I Want Blood

Hello All,

I hate Virginia. Why, you might ask? For a few of the following reasons:

1.) The Orange Bowl. Enough said.

2.)They beat Hopkins in lacrosse sometimes.

3.) Their uniforms could be so much cooler than they actually are.

4.) Their "Cavalier" mascot is the worst and I spend half of every game I see him at dreaming up ways in which he might get knocked off hsi horse.

5.) They suck at football and basketball but win titles in non-revenue generating sports and then talk about how awesome their athletics program is.

6.) I really hate their mascot.

7.) Everyone that goes there is a douche.

8.) Those people think they attend an Ivy league school. This is kind of like UNC or UCLA or Madison or any other snobby, huge state school. If you're from the state, you really don't have to be all that great to get in. Not a dummy, but probably not winning awards as a student either. I know people that went to Madison (I went to high school in Wisconsin) that were very smart and could have gotten in a lot of other places (that's for you Doug). I know a lot of dumbasses that went there that wouldn't have gotten in to any good schools out of state but got in to Madison because they had decent numbers and were residents (Doug, I think we both know who I am talking about). And since 90% of these state schools are comprised of in-staters...you can put two and two together. Listen, they're good schools. I went to Miami. Another good school, but not elite. I would never compare Miami to Stanford or Harvard. I am very content that my education was great without that comparison. Why can't these people just be the same way?

9.) Navy and orange reminds me of Gators colors.

10.) The Orange Bowl. Guess it wasn't enough before.

Anyway, nothing made me happier than the 'Canes running it up on the Wahoos (a stupid nickname) last season. Here's to hoping they do it again. And here's to a blazing fast breakdown:

QB

Well, let's see. Would you rather have Jacory or...wait....looking it up...really?!...I thought they benched this guy two years ago...Marc Verica, PhD? I thought so. EDGE: Miami

RB

Damien Berry looks to extend his streak of 100 yard days to 5. Virginia is averageing about 5 ypc, but this ain't Eastern Michigan or William & Mary. Oh, and here's a fun fact: Virginia's run defense is 79th in the nation.EDGE: Miami

Receivers

Hankerson, Byrd and Benjamin all bounced back with touchdown catches last week for the first time in 2.5 seasons of playing together. Virginia's Kevin Burd is one to watch, as he has made some plays for the 'Hoos. The emergence of Asante Cleveland as a pass catching tight end for the 'Canes can not be discounted. EDGE: Miami

Offensive Line

Have you seen Allen Bailey lately? EDGE: Miami

Defensive Line

Seriously, have you? EDGE: Miami

Linebackers

UVa is giving up a ton of yards as it struggles to go from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme. EDGE: Miami

Secondary

Miami's guys, particularly Telemaque, are ballhawking and are 2nd in the nation in interceptions with 14. EDGE: Miami

Special Teams

Miami housed one against UVa last year. Hear that, TB3? Coverage still has to improve, although it was much better last week. EDGE: Miami

Miami should win this one by three scores minimum.

OTHER PICKS

Last Week: 3-3

Season: 34-21 (2-5 in upset specials...2 in a row!)

Clemson over BC

South Carolina (the REAL SC) over Tennessee

Tulsa over Notre Dame

Iowa over Michigan State

Mizzou over Nebraska

UiF over UGA (Cocktail Party!)

Texas over Baylor

Utah over Air Force

USC over Oregon (Upset, but not my upset special)

UPSET SPECIAL

Ole Miss over Auburn

Never underestimate Nutt. Divisional game, at home, an offense quitely averaging 30 points and a the feisty Landshark defense....

Always guard the inbound passer.

Bringin' the Noise

Hello All,

Well, let's not say The U is back.

Let's not book a trip to the ACC Title Game just yet.

Let's not look ahead to the two Techs.

We have been down that road too many times.

Instead, let's just talk about the ASS WHUPPING that Miami put on North Carolina the other night.

I know, 'Canes fans, UNC was playing without some studs. Blah blah blah. Before this game, everyone and their mother said that if Miami lost than Randy Shannon should be gone. So what happens? Miami puts an old school beat down on a team that has had their number for years, and they do it with style.

And in typical 'Canes fan fashion, North Carolina goes from an opponent to be feared to an overrated tomato can.

I don't buy it at all.

UNC was a scrappy team that won 4 games in a row, and was a few plays from being undefeated, for a reason. They came out and hit Miami in the mouth early, which prompted everyone in the stadium to pucker their butt cheeks and get ready for the inevitable 17-3 halftime deficit followed by a long-shot comeback attempt in the 4th quarter.

Instead, Miami stepped up and made a huge play to keep themselves out of the pothole. They played three quarters of highlight reel football and turned in a complete, even performance.

Playmakers stepped up and made plays.

More importantly, leadership emerged.

I texted my friend Francis on Monday and said: "How great would it be to read a report that Damien Berry called a players only meeting?"

Turns out, it happened. The players got together and decided they were done with the lacksadaisical play. They decided they were no longer going to walk on eggshells.

There were several moments that stood out to me from the game. Spence and Vaughn Telemaque combining on the big turnover in the 1st quarter. Spence and Brandon Harris dancing their way off the field after Harris' pick. Jacory running down the field to celebrate another touchdown throw. Allen Bailey standing over a limp T.J. Yates. Travis Benjamin's highlight reel catch. Tyrone Cornelius going Robert Bailey on the UNC kick returner. Asante Cleveland's huge catch on 4th and short.

None is more important than Vaughn Telemaque and his offensive teammates scuffling on the sideline, however.

It showed accountability throughout the roster. It showed fight. It showed maturity. It showed a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

Some guys are stoic leaders. Randy Shannon and Jacory would rather lead by example than by words. That's fine. You do need some people that are willing to ruffle someone's feathers, however.

From the time of the sideline incident on, Miami loosened up and began to play like sharks that smelled blood in the water.

Randy Shannon realized his team was finally taking charge of itself and let his guard down a little.

This is what happens for good teams. It looks like the light might have come on for this group of young men on the field on Saturday night. They finally took the game by the balls and bent it to their will.

While all this was going on in Miami, my roommate Graham and I were freaking out in Los Angeles. The noise was not limited to the 'Canes woofing on the field; after the game, Graham and I found out that our property manager had gotten three calls complainging about our noise level during the game. On a Saturday night. Before the sun even set.

Even the fans had swag on Saturday night. It was a sight for sore eyes.

Always guard the inbound passer.

Pursuit of Happiness

Hello All,

Alright, I admit, I usually think it is cheesy when people try and write about sports mirroring real life. It is usually trite and cliche. So consider this a waiver. I am trying to do something with this post that I have never really done before and it might suck. But it is my blog and I guess that means I can do whatever the hell I want.


For the last couple of weeks I, like most 'Canes fans, have been unhappy with the way the team has played. That is an understatement. I have been thoroughly disappointed. We got our asses handed to us by FSU and then played with our food against Duke. It has not been pretty, to say the least.


Over the last two weeks, I have also been dealing with things outside of football for the first time in a while. Last football season, I was living at home and working a stable, 9-5 job. I had no real social life to consider, so I was able to devote all of my energies to watching college football and drinking beer with my Dad. I enjoyed the hell out of it, even though some might call it "arrested development".


This year, things are different. I work three jobs, one of which requires me to wake up at 3:30 every morning. I am starting over in a new city and doing just enough to keep my head above water.


I burn both ends of the candle and spend beer money that I don't really have. It's all good and normal and healthy. Hell, I am having a fantastic time. However, it sometimes leaves me feeling like I am not putting things in their proper perspectives. Every now and then I need to take a step back and refocus.

A few weeks ago I met a girl who I actually like (notice the tense). We hit it off. As the night progressed, it came to light that the girl has a boyfriend (of course she does, Dan).

I made a decision a couple of years ago after a 2 year saga with a girl took up too much of my life and time to ever get back.

After debriefing that situation I figured out that it went bad because I dilly-dallied. I am a firm believer that people know things instinctually and quickly;essentially what Malcolm Gladwell wrote about in "Blink". In other words, I messed up and paid for it because I went against my gut. As my father once told me: "Keep It Simple Stupid".

I decided that in the future I was going to find out what I really wanted and go after it one hundred percent. I decided that I would never be able to say that I had not given it my all. I will follow my instinct and ride out the storm, because at least at the end of the day I did what I believe. It lead to me moving to Los Angeles, amongst other things.

The reason I tell you all this is because as sad as it may sound, all of the above has enetered into my thought process lately as I think about this week's game against UNC. I have drawn some paralells.


I decided long ago that the Miami Hurricanes are something I will give one hundred percent to. When they lose, it is easy to see the impact it has on me. If you need proof, look at my last three blog posts. Not my strongest work. I spent a good part of this week thinking about the 'Canes and how I felt about various subjects.

That is when I realized that none of the micro-subjects matter. All that matters is the macro. Maybe this is where I differ from most of the Miami fanbase, which I am completely turned against at this point.

In the short term, bad things happen. It is part of football.

Just like with this new girl.

One of my favorite rappers is Kid Cudi. This is one of my favorite lyrics:




I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know,

Everything that shine ain't always
gonna be gold.

I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good.

It tells the tale perfectly of staying enthusiastic and passionate about things even when they seem crappy. The pursuit of happiness is long, and that is why it is called a pursuit.


Sometimes the team you think is poised for a title run loses.

Sometimes the girl you hit it off with has a boyfriend.


In either case, you have to keep pushing through and let things play out. The pursuit of either is long and difficult. It is full of speed bumps. Both are going to leave you feeling miserable some days. You will wake up one day and things will be great. The next, you might wake up and feel angry at the world. The next, you might feel helpless. Passion is a great thing but can be a double edges sword. And I wouldn't trade my passionate style of living for anything.

However, no matter how hard the traverse, there is always beauty to be found. Sometimes it isn't the destination, but the journey (again, thanks Dad).

It is fun to watch a young team learn how to win through difficult times. It is fun to develop a friendship with a new person, even if ultimately your goal is bigger.

The important thing to remember is that passion is what gets you through rough times in ANYTHING, whether it is work, relationships, sports, etc. If you find yourself in a daze, you have to ask yourself if the juice is worth the squeeze. If it is not, then walk away, because there is no use in half assing something. It just leaves you unfulfilled.


After a pensive week which resulted in this blog, I am a rededicated 'Canes fan. I think Randy Shannon is the right man for this job. Even if I didn't, I would support the hell out of him until a decision was made to go in a different direction. At which point I would support the hell out of the next guy in line.

That's called being a fan. And as such, with a new lease on fanhood (sparked by, of all things, a girl), I give you my UNC preview.


QB





TJ Yates is playing very well right now. Better than Jacory. I think Jacory is going to have a great game, but there is no denying the last few weeks, in which Yates has been lights out. EDGE: UNC





RB





Damien Berry and Mike James are running like men possessed. And now the 'Canes are going to get sparks from Coop and Lamar Miller. EDGE: Miami





WR

Hankerson continues to ball out for the 'Canes, although he is dropping some easy ones. Meanwhile, LaRon Byrd is quietly emerging as the No. 2 guy. UNC is badly hurt by the loss of tight end Zach Pianalto. EDGE: Miami



OL

UNC will play with discipline as usual. Miami will not, as usual. EDGE: UNC

DL

Miami's guys are playing with fire again, while UNC's two best are done for the season. EDGE: Even

LB

UNC has Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant, two potential all americans. Miami has Sean Spence and a few guys whose jusgement is still waiting, including Ramon Buchannon, Colin McCarthy and the new guy in the mix, Kelvin Cain. EDGE: UNC

Secondary

Miami's guys have been ballhawking, especially Vaughn Telemaque. Brandon Harris has locked his man down as well for the 'Canes, while UNC is without its two starting corners. EDGE: Miami

Special Teams

UNC plays with more discipline here. EDGE: UNC

While Miami would seem like the favorite, Sean Spence said it best when he told reporters that UNC owns the 'Canes until Miami finally beats them. Miami is certainly capable, but they have to come out and play great football for four quarters. We will see.

Other picks:

Oregon over UCLA


LSU over Auburn


Oklahoma over Mizzou


Iowa over Wisconsin


Nebraska over Oklahoma State


Baylor over Kansas State (Upset Special)





Always guard the inbound passer.

Halfway Point

Hello All,

So, strangely, we are halfway through this football season.

I don't think anyone can honestly say they are not at least a little disappointed with the Miami Hurricanes football team.

The 4-2 record isn't what does it for me. I knew coming in that going 2-2 through the four game murderer's row we faced was a possibility. What has gotten me is the way in which we lost the two and won a couple of others.

It is very apparent that the talent on this team is great.

However, it seems as though every game features a comedy of errors concerning drive killing penalties, dropped passes, missed tackles, turnovers and other fundamental breakdowns. A 31-3 win at Pitt could very well have been a 52-3 win at Pitt. A loss at Ohio State should have been a win. A blowout at the hands of Florida State lead to a sluggish first half against Duke.

All in all, this team shows signs of greatness every week but seems intent on proving that the only team that can beat the Hurricanes is the Hurricanes.

The one thing that cannot be said about this team is that they are not battlers. While their body language might not show it all the time, it is my opinion that they fight their ass off every game.

Jacory Harris is the best representation of this team. He is a very talented individual whose calm persona is seen by many as TOO calm. He seems disengaged, and yet plays through more pain every week than anyone else in the nation. He throws beautiful passes followed by interceptions, and yet always comes back swingin'.

This team has a lot to prove if they want to convince people they have improved from last season's roller coaster. Last season we were in the same position. Suffer a loss but still control your own destiny. Win out and go to the ACC Title Game. The mission is laid out before them. Last season they folded under the weight.

The true measure of whether they have made progress is how they respond the rest of this season.

It will start this week with UNC. If Miami can't manage to pull their crap together and straighten things out, the arguments of Randy Shannon supporters such as myself will be much harder to make.

Duke Preview

Hello All,

This has been a ridiculously long week for every 'Canes fan and now it is time to move on from the debacle.

The 'Canes look to get back on track this weekend against a Duke team that will put up more of a fight at home then you probably think. As Don Bailey Jr. said yesterday on Sid Rosenberg's (The Carpetbagger as I like to call him) radio show, Duke is licking its chops. They have nothing to lose and see a Miami team coming off a major beatdown that might have its head elsewhere.

There is your cheesy intro and here is the breakdown:

QB

Call me crazy, but I thought Jacory was a bright spot last week. Improved decision making, pulled it down and ran a few times, managed the game well and did it while hurt. The problem is his receivers let him down again, dropping balls that hit them in the hands. Duke will start promising Sena Renfree, who is probably still a year or two away from being a major threat but can definitely sling it. EDGE: Miami

RB

Damien Berry quietly ran for 101 yards against FSU and ran hard all game. Miami compiled 185 total yards on the ground and seems to have made it more a priority of late to establish the run game, which will help Jacory out immensely. Duke's leading rusher is Desmond Scott. They don't run it much but he is a big play threat, bringing in an average of 5.7 ypc and a long run of 63 yards on the season. If Miami gets Lamar Miller back for this game it will be hard to decide who gets the secondary carries between Miller, Graig Cooper and Mike James, as each has had their moments. EDGE: Miami

WR

Leonard Hankerson is clearly Miami's go to guy, and the rest of the receivers have battled major inconsistency. I personally think it is LaRon Byrd's time to shine. I also think if I were Shannon I would send out freshman Allen Hurns and sophomore Kendall Thompkins for the first two series just to send a message. Miami is hurt by the lack of a viable threat at tight end. Meanwhile, Donavan Varner and Conner Vernon have been great in Duke's pass happy attack. Never thought I would type this...EDGE: Duke

OL

Miami on both talent and caliber of opponent this Saturday. EDGE: Miami

DL

Miami is more talented and if they play the way I think they will then they should have at least 5 sacks. Allen Bailey must make more of an impact. Duke brings back senior defensive ends that will put pressure on Jacory if allowed. EDGE: Miami

LB

Sean Spence is Miami's best player, but it is time for someone to step up and make plays aside from him. Colin McCarthy looks a step slow and out of position at middle linebacker, and Ramon Buchannan seems to take two steps forward and one step back. Shannon said he will work Kelvin Cain more into the mix, and if healthy, hopefully we will see more Jordan Futch as well too. Duke runs a 3-4, which means they will be attacking Jacory with blitzes all day in hopes of forcing a mistake downfield. EDGE: Miami

Secondary

Miami is more talented and is beginning to get a knack for turnovers. If they ever get a game where all four guys play well together then they will be a force. EDGE: Miami

Special Teams

Who knows at this point. Miami is too inconsistent in all phases, and yes, that includes you now Mr. Bosher (my man crush). EDGE: Even

OTHER PICKS

Last Week: 3-6

Season: 24-18

Upset Specials: 0-5

Texas over Nebraska (Upset SPECIAL!)

Cincy over Louisville

Auburn over Arkansas

Iowa over Michigan

Texas Tech over Okie State

Wisconsin over Ohio State (Hopefully the meteor though)

'Bama over Ole Miss Blackbears

And yes, don't worry, at some point soon I will definitely do something about the state of the program and the FSU loss. Still too soon. Just know that I am in the type of mood that I hope every team loses every week just so all fan bases are as pissed as me.

Also, turns out I have the ability to see what my readership is. All jokes aside, I am getting like 3000 reads per month, which is awesome and a little humbling. I also have readers in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia as well as North America. Shout out to you all, but most specifically those in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have a hard time believing any native Afghanis or Iraqis are reading this, which means that those readers are serving this beautiful country of ours and protecting the freedom of chuckleheads like me. Provides a lot of perspective when contemplating a win or loss. Thank you all very much and get home safe.

I love the 'Canes, but the only thing I love more is America.

FSU Wrap Up

That sucked. Go 'Canes, beat Duke.

FSU Week

Hello All,

This is my favorite and least favorite week of the year.

Positives:

-I have an excuse to watch my favorite 'Canes video every day instead of only on gameday
-My brother and I exchange several-times-daily texts counting down the hours until the beatdown
-I get to hear stories all week about FSU players disrespecting The U only to have it rubbed in their face during the game
-I get to hear UM fans bitch about how terrible we are and how amazing FSU is....oh, wait, that is not a positive...
-It all ends in my favorite game of the year

Negatives:

-Lack of sleep
-Lots of nervous energy
-Living on the West Coast, I have to worry about where I will watch this game online (i.e. if a bar will have it or if I will be stuck watching one of the top ten rivalry games in college football on my laptop screen because ABC/ESPN/The Universe are in a constant battle to see who can buttf*ck me the hardest) because for some reason this is the one week of the entire effing year that ESPN and ABC are not doing a reverse mirror of their coverage

Obviously, the positives outweigh the negative.

People don't understand this rivalry and its meaning to 'Cane Nation (yep, went with the cheesy "______ Nation" reference). I have been asked this week why it is so much bigger than Miami and UiF.

My explanation, which is sometimes understood and sometimes not by outsiders, is that Miami and FSU are like estranged brothers. We recruit many of the same kids, rose to success at roughly the same time, play every year (even when we weren't required to) and play with similar chips on our shoulders. At the end of the day, Miami fans don't like FSU for one week out of the year, sometimes two. Other than that, we respect the program.

It is undeniable that they are talented and our rivalry was born organically, through a series of great games. It was not manufactured like rivalries with teams like Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Georgia Tech or Syracua were or have been.

What separates the 'Noles from the Gators and Notre Dame is that while we have history of great games with all three, the 'Noles never took us off their schedule. All three fanbases talk a lot of smack when it comes to the 'Canes; the 'Noles are the only ones who try and back it up every year.

It makes me glad to see their program rising back up at the same time as we do. College football is at its best when these two programs are at their best.

This is not supposed to be a lovefest for the 'Noles; as I said, I respect them, but I do not like them.

It is meant more to be an explanation of why this week is so special. People are concerned that the 'Canes will let up this week after their tough stretch. I say not a chance. This game is the reason kids go to these two schools, like the Iron Bowl at Auburn and Alabama or the Michigan-Ohio State game or the Wisconsin vs. Austin Peay game (wait, that's not a rivalry?).

This game will bring out the best in both sides. And with that, here's your breakdown:

QB

Christian Ponder is probably the better quarterback and takes better care of the ball, but I think Jacory is the better winner. Either way, this matchup will be talked about ad nauseum during the game and I do not need to add to that. EDGE: Even

RB

Both teams have deep stables of talented backs. FSU features Jermaine Thomas and Ty Jones, while Miami will be lead by Damien Berry and Mike James taking snaps for the injured Lamar Miller. Look out for Storm Johnson or Graig Cooper as the X Factor. EDGE: Even

WR

Leonard Hankerson is a matchup nightmare. FSU's number one guy is Bert Reed; the 'Noles will always be talented in this group but the production has not yet been there this season. Given the double team Hankerson will likely draw and his career history, I would figure Travis Benjamin for a big game with at least one score and a few big plays. EDGE: Miami

OL

FSU comes in banged up here. Even if their starting left tackle, Andrew Datko, plays, he will be rusty and going up against one of the nation's top defensive lines. If he doesn't, then that means a redshirt freshman will be getting heavy snaps at one of the two tackle spots, either starting at left tackle or sliding to right tackle and pushing Zebrie Sanders out of position to left tackle from right tackle. Miami seems to be getting better week to week and will have its hands full to keep Jacory upright against a team that leads the nation in sacks. I have officially concluded that Joel Figueroa has earned a spot on the bench. If he is in, he will be the weak link. Neither side looks like it will be able to do much against the opposing d-line. Miami's Sentrel Henderson is getting better week to week and could be responsible for a huge role in this one. EDGE: Even

DL

Miami leads the nation in TFL and is getting great push from its front four. Allen Bailey and Olivier Vernon lead the way at end, but look out for Marcus Robinson and Andrew Smith, who have both played well. At tackle, Marcus Forston is playing great football and must continue to disrupt the other team's interior line. He has helped Sean Spence re-emerge as an elite player. FSU is lead by Demonte McCallister and Markus White on the d-line, but their competition to this point has been questioned. Miami gets the slight nod. EDGE: Miami

LB

Both squads have a lot of speed here. Spence will be the best player on the field. FSU's talented crew is lead by Nigel Bradham, who finally appears to be playing to his potential. They will be without multiple offender Nigel Carr, who set a Fullmer Cup record for most felonies in one arrest earlier this season. For Miami, Colin McCarthy is solid and Ramon Buchannan and Jordan Futch both played well last week. EDGE: Even

Secondary

Brandon Harris and Ryan Hill are playing very well at corner, while Ray Ray Armstrong and DVD are becoming opportunistic ball hawks. FSU is lead by Greg Reid, who has talked a lot of smack going into the matchup. The interesting part is that FSU plays a lot of zone coverage, meaning Reid won't even be responsible directly for a man for the most part, making his boasts a little more hollow. And let's be real, what are the odds that the 5'9" Reid doesn't get posterized by the 6'3" Hankerson, 6'4" LaRon Byrd or 6'2" Aldarious Johnson at some point? EDGE: Miami

Special Teams

Reid is, like Travis Benjamin, an electric return man. Miami would be smart to kick away from him, given their coverage units. In the kicking game, Miami has Matt Bosher and FSU has long memories of pushing field goals wide right and wide left. EDGE: Even

I see this one being close, as usual, and decided late. It is honestly a coin flip and I would not bet either way. I just can't wait for it to get here.

PICKS:

Last Week- 6-3
Season- 21-12 (0-4 in Upset Specials)

Nebraksa over K State
UCONN over Rutgers
BC over NC State
Penn State over Illinois
Tennessee over UGa
'Bama over South Cackalacky
Michigan State over Michigan
UiF over LSU

UPSET SPECIAL: Baylor over Texas Tech

Always guard the inbound passer.

Inches

Hello All,

In "Any Given Sunday", Al Pacino's character famously opines:

We’re in hell right now, gentlemen, believe me. And, we can stay here -- get the
sh*t kicked out of us -- or we can fight our way back into the light. We can
climb outta hell one inch at a time...You know, when you get old in life things
get taken from you. I mean that's...part of life. But, you only learn that when
you start losing stuff. You find out life’s this game of inches. So is football.
Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small -- I
mean one-half a step too late, or too early, and you don’t quite make it.
One-half second too slow, too fast, you don’t quite catch it.The inches we need
are everywhere around us.They’re in every break of the game, every minute, every
second. On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear
ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our
fingernails for that inch, because we know when we add up all those inches
that’s gonna make the f*ckin' difference between winning and losing!
Between livin' and dyin'!I’ll tell you this: In any fight, it’s the guy who’s
willing to die who’s gonna win that inch. And I know if I’m gonna have any life
anymore, it’s because I’m still willin' to fight and die for that inch. Because
that’s what livin' is! The six inches in front of your face!

I bring this up for a few reasons. First of all, this is my favorite football movie and this is my favorite scene in the movie. I think it is completely underrated and I have wanted to include this in a blog of mine pretty much since I started writing one. Second of all, the italicized section is particularly poignant when digesting Miami's win over Clemson.

As fans, sometimes we get to live in our own world. We have the luxury of being able to sit down and watch a game as an observer and say things like "Jacory should have thrown that ball to the guy's back shoulder" and tally up errors and dissect and dissect and dissect as the game goes along.

We do not, however, have access to the player's point of view. We are not on the field when the proverbial bullets start flying.

We live in a world of theory. The players live in a world of actuality.

Football is an imperfect sport. After every game, even the best teams come away with a laundry list of things to work on. That's just football. The true test of your grit is if you can adjust when the game starts going in the other direction. When the inches become harder to win or, worse, you start losing them. When you are punched in the mouth a couple of times and have to respond.

Let's not lose sight of what Miami did in this game.

Jacory once again made some bad throws. They sucked. Period. He could have very easily checked out. But he didn't. He kept attacking. He showed a Favre-like resolve in rallying and rallying his team. He threw four touchdowns against a good defense. He scrambled out of a sack on 1st and 20 and turned it in to a 17 yard gain. He checked down to Leonard Hankerson for a key 3rd and 5 conversion late in the 4th quarter that kept the clinching drive going.

He played like a winner. It wasn't pretty. He had to scrap for it. He had to kick and fight and spit and claw his way out of some bad situations, created both by himeself and his offensive line and a good Clemson front four. But he got it done.

Miami also had to overcome a talented team playing in it's own stadium on Homecoming in front of a LOUD crowd. It had to overcome it's third straight road game. Most importantly, it had to overcome the refs. The refs were terrible. Period. I am a lifelong Miami Hurricanes fan. I have seen some TERRIBLE officiating go against us. This might have been the worst, highlighted by the following, which as far as I know is a first in the history of football:

Tommy Streeter is essentially handed the ball by the Clemson return man ona muffed fair catch. Miami has the ball inside Clemson's 30. The refs challenge the play. The call is overturned, citing a rule that states if a fair catch is called and the returner loses possession but the ball does not touch the ground then the returner must be allowed space to recover the ball. Fine. that's a stupid rule, but the rule nonetheless. Here's what got me. The golden rule with challenges is that you cannot use them to assess a penalty or take one away. Not allowed. It was a huge sticking point during the replay debate. The refs called no penalty on the play in question. And yet, somehow, Miami came out of the challenge without the ball AND WITH A 15 YARD PENALTY. On a play that I personally watched Clemson replicate 3 times during the course of the game without being whistled. Annnnd scene.

There were 5 instances wherein Miami got called for a bad penalty/screwed on a replay in this game. 5. It was such a comedy of errors that my buddy Francis texted me "if these good ol' boys are going to be so blatant they might as well just call the penalty on N-word #86". I hate going racial, but I almost have to agree.

And yet, despite that, Miami pressed on. The entire second half was one big momentum shift toward Clemson. And yet, Miami came up with 6 turnovers, none bigger than the forced fumble/fumble recovery by the benched Demarcus Van Dyke. They held strong on a BIG 4th&1 late in the game that should have been a gimme for Clemson. They held strong even though a true freshman right tackle was going against Clemson's Freakshow DeQuan Bowers in his first career start.

They held on, won the inches and won the game. Isn't that really what matters?

It has been said too many times too count about this team that they are too soft mentally and physically. That they are talented but can't go on the road and win a big game. That they are talented but they can't win if they are not one hundred percent on their game. That they shrink from big spots and big moments.

This was a game where Miami played to maybe 80% of their potential. It was on the road. It was against a good team. It was filled with pressure points, those moments when you see how big an inch really is. And Miami knocked it out of the park.

Sure it was ugly. Sure it was at times frustrating. Sure I had to call my dad and make sure his ticker was tickin' the way it should.

But good teams go on the road and win the tough ones. They win ugly. They see the games that everyone deems a "yardstick" game and they win them. Bottom line is that they find a way to get the job done.

Already, Miami fans are saying Clemson was overrated (even though they all predicted Clemson to win the game) and are saying FSU is the real test. It will be the same thing if we beat FSU. Fans have the luxury of sitting on their high horse. They dwell on the negative and don't talk about Sean Spence emerging past DeAndre McDaniel as the top defender in the ACC. Or the d-line continuing to get pressure. Or the run game churning out yards. Or the 6 turnovers.

They also often forget the most important thing: The W.

Miami got The W and Clemson didn't. They got it because they won the inches.

I'll take 10 more just like it.