.

Happy New Year to you my friend.

The account is new, but the author is older on CIS and goes by nystateofmind and Wildnation… maybe others too. He's OK just a bit different at times, but he's harmless.

 

[Deep End]

The account is new, but the author is older on CIS and goes by nystateofmind and Wildnation… maybe others too. He's OK just a bit different at times, but he's harmless.

Just sayin'. I have nothing against him, but hey, when you publicly say something, it's open for scrutiny, eh. And if you say something as such, then you shouldn't take it personally when someone responds in a civil manner.

Either way, that's the problem with forums, so much nonsense so little actual substance.

 

[gruntking]

Just sayin'. I have nothing against him, but hey, when you publicly say something, it's open for scrutiny, eh. And if you say something as such, then you shouldn't take it personally when someone responds in a civil manner.

Either way, that's the problem with forums, so much nonsense so little actual substance.

Yea dude, exactly. But what sometimes requires very thick skin are the nasty insults that are posted. The anonymity of the forum brings out the worst (or the best) in some people... sort of like the premise of the movie "The Mask".

 

[cocanes]

**** that. I am not reading all that ****. Let’s just say I agree

 

[Canesq]

What bluff?

He's a minor coach on the staff. It takes zero political sway to fire him.

I’m referring to papa richt. If papa richt refuses to fire his son, then what? Blake can’t fire him now because the buyout. Papa richt knows that.

 

[Deep End]

Yea dude, exactly. But what sometimes requires very thick skin are the nasty insults that are posted. The anonymity of the forum brings out the worst (or the best) in some people... sort of like the premise of the movie "The Mask".

That's a good way to put it.

Even so, we can't control what we can't control, and we can't control the "Dorians."

But you're right, and that's what makes forums intolerable. I used to run one and had disagreements with the other two site originators. I wanted to purge and ban those people, they did not. As a result, and this is common, those that civilly want to discuss football simply walk and the "discussion" takes a swan dive. Our top 20 posters which were the most knowledgeable and well researched ones went away and never came back. I even argued for a separate forum for us given that we all wanted it and the other two denied even that. I guess for some people having social encironment for their adolescent outbreaks is more important than the stated goals of the forum. Not sure what else to make of it.

Almost all (never say never) forums devolve to that point to one extent or another however.