AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2006 > September > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USOut of the FSU-Miami wreckage
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Leftovers from Monday night’s Florida State-Miami game:
1) This is the last time these two teams will open the season against each other for a while and that’s a good thing. Early in the season the defense is always ahead of the offense but last night’s 13-10 win by Florida State was ridiculous. The two teams combined for exactly three total yards of rushing. The classic games in this series were always played in October after the offenses had had time to jell.
2) Having said that, you may have seen the best two defenses in the country Monday night in Little Havana. Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said it was the best Miami defense he has seen in 30 years. I think he might be right.
3) Having said that, the offensive woes of both teams were not just because the defenses were so good. There is an obvious lack of playmakers on both teams, particularly at the wide receiver position. I didn’t see a Peter Warrick or a Michael Irvin out there turning short passes into big plays. And both offensive lines are very, very average.
4) The ACC hasn’t announced it yet, but look for Florida State to open the 2007 season on Labor Day night, but instead of Miami it will be against Boston College.
5) Think Larry Coker is feeling the heat? His team loses a three-point game to the No. 11 team in the nation and his second sentence in the post-game news conference was: “I hope our fans don’t give up on this team.”
Huh?
I think what he meant was: “I hope the fans don’t give up on me.” The guy is 53-10 in five years and some ‘Canes fans are going bonkers. The Hurricanes’ trip to Louisville on Sept. 16 is now huge. Lose that one and things could start to unravel very quickly down in Coral Gables.
6) If I’m Georgia Tech, I now believe that the ACC Coastal Division is wide open. Miami looks like a beatable team if you can get 14 points on the board. Tech gets the Hurricanes at home. Virginia Tech has a new quarterback. The Sept. 30 trip to Blacksburg now looms larger than ever for Georgia Tech.
7) Finally, and this is strictly an opinion, but the ACC and the University of Miami just can’t keep playing meaningful college football games in that dilapidated structure known as the Orange Bowl. The ACC expanded to add Miami in order to raise its football profile. But every big national game that is played in that ancient facility is a reminder that there is still a lot of work to be done if the ACC wants to be considered on the same level with the SEC in the sport of football. It’s not just about the game on the field. It’s the total presentation and fan experience. And the presentation at the Orange Bowl leaves a lot to be desired.
The University of Miami does the best it can with what it has at the Orange Bowl, but the bottom line is that it is a bad venue and simply not befitting the ACC and what is supposed to be its marquee football rivalry. It’s time for Miami to move its home games to ProPlayer Stadium (a.k.a. Joe Robbie) in Fort Lauderdale.
Comments
By Wozzo the Wonder Dog
September 5, 2006 04:42 PM | Link to this
Not a good week for the ACC.
By Old Dawg 55
September 5, 2006 04:52 PM | Link to this
…and Grant Field is a good venue for ACC football..give me a break! I don’t think Larry Coker is looking for a moving company just yet…Hurricane fans may be disappointed but not crazy!…but, is that a “Can Chan!” rallying cry I hear in the background??
By Burdell's Brother
September 5, 2006 05:04 PM | Link to this
Hey UGA we would be 1-0 too if we lined up an played the blind sisters of the poor last week. Good luck with SC, less I remind you “The Ol’ Ball Coach” owns you!
Go Jackets
By bugger
September 5, 2006 05:22 PM | Link to this
The Orange Bowl seats plenty of people. Fix it up, don’t abandon it. Dang, I’m tired of people calling for the doom of historic sports stadiums. Yankee Stadium is soon gone. How in the heck does that happen? Would we tear down the Capitol, the White House? No. Sanford Stadium is old, is it time to rip it down and rebuilt in Madison? Dadgum that attitude ticks me off.
By Wozzo the Wonder Dog
September 5, 2006 05:31 PM | Link to this
To be sure, a Gailey-coached team would never lose to the likes of Duke or Wake Forest. Things are looking up for Tech — Soon you’ll be off probation and that will free up some scholarships. Recruiting has actually significantly improved, assuming there are no de-commitments like last year. Hopefully, your players will remain academically eligible, unlike the recent mistakes. If you can keep Calvin healthy and in school and keep Tenuta as assistant, then Tech’s win-loss record should improve in what appears to be a seriously down-graded year for the ACC. All things (except your win-loss record) point to a much better bowl than the last one, the really bad one where you got thumped by 28 points by the 3rd best team in the Mountain West Conference in front of no more than 2000 Tech fans.
By Bob
September 5, 2006 05:58 PM | Link to this
Anyone else besides me really looking forward to the Clemson-Florida ST. game next week?
By ChicagoDawg
September 5, 2006 06:22 PM | Link to this
Burdell’s Bro’
Based on Tech’s history against weak ACC teams, I think the blind sisters might have given you a run for your money. Good luck in the next two games against the blind brothers of Samford and Troy. Remember, just about every Division I team owns you!
By Phinfan
September 5, 2006 06:25 PM | Link to this
I love the Orange bowl as a venue. It was good enough for multiple super bowls.. the 72 phins and carries a tremendous amount of history. We can fix things although we are the ultimate throw away society. I go to Proplayer quite frequently and it doen not have the ambience of little Havannah. Keep the Orange Bowl lose the off the cuff opinions.
By Davey
September 5, 2006 07:44 PM | Link to this
Every one in Division 1 owns us? Really is that why we gone to 9 straight bowl games? Or have the second best bowl winning percentage. Hey we beat the number 3 team in the nation last year. Just throwing some numbers out their……..
By AltamahaDawg
September 5, 2006 09:25 PM | Link to this
What is with these tech fans living thier football fantasies thru Steve Spurrier?
By cane fan
September 5, 2006 10:01 PM | Link to this
I was at the game and Tony is correct. The parking and the mass transpiration are a mess for anyone to go see a game. Then add the rain and it was a nightmare. The problem is there is no room to build an on campus stadium. The city does not seem willing to build one either. What most people do not remember is the Joe Robbie built Dolphins’ stadium with his own funds.
What is nice about Orange Bowl is you are right on top of the action; Dolphins’ stadium is too far away from the field. Plus, they want to charge UM $3 million a year to rent Dolphins’ stadium, and take most of the parking and concessions.
I am not sure what the ACC can do about the problem. Tony, any chance Fort Lauderdale would build UM a stadium? Most of the local UM alumni live there anyway.
By br
September 6, 2006 11:01 AM | Link to this
Ah yes, ever the optimist huh Mr. College Football? Tech loses by ONLY 4 points and Tech is now in the hunt for the ACC Championship? Umm, I think NOT! If recent history holds true to form, expect Tech to lose to a team it has no business losing to…such as NC State, Maryland, Virginia, etc. It happens EVERY year, they play out of their minds against Auburn, Miami, and now ND (but loses), but then they lose to Duke, NC State, Virginia, and gasp, UTAH!!! Sorry Barnhart, but Miami will get their revenge on the bees this year and Va Tech will be just fine and do what they always do against Tech…CRUSH them. Plus, add another loss to Georgia, which makes 4. Expect loss #5 to occur against one of the aforementioned teams and this sets up very nice for yet another trip to San Francisco in the Emerald Nuts Bowl against another juggernaut like Colorado State or maybe Nevada! Get real Barnhart, you and both know Tech will do what they do EVERY year…tease, tease, and tease some more. It’s the only way Tech knows!
By br
September 6, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this
Sorry, that’s you and I both know!
By Mark Stouffer
September 6, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this
The Orange Bowl is historic and should remain. Miami and South FLA are a long way from Athens and the New South so Tony’s a little out of his element anyway. Did you want a Varsity hot dog instead of a Cuban sandwich, too? That stadium is where UM won 5 Nat’l Championships. The entire SEC hasn’t won 5 National Championships in that same timeframe so let’s leave some things alone. How’d you like it if a bunch of Cubans came to, say, Athens and said you needed a little more ethnic diversity in the stadium because there are too many lazy white frat boys with the same haircut? BTW, I’m an FSU alum and I loved every minute of that slugfest. It’s just like those good ole days in the SEC when Ole Miss would square off against LSU in rain drenched 7-6 game. Defense wins championships.
By Titus
September 6, 2006 11:55 AM | Link to this
Those were two of the quickest defenses I have ever seen. Both of the QBs have the tools; just wait when the Offenses get warmed up. Some of you rubes need to understand that one game does not make a season.
By Dan
September 7, 2006 04:54 PM | Link to this
I have been to 27 strait FSU Miami games. The Orange bowel is worst each time. This time the score boards and clocks are even gone from half of the stadium. Parking is fine (20 dollars no block) so are concessions outside. There is just no room inside and no attemp to fix it. A few restrooms, someone selling drinks and a few cops to throw out drunks and it would be somewhat acceptable
By J.S.
September 8, 2006 08:52 PM | Link to this
I agree about the Orange Bowl, it’s time for it to go — that thing is craptastic. Also, I think with a new field, it’s time UM join the other schools in its conference and stop selling beer inside the venue. Their fans are bad enough sober, but also that Miami swelter plus alcohol can’t be a good thing.