OT: Power of the Internet (and aerial signs) got Al Golden fired
I caught this article on ESPN's site about the various aerial signage that has flown over Miami's stadium calling for Al Golden's firing for years. I know it's bringing up some of the darker days around here during the DB era, but seeing the power (both positive and negative) of internet fandom to effect change is pretty interesting. Also, it sure seems like Miami is dealing with a fanbase that can be somewhat rabid and an administration that doesn't seem to want to deal with it.
December 10th, 2015 at 4:33 PM ^
I'm probably just old and clueless, but that kind of thing seems so mean-spirited to me. The DB skywriting thing was stupid, but this is shitty. He's still your coach and, as far as I know, a good guy. There have to be ways to want a guy fired - and express it - without being such a dick.
December 10th, 2015 at 4:46 PM ^
Maybe. But it's not like average Joe Season Ticket Holder can just show up and meet with the AD to express concerns over the football program. Banners and "Fire Coach/AD" Rallies on campus may be a little harsh but they get the attention of administrators.
EDIT: Spelling and stuff.
December 10th, 2015 at 7:13 PM ^
December 10th, 2015 at 4:37 PM ^
Also, it sure seems like Miami is dealing with a fanbase that can be somewhat rabid and an administration that doesn't seem to want to deal with it.
The administration doesn't care about football and was a big reason why they left the old Orange Bowl. They could have easily renovated the place (kind of like what Orlando has done with the Citrus Bowl) instead of moving to Miami Gardens and playing in a lifeless NFL stadium.
December 10th, 2015 at 4:39 PM ^
I hate seeing colleges play in NFL stadiums. It loses the college feel.
December 10th, 2015 at 4:41 PM ^
Sure does. It's even more absurd when the NFL stadium is 30+ minutes from the college campus.
December 10th, 2015 at 5:10 PM ^
December 10th, 2015 at 9:16 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
December 11th, 2015 at 12:30 AM ^
Do you know where the stadium used to be? I lived in Pittsburgh for a couple years. That campus is right in the middle of the city. Maybe they made a shitload of money selling off that property or maybe the stadium was too far away from campus?
December 10th, 2015 at 11:42 PM ^
December 10th, 2015 at 5:32 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
December 10th, 2015 at 4:48 PM ^
He was an exceedingly mediocre coach though. He had great recruiting classes, but his U teams challenged no one of any rank in a weak conference. It's not like he did a lot to keep the job. What you can note are Miami's (YTM) weird dynamics. They didn't fill the Orange Bowl during their glory years, and no one shows there now, yet they have a legion of rabid fans. It's a small private school; most of those rabid fans have never been near the place, and they're probably not actual donors--by not going to games they contribute no revenue on that end. The highbows who do graduate from UM view themselves as Dukie-type elites, and have never been comfortable with the image of the classic Miami teams, which basically recruited locally in communities full of people UM highbows would rather pretend don't exist. The admin simply reflects that not caring. But Schnellenberger and Johnson and Ericson created a monster that still needs tending.
December 10th, 2015 at 5:04 PM ^
On point.
December 10th, 2015 at 5:05 PM ^
It's funny to think there was probably a segment of Miami fans who were hoping Miami would fail miserably all those years Schnellenberger, Johnson and Ericcson were winning so football would return back to a little known part of the college instead of the face of the university.
December 10th, 2015 at 7:22 PM ^
December 10th, 2015 at 4:54 PM ^
It's a relatively small, private school with a student body that is not a majority Floridian. So I doubt there are a large number of local alums. And as others have pointed out, they don't play on campus or anywhere near it.
Who constituted their fanbase in the '80s and early 2000s?
Edit: The person who posted at the same time as me had all of the answers all along.
December 10th, 2015 at 4:58 PM ^
Who constituted their fanbase in the '80s and early 2000s?
This guy:
Awesome tune though:
December 10th, 2015 at 6:18 PM ^
Brian could have done it in half the time
December 10th, 2015 at 6:32 PM ^
Rarely have I been so grateful for the class of this blog/forum as when I realized no one here has ever started a "monkey porn thread".
(I'm even more embarrassed that down here in SWFL people assume 'UM' means YTM now.)
December 10th, 2015 at 9:14 PM ^
who resent the football thing. Imagine you're paying big bucks to attend that school and people's first association with that school is an academics-free football program with a reputation for hyper-aggressive players like Ray Lewis.
I know people with degrees from other private schools with big athletic reputations who feel similarly, like USC where nationally people just think football and SoCal sunshine but it's actually a very good school.
At the end of the day college sports shouldn't define a university and its mission.