Setting The Record Straight

[Dawgcane]

Homers vs Slurpers, the perennial argument that will seemingly never end.
So, before we start to "respect decisions" in the coming days, let's make a couple things clear...

Those who are overly positive: There's nothing wrong with that actually. We probably SHOULD be positive about our sports teams. Life is too short to constantly be negative. Why even be a fan if you are always assuming the worst? Additionally, I think this side is mostly reasonable. No one thinks Miami is perfect. We can all see our shortcomings. However, this side CHOOSES to see the glass as half full more often than not.

Those who are mostly negative: These guys aren't "less of a fan" than anyone else. They WANT to see Miami succeed. They've just become frustrated with the seemingly endless disappointments that come with being a Cane for the past 15 years. All the "bumped" threads from years back make people gun shy to hop on the banwagon. Our "one step forward" is always followed by "three steps back". It's just who we are. It's easier to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed. For example, with recruiting: until we actually close strong on signing day, why would any reasonable person think we'll land the Stevensens/Hasselwoods/Bogels of the world? We have missed on these kids year after year. If we actually pull some of these kids this year, maybe next year will bring a little more optimism. Bottomline is PROVE it.

So this year. Instead of the dozens of "told ya so" threads that always come around signing day, just remember that we all want the same thing. Our frustration isn't with each other. It's with the leaders in place that haven't done their jobs in 15 years.

Eh, good positive post stating both sides of a disagreement, but as previous poster presented slurp side, Mopes will be Mopes, no matter any little bit of good news is met with some negative slant. Anything any coach says is taken in a negative twist, and most mopes delight in making of mopey names for coaching staff while sitting behind their keyboard not knowing how hard staff is working to make Canes successful.

 

[g8rh8rMD]

Eh. Listening to the same excuses on these boards for 15+ years isn’t any more fun than listening to the same excuses from our corching staffs over the same period. Slurpers are slurpers. They’re delusional and time has proven them wrong. The administration is not serious about football, and it shows.

More clarity of diagnosis might help, because it would put more pressure on the institution to take the program seriously.

Y'all are both right. Bags are a problem. Bags are not our current problem.

• Hiring Richt was a unique situation whereby we hired a man with a tremendous (although not perfect) reputation with a long history of substantial (while not elite) success. There was energy about the program and recruits and their families saw the energy, the reputation, the class of Mark Richt, all as positives.
• We had an energetic coordinator who understood Miami the football program and Miami the city/area and ran an exciting, aggressive, and entertaining attacking defensive scheme that suited the fan base and the local athlete.
• Miami was replete with skill position players and had been generally relatively successful on offense, the general feeling was that all that needed to happen was to fix the defense and this team would be on the right trajectory back to the top group of the college football world.
• In 2017, we went with a stopgap QB and managed to get to 10-0, #2 in the country, and squeeze more production out of #12 than anyone ever anticipated. Masked underneath all of this (in large part due to the defensive dominance and the turnover chain) was the fact that our offensive efficiency and total output was declining as time went on.
• Then, 2018 happened, and the emperor went strutting naked down the street. Everyone suddenly remembered that Richt had hired his own, unqualified, son to coach QB's as Richt struggled to find the answer among a bevy of highly rated QB's that he himself (and lilJon) recruited.
• Offensive (in particular passing) efficiency and total output plummeted. One panicky knee-jerk decision, made months too late, followed another and another.
• Then, UVA happened, and he pulled the guy who he had just told the world "his gut told him to start" after just a few series of a still-tight ballgame. Yada, yada, he loses his genius DC and has no answers whatsoever for what he will do to address the offensive woes, and how can anyone look in on this program from the outside and see a good place to commit the most important four years of their football lives?

Richt squandered it all. The potential, the promise, the energy, and the momentum. With the students now in charge of running the defense, there is little credibility on that side of the ball, whether fair or not. With Richt continuing to sing the mantra that his plays worked for 30 years and the players just need to execute, there is no reason for optimism on the other side of the ball either.

Any NFL caliber athlete would be crazy to commit to this program right now. Bags or no bags.

 

[dfagundo]

Homers vs Slurpers, the perennial argument that will seemingly never end.
So, before we start to "respect decisions" in the coming days, let's make a couple things clear...

Those who are overly positive: There's nothing wrong with that actually. We probably SHOULD be positive about our sports teams. Life is too short to constantly be negative. Why even be a fan if you are always assuming the worst? Additionally, I think this side is mostly reasonable. No one thinks Miami is perfect. We can all see our shortcomings. However, this side CHOOSES to see the glass as half full more often than not.

Those who are mostly negative: These guys aren't "less of a fan" than anyone else. They WANT to see Miami succeed. They've just become frustrated with the seemingly endless disappointments that come with being a Cane for the past 15 years. All the "bumped" threads from years back make people gun shy to hop on the banwagon. Our "one step forward" is always followed by "three steps back". It's just who we are. It's easier to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed. For example, with recruiting: until we actually close strong on signing day, why would any reasonable person think we'll land the Stevensens/Hasselwoods/Bogels of the world? We have missed on these kids year after year. If we actually pull some of these kids this year, maybe next year will bring a little more optimism. Bottomline is PROVE it.

So this year. Instead of the dozens of "told ya so" threads that always come around signing day, just remember that we all want the same thing. Our frustration isn't with each other. It's with the leaders in place that haven't done their jobs in 15 years.

 

[g8rh8rMD]

Eh, good positive post stating both sides of a disagreement, but as previous poster presented slurp side, Mopes will be Mopes, no matter any little bit of good news is met with some negative slant. Anything any coach says is taken in a negative twist, and most mopes delight in making of mopey names for coaching staff while sitting behind their keyboard not knowing how hard staff is working to make Canes successful.

Absolutely not true whatsoever. But, as I've said before, if this helps your self-esteem and allows you to sleep better at night, you do you and just stop reading here.

I, for one, and I am not alone in this, was ecstatic when Richt was hired. I've been telling my friends at every opportunity for the past three years that things were about to be great again, the Canes were on their way "BACK", baby!

When we beat ND, and then UVA to get to 14 and 15 straight, I was yelling from the rooftops "NOW do you believe??!!??" There were good reasons for optimism, even as I was also telling friends we were not "there" yet and would probably still lose a game or two, but that we were ahead of schedule and the 2018 recruiting class was going to be great and help put us over the top, and that we'd take another step forward once one of the highly rated young QB's was ready to take over.

Then, Pitt and Richt's panicky and unprepared team happened. Clemson was disappointing, but not totally unexpected. We were young, this was our first time there and a big growing experience. The Wisconsin game was what it was, but what really started raising eyebrows was the off season.

We knew we had problems to solve, holes to fill. The off season news reports were glowing, as always, but something didn't seem right. The one thing that was clear, was that 2018 was a critical year for the team, the program, and Richt. He had years of staff stability, of good to great recruiting. He had 3 highly regarded QB's that he had recruited and worked with to try and find one to replace a 3* that wasn't recruited by any other P5 programs. And none of them could beat #12 out for the job. Hmmm....

LSU was a debacle. We all said Richt needed to start giving the young guys equal playing time right away and get the team ready for the ACC schedule. He didn't. Rosier got booed by HRS at home against Savannah freeking State! Richt played JW for like 5 snaps and one pass attempt.

The offense was stagnant, no game-planning whatsoever was evident, and Richt was slow to make changes that were clearly needed, depriving himself and his younger players of much needed on field development and evaluation. Then, later in the year against better competition, he complained that the players he was playing (and that everyone else was begging to get more playing time against the weaker opponents earlier in the season) were immature and inexperienced! He pulled Kosi and inexplicably kept him out, against UVA. Richt lost the team and the fans that day. I could go on and on, but this is too long already.

I call bull**** on you, good sir. Bull****. Just this year at the spring game I bumped into Richt in the tunnel and told him "thank you, coach" and was proud to have met the man and thanked him for the good he was bringing to UM. This has nothing to do with "mopes" who just want to be miserable and find fault in everything. This has everything to do with fans who love their football team, want to see it succeed, and know that an incredible opportunity for success has been squandered due to laziness, nepotism, favoritism, obstinate pride, resistance to change and self-improvement, and just general stupidity.

Have a great day, and thanks for reading.

 

[bacane]

Homers vs Slurpers, the perennial argument that will seemingly never end.
So, before we start to "respect decisions" in the coming days, let's make a couple things clear...

Those who are overly positive: There's nothing wrong with that actually. We probably SHOULD be positive about our sports teams. Life is too short to constantly be negative. Why even be a fan if you are always assuming the worst? Additionally, I think this side is mostly reasonable. No one thinks Miami is perfect. We can all see our shortcomings. However, this side CHOOSES to see the glass as half full more often than not.

Those who are mostly negative: These guys aren't "less of a fan" than anyone else. They WANT to see Miami succeed. They've just become frustrated with the seemingly endless disappointments that come with being a Cane for the past 15 years. All the "bumped" threads from years back make people gun shy to hop on the banwagon. Our "one step forward" is always followed by "three steps back". It's just who we are. It's easier to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed. For example, with recruiting: until we actually close strong on signing day, why would any reasonable person think we'll land the Stevensens/Hasselwoods/Bogels of the world? We have missed on these kids year after year. If we actually pull some of these kids this year, maybe next year will bring a little more optimism. Bottomline is PROVE it.

So this year. Instead of the dozens of "told ya so" threads that always come around signing day, just remember that we all want the same thing. Our frustration isn't with each other. It's with the leaders in place that haven't done their jobs in 15 years.

Why can't there be a group in between? Why not have a board promoting legit, reasoned, serious debate? No reason to be a cheerleader, but the ****heads who promote themselves as fans - suspect a fair number of Gators, Miami haters & friends (Uncle Luke, Coach Wilson and crowd) also in here stirring **** - have taken the board hostage and made it almost unreadable. Even crazier when moderators jump in spewing the same ****** negativity.

 

[HurricaneAce07]

How does that not for profit scheme work? What kind of businesses do they run?

Don't think of it as a business - think of it as a charitable organization. Once you get exemption status as a not-for-profit, you can basically start collecting donations in whatever form you would like. It's also completely up to you on how you spend that money - you can give 100% of it to veterans, foster children, homeless shelters, whatever your "cause" is. OR, you can spend a majority of it on "overhead" such as office space, administrative staff or "morale events" such as parties for your hard working employees. Go look up "Wounded Warrior Project" to see an example of a bad, yet legal, way to run a charity not-for-profit.

My Bull Gator (booster) brother-in-law was the first to explain it to me about 3 years ago. Says UF's top boosters had started complaining to SEC/NCAA about how Ole Miss, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia and other SEC boosters had started setting up not-for-profits to funnel money to the family/friends of recruits. When the NCAA ignored their request for an investigation, they took that as a green light to do the same.

 

[OriginalGatorHater]

Don't think of it as a business - think of it as a charitable organization. Once you get exemption status as a not-for-profit, you can basically start collecting donations in whatever form you would like. It's also completely up to you on how you spend that money - you can give 100% of it to veterans, foster children, homeless shelters, whatever your "cause" is. OR, you can spend a majority of it on "overhead" such as office space, administrative staff or "morale events" such as parties for your hard working employees. Go look up "Wounded Warrior Project" to see an example of a bad, yet legal, way to run a charity not-for-profit.

My Bull Gator (booster) brother-in-law was the first to explain it to me about 3 years ago. Says UF's top boosters had started complaining to SEC/NCAA about how Ole Miss, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia and other SEC boosters had started setting up not-for-profits to funnel money to the family/friends of recruits. When the NCAA ignored their request for an investigation, they took that as a green light to do the same.

Great explanation. Thanks a lot! This is crazy lol.

 

[423Hurricane]

Absolutely not true whatsoever. But, as I've said before, if this helps your self-esteem and allows you to sleep better at night, you do you and just stop reading here.

I, for one, and I am not alone in this, was ecstatic when Richt was hired. I've been telling my friends at every opportunity for the past three years that things were about to be great again, the Canes were on their way "BACK", baby!

When we beat ND, and then UVA to get to 14 and 15 straight, I was yelling from the rooftops "NOW do you believe??!!??" There were good reasons for optimism, even as I was also telling friends we were not "there" yet and would probably still lose a game or two, but that we were ahead of schedule and the 2018 recruiting class was going to be great and help put us over the top, and that we'd take another step forward once one of the highly rated young QB's was ready to take over.

Then, Pitt and Richt's panicky and unprepared team happened. Clemson was disappointing, but not totally unexpected. We were young, this was our first time there and a big growing experience. The Wisconsin game was what it was, but what really started raising eyebrows was the off season.

We knew we had problems to solve, holes to fill. The off season news reports were glowing, as always, but something didn't seem right. The one thing that was clear, was that 2018 was a critical year for the team, the program, and Richt. He had years of staff stability, of good to great recruiting. He had 3 highly regarded QB's that he had recruited and worked with to try and find one to replace a 3* that wasn't recruited by any other P5 programs. And none of them could beat #12 out for the job. Hmmm....

LSU was a debacle. We all said Richt needed to start giving the young guys equal playing time right away and get the team ready for the ACC schedule. He didn't. Rosier got booed by HRS at home against Savannah freeking State! Richt played JW for like 5 snaps and one pass attempt.

The offense was stagnant, no game-planning whatsoever was evident, and Richt was slow to make changes that were clearly needed, depriving himself and his younger players of much needed on field development and evaluation. Then, later in the year against better competition, he complained that the players he was playing (and that everyone else was begging to get more playing time against the weaker opponents earlier in the season) were immature and inexperienced! He pulled Kosi and inexplicably kept him out, against UVA. Richt lost the team and the fans that day. I could go on and on, but this is too long already.

I call bull**** on you, good sir. Bull****. Just this year at the spring game I bumped into Richt in the tunnel and told him "thank you, coach" and was proud to have met the man and thanked him for the good he was bringing to UM. This has nothing to do with "mopes" who just want to be miserable and find fault in everything. This has everything to do with fans who love their football team, want to see it succeed, and know that an incredible opportunity for success has been squandered due to laziness, nepotism, favoritism, obstinate pride, resistance to change and self-improvement, and just general stupidity.

Have a great day, and thanks for reading.

Not being an UGA fan but a die hard Cane and avid CFB fan in general, I was somewhat aware of Richt's tenure at UGA. Upon hearing of the hiring of Richt at the U, I did some research about his tenure at UGA and formed a cautiously optimistic outlook. I know several UGA fans that were genuinely disappointed when he was fired and had no harsh words to speak of him. We all now know about his background and record.

Living through the turmoil of the last 15 or so years, I was hopeful Richt could bring stability and upgrade our tarnished reputation. I had no delusions of grandeur knowing that because of the mediocrity of the last decade and a half, a quick turnaround was highly unlikely. A turnaround would likely take some time. I just wasn't sure of the duration.

I had some reservations about his initial staff hires, but was willing to believe that with his 30 year coaching resume, Richt knew what he was doing.

There were some real positives off the field that transpired fairly quick - the IPF, upgrade to other facilities, re-establishing relationships with the local high schools, and a few others.

On the field results were mixed year 1, and year 2 brought both pure joy and excitement along with disappointment as to how the season ended. But, I remained fairly optimistic going into year 3.

Then year 3 happens. We all know the results and there's no need for me to rehash them here.

Throughout, I've tried to remain realistic and somewhat optimistic. I've attempted to remain realistic and not form a completely negative outlook. I've tried to be a voice of reason and look for positives in negative outcomes. It's becoming more and more difficult to retain any optimism and reality may be hitting me like a sledge hammer right between the eyes.

I'll forever be a Cane. Have been since I was 9 years old 52 years ago. Endured many ups and downs through the years. My hope is this down doesn't last too long.

 

[g8rh8rMD]

Not being an UGA fan but a die hard Cane and avid CFB fan in general, I was somewhat aware of Richt's tenure at UGA. Upon hearing of the hiring of Richt at the U, I did some research about his tenure at UGA and formed a cautiously optimistic outlook. I know several UGA fans that were genuinely disappointed when he was fired and had no harsh words to speak of him. We all now know about his background and record.

Living through the turmoil of the last 15 or so years, I was hopeful Richt could bring stability and upgrade our tarnished reputation. I had no delusions of grandeur knowing that because of the mediocrity of the last decade and a half, a quick turnaround was highly unlikely. A turnaround would likely take some time. I just wasn't sure of the duration.

I had some reservations about his initial staff hires, but was willing to believe that with his 30 year coaching resume, Richt knew what he was doing.

There were some real positives off the field that transpired fairly quick - the IPF, upgrade to other facilities, re-establishing relationships with the local high schools, and a few others.

On the field results were mixed year 1, and year 2 brought both pure joy and excitement along with disappointment as to how the season ended. But, I remained fairly optimistic going into year 3.

Then year 3 happens. We all know the results and there's no need for me to rehash them here.

Throughout, I've tried to remain realistic and somewhat optimistic. I've attempted to remain realistic and not form a completely negative outlook. I've tried to be a voice of reason and look for positives in negative outcomes. It's becoming more and more difficult to retain any optimism and reality may be hitting me like a sledge hammer right between the eyes.

I'll forever be a Cane. Have been since I was 9 years old 52 years ago. Endured many ups and downs through the years. My hope is this down doesn't last too long.

Well said. That is one of the best, most well-written posts I have ever seen on this site. No humor, no sarcasm, no hyperbole or projection. Just a sincere explanation of one fan's perspective and experience.

We (Hurricanes fans) are a cross-section of basically everything Miami and this country has to offer. Many of us will agree on one subject, but then completely disagree with the same person on another subject. Dividing the fan base into camps and then calling one side this or the other side that, while useful in some cases for simplicity or illustrative (such as OP) purposes, is overly simplistic and only serves to harden perspectives, like forming cliques.

Anyway, thanks for your perspective, 423. I enjoyed reading that.

 

[423Hurricane]

Well said. That is one of the best, most well-written posts I have ever seen on this site. No humor, no sarcasm, no hyperbole or projection. Just a sincere explanation of one fan's perspective and experience.

We (Hurricanes fans) are a cross-section of basically everything Miami and this country has to offer. Many of us will agree on one subject, but then completely disagree with the same person on another subject. Dividing the fan base into camps and then calling one side this or the other side that, while useful in some cases for simplicity or illustrative (such as OP) purposes, is overly simplistic and only serves to harden perspectives, like forming cliques.

Anyway, thanks for your perspective, 423. I enjoyed reading that.

At the end of the day, we're all Canes. Good, bad, or indifferent! LOL.

Agree completely about the cross-section. It would be extremely boring if we all had the same perspective.

In my short time as a poster (I was a "lurker" for several years due to time constraints), I've garnered much respect for your insight, perspective, and passion.

Thanks to you for that.

 

[g8rh8rMD]

At the end of the day, we're all Canes. Good, bad, or indifferent! LOL.

Agree completely about the cross-section. It would be extremely boring if we all had the same perspective.

In my short time as a poster (I was a "lurker" for several years due to time constraints), I've garnered much respect for your insight, perspective, and passion.

Thanks to you for that.

****. Thank you. Back at you, man.

 

[Home Slice]

Modern day recruiting is a nightmare, especially in south Florida. Kids transfer schools every year for a chance at playoffs and exposure. No loyalty now means no loyalty later. I would prefer if we didn't accept commitments from 15-16 year olds because they rarely stick. However if we don't accept them, then all of the sudden we're the "bad guy" when we come back later with interest. It's a no-win situation for UM.

More importantly, the recruiting game has changed dramatically in the past 10-15 years. "Bags" used to be checks to relatives/handlers to sway kids. Then checks became "cash only". Now the game is nearly untraceable or at the very least unprovable by NCAA laws.
The modern day "bag" is any of the following:

• Offering a kids brother/sister/relative a full academic/athletics scholarship even if not earned
• Offering a kid's family member a job at the university - in most cases they are unqualified and/or overpaid for the position
• Providing a zero down, zero% interest new car (loan is forgiven and/or car is returned upon player's departure from school)
• My new favorite - boosters create a local not-for-profit funded with their own money. Then give "jobs" at not-for-profit to the family members of a recruit. The family members can literally do nothing and get paid - all while falling within the laws of 501C3 (IRS may not like it, but it's small potatoes to go after) - meanwhile, NCAA can turn a blind eye because it is 100% disconnected from the university.

You look at the four examples above and not only are we not playing this game, we're getting slapped by the NCAA for insanely minuscule stuff - Jacory getting meals paid for, players getting free entry and drinks at clubs, AQM and Grace rental car fiasco.

It's like sitting on the sidelines of a pickup basketball game, then when we try and step on the court we get called for a technical foul for having our shoe untied.

That rant went on longer than I expected - but we're stuck in the crazy realm of having a good/honest coach in a time when being "good" and "honest" does not get you the level of talent necessary to compete like we used to.

All good points that others are using and getting away with perhaps. Problem for us is kinda what you alluded to in your example. If we even smell a little funny, Big Brother NCAA shuts us down. Sux but true.

 

[mianjomar]

Applaud the post