Miami's Quarterback Question...

Feels SO good to be blogging again!

It's been a while. In the interest of explanation--- I just moved and have been without high speed for a week.

The Canes have been without Jacory Harris for a week--- and looked good.

So, should the U stick with Stephen Morris (not pictured)?
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Here's what pissed me off watching Saturday's game.

Mark Whipple made a reasonable gameplan.

He used the running game extensively, and simplified the playbook to reasonable/makeable passing plays for the true Freshman.

And shockingly--- Miami looked more efficient.

Why didn't Whipple do that sooner?
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The old--- chuck it 30 yards downfield and hope the receiver makes a play-- philosophy, needs to go.

Miami's play-makers are talented (specifically Leonard Hankerson and Travis Benjamin)... But they're not Andre Johnson and Santana Moss.
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When Jacory stops seeing stars, I'm not sure if I want Morris or I want Harris.

I do know I want this version of Whipple.

I want the guy who doesn't try to get too cute for his own good.

I want the guy who uses his rushing attack.

I want the guy who doesn't encourage his QB to throw into triple-coverage.
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Now to the Randy Shannon issue.

During games I ask myself the following question: Do the Hurricanes look like a well-coached team?

When they burn all three timeouts in the 3rd quarter--- is that the trait of a well-coached team?

When they consistently have CRUCIAL penalties against them and constantly shoot themselves in the foot--- is that a well-coached team?

When the alleged talent level isn't close to the performance on the field--- is it a well-coached team?

You don't need to go much deeper than that.

All the staying-out-of-trouble stuff and the academic stuff are great.

That is, if your name is Donna Shalala.

But when you have an empty student section--- and a demoralized fan base--- it's hard to defend Randy.

At least the freshman QB looked good.

Back In The Saddle...

Hi everybody.

I'm back.

Been away for a few days.

I've been in mourning (not pictured) since my Yankees were eliminated ignominiously from the playoffs.

As such, we have some catching up to do.
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FINALLY SOME FUN


Let's start with the Canes game this weekend.

There aren't TOO many X's and O's to take away from it.

The simple fact is this: The Canes had FUN for probably the first time all year. That's what it looked like to me.

The opening of the season has been a little joyless for me.

The opening game was meaningless. Ohio State was frustrating. Pittsburgh was pressure packed. Clemson was a struggle. FSU was an embarrassment. Duke was sloppy.

Finally, the Canes went out and had a good time.

The iconic moment from the game was Sean Spence literally SPANKING Brandon Harris following an interception. Doing the bulldance, feeling the flow, working it, working it.

I have a friend who has the AUDACITY to say that it wasn't worth 15 yards.

OF COURSE it was.

15 yards I'd HAPPILY accept (I know coach Shannon would not agree with me).

But it gets better for Miami.

There were players YELLING at each other on the sidelines (Vaughn Telemaque is quickly becoming a leader)... The guys were jumping up and down dancing to a song.

EMOTION, PASSION, dare I say it? A bit of swagger.

Congrats to Randy and the Canes.

They really needed that.
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TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE REPLAY

May I submit to you Sunday's Dolphins game.

Everyone always argues, "IF you have replay, it takes the human element out of the game."

Well, there was replay.

Many humans looked at a piece of video for the key play in that game.

They ALL got it wrong.

Replay isn't fool-proof and it certainly isn't idiot-proof.

Big Ben seems to get away with EVERYTHING doesn't he?

Still, the Miami Dolphins need to look in the mirror.

You don't beat the Pittsburgh Steelers by kicking field goals.

That's a great opponent with a bad-ass defense.

Valiant effort, not good enough.

Dol-fans should be pissed.

Dolphins players need to get better.
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BRONX BUMMERS

Thanks to Robinson Cano, Mariano Rivera, and CC Sabathia for making this Yankees season enjoyable for me.

They were the only three players who consistently performed and acted like they were ready to win another championship.

What a moment to epitomize a season.

The Yankees go down as AROD stands lonely at the dish, haplessly watching the 3rd strike go by.

It was a weak title defense.

They didn't even win the division.

Joe Girardi pushed just about EVERY wrong button he could throughout the series.

But even so, Texas was the better team.

The hardest part for me to take has been waching the decline of Derek Jeter.

Let's hope it was just a bad year.

I suspect it could be worse.
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COWBOY DOWN

Can't wait for Monday Night Football.

The Giants have the Cowboys in a position to END their season.

It's a MONSTER division game.

And I couldn't be more concerned!

The Cowboys have nothing and so, they have nothing to lose.

This game can begin their turnaround.

They are a team that's made a living shooting themselves in the foot (save me the Plaxico jokes).

But there's no question that they have talented players.

On the other hand, The Giants have a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

However, I don't trust Tony Romo.

And yet, as much as I love watching him play, Eli Manning scares me sometimes in big games.

So yeah, I have no idea what's going to happen.
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GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT

As for the OTHER Giants, the San Francisco Giants, how can you not root for them? (other than being a Dodger fan)...

If anyone has a "team of destiny" look to them, it's the Giants.

They have AMAZING pitching, they are riding the hot bat of Marlins cast-off Cody Ross, and they have a bullpen that looks like a soup kitchen.

I swear, when they run out, I'm not sure if I want to cheer for them, or give them a sandwich.
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GONE IN A FLASH

There's something else happening this week.

What the hell is it?

Thinking, thinking...

Oh yes, the Heat open Tuesday night in Boston.

CANNOT wait.

Dwyane Wade said on twitter he will no longer be going by Flash.

I've been inspired.

Can you please stop calling me wonder woman?

Thanks,
The Management

OWNED

It was a tough night for Miami fans (not pictured) and a great one for Florida State fans (still not pictured--- you come up with a new one when your team just got their asses kicked 45-17 at home).

There's not much to analyze.

Miami was ABSOLUTELY OWNED by FSU on Saturday.

Florida State was better prepared, better coached, had better players, did a better job.
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For Miami, it's back to the drawing boards.

You aren't as good as you thought you were.

I'm not going to single anyone out, because frankly, everyone sucked.

The offense was awful and lost.

They were uninspired.

The playcalling was terrible.

Jacory's always hurt one way or another.
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The defense was no better.

The d-line was abused.

In a bad sign, the pictures of the entire linebacking core was on the back of the milk carton I just drank from. (incidentally, milk was a bad choice)
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Special teams? What special teams?

Bosher missed (wide left).

Florida State started EVERY possession in Miami territory (Reid is the truth and Miami's coverage blows).
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So instead of providing "analysis" when there's nothing to analyze.

I'll pull out a George Carlin quote.

I don't know if I'm QUITE as this point, but I can use a good laugh.

"I've decided it's not necessary to suffer and feel crappy just because my teams suck. What I do now is cut 'em loose for awhile. I simply let them go about losing, as I go about living my life. Then, when they've improved, and are doing well once again, I get back on board and enjoy their success. Yeah, I know, I can hear it: diehard, ***hole loyal sports fans screaming "Front-runner!" Goddamn right! Don't be so ***in juvenile. Teams are supposed to provide pleasure and entertainment, not depression and disappointment. "

RIP George Carlin.

RIP Canes' season.

Making Peace With Jacory's Interception Problem...

I'm guessing that I'm in the same place as most Canes fans concerning Jacory Harris (not pictured).

I love him, but at times, he drives me ABSOLUTELY NUTS!


Heading into FSU week, I wish I could say I'm fully confident in the Canes quarterback: I'm not.

And yet, somehow I'm confident in the Canes offense.

Does that make ANY sense?

Absolutely not.

But nothing about this Canes team is logical.
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Take the first half of Saturday's game at Clemson.

At the half, Miami was up 27-13.

Jacory had 4 touchdown passes (matching a career-high), three of them were to future high-draft pick Leonard Hankerson, and yet, I was annoyed.

How is that possible?

Despite the touchdowns, Jacory had ALSO thrown 2 drive-killing interceptions, one that was picked off in the endzone.

While most of us have NEVER read a defense before in game-speed, I think we can all see when the safety is drifting over and a guy is doubled.

Why can't Jacory?
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The 'will he get better' question keeps coming up.

Tick, tock.

Dude's a Junior.

He started 1 game freshman year, 13 as a sophomore, and now 4 as a Junior.

I think the whole 'inexperience' argument is out the door.

Sadly, I think Jacory is what he is going to be.

Can it work?
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The BEST analogy I have to watching Jacory is my experiences on Sundays, watching my beloved Giants.

Eli Manning does the SAME thing that Jacory does.

Rain or shine, big lead or not---- at least once or twice a game---- Eli throws a pass that makes a little piece of me die.

Death, taxes, and a dumb Eli throw.

You only have to hope that 1. it doesn't come at the worst possible time 2. it's not a pick-6.
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I think that's where I'm at with Jacory.

I've moved passed denial, depression, bargaining, I'm at acceptance.

My name is David and I cheer for quarterbacks who throw ill-advised interceptions.

Eli won a Super Bowl and a Super Bowl MVP.

Maybe Jacory can win.

Until then, I'll be the guy curled up on the couch in the fetal position saying "WHAT THE ***K WERE YOU THINKING? WHO WERE YOU THROWING THAT TO? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF *NOT* LOOKING AT YOUR PRIMARY TARGET?"

Football's bad for my health.

Trimming The Stache...

Well that didn't go as planned for Dave Wannstedt (not pictured).

The Canes manhandled Pitt on Thursday night 31-3.

The game could've been a whole lot worse were it not for a few mistakes by Jacory Harris.

Pitt was BEGGING Miami to beat them 52-0, but Miami settled for 31-3.

But, in all, you can't be too dissatisfied with a blowout on the road.
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I'm trying to figure this out.

Is Miami's defense that good or is Pitt's offense that bad?

I honestly think it can be a bit of both.

Still, Canes fans HAVE to be feeling better about their defense today than they did last year or even last week.

Sean Spence was the standout.

He had 11 tackles and looked every bit as promising as he did early in his freshman year.

The question with Spence has never been speed or talent.

The question is: Can he sustain it over the course of a long season?
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Allen Bailey clearly is the focal point of most offenses trying to game-plan around Miami.

We have to double-team the potential first-rounder.

That's fine.

Vernon and company, door is open.

Props to them for walking right through it.
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Special teams are one of the true strengths for Miami.

Travis Benjamin SHOULD have had another punt return for a touchdown, but it was called back.

Lamar Miller gets you dreaming big every time he touches it.

Bosher is a stud, and does everything well (remember he was team MVP before---which also speaks to how bad they were at the time).
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So defense and special teams are sound, the team wins by 28, and the quarterback throws for 2 touchdowns---what's my problem?

Jacory's picks.

That's what.

They weren't late and irrelevant.

They kept Pitt in the game early, when they were doing nothing.

It looked like Jacory had pulled the pin out of a grenade and was just throwing it in a direction hoping to hit a target.

You can get away with that against an awful Pitt team.

You learned last week that doesn't fly against Ohio State.

Turnovers like that can be deadly in Death Valley.

While you like that he's trying to make plays, the risks need to be more calculated.
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Truth is, the Canes have 9 days off before the real season begins.

Randy Shannon needs a championship.

While the National Title may already be gone, I think a dominant run through the ACC would go a long way.

A bowl game after New Year's day, that extra practice time, and an ACC crown, that would be a step for this program.
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I keep trying to impart this word of wisdom to my friends and anyone who cares about the U.

It's a variation on Rick Patino's 'Larry Bird isn't walking through that door' speech.

The 2010 Canes are NOT the 2001 Canes and they aren't the 1986 team either.

Let's not judge them by that standard.

That's not fair.

Let's allow these kids to be inspired by the ghosts of Canes past, not haunted by their shadows.

Instead of constantly expecting Miami to do the same things they DID, let's evaluate these kids based on their accomplishments and celebrate those.

Tonight, they went on the road and kicked some major ass.

Let's enjoy that.

Can't Believe I Even Have To Write This...

You know... I thought about just ignoring the issue.

I really did.

But, it bothers me enough that I think I have to mention it.

This blog is to the IDIOTS who were sending Jacory Harris racist messages on Twitter.
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Hi,

Welcome to 2010.

I know you haven't been here in a while. Allow me to bring you up to speed.

Plessy vs Ferguson (1896) has been overturned. There was a little case called Brown vs Board of Education (1954) which says, black students and white students can go to school together.

The Civil Rights Movement happened.

Thousands of people sacrificed their lives for equality in this country.

Jim Crowe no longer exits.

We all drink from the same water fountains and use the same restrooms.

There was a guy named Jackie Roosevelt Robinson. He played for the Dodgers, he did this incredible thing, integrating baseball.

Now, in every sport, people of all races are allowed to play at the same time.

There was this guy named Doug Williams.

He was a quarterback who won the Super Bowl MVP in 1987.

Incidentally, he's black.

Oh, and I hope you're sitting down for this one, our current President, he's biracial.
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I know.

I know.

A lot of information to take in for such small brains.

But yes, our society has made incredible advances.

The whole offensive question of the "black quarterback" was a hot topic, somewhere around the 1970s.

Watch this "Monday Night Football" Open from 1973 where Howard Cosell talks about Joe Gilliam filling in for Terry Bradshaw...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOkgcFj6MJQ


We've all moved past that.

Remember, the clip was from 1973.
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I don't judge Jacory Harris by the color of skin, nor should you.

I judge him by the quality of his play.

Criticizing his interceptions is fair game, his race, that's not.

The only color I care about is the color of the jerseys of the guys he throws it to.

Last week, he threw it to too many guys wearing Ohio State colors.

Hopefully, on Thursday night he gets it to his teammates.

And doesn't let bigots distract his focus.