Posts Tagged ‘Miami Hurricanes’

So Much for Alabama or Duke Beating Pro Teams

Sunday, January 27th, 2019

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

AD

While I was away, two things happened that hopefully finally put to rest a narrative that never had any credence to begin with: the utterly ridiculous notion that a great college football or basketball team could beat the worst pro teams.

Clemson took the big bad Alabama Crimson Tide to the woodshed.

An unranked Syracuse team went on the road into Cameron Indoor to beat Duke.

This is not to take anything away from Alabama or Duke. The high-level performance of both programs is the gold standard for greatness….at the college level. Leave what is already great alone and stop trying to make it something that it fundamentally is not.

I confess that this is a fun bar room discussion. However, you will have to have been in the bar too long if you actually believe a team of college athletes, even the most talented, at 18-22 years of age, are going to beat a team of GROWN ASS MEN, who play the game for a living.

2001 Miami Hurricanes

2001 Miami Hurricanes

Nevertheless, for entertainment purposes only, let us go with the bar room vibe for a minute. The 2001 Miami Hurricanes is the greatest college football team of my lifetime. Consider their depth at running back alone: Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, and Frank Gore. Other future NFL stars included Johnathan Vilma, DJ Williams (his father and uncle were teammates of mine), Ed Reed, Vince Wilfork, Bryant McKinnie, Jeremy Shockey, and Kellen Winslow Jr. So, with that talent, how can I be so sure that it would not have stood a chance against the Carolina Panthers or Detroit Lions, who won a combined three games between them that year? Two words: Ken Dorsey. He was their QB and very good at the COLLEGE LEVEL. However, he was a total dud at the pro level. In other words, he could not beat anyone once he did become a pro. Why on Earth would you believe that he could beat pro teams while he was still in college?

On even the greatest and most talent-rich college team, maybe a 3rd of the starters become NFL players of any note. Simply put, most college starters, even at the highest level, simply are not good enough to play professionally. But you believe that they would beat the pros?

GTFOOHWTBS!

LA

Let us consider basketball. The gold standard historically is without question the Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) era UCLA Bruins. He was there from 1966-69 and I am positive that we will never see another team dominate college basketball as it did. The worst team in the NBA during the 1968-69 season was the Phoenix Suns, winning only 16 games. Yet that team had seven players average double-figures, led by a future Hall of Famer named Gail Goodrich. UCLA would not have stood a chance. Jabbar was going to be Jabbar. Pros could not have stopped him as a freshman. However, they would not beat pro teams.

The only exception to this rule…and it would only be for one game, would be baseball. A college baseball team with a young stud like Roger Clemons from Texas or Sandy Koufax out of Cincinnati, on the rare days he had his control at that stage of his development, could shut down a professional batting lineup. However, no college team will have more than one.

I guess what baffles me most of all is why do we even care? Why this obsession with forcing apples to compete with oranges? Can’t we just appreciate the greatness of Serena Williams and the Lady UConn Huskies basketball team without asking could they beat men?

Greatness is too rare to be subjected to steroid-laced hypotheticals for our unquenchable amusement.  Alabama is the the greatest college football dynasty ever. Duke has been the most high performing college basketball program for 30 years. That is good enough for me.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

Miami Athletics Announces Virtual Reality Channel: UM Athletics partnered with EON Sports VR to create Canes VR [Press Release]

Wednesday, September 21st, 2016

The U

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami Athletic Department is excited to announce a cutting edge partnership with EON Sports VR to create a state of the art virtual reality (VR) channel, Canes VR, for the Hurricanes’ loyal and passionate alumni and fans.

 

The partnership between Miami and EON Sports VR, the world’s leading virtual reality sports training and fan experience company, is among the first offerings nationally in intercollegiate athletics to provide fans with an all-access virtual reality channel.

 

Through EON Sports’ proprietary technology, the University of Miami can upload dynamic content to their customized VR channel to provide their fans an immersive behind-the-scenes experience in a customized virtual reality environment.

 

To access the VR channel, Hurricane fans will have the opportunity to purchase a UM-branded VR headset. Practice footage, scrimmages, huddles, and interviews are just a few examples of the types of content to be streamed to the channel.

 

“We’re incredibly excited to be working with EON Sports to put this virtual reality channel together. At the University of Miami, we strive to be on the cutting edge of digital, video, social, and web technologies and EON and their team have helped immensely in that endeavor,” said Jason Layton, Miami Senior Associate Athletic Director for Communications and Sales. “After an investment in broadcast and video production, we wanted to expand into other ventures, including 360º video and we’re able to do that with this immersive product. As we look forward to an October launch, we’re excited to show off what our team has been working on in conjunction with EON Sports.”

 

The University of Miami is aiming to debut the new technology to fans in early October providing content from both their men’s, and women’s teams.

 

“We are thrilled to partner with the University of Miami, and together, look forward to providing the Hurricanes fan base with a new & immersive way to experience Hurricanes content,” said Adam Pummill, COO of EON Sports VR. “Fans are always looking for ways to get closer to the action. With Canes VR, they’ll experience content like never before.”

 

Fred Perdue for War Room Sports

Follow and Interact with Fred on social media @FPerdueSports

Legend of The U Adidas Unis [Press Release]

Wednesday, September 21st, 2016
Legend of The U, #3StripeLife

Legend of The U, #3StripeLife

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami and Adidas today unveiled the Hurricanes’ new ‘Legend of the U’ Primeknit football uniforms, which will make their debut on Oct. 8 when the Hurricanes take on the Florida State at Hard Rock Stadium.

As the Miami football program begins a new era under the guidance of former quarterback and new head coach Mark Richt, the ‘Legend of the U’ uniforms echo the past while looking to the future, and that overarching theme inspired the collaborative design between the University of Miami’s athletic department and Adidas Football.

U Away

Merging innovation and style to produce the perfect blend of modern technology with a historic, national championship-yielding look, the retro style uniforms were designed as a nod the legacy and domination of the teams from the 80’s and 90’s which saw the Hurricanes win four national championships. Attention to detail was crucial to replicate a retro look, and during the research phase of the design, jersey numbers, stripes and logos were precisely measured from archival products worn by the Hurricanes to create an accurate execution of the design elements.

U Home GlovesU Away Gloves

Mirroring the dynasty years, the retro uniforms are highlighted by two combinations that will become the home and away looks for the program effective upon their debuts. The first uniform, debuting on Saturday, Oct. 8, will feature orange jerseys paired with white pants, and the second uniform, set to debut Thursday, Oct. 20, will feature white jerseys paired with orange pants.

Made with a cutting-edge, proprietary yarn blend that increases durability and abrasion resistance, Primeknit is the premier compression uniform system, featuring the latest generation of adidas TECHFIT technology. Primeknit helps keep players cool and increases range of motion, giving athletes an unrivaled level of comfort and allowing them to perform at their highest levels. The jersey’s padlock system secures tension over the shoulder pads, while the bodymap fit adheres to the player, making it difficult for opponents to grab, hold or tackle.

U Home Jersey

Additional design details include the adizero 5-Star 5.0 cleats, which contain a sockliner that depicts Sebastian the Ibis and a fire extinguisher, a nod to the mascot’s exhilarating actions on the sideline and the Hurricanes’ pre-game entrance. Additionally, an oversized graphic of Sebastian the Ibis is featured on the inside of adizero 5-Star 5.0 gloves with 4-way stretch mesh for compression fit and GripTack for consistent control in all weather conditions, while the backside of the gloves includes a triangular patch that’s embedded into the white gloves to replicate the gloves used during the 80’s.

U Away Jersey

 

Fred Perdue for War Room Sports

Follow and Interact with Fred on social media @FPerdueSports

Quick Slants 8/29/16

Monday, August 29th, 2016

by Fred Perdue

FP

 

 

 

 

QS

College Football week 1 is here. We will be dropping a ton a of content this week so stay tuned and make sure to follow me on twitter @FPerdueSports. Sign up for the College Football Pick Em for a chance to win $25 gift card and much more.

Miami still facing distractions heading into week 1

Florida State doesn’t need any distractions either, especially with all that is going on in Tally.

The Florida Gators clear their playmaker to play in season opener

WATCH: Nick Saban Jumps Into Lake Burton

College Football was a success down under

 

Fred Perdue for War Room Sports

Click here to check out Quick Slants, THE PODCAST!

Follow and Interact with Fred on social media @FPerdueSports

 

I have a problem with the NCAA and their treatment of so-called “Student Athletes”.

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

Does the NCAA really believe that eligibility is a more punishable offense than DWI’s, Assaults, Stalking, or any of the offenses committed by the University of Florida players. When you juxtapose the situation in USC and The University of Florida do you really believe that USC should be punished? That is a joke!!

The problem is the special treatment given to great athletes. Outstanding athletes, especially on the collegiate level are allowed to get away with pretty much anything because of their talents. No one holds them accountable for questionable morals as long as they help schools make millions of dollars. By the time these athletes get to the professional level these behaviors are exposed. The amalgamation of their fame and the amount of money they are paid only adds fuel to the fire.  Two hours at a rookie symposium does not erase 21 years of ignorant behavior.   At the professional level, players get fined, suspended, cut or traded for behavior that is not new. How do they expect these boys to become men and show good judgment when their behavior has been allowed for years? These moral transgressions have been allowed for years and now the organizations and the fans expect them to magically disappear. That won’t happen. More than likely they will end up like Braylon Edwards.

Jimmy Williams