Patrick Hruby is doing God's work.
U
December 13th, 2009 at 3:42 AM | 
They managed to gloss over
They managed to gloss over
December 13th, 2009 at 3:48 AM |
Jimmy Johnson WAS a sociopath
Jimmy Johnson WAS a sociopath
Jimmy Johnson WAS a sociopath who would do anything to win.
December 13th, 2009 at 3:57 AM |
No disagreement, but they
No disagreement, but they
No disagreement, but they were attempting to paint him as GOOD OLD JIMMY WHO COULD IDENTIFY WITH THESE INNER CITY KIDS AND STOOD UP TO THE EVIL RACIST PRESIDENT... and in the process made him look like the totally fake, maniacal, self absorbed douche he truly is.
Schnellenberger came off well, so did Erickson to a degree. But other than them, everyone involved with the program came off terribly.
When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing. -- Bo Schembechler
December 13th, 2009 at 4:02 AM |
man
man
you REALLY hate those miami teams huh?
December 13th, 2009 at 4:14 AM |
No, I hated the way this
No, I hated the way this
No, I hated the way this documentary was made and hated it's slanted portrayal of the Miami teams. I'd have liked those teams a lot more if ANYONE on this documentary had owned up to what they did wrong instead of pretending it was everyone else's problem.
If you criticize Miami, you're a racist.
If you criticize them running up the score, you're jealous.
If you call them disrespectful of opponents, you don't get it.
Was Miami responsible for anything?
When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing. -- Bo Schembechler
December 13th, 2009 at 4:27 AM |
I think Randall Hill blaming
I think Randall Hill blaming
I think Randall Hill blaming everything and everyone else for actions at the Cotton Bowl sums this up.
The Team, The Team, The Team.
December 13th, 2009 at 4:31 AM |
Totally
Totally
It was Craig Erickson's fault for throwing me the ball!
It Texas's fault for not stopping me!
It was the designer of the Cotton Bowl's fault for building a tunnel!
Just don't blame me for not stopping to think about my actions!
When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing. -- Bo Schembechler
December 13th, 2009 at 4:19 AM |
oh wait
oh wait
a racism set-up
December 13th, 2009 at 12:55 PM |
Brodie
Brodie
I grew up in Miami during those times and i can tell you that racial tensions were EXTREMELY high, because of the incidents raised by the documentary (shootings and beatings of Black men by White/Hispanic police officers). I was personally attacked in high school on numerous occasions because of what i represented (Latin background). In fact, high schools would be shut down and paddy wagons would show up to make arrests because of the ensuing riots that would instantaneously break out. The film presented the reality that was Miami in the 80s. As bad as you paint the issue i can tell you the the U brought people together from varying backgrounds like no other event could have ever done during that time and provided an outlet of release for many. Did we condone some of the behavior exhibited by Cane players on and off the field? No, of course not. But for those of us who lived it, it was the one shining period in a city that was engulfed in racial turmoil and a violent drug war.
And if we fast forward to present day, there is one thing that hasn't changed much. The U still primarily recruits locally and the kids coming out of Dade County and south florida have been well mannered compared to those from other states. So i am happy to see that the transition of providing opportunities to those of varying backgrounds continues to be a priority in South Florida and the kids that represent those communities seem to be nice young men (see the current Miami team where about 65% of its players are from Florida - the 2008 class alone had 23 FL players our of the 32 commits and 11 of the 19 commits from the 2009 class came from Fl, and 16 of the 24 verbals in the 2010 also come from FL - the majority of these Fl recruits hail from the South Florida region as defined by Schnellenberger back in the early 80s).
Currently, RR has made Florida a priority recruiting ground (Brandin Hawthorne and Vincent Smith from Pahokee, teammates Adrian Witty and Denard Robinson from Deerfield Beach, Brendan Gibbons from West Palm Beach, Jeremy Gallon from Apopka, Mike Jones from Orlando and Vladimir Emilien from Lauderhill, which is near Ft. Lauderdale) and I think - in the glimpses we have seen from some - these kids are turning out to be great for Michigan football.
December 13th, 2009 at 3:45 PM |
That's cool. Like I said, I
That's cool. Like I said, I
That's cool. Like I said, I believed Schnellenberger had the best interests of these kids at heart and I believed he wanted to give them a real chance to make something of their lives. I'm glad so many kids got the chance and continue to.
What I didn't like was when Jimmy Johnson came in. It became very obvious to me, and anyone who ever listens to him, that his primary concern is winning and he couldn't give less of shit about his players lifes and educations. And it showed in the lack of discipline on and off the field. Erickson continues the trend, at least he had a vague commitment to attempting to reign people in... but nobody listened to him. The university president, rightly, was interested in changing the football team's image. I'm not sure if someone who cheered for the Canes can ever truly get how terrible their actions over the years really looked... there's a reason that people have called Miami a glorified community college for 20 years in spite of some really excellent programs, and it's largely the fault of the football team. But he was portrayed as this villain in the film, that's when I stopped taking it seriously.
I will not dispute the U did some good, but doing some good does not absolve you of the bad.
When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing. -- Bo Schembechler
December 13th, 2009 at 9:46 AM |
Great show
Great show
And I also love the series.
A few interesting things about "The U":
1. Michael Irvin saying something to the effect of "there was no conspiracy, racism, or whatever. We were bad (people)."
2. Really didn't become thug U until Jimmy Johnson came in. Schnellenburger had them behaving appropriately, and all his top cats were from the same areas as JJ's.
3. They kept using comments from Art Kehoe. Kehoe was the U's OL coach throughout all the head coaches, from Schnellenburger to Coker. He is widely regarded in coaching circles as one of the best OL guys in the nation. And I found it very interesting when he said that if Schnellenburger had stayed, they would've "won so many national championships it would've been staggering."
4. Schnellenburger basically lamenting his decision to leave the 'Canes.
December 13th, 2009 at 10:47 AM |
the guy that made this movie
the guy that made this movie
also made a doc called "cocaine cowboys" that covers the late 70s and early 80s cocaine dealers in miami. the city was like the while west. literally, everyone murders, robs...
2013 resolution - make it onto the 2014 favorite MGoPosters post, not ironically
December 13th, 2009 at 12:45 PM |
on a lighter note...
on a lighter note...
...did anyone notice that in one of the national polls they flashed Michigan was ranked No. 2 behind Miami? Not sure what year or what point in the season it was but it was cool to see.
If I recall correctly we beat one of the Kosar teams in Ann Arbor.
Hopefully we'll see things like that again soon.
December 13th, 2009 at 1:23 PM |
1984, baby.
1984, baby.
Unfortunately it was all downhill from there.
December 13th, 2009 at 1:37 PM |
Didn't BYU beat us that year
Didn't BYU beat us that year
Didn't BYU beat us that year on the way to a national championship?
December 13th, 2009 at 1:49 PM |
Michigan finished 6-6 that
Michigan finished 6-6 that
Michigan finished 6-6 that year too.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:00 PM |
I'm truly sorry that the rest of 1984 didn't go so well.
I'm truly sorry that the rest of 1984 didn't go so well.
It was probably my fault so thank you for that neg.
December 13th, 2009 at 1:38 PM |
Besides Irvin's "we were bad
Besides Irvin's "we were bad
Besides Irvin's "we were bad boys" comment, I thought the best part was the fact that Randy Shannon used to pass out Luther Campbell's bounty money.
December 13th, 2009 at 2:15 PM |
That's nuts about Randy
That's nuts about Randy
That's nuts about Randy Shannon handing out the 2 Live Crew cash, as he is supposed to run a pretty tight ship (anyone with inside info?). I guess people grow up.
I can't wait to see The U. I've DVR'd and will probably watch it next week. I once watched a bit of the 30 by 30 movie about the USFL at the gym. Holy shit was that interesting. I was completely captivated.
Btw, I'm currently reading The Blind Side. It's my first Michael Lewis book and I can't put it down.
Ann Arbor is a classy broad.
"Get off my plane!" - Ricky Stanzi, Air Force One 2
December 13th, 2009 at 2:45 PM |
"The Blind Side" is a great
"The Blind Side" is a great
"The Blind Side" is a great book. I learned a lot from it.
December 13th, 2009 at 2:49 PM |
Lewis is a wonderful writer.
Lewis is a wonderful writer.
Read "Liars Poker" about his experience as a bond trader after college. Also, Moneyball was a fun read, as was his book about infamous bond trader Nick Leeson, who brought down Barings Bank.
Oh how I hate Ohio State!
December 13th, 2009 at 8:05 PM |
i like at the end when one of
i like at the end when one of
i like at the end when one of the former "U" players aid that "miami is the greatest. the stats don't lie." oh ignorance is sweet bliss... yeah the u was good in the 80s, but greatest program ever? no way. and stats to prove it? not so much.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:17 PM |
I just watched it on ESPN,
I just watched it on ESPN,
I just watched it on ESPN, and I have really enjoyed the whole series. I forgot how much I hate Miami and what a dirty program it was and still is. Yes, the teams were great, but I can't understand why anyone would be a fan of those thugs. I also forgot how much of a jackass Irvin is. He thinks the world revolves around him. One of the most overrated players to ever play the game.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
They managed to gloss over the worst of the Miami's players actions, attribute any criticism of the program to WHITE RACISTS, painted the totally innocent university president as a racist because he wanted some institutional control, contradicted themselves on the money issue ("I need $200 for diapers" was followed up by a player talking about his teammates stealing stereos) and unintentionally painted Jimmy Johnson as a sociopath who would do anything to win.
The film was trying to show the other side of the Miami program, but in the end it made the school and it's image 100000 times more detestable.
When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing. -- Bo Schembechler