M
Mithrandiron them this weekend. Now, I positively loathe them. I don't think any team in the history of athletics (including the Oakland Raiders) have more thoroughly embodied everything I despise than the Miami Hurricanes football program. I knew they were cheap, I knew they were thuggish, I knew they were dirty, but I had no idea the lengths to which they were certifiably criminal.
In the documentary, former players talk openly, even proudly, of being paid large sums of money by rogue boosters like 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell for standout performances. Campbell would give out "bonuses" in the hundreds (even thousands) of dollars to guys that would score the most points, catch the most balls, make the hardest hit, etc. Apparently, the biggest bonuses were paid for knocking opposing players out of games. This is why we would see so many Miami players taking cheap shots at opposing QB's, and taking aim at return men as they stood exposed to catch the ball, etc. Former hurricane players tell of a particular instance where a Miami player told his teammates prior to the kick that he was going to knock the return guy out cold...the player proceeded to fly down the field and do just that.
Many of our modern rules (helmet-to-helmet contact, the halo rule, celebration, etc.) were implemented in direct response to things done by Hurricane players.
In one interview, Miami QB Steve Walsh talked glibly about going out one night and seeing several well known UM players dressed in black fatigues. He asked them what they were doing and they replied they were off to jack some car stereo's. Apparently, this wasn't so out of the ordinary, and the Hurricane rap sheet during the 80's, 90's and early 2000's is positively ridiculous.
After watching this documentary, I can't believe that Miami is even allowed to field a football team.
What's my point in all this? Only that I'd rather have an average football team comprised of exceptional young men than an outstanding football team comprised of criminals and thugs. That Bronco has managed to put together a winning program with kids who, by and large, make us proud to be affilliated with the university is amazing. I think this is sometimes lost in our lust for undefeated seasons and BCS berths.
Thank the lord for BYU. Without the Cougars, I don't think I could conscience supporting major "college" athletics (the subject of another rant for another time) anymore.
Go Cougars!
In the documentary, former players talk openly, even proudly, of being paid large sums of money by rogue boosters like 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell for standout performances. Campbell would give out "bonuses" in the hundreds (even thousands) of dollars to guys that would score the most points, catch the most balls, make the hardest hit, etc. Apparently, the biggest bonuses were paid for knocking opposing players out of games. This is why we would see so many Miami players taking cheap shots at opposing QB's, and taking aim at return men as they stood exposed to catch the ball, etc. Former hurricane players tell of a particular instance where a Miami player told his teammates prior to the kick that he was going to knock the return guy out cold...the player proceeded to fly down the field and do just that.
Many of our modern rules (helmet-to-helmet contact, the halo rule, celebration, etc.) were implemented in direct response to things done by Hurricane players.
In one interview, Miami QB Steve Walsh talked glibly about going out one night and seeing several well known UM players dressed in black fatigues. He asked them what they were doing and they replied they were off to jack some car stereo's. Apparently, this wasn't so out of the ordinary, and the Hurricane rap sheet during the 80's, 90's and early 2000's is positively ridiculous.
After watching this documentary, I can't believe that Miami is even allowed to field a football team.
What's my point in all this? Only that I'd rather have an average football team comprised of exceptional young men than an outstanding football team comprised of criminals and thugs. That Bronco has managed to put together a winning program with kids who, by and large, make us proud to be affilliated with the university is amazing. I think this is sometimes lost in our lust for undefeated seasons and BCS berths.
Thank the lord for BYU. Without the Cougars, I don't think I could conscience supporting major "college" athletics (the subject of another rant for another time) anymore.
Go Cougars!