Sayonara Tobacco Road

Hello All,

So, there isn’t much to say about this Bethune Cookman game except for that we should kill them. Period. No excuses. I know that they are a good team for their level and have some guys that can play. I do not care. This should be the type of bloodbath that the third stringers get to play in. Nothing less.

What I do have something to say about this week is conference realignment. I have been trying over the past few days to figure out how I feel about the expansion of the ACC to “super-conference” levels with the addition of Pitt and Syracuse and the continued pursuit (it might not be in the headlines but you can bet your ass it is happening) of Texas and Notre Dame. And here is the only real conclusion I can draw, which is superficial yet at the same time meaningful: call it whatever you want, just don’t call it ACC.

I grew up on Duke basketball (I know, I know, make whatever joke you want) and, in a larger context, the legends of Tobacco Road. Duke-North Carolina is the rivalry that the entire world revolves around when it comes to college basketball, a sport that I love nearly as much as its older brother, football.

The ACC I was raised on worked like this: Duke and North Carolina ran the show in basketball, Florida State in football. Maryland was the northern border and Florida’s panhandle was the southern most. The conference went as far west as Atlanta. It was the conference of David Thompson and Ralph Sampson and Len Bias and Michael Jordan and Coach K. It was the conference that embarrassed those Yankees up north over and over again and where REAL basketball was played

It was college basketball’s version of the current SEC in football…however, no one ever annoyingly chanted “A-C-C!” after a win.

It all worked. It was nostalgic and yet dominant in real time.

On the other hand, when it came to Miami, I came of age as a ‘Canes fan while they were routinely destroying the Big East. Having the father I have, I heard every Saturday how much better things were as an Independent. How much better the schedules were and how we could tell anybody we wanted to kiss our ass. As a Miami fan, I thought conferences were stupid and therefore had no loyalty to one over the other. Kill or be killed. I didn't care who won the game if Rutgers or Temple were playing an out of conference team. It did nothing for me. Miami's goal was championships and their conference made no difference to me.

Ironically for me, Miami joined the ACC in 2004. I was initially very happy. Suddenly I had the best of both worlds: I had my football and baseball teams in the same tradition rich conference as my basketball team. Little did I know this was the death knell of a conference I loved dearly.

In that moment, the ACC became something else entirely, because by adding Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College, they traded their “Tobacco Road” image in for a big old pile of cash. That’s fine…it is part of business. The college landscape was changing, and as in any changing landscape, you must adapt or die. But you cannot have it both ways. When you move forward, you leave the past behind. You do not allow emotion to affect you. That is how effective corporations are run. They make cold, calculating decisions and leave emotion out of it. They evolve.

(That feeling of detachment has penetrated the conference to the field/court, by the way. The league has not felt right since it expanded for the first time.)

That is exactly what this new round of expansion is: evolution of a business.

Pitt and Syracuse aren’t the sexiest choices (not exactly Texas and Notre Dame). Scott Van Pelt said it best the other day on Bill Simmons’ podcast when he said this reminded him of 3AM at the bar when the lights come on and everyone who hasn’t left yet grabs the first person they think they have a chance of making out with.

“Man, I can’t remember anything from last night... What? I made out with PITT?!?! No!!!!!!”

It helps expand the ACC brand however, and therefore will lead to a bigger TV deal.

Super conferences are the way of the future, and I am glad that the conference that Miami is in was one of the first to strike instead of being left with the dregs (Pitt and Syracuse are powerhouses in basketball…they certainly get me more excited than the UConn – USF - West Virginia – Louisville Poo Poo Platter would have). The possibility is left to grab Texas and Texas Tech, which would give the conference a frontline of FSU/Miami/Texas/VTech in football and Duke/UNC/Texas/Syracuse/Pitt in basketball. It makes good business sense.

(I would throw the farm at those good ol’ boys, and if not I would make a run at Notre Dame and Penn State. Why the hell not?)

However, I do feel sadness, even if it took me 7 years to realize it. The ACC I grew up with is now dead and gone. Tobacco Road is now a cute name for a bar and a title for a documentary. Do me a favor as a realist who understands the present but also as a sentimentalist that will always have a soft spot for the past: just change the name to the Old Money League or Capitalist Football Conference. Just call it what it is, not what it used to be.

Last week I went 8-0. That’s right, I am the law bitches. 8 and mother effing 0. 22-10 on the season. I need a cigar. And maybe to retire. And yet, here we go again…

Arkansas (+3) over Texas A&M

Just can’t get behind the Aggies Pass D against a Petrino team at home.

UGA (-7) over Miss St

Vag Tech (-7) over Clemson

Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer over UiF (+4)

Hopefully this gets ugly. And by ugly I mean I hate UiF a lot.

Nebraska over Wisconsin (-9)

Upset special number one. This is more wishful thinking than anything. And the thought of all those douchers in Madison at night in their stupid stadium filled with people who overrate their intelligence (not talking about you Doug, you’re a flicker of hope) as the seconds run off the clock and this Nebraska victory comes home to roost, punishing the Badgers for their annual romp through a joke of a non-conference schedule. Chalk one up for karma.

Auburn over Cackalacky (-9.5)

The Gamecocks have been unable to stop bad teams with any sort of oomph. Now I am supposed to believe that they are going to stop this Auburn offense. If there is a prop bet that this game will have the most points scored in any BCS conference matchup this weekend (and gambling were legal), I would bet it.

Always guard the inbound passer.

Is There a F*cking Echo in Here?

Hello All,

Nothing is worse than watching as your worst case scenario plays out before your very eyes.

I was worried before the Kansas State game that the ‘Canes would undo themselves against a team that was just good enough to make them pay for it.

Miami lost to K State, less than a full week after an emotional, statement victory, because they could not keep it together when they needed to.

The ‘Canes moved the ball at will on their opening possession, but on 3rd and 1 false started. They settled for a field goal when they should have had a touchdown, and as the saying goes, you don’t win many games by kicking field goals. This would set the tone for the rest of the game.

It is unnerving to watch the ‘Canes because they are so capable of looking like world beaters in flashes (backing the Wildcats up to the goal line twice in 3rd and Long situations) and then, just as quickly and with just as much ferocity, desperately overwhelmed (giving up a first down both times).

It is hard to watch because this is a team that seems constantly on the verge of showing true greatness and yet at the same time stuck on that verge due to their own mistakes.

Ramon Buchannan twice made good reads on touchdown passes. Both times he came up centimeters short of interceptions. 4 times (really, 5, but who’s counting…) Miami forced fumbles. 4 times K State recovered. The ball eluded the ‘Canes, and so did the game.

Miami is the faster team. Miami is the better team. It didn’t matter. Much like against Maryland, the game was lost because of stupid penalties and poor execution. The team fought, and came up 6 inches short of a win. It was all in a losing effort, however, and therefore any positives ring hollow.

It seems like the good always comes with equal bad for this team. Jacory Harris played his best game in at least a year but was booed by his home crowd. Lamar Miller had another great game but left with another shoulder injury toward the end. It has gotten to the point where anytime I say something nice about this team (or any player on it) I knock on wood. In fact, it has been such a theme that my roommate said during Saturday’s game “If we don’t turn this around soon we’re gonna have to f*ck this bookshelf.”

There are plenty of positives around this program right now, but also this loss. The losses will start coming with less frequency; that I am sure of. It will only happen after the ‘Canes get out of their own way, however, and stop falling victim to the traps stretched out before them.

Always guard the inbound passer.

Yet Another Trap Game

Hello All,

Two weeks in a row we have had long run-ups to gameday. Both weeks were national spotlight games with a lot of meaning attached; first the Labor Day game against Maryland (Al Golden’s debut) and then the Saturday night game against Ohio State (and everything that comes attached to it).

Those two games have helped get this program back to some kind of normal after a tumultuous spell.

(By normal, I mean message boarders calling for us to bench QB1 after a 24-6 home win over a ranked opponent.)

This week the ‘Canes host Kansas State. It will not be at night, and Kansas State is not a sexy opponent.

I can’t think of a whole lot to write about. There is, of course, the Brown Bros. story line as Bryce and Arthur return to Miami as enemies of the state.

(For those unfamiliar: Arthur Brown once upon a time was the #1 linebacker recruit in the country and chose Miami as part of the star studded 2008 recruiting class…he transferred to K State last year after 2 non-descript seasons in Coral Gables. Bryce is his younger brother, the #1 OVERALL prospect in 2009 who committed to the ‘Canes, then strung them along in a recruiting circus that lasted a month past signing day. He ultimately chose Tennessee after Randy Shannon told him to pound sand. He then transferred to K State at the same time as his brother. They are both from Kansas. They both have a real shady cat named Brian Butler that seems to run their lives. He is one of those preacher/mentor/trainer/former convict types that really is just an agent and a scumbag.)

There is the fact that K State comes in with the #1 ranked defense in the nation (against the little sisters of the poor).

There is K State’s mobile quarterback that could tear Miami apart, as many such quarterbacks have, if they do not stay disciplined.

Really, that is all there is to think about this matchup, and that means this is pretty much a meaningless opponent that could be subbed out for 100 others fairly easily.

And that is what makes me nervous about it. If I can’t find much to write about, I fear the ‘Canes won’t come out with the same head of steam they had against OSU*. Maybe it is 8 years of mediocre football and slow starts and playing down to the competition, but these games make me more nervous than the games against FSU and VTech.

Make no mistake, if Miami does not come to play against K State, the Wildcats are just good enough to beat our ass.

All the momentum that was gained last week against OSU*, all the good press we have gotten, will be out the window in 3 and a half hours on Saturday afternoon, because Bill Snyder will have his team ready to go. This will be a bigger game for Kansas State than for the ‘Canes, and if the energy is down to start the game, this will become a quagmire from which we most likely will not be able to emerge.

And therefore that is they key to the game (is this the key every week?). Talent-wise, there is no comparison between the two squads. Miami will have the advantage at every position. The pressure is therefore on Miami for the first time this season to simply hold serve.

That ability to take care of business has been lacking, and now we get to see how different this year’s team REALLY is. They should be 3-1 heading in to Blacksburg to take on Vagina…err, Virginia….Tech in a few weeks. Anything less would be a disappointment. This is the definition of a trap game, and the trap is certainly sprung at this moment.

Last week, I went 5-4 (damn it Tennessee)and stand at 14-10 on the season. This week’s picks, which are sure to be wrong:

Georgia over Ole Miss (+10)

Ole Miss…well, at least they will win the tailgate again.

Oklahoma (-22) over Mizzou

Mizzou covers...remember whent hey caught Oklahoma off guard last season?

Cackaclacky (-15) over Vandy

Don’t try and bring in that Transitive Property crap. Cackalacky struggled with Navy, Vandy is better than Navy, therefore Vandy will beat Cackalacky…FALSE.

GTech (-7) over UNC

Can’t wait until GTech comes down to Miami with an undefeated team and “Can Anyone Stop the Option?” headlines. Cannot wait.

Alabama (-12) over Arkie

Headline that every southern newspaper keeps handy, just in case:

ARKANSAS QUARTERBACK THROWS FOR 400 YARDS IN LOSING EFFORT

LSU over West Virginia (+6.5)

I would pay to see Les Miles beat a fan to death after someone throws, I don’t know, a full set of bleachers at one of his players.

Ps, this is the meeting of the two most racist, hypocritical fan bases not named Notre Dame (no good Big Ten games this week and Notre Dame SHOULD be in that conference, so that was my quasi-Big Ten joke of the week).

Oklahoma State over Texas A&M (-4)

Everything tells me A&M will win. They are the better team right now and they are at home. But for some reason, I like the ‘Pokes as my UPSET SPECIAL. Pretty weak, given they are the higher ranked team. I am ashamed….

Clemson (-2) over FSU

FSU is reeling after the home loss and is starting Cole Trickle…I mean, Clint Trickett…at quarterback, on the road. Clemson is flying high after putting an epic beatdown on Auburn behind Tahj Boyd and Sammie Watkins (best freshman in the country). I don’t think FSU covers.

Also, this allows us to talk about FSU for a sec. Yes, I know they were the GREATEST 4 LOSS TEAM OF ALL TIME last season. Yes, I know Jimbo Fisher is the NEXT BEAR BRYANT. Yes, EJ Manuel is CAM NEWTON PART TWO. Greg Reid is THE NEW CHARLES WOODSON. So, I wonder, will this be the greatest 2 game losing streak of all time if it goes down? Can we cancel the rest of the season and just declare FSU national champions if they win? Is it too early to induct Jimbo to the hall of fame?

Just asking.

Always guard the inbound passer.

Scarlet Shirts and Silver Britches, We Beat Your Ass You Sons of...

Hello All,

Not really sure how best to begin this other than with the obvious:

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday night was epic. No two ways about it. It was a huge win over a program that, while clearly not at full strength, is the type of program you make statements against. Beating Ohio State means something, probably more for the ‘Canes than for any program outside the Big 10.

The ‘Canes indeed made a statement. They made it starting with Denzel Perryman’s opening hit on kick coverage and ending with a 9 minute, back breaking drive to end the game, punctuated by the ultimate F-You touchdown that every true ‘Canes fan has been longing for for almost a decade.

The victory was so complete that Ohio State coach Luke Fickell refused to call his last two timeouts at the end of the game, choosing instead to end the pain and cut short his stay at Sun Life Stadium. He waived the white flag, something an opponent has not done against Miami for years. This would be impressive against anyone, much less against a proud, Top 25 team coached by a former player.

While the victory was complete, it was not without error.

Jacory started out hot, which was great to see. He threw two dumb interceptions which you cannot excuse…they were simply dumb throws. It is clear to everyone that the kid does not like to give up on a play, but it is that same persistence which leads to late throws, which lead to turnovers (he doesn’t have the type of arm you need to make the throws he is trying to do).

There were dumb penalties (illegal formations) for the second straight game, and the middle of the Buckeyes defense was able to stand up to the Miami offensive line.

That being said, this was a positive game (message boards aside).

Lamar Miller is a legitimate Heisman candidate, although it wouldn’t hurt to see him punch one or two in to the end zone (and that is picking nits). His opening run was a bolt of lightning that set a tone for the game.

Allen Hurns is a beast. Sean Spence is a difference-maker and clearly the team leader.

(There are certain guys that, no matter their size or speed, are always the best PLAYER on the field. Ed Reed is one. Anquan Boldin used to be. They are just football players. Spence has a lot of that to him.)

The defense bowed up every time it needed to and provided two BIG takeaways.

The special teams...well, all I can say is wow. Kick coverage has not been this good in at least 5 years. Wieclaw and Botts looks like a solid combination to replace All- Timer Matt Bosher. Travis Benjamin is still Travis Benjamin, a bone fide threat to score every time he touches the ball.

The team looks ready to fight for every inch.

The lasting image of the game for me, setting aside Lamar’s dominance and Fickell’s surrender, was one that was cut quickly away from by the cameras.

Early in the 1st quarter, Spence ranged to the sideline to tackle an Ohio State runner short of a first down. He popped up on the Ohio State sideline and got in the face of the first guy he saw. One man stared down an entire bench.

Spence was making an announcement: “This is my house and I don’t give a f*ck who you are. Welcome to Dade, bitch.”

It was a display of fire that this team has been lacking. It did not ring hollow; it was not the false bravado we have seen from this team repeatedly as of late. In that moment there was no doubt that Miami had come to play. There would be no wilting on this night.

The game was never TRULY in doubt. There were nervous-making moments, but even those were quickly counter-balanced.

It was fun to watch a ‘Canes team play like this.

That should be the takeway from this game. And if it is a harbinger of things to come, this is going to be one hell of a season, win, lose or draw.

Keep guarding the inbound passer.

PS- Big 10 still SUCKS!

The Plaque For the Alternates Is Down In the Ladies Room

Hello All,

Ohio State* week cometh, and that right soon.

It is hard to say anything about this game that hasn’t already been said, probably in this space (repeatedly and perhaps superfluously).

Ohio State* is an enemy of almost unique scope:

We recruit against them for a few kids a year, but nothing like UiF, FSU or LSU (or even schools like UNC and USF).

They are not in our conference.

We have played them only a handful of times.

They are in the Midwest, we are in Coral Gables.

Of course, the rivalry stems from us getting screwed out of the 2003 National Title.

(Yes, “us”…I know I don’t play for the team but gosh darn it I am going to keep saying “us” anyway)

Because of that loss, we (Miami fans) not only hate the program, but we actively wish bad upon them: it is to the point that my hatred of OSU* clouds my perception of the entire state of Ohio, which is seemingly innocent and even pitiful to a certain degree.

(The past, I don’t know, 5 decades or so have not been kind to the Rust Belt)

To be so obsessed with a school we only get to play once every blue moon (insert UiF joke here) may not make sense, but it is reality.

(By the way, for all those Gator fans that didn’t understand that joke, it means you are all pansies. I figured I would slow it down given your current rank outside the Top 50 universities in America. FSU fans…I can draw you a picture?)

Just like last year, this game will come down to Miami being able to execute. And even then, it will be tough.

A lot has been made of the loss of Terrelle Pryor at quarterback for the Buckeyes, as well as suspended starters Boom Herron, Devier Posey and Mike Adams. However, do not let this fool you: OSU* will be just as tough to beat as ever.

There is a saying in EPL Soccer (yes…soccer…Stein on the Sidelines is worldly): Class over Form.

Translation: Old Money beats Nouveau Riche. For the same reason Miami will be considered an elite program for eternity, OSU* will never be an easy win. They have the blueprint for winning and it is proven effective on a large scale. The stigma that comes from being an “elite” program often times covers up for talent not up to the usual standard, because simply putting on the uniform says something about the player wearing it (at least to opponents).

OSU* will be less dynamic this year, but then again, their game has never come down to dynamism. They are like Iceman in Top Gun…they stay on your ass until you make a mistake, and then you’re dead. They are predictable. They will line’ em up on offense and try to blow you off the line and control the ball, occasionally looking downfield. They will use their tight end (which is great, because Miami NEVER struggles with tight ends). They will play very good defense. Tried and true.

In that light, the ‘Canes are Maverick. Miami is just as talented but flashier and capable of occasional genius; they make this shit look good. They feel the need…the need for speed. On any given Saturday, they could light it up and win by two or three touchdowns. But they have demons. They have a past that keeps jumping up and biting them. And just like Maverick, more often than not the only one that can beat Miami is Miami.

In order to win, Miami has to be a little bit more like OSU*, which is antithetical. OSU* may be slow, but they are physical and disciplined.

(For the record, OSU* is not THAT slow)

Against Maryland, Miami was undone in the first quarter by a bad gameplan. After that, they were undone by penalties and turnovers. The gameplan, one must imagine, will be better with 60 minutes of game tape in the bank. The mistakes simply cannot be made against OSU*. OSU* is simply too talented and too cutthroat.

Maverick might have been the more exciting, and in a vacuum, talented pilot; the one that people remember. Iceman was pretty damn talented too, however. You don’t win the trophy by being consistently mediocre. You win the trophy by wearing out the opponent, fighting through the echo of the whistle, and imposing your will.

As Jacory Harris said, this will be a “dogfight”.

(Top Gun comes full circle, BOOM!)

Miami will win if they are able to combine their speed and athleticism with a little bit of OSU’s* lunch pail style of football, generated in the trenches and marked more often than not by the LACK of mistakes it generates.

We saw flashes of it against Maryland, with a pro-style gameplan that featured the run and leaned on running backs but was able to set up some shots down the field. However, those flashes were generally counterweighted by the type of “crash and burn” mistake that eventually lead to a loss against the Terps.

(Tried it one other time…it wasn’t pretty)

Suspensions or not, the Buckeyes* are better than Maryland. Miami must step up to the task or they will be looking down the barrel of a 0-2 start.

And now for this week’s picks, after a 7-3 performance that raised my record to 9-6 for the season:

Boise over Toledo (+19.5)

Toledo undone by the crash after the sugar buzz that was their near upset of the Buckeyes.

FIU (-4.5) over UCF

Is FIU this year’s Baylor for Stein on the Sidelines? I will certainly keep going to the well until it runs dry (and probably even after).

West Virginia over Maryland (-1)

Something tells me the Mountaineers will be ready for the flanker screen.

Kentucky (-7) over Louisville

Screw you Louisville. Go to hell.

Tennessee over UiF (-8.5)

UPSET SPECIAL!

Michigan State over Notre Dame (+4)

0-3 isn’t a good look on you Brian Kelly

UCLA (+3.5) over Texas
Texas just sucks to watch. This is kind of an emotional pick. Plus side: this is an even better uniform matchup than FSU-OU or Miami-OSU*.

Auburn over Clemson (-4)

I just like picking road teams this week I guess. Probably a bad strategy.

Oklahoma over FSU (+3)

FSU does not cover. FSU, UiF and Notre Dame all lose on the same day. Hopefully OSU* joins them.

Always guard the inbound passer.

Week 2 Picks

Hello All,

Last week started off my weekly picks in typical crappy Stein on the Sidelines fashion: 2-3.

This week there is no Miami game but I figured I would put up some picks anyway, and this week add a wrinkle since I actually live close to Vegas and have a tendency toward gambling beers on college football games with my cubicle mate. Anyway, here are my picks for this week.

FIU (-4) over Louisville

FIU has something goin' for the first time in...ever. Mario Cristobal is a hell of a coach. Shoot, I actually like Charlie Strong a lot too. Whatever, screw Louisville, screw Teddy Bridgewater and definitely screw Clint Hurtt. Go to hell. Excommunication begins.

Michigan (+3) over Notre Dame

Nothing makes me happier than being wrong on last week's Notre Dame pick. Well, Lou Holtz re-enacting the Life Alert commercial in real life would make me happier. And no one being there to help him.

Anyway, Michigan finally has moved into the 20th century and is hosting a night game. Notre Dame blows. There coach is a tumbling, tumbling dickweed. Michigan in the home upset.

Georgia (+3) over Cackalacky

Because God damn it, I picked Georgia as my dark horse title contender this year and I refuse to concede after one week. Another home Dawg (see what I did there?) for the win.

Mizzou over Arizona State (-10)

This is my biggest upset pick of the week. I am a little afraid that there has been some injury to some secretly awesome Mizzou player because the line has moved a field goal on BoDog since it opened. Personally I think Arizona State reeks of "overhyped preseason darling who starts off 2-3 and ends the season unranked". Maybe that is because their best player punched one of their coaches and didn't get suspended for it. Maybe it isn't. Who really knows?

Rammer(murthy) Jammer Yellow Hammer over Penn State (+10.5)

SEC vs. Big Ten (or whatever the hell it is called now). I think we all know how this plays out. I will say this, however: 'Bama will not win it all this year. LSU and at least one other SEC defense is going to eat their QB situation alive. Write it down.

Mississippi State over Auburn (+6)

Cam Newton Bowl!

UNC (-10) over Rutgers

Gentlemen of the South always triumph over the Jersey-shore set. But I would probably bet Rutgers to cover.

NC St. over Wake (-1.5)

Ho-hum.

Tennessee (-4.5) over Cincy

Because I am sick of people from Cincinatti pretending to be southerners but demeaning the south as meth using child molesters at the same time. I got news for ya Cincinatti...Ohio ain't exactly The Ritz Carlton.

UCF (-7.5) over B.C

Whatever.

Always guard the inbound passer.

Well, That Was....Something

Hello All,

Last night’s Maryland game can best be summed up with one word: annoying.

As annoying as the Granny from Beverly Hillbillies (Lou Holtz) spittling all over the camera while her sidekick, the fat, ugly version of Idris Elba (Mark May), chuckles along smarmily.

More annoying than Maryland and Georgia’s uniforms.

More annoying than the commercial for Jeep that claims you can make it to a morning round of golf in Monterey and an afternoon meeting in LA on a single tank of gas.

(You know, because roads are always wide-open in California…never any traffic mucking things up)

More annoying than Baylor finally pulling the upset special that I have been saying they will for two effing years the one week I don’t pick them.

More annoying than the seat I was in Saturday at The Coliseum pushed up against a 300 lb man (who apparently didn’t get the memo that said AXE Body Spray is not deodorant) in 95 degree heat.

The loss was depressing and it made me angry and it felt like a gut punch. By now we have all read the break downs of what happened against Maryland.

There is one group that will say this team is trash, not improved from last year, in over its head, etc.

There is another that will find excuses for every problem that was exposed and blame suspended players, weather, etc.

I personally find myself somewhere in the middle (where the correct answer usually lays when it comes to assessing a football game).

On one hand, I definitely got a sense of déjà vu at the end of this football game. On the road, managing to have a chance to win despite self-inflicted wounds, blowing it at the end.

(Yes fans, despite popular belief, we actually had a chance to win every game on our schedule last year late into the contest, with the possible exception being the FSU debacle.)

On the other, I saw a team that made mistakes but fought through them, not relenting after a fumble returned for a touchdown, or an illegal formation call that negated a first and goal, or two consecutive delay of game penalties (just…wow). Last season, the team would have visibly gone in to a shell.

Last season was frustrating because The ‘Canes were (with the exception of the Ohio State game) the more talented team and yet seemed to lose because we would coast through large segments of games, always banking that we would be able to turn it on when it was crunch time.

This strategy worked at times but, as it usually does, backfired in the end.

Last night was frustrating for a different reason:

Last night the players fought their ass off for 60 minutes but were undone by a bad gameplan.

Miami failed to dictate the pace early, and as a result they were stung late.

Football is a game of running and striking. Much like tennis, the server has the advantage. If you dictate the terms of the game, the game generally rewards you.

The first quarter was an exercise in frustration in that regard. Maryland came out time and time again throwing screen passes, which are generally effective against very soft coverage or blitzes.

Blitzing is a way of telling an offense “here we come, I dare you to beat us”. You win some, you lose some. However, you win or lose on your terms. We can all appreciate that.

Soft coverage is just that…soft. It is reactionary. It is telling the other team “you tell us where we are going and we will try to stop you from getting there”. It is the stuff that makes me throw a phone.

Al Golden has talked of bringing Miami back to where it used to be for 9 months. Bringing back the old school mentality. Part of that means reinstituting the aggression that has been lacking these past few years.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and anyone who expected the ‘Canes to immediately channel the 1986 defense in their first game under Golden was mistaken. Possibly deranged. However, my problem was that the defensive gameplan at the start of the game did not set a tone of aggression and running and hitting. That must change.

The team fought hard. Letting this one get away stings, but it is not without its positives, as I said before.

Stephen Morris (until the last five minutes) and the receivers looked good, like they will make some things happen this year.

The Smash ‘N’ Dash tandem at running back is going to do some great things.

Ramon Buchanon looked awesome at linebacker and so did Vaughn Telelmaque at safety. The shorthanded defense certainly battled hard to slow down the Maryland offense that was in rhythm most of the night.

Special teams was as good as we have seen it in years.

Maurice Hagens, Allen Hurns and Jimmy Gaines all showed that they will be heard from this season.

The team was locked and loaded for all 60 minutes.

Having said all that, it is a loss that should not have happened and that is the takeaway from this performance. As Al Golden said, “there are no moral victories”.

This will go down as an opportunity lost for Miami. It certainly does not diminish my enthusiasm for the program or the season or the coach or the players. Years from now it may be laughed at, like the idea that Howard Schnellenberger could lose Florida A&M (he did).

However, today, it is not funny and the moral victories do not help. It is only another stumble for a program that seems to have been at a perpetual crossroads for the better part of a decade. And it is annoying.

Always guard the inbound passer.

It Is Upon Us

Hello All,

We are drawing very close to to the kickoff of this season, and I can not be happier. I have never NEEDED football in my life more than right now, for a number of reasons.

Monday night at 5:00 PM is so close I can taste it. I will put Kanye's"Amazing" on repeat when I go to bed on Sunday night. I will wake up and get an intense workout in. I will spend the day watching Miami pump up videos on YouTube. An hour before kickoff the pre-game playlist will kick in..."Take Me Home Country Roads" (don't ask), "Ballin' Boys", "Take it to the House", "Rock You Like a Hurricane", "Hell's Bells", "Enter Sandman", "Swagga Like Us", and of course the "In the Air Tonight" crescendo as we reach kickoff.

I will have Budweiser and guacamole and whiskey shots for touchdowns. I will keep my running notes. I will call my dad roughly a million times. My phone will be thrown. I will answer a hundred text messages. I will have noise complaints against my apartment. I will feel truly, 100% alive for the first time in at least 3 months. We are done talking about recruiting and scandals and Nevin Shapiro and all the peripheral crap that brings out the worst in the sport I love the most.

We are finally back to the part that matters. Gameday. Tailgating. Rivalries. School colors. C-A-N-E-S. Swagger. Two teams and one winner. Football.

Since we are here, let’s start off with my first set of picks. As usual, I will not be picking Miami games. It is bad luck of the highest order and I do not deal in bad karma.

(Yes, we are a little superstitious here at Stein on the Sidelines.)

Florida Atlantic over UiF
Louisiana-Monroe over Free Shoes University
Appalachian State over Vagina…errr…Virginia Tech
Chattanooga over Nebraska
Western Carolina over Georgia Tech

Just kidding. I don’t think any of those things. Just wanted to point out who these guys are playing.

USC over Minnesota

Because I will be there watching and I hate the Big 10. Oh, yes, a new season brings a new wave of unconditional despise for the most boring, overrated conference in football.

Ole Miss over BYU

The mini-upset. The Mormons are going to have a tough time going into the Deep South and getting a win over a bunch of pissed off rednecks. Houston Nutt is coaching for his job. I have looked into the man’s eyes and shook his hand. I am pretty sure he would strap his players to a cotton gin if it meant that he would draw a paycheck. (Wait, was that a bad joke? We still too soon on this?) Anyway, that is this week’s UPSET SPECIAL. Weak sauce.

UGA over Boise State

Another mini-upset. Georgia is my sleeper team to win it all this year. I am not of the camp that disrespects Boise; in fact, I think they consistently get screwed. But I think Georgia is as close as you get to this year’s version of last year’s Auburn team. Minus the smoking, smoldering money trail proving flat out that they bought their best player.

(And that was this week's obligatory $EC joke!)

Notre Dame over USF

If Notre Dame actually had any balls and went to Tampa to play this team, I would be tempted to make the upset pick. But this is at Notre Dame and the refs would NEVER let USF go in and win a close game at Notre Dame. Christ I hate Notre Dame.

(And that is what we like to call the worst pun of the day.)

LSU over Oregon

Jordan Jefferson missing this game for LSU sounds bad. It does. Then you remember that he threw for 2 TDs in LSU’s first game last season and then 2 THE REST OF THE SEASON. And then you see that LSU went 11-2 anyway. And then you see that LSU has one of the top 5 defenses in the nation. And then you see how Auburn beat Oregon in last year’s title game: crash the middle and much up the offense while using your speed to contain LaMichael James on the outside...exactly what LSU is built to do. Damn, the SEC wins both their big games.. I hate their teams (minues Ole Miss...and Georgia...and I have sort of a soft spot for Tennessee). But they sure as hell know how to play football.

As for the ‘Canes, it is going to be a tough one against Maryland.

I honestly don’t care whether we win a game or not this season, I will just be happy to have ‘Canes football.

Having said that, I think we are going to shock some people. Imagine the following scene:

It is opening night. National television. On the road, in a hostile environment (Maryland) which is frothing at the mouth with negativity in light of the recent allegations made against your program. The players are gathered in the locker room 5 minutes before the coin toss. All is silent. Men are seen sitting in their locker stalls listening to their iPods, receiving final tape jobs…many are praying. First year Miami head coach Al Golden walks into the center of the locker room. All eyes turn to him. The man has imparted his way on this team but has now seen his first fall camp disrupted by a scandal seeded years before his reign was even a rumor. He lingers for a beat, and then two, as he soaks in the scene.

“Gentlemen,” he states---nay---declares in a voice which is not a scream but demands immediate attention, “on a knee.”

The players gather around the man that has become their leader.

“Men,” he commands as the locker room falls silent once again.

Another long beat goes by.

“You have all worked hard over the past months,” he says with a calculated delivery. “You have poured sweat, tears and blood into furthering the legacy. What you hear now are the sounds of a stadium full of people who want to take that dream away from you. Outside this stadium, there is a national media calling for you to have your dream taken away. Everyone but the people in this locker room wants YOU to fail. It is now up to YOU to show the world what happens when you back the Miami Hurricanes into a corner. It is time to take all the frustration, all the hard work, and all the fury you have gathered over the past year and put it into the opposition. Go out and show me what happens when someone tries to take what you love away from you. Deserve victory.”

Golden walks away as the players boil over in the locker room.

As Golden walks into the tunnel, heard in the background is a locker room full of men acting like rabid dogs. They spill into the tunnel behind their coach. It is time to play, and the players who were silently on edge two minutes ago have now boiled over.There is only one thing which can sate their sudden bloodlust: violent contact.

A Hurricane has been unleashed in College Park, Maryland.

END SCENE

There are few trump cards that motivate a man quite like the “no one believes in us” trump card. To say that the Hurricanes will be playing with that mentality this year is probably an understatement. I am willing to bet Al Golden’s Master’s Degree in Sports Psycology on it.

This will not be the same Miami team that played down to the level of its competition and sleepwalked through games last season. Every man on the field will be on a mission: hurt the sumbitch that is unlucky enough to line up across from you. This will be a team that plays with an edge. This will be a team that forces you to fight them on every play.

They may not win every game, but you can bet your ass they will not go silently. If you have that mentality, the “next man up” persona that every great program possesses, then you are able to fight through the tough times. You are able to weather the storm and, indeed, turn it on others. You do not beat yourselves, but you force others to beat you. And that is a lot easier said than done.

- - -

There is one set of players left to break down, and it is maybe the one with the most question marks on the roster.

Last year, the secondary was much improved but still left something to be desired. And that something was playmaking ability.

Brandon Harris, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Ryan Hill, the top three corners, are all playing in the NFL now, with Harris and Van Dyke impressing so far. So the issue was not talent. The problem was that our guys always seemed to drop the interception in a key spot. They didn’t give up many big plays through the air but they also didn’t necessarily come up with any big plays for our side either. Van Dyke was also a particularly weak tackler, and while this year’s group of corners is certainly not the most talented or polished, they will probably not have that same problem.

At safety the play was much more solid, as Ray Ray Armstrong and Vaughn Telemaque both started to show the promise that created so much hype around them coming out of high school. The only player lost at safety is Jared Campbell, who was never anything more than a situational guy anyway.

CB

Jo Jo Nicolas, Sr.

JoJo was supposed to play corner, and will at times, but will be a starting safety until Ray Ray Armstrong returns from suspension. He is the perennial Stein on the Sidelines whipping boy, the Romeo Davis of the secondary, but I am hopeful that he proves me wrong. Perhaps a new regime has unlocked what was missing and he will turn into the star I thought he could be. Frankly I would be happy if he doesn't spike himself. On a completely serious note, all the best wishes go out to Jo Jo and his family in the wake of the death of his young son within the past week. I may not like him as a player but I hope no one mistakes that for actual vitriol toward the person. He is a hard worker, a leader, and a good person.

Ceiling: Surprises Stein on the Sidelines by not being a total stiff. Really anything beyond that is gravy.
Floor: Same Ol' JoJo

Lee Chambers, Sr.

The injury prone former running back is hoping to be the next Sam Shields. He is less talented than Shields was in terms of pure skill set, but he seems to have taken a good approach and has put his name in the ring for a starting spot with a solid spring and now a solid fall. Certainly has a thicker body type than a lot of the guys on the roster.

Ceiling: Starter
Floor: Injured

Michael Williams, Sr.

A one and done guy who is a grad student transfer from Wake Forest. Has consistently earned the praise of the coaching staff and with the current limbo of the position and the depth issues presented will be at worst the nickel back.

Ceiling: All ACC Type
Floor: Nickel corner

Brandon McGee, Jr.

Has a world of talent, probably the most of any corner on the team and possibly the most of any player on the team overall. Will start the season as a starter and someone will have to take the job from him.

Ceiling: Starter
Floor: Kick Returner

Keion Payne, RS- Fr.

Payne came in with the label of silky smooth cover corner from St. Thomas Aquinas and as far as I can tell has done nothing to disprove that label. He is one of those guys that is on the roster and you don’t hear much about. Those guys have a way of sneaking up on you. Creepers.

Ceiling: As the season goes he earns more playing time and becomes a starter
Floor: Continue to not hear about him

Kacy Rogers, RS-Fr.

Rogers is starting to draw the praise of the staff for being a solid special teams player and being able to play both corner and safety. Will be on the travel squad and with the uncertainty of the roster, could end up playing a large role by the end of the season.

Ceiling: Starter by end of season
Floor: Special teams flyer

Thomas Finnie, Fr.

Finnie is a below the radar freshman that made waves in spring and has continued to insert himself into the starting conversation in the fall. Will contribute. Tough and has a lot of speed.

Ceiling: Freshman All ACC
Floor: Chavez Grant

S

Vaughn Telemaque, Jr.

Telemaque started living up to his reputation as a ballhawk last season and became one of the leaders of the defense. Is poised for a big season if on the field, as the new defense will look to make better use of his roaming capability.

Ceiling: All Conference type of player
Floor: Solid performer at safety that can make all the calls for the secondary

Ray Ray Armstrong, Jr.

Aggressive player who LOVES contact and has better range than he gets credit for. Is seen as a future first round draft pick and showed the best nose for the ball of anyone on the team last season not names “Spence”. Must serve 4 game suspension to start the season.

Ceiling: All America type of player
Floor: Suspended and loses momentum

A.J. Highsmith, So.

Highsmith is a guy who I had meant to target as a guy who could come from completely off the radar and be a factor by the end of the season. Thanks again, NCAA. He may now be forced into a starting role in his first season switching over from QB. I think he has all the athletic skills and certainly is smart enough to learn the position. He also comes with the added intangible of being the son of perhaps the greatest ‘Cane of them all (certainly the baddest), Alonzo.

Ceiling: Nickel Back
Floor: In way over his head as a starter and loses confidence

Andrew Swasey, Jr.

Son of the strength coach and a bit of a revelation as a walk-on performer this spring, he has become a special teams nightmare and shows a willingness to mix it up with guys much larger than he is. Has shown a knack for blocking kicks, which is a skill this team desperately needs to regain.

Ceiling: Surprise of the year as the third safety/special teams gunner/kick blocker. You know how NBA teams have energy guys like Renaldo Balkman and Ronny Turiaf who are limited in ability but able to pick up a team for 4 or 5 minute bursts, knowing they only have 5 minutes to do it anyway so they might as well max out? He could be the football equivalent of that.
Floor: Walk on for a reason

Tyrone Cornelius, So.

Hard hitter who KO’d a UNC return man last season, Cornelius will be one of the special teams leaders this season and is prized by Coach Golden for his ability to run and strike. Moved from linebacker this offseason so he is learning the ropes at safety, but we will hear his name called this fall.

Ceiling: Special teams captain
Floor: Special teamer

Eduardo Clements, So. (Moved to RB)

Clements is fast and built very compactly. Would have been a great DB but for now is needed at running back with Kevin Grooms a Clearinghouse casualty.

Ceiling: Third running back and special teams stud
Floor: Not on the travel roster

Dallas Crawford, Fr.

This kid defines the type of player we are trying to bring in to the program but probably needs a year to adjust before getting any major playing time. Future leader.

Ceiling: Special teamer
Floor: Redshirt

Thurston Armbrister, Fr.

The leader in the clubhouse for “Black Guy Who Sounds Like He Should be The Lily-White Son of a Northeastern Shipping Magnate” Award. Redshirt city.

Ceiling: Redshirt
Floor: Redshirt

On special teams, the ‘Canes lose the only kicker that has ever truly mattered to me, Matt Bosher. The kid kicked, punted and body slammed returners. He was one of the few last season that played Miami Hurricane Football. He is now punting, holding and body slamming returners (got called for a personal foul for horse collaring in a pre season game) for the Atlanta Falcons. I am not going to give a ceiling and floor for each of the guys in the running to be his replacement(s) this season because the ceiling for each of them is Matt Bosher and the floor for each of them is “kicker that isn’t used”. I am not of the school that does not respect what kickers do, but I do not know nearly enough about them to break them down in any great depth. The punter will be Dalton Botts, a JUCO transfer. The kicker will be Jake Wieclaw (finally won a job). The others in the mix will be freshman Matt Goudis and walk-ons Ben Hopfinger and Cameron Dean.

(Again, Bosher was so great that he once inspired my brother to say "if we had a sister, Bosh could definitely (date) her." Oh Bosher, you will be missed.)

At returner, the ‘Canes have a lot of options. There are the usual options: Travis Benjamin (if eligible), Lamar Miller and Brandon McGee. Others in the mix will be Phillip Dorsett (probably will be one of the two primary guys), Eduardo Clements, Davon Johnson, Kendall Thomkins and Kevin Grooms (if on the roster).

And with that, you now have your unofficial, possibly irrelevant Stein on the Sidelines media guide. You are (semi?) prepared for the season from a personnel standpoint.

The team might be surrounded by turmoil, but one thing is for sure: Miami football is back.

They’re going to be angry. They’re going to be motivated. There’s a storm brewin’ in Coral Gables, and suspensions or not it’s about to be unleashed on the world.

(The cliche abides)