Crappy Canes

For 40 years now, I've been a Miami Hurricanes fan. It started my freshman year -- I fell in love with tailgating with friends at the old Orange Bowl, and cheering players who were my fellow students. Sort of.

They had never won a championship, but then won 5 -- should have been 6. And over the years, I realized my mood was set by how they did -- a big win Saturday kept me up until at least mid -week. And I realized the folly of that -- allowing my mood to be set largely due to the performance, or lack of, of a bunch of 18-22 year olds, hoping to make it to the NFL and big pay more than anything else.

And yet, like most addictions, I can't shake it. This season we had high hopes. A new energetic coach promised TNM -- the new Miami. We would finally brush off the mediocrity of the past 10 years.  We lost to UF 2 weeks ago, but were supposed to. From that game on, we would be favored to win. We were so favored last night...and then we stunk.

Wifey is still fighting a lingering cough, so stayed home. I drove to Paul and Darriel's house -- they had DirecTV, which carried the game. I have UVerse, which didn't.

Mike and Loni had been to dinner with them -- at La Trova, where we were the previous night. We laughed a lot -- remembering the many trips we had taken together, and big laughs we shared. We caught up on kids and grand kids -- Darriel's granddaughter is a sophomore at UF and doing great -- thinking about law school now.

But our team? They blew it -- and badly. Late in the game they needed just one stop -- the Heels had a 4th and 17, and they couldn't do it, and we lost.

I see the writing on the wall -- it'll be a winning but mediocre season. I figure we'll go 7-5 and play in a crappy bowl game -- per usual.  But it IS the new coach's first year -- so we'll see.

I'm missing next Saturday's home opener -- against Bethune Cookman. It'll be a win. My old friend Steve the Cop's daughter is getting married, and Wifey and I will attend the wedding. I gave my tickets to D1's in laws -- and they're looking forward to the game. Her father in law loves college football. I hope they meet up with my crew and tailgate first.

So I accepted reality about my team early on. My hopes for a breakout season were misplaced. We'll be lucky to finish in the Top 25. I watch Clemson , last year's champ and current #1, and remember the way the Canes used to be. I hope they are again -- in my lifetime.

But if not -- well, as Norman points out -- we ALWAYS win the tailgate. And the laughter, and time with friends, well, that is the bedrock of the activity for me.

Wifey has the young decorators coming over at 1. I'll watch my OTHER crappy team -- the Dolphins. Every expert says they will be among the worst NFL teams this year -- so I'll watch with an eye towards laughter -- sort of like being a Mets fan in the years before their miracle.

So these are historically bad times for Miami sports. The Heat is rebuilding. The Marlins are the third worst team in MLB. The Panthers always start strong and collapse early.

But that's ok. Teams wax and wane. I look forward to future orange and green wax...