Biggest Game Of His Career...

This is the biggest week of Randy Shannon's coaching life at the University of Miami.

If he doesn't figure things out quickly, his job could be in jeopardy (not pictured--- his job that is).

After a debacle against Florida State and an unnecessarily close contest against Duke, Miami welcomes Butch Davis and North Carolina to Sun Life Stadium on Saturday night.
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Randy is 0 for Butch so far at Miami.

I remember being on the bus coming home from North Carolina last year, and one of the assistant coaches muttering under his breath 'I can't believe we lost to these guys AGAIN.'

It was a long, quiet flight home from Chapel Hill.

Jacory single-handedly threw that game away with several costly interceptions.

That was the game where he allegedly hurt his thumb.
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Perception is reality.

It might have been unreasonable for Miami fans to expect to move from the Big East to the ACC and absolutely dominate.

Maybe the standards were too high.

But, that's the way it is.

That was the expectation.

And Miami hasn't even been in the same neighborhood as dominating.

Instead, they haven't even made the ACC Championship game.

The quickest way to get fired in coaching is to fail to live up to high expectations.
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The path to that Championship game runs through North Carolina.

Both teams are 2-1 in the Coastal division, trailing Virginia Tech.

A loss and Miami likely won't be able to make the ACC Championship game.

The Canes still have Virginia Tech looming.

They play Beamer ball.

It's a style encompasses great special teams and a bad-ass defense.

What is Shannon-ball?
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North Carolina is a basketball school.

Make no mistake about it.

During my time in the state, the goings on of the Tarheels hoops team dominated the Herald Sun, Raleigh-Durham News and Observer, and 850 the Buzz sports-talk.

No one REALLY cared about football up there.

If Miami can't get past a middle-of-the-road, basketball school in their conference, where is the program at?

This is a hurdle that Randy Shannon simply has to clear.
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Miami had an expression that they used a LOT last year.

It was sort of a mantra of the players and coach Shannon: No excuses.

Time to live up that mantra.

A loss on Saturday, and it's time to update the resume.

I Went To A Football Game... And A South Beach Nightclub Broke Out

Here's all you need to know about Club Liv (not pictured) at Sun Life Stadium.

One of Dan Marino's former teammates told me that 13 walked him into the hip nightclub.

Marino went to buy four friends a round of drinks.

He was charged 73 dollars.

I'll repeat.

DAN MARINO WAS CHARGED.

Sun Life Stadium is located on DAN MARINO BOULEVARD. (the issue of 4 drinks costing 73 dollars is for another time).
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So as the Dolphins game started to unravel against the Pats, I decided to check out the club for myself.

Two important things you must know about me: I'm neither cool nor single.

So, I'm not exactly the target demographic.

Still, I wanted to see what it's like inside, behind the velvet rope.
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If you are a big partier, I'm sure it's cool.

There are plenty of good-looking people inside dancing to hip-hop.

There are monitors all around, with the game showing.

To sweeten the pot, there are INCREDIBLE club level seats outside connected to the club, where they have scantily-clad girls bring you whatever drinks you want.
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Still, what's surreal about it, it's a FOOTBALL GAME.

Only in Miami.

I went to Yankee stadium, where in order to enhance the so-called "fan experience," they give you more history, better sightlines to the action.

The only sightlines this crowd cared about was to tan lines.

75 Percent of the people or more were not wearing any form of Dolphin gear.

I'm guessing around 30 percent didn't know they were at a football game.

That's strange, but very Miami.

It's definitely meant to be a scene where people can be seen.
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Still, while I was there, I was excited to meet a celeb (ESPN's Kenny Mayne who was AWESOME!)

There were other celeb sightings including Dan Uggla (despite his 33 homers and over 100 RBI--- he was introducing himself to people 'Hi I'm Dan.')

Rick Ross and his posse had an area.

Remind me to google who Rick Ross is.
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I will say this.

Owner Stephen Ross has captured an element of South Florida that was under-represented at Fins games... People who don't care about football.

Is that how you want to pack your house?

It was bumping in there for an 8:30 Monday Night game against the Pats.

Let's check back when it's 1 pm against Cleveland.

And you wonder why Ross wants to only play 4 o'clock games?

The money-making club doesn't work at 4 pm as well as it does at 730.

Competitive advantage of playing a 1 pm game be damned.
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The real problem for Club Liv is this.

The Fins are 2-2, with 2 division losses at home.

They have a bye week before heading to Green Bay.

And the Heat play their first exhibition tomorrow night.

Good luck keeping fan interest.

Pryor Notice...

I just attended the University of Miami's annual preseason lunch.

It's a chance to meet with Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt and fellow members of the media (and get a free lunch).

As I ate my burger, all I could think about was Terrelle Pryor (not pictured).
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One month and two days.

That's how long we have to wait for Miami at Ohio State.

Normally, you would say, one game on the schedule, whatever.

And yes, Miami can have a great season without beating the Buckeyes.

Many fans are judging this season based on winning an ACC title or at least getting to the Conference Championship game.

That's all well and good.

I'm focused on Ohio State and Terrelle Pryor.
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Life isn't fair.

Sports can be.

That's one of the reasons I think so many of us gravitate towards watching other people exercise.

There are rules.

There's right and wrong.

What happened to Miami in the 2002 National Championship game was just wrong.

In my history of watching sports (ie my lifetime), it may be the most unfair moment I've ever seen.

You can't take away a national title with a late call that's specious at best and HORRIFIC in all actuality.

But that's what Terry Porter did.

I have friends who are Canes fans who have said things about Terry Porter that would make Louis CK blush.

And I can't say I disagree.

It's not an accident that his initials are TP.
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Which leads me back to the other TP.

If you only watched the Rose Bowl last year, you'd think the Canes are in for a long, long afternoon at the horseshoe.

There is the small matter of the rest of Terrelle's career, that has me feeling hopeful.
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For me, I'm really sick of hearing how great these Canes players are going to be.

Between Sean Spence, Marcus Forston, Aldarius Johnson, and Jacory--- I'm sick of hearing about the promise of the Canes.

And those are only some of the kids from Northwestern High School.

This is the season where they DELIVER.

This is the season where the preseason ranking at 13 is low.

This is the season where that "Jacory for Heisman" facebook thread, isn't just a good natured joke by Canes lovers.

This has to be.

The NCAA is investigating Miami for a text message scandal.

I took that as a good sign.

They don't investigate the Canes, unless they're good.
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But all of that starts with messing Terrelle Pryor up.

They have to brutalize him.

I remember a few years ago, the Canes acquitted themselves pretty well against Tim Tebow at the Swamp (before, ironically enough, the game turned on a horse**it call).

But those Canes weren't ready for the stage, and Tebow was at a level well above Miami.

I hope the shoes is on the other foot this time.

I think Pryor isn't ready for what he's going to face.
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TP isn't the first big-name quarterback the Canes have faced.

During the height of the program, the U LONGED to face these much ballyhooed QB's.

The more the hype, the better to obliterate.

It's time to get back to that.

This isn't just about 2010 Canes.

This is about the 2002 Canes.

This is about what's right and just in this universe.

This is about truth, justice, and the American way.

God help me if the game is decided by a bad call!

Feeling Greedy...

I (not pictured) am feeling greedy tonight.

I have been worried about Dwyane Wade opting out of his Miami Heat contract for MONTHS.

I looked at the Heat roster and I thought, could you blame him if he left?

This week, I've been a nervous wreck about Wade's possible departure and flirtation with Chicago.

Today, my wish came true, and then some.

Not only did Wade sign, but he's bringing 5-time All-Star Chris Bosh with him.

And yet I'm not satisfied.
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I've made the case multiple times on this blog as to WHY Miami is the most logical destination for a Wade and LeBron pairing.

Cap space.

The Bird Rule.

All of that.

But, I'm less than 24 hours from it actually happening.

It's been obsessing me.

I'm up all night twittering.

I've been glued to ESPN (how they've embarrassed journalism with this story is a blog for another person to write. Needless to say, I've been underwhelmed with their ethics and coverage).

I daydream about what Pat Riley said to LeBron during their 3-hour meeting.
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I've also been really angry at these guys.

As my last post indicated, I'm not happy with how they've conducted themselves.

Look at Kevin Durrant.

The guy signed a 5-year extension and no one knew he did it.

LOVE that guy.

Sure, LeBron, Wade, and Bosh are brash and borderline obnoxious.

Sure it's a bad economy and they're debating 100 million dollar deals.

But, I've always been blessed (or cursed) with the ability to differentiate between OFF-THE-COURT and ON-THE-COURT.

These guys may be arrogant.

They may be immature.

But they can ball. (just so no one calls me out on what I said about Bosh in the previous blog. I think he's a good player. I don't think he's "elite." He's certainly not in the Wade-LeBron class. Still, glad he's on Miami's roster. As a third piece, he'd be unreal).
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Thursday's announcement is about what LeBron values.

I personally believe Wade, Bosh, and Riley filling out the jigsaw puzzle gives him the best chance to win.

Cleveland is home.

New York is the biggest market in the World.

New Jersey has his friend Jay-Z and the chance to rule Brooklyn.

Chicago added Boozer. They have a nice roster which could be sick. (Although Rose isn't Wade, not yet).

LeBron's success has earned him the right to make this decision.
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Tonight, is the last night I'll fall asleep dreaming about free agency.

Tomorrow, I'll be returned to reality.

The reason I want LeBron in Miami is because he would make my hometown MATTER so much more.

We'd max out national tv games, every game (home and away) would be an event, we'd be nationally loved and loathed.

It would just be fascinating.

And I'd have a front-row seat.

Either way, I appreciate the opportunity to see Dwyane play for the next 5 or 6 years.
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What's crazy is everything that's been said, everything that's been written, everything that's been tweeted, everything that's been reported...

It all becomes irrelevant tomorrow.

LeBron will make his choice and so will go the NBA for the next few years.

The fates of fans, towns, economies, and an entire sport are in LeBron's hands.

That's an awesome responsibility.

I just can't believe I'm letting the King hold my emotions ransom.

I want to be free.

But I also want to cover a dynasty.

To be continued...