[EKUAlum05]

Alright, I have officially reached a breaking point after today. Let me first preface this by saying I am very happy Miami is back to relevance, they were a dominant program from the 80's to early 200's and I have a ton of respect for Randy Shannon. I think Shannon is a good person and his approach of cleaning house is very respectable.

With that said, here is my rant:

Reading the Atlanta Journal Constitution at lunch today while I sat in my truck listening to Jim Donnan on the radio I was hit by a barrage of irritation. First and foremost the artcile in the AJC outlined how Miami has gotten their "swagger" back and outlined how the most popular shirt being sold in Florida says "The U Invented Swagger".

Now my first complaint is more a reflection on pop culture and the sabotage of the human language nowadays. It started with the saying "it is what it is" and now "swagger" has reached similar proportions. I hear this noun being used everywhere. Teams no longer are confident, they have "swagger". A team who plays aggressive plays with a certain "swagger". The diva wide receiver's in the country no longer are me first players, they just have a certain "swagger" about them. Soulja boy gets his "swag on takes a look in the mirror says what's up". ITS FREAKIN EVERYWHERE! "Swagger", when used as a noun, has the following definition:

–noun 4. swaggering manner, conduct, or walk; ostentatious display of arrogance and conceit.

So for all these kids who think it is cool to talk about having swagger when you play football, it is not. Play confident, but don't play arrogant.


Alright, now for "The U". I hate that hand gesture. I can;t exactly say why, but it irritates me. Maybe, it is because you basically are making the "L" for loser (or Louisville which is definately synonomous) and multiplying it by 2. Maybe it is because in a city notorious for violence, criminal activities, and gangs, with a program notorious for violence, criminal activities, and gangs, to make a gesture eerily resembling a gang sign just doesn't look right. Maybe it is because as they make this gesture they also shout "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" and it sounds like a chorus of boos. Maybe it is because now everytime an official measurement is needed in a Miami game and the Canes come up short by 6", the ref will unintentionally do this symbol as well. Either way, it is childish, it is irrelevant, yet it is glorified by ESPN with probably over 200 pans to the crowd doing this gesture over the course of a game. I promise this BGR... if I have a football in my hands and I see a member of this site make that gesture my immediate response will be to try to "split the uprights" liek in paper football as hard as possible.

Then, as I began stewing over the article and the obnoxious Miami fans (which I encountered first hand last year at a Georgia Tech game, a game GT dominated yet the "U" fans would make their stupid gesture and taunt all the GT fans around them even when trailing by 4 TD's), a caller called into the radio. This caller was a Miami fan. Since I have moved to Atlanta I have NEVER heard a Miami fan call in to ANY sports talk radio show. This fan was talking about how Miami was the best team in Flroida and cited the Sagarrin Ratings in which Miami appeared as #1 and Florida State at #2 in the nation. At this point, I was pushed over the proverbial edge.

How in the world is Miami worthy of being #1? Sure, I will credit them with two solid victories over hsitorically talented programs. But, the fact remains they defeated two ACC teams. The same ACC who went 1-2 vs. the Colonial Athletic Conference so far this year (the one win was in overtime). The same ACC, who despite the fact they traditionalyl do not plays a Pc-10, Big 12, or SEC team in their BCS game, that until last year had went nearly a decade without a BCS Bowl win. The same ACC who's top team Virginia Tech got dismantled in Week 1 ona neutral field by Alabama. And Florida State at #2? I'll give them credit for dominating BYU, but this is the same FSU who needed everything n the, to beat Jacksonville State from the OVC and who appeared to have one of the worst secondaries I have ever seen when they lost to Miami.

"The U" plays Virginia Tech this weekend in a gae certainly to be filled with gang signs, "swagger", and inflated National Rankings. If Miami defeats VaTech (who I would consider to be maybe the 6th best team if they were in the SEC) the Canes will be a Top 10 team, gameday will be in Miami for the Oklahoma, game, and rgw program will officially be announced a sbeing back as an ELITE porgram in the nation and National Title Contender (Did I mention how WAKE FRICKIN FOREST WON THE ACC A COUPLE YEARS AGO?!?!?). I think I will be cheering for VaTech and making turkey's with my hands instead.