forums

Canes History: "Stop Mooning Over Miami" SI 1975

That's the truth about the gators. I've always been a gator hater. I became a fan in 1951, the day after Miami beat Florida. I was already aware of college football and the hurricanes, but until that day I didn't realize how much fun it was to be a fan. I went with my dad down to the local restaurant for breakfast. We sat with his friends, and I swear not one word was spoken about anything but the game. I was awed by the whole thing. I never saw my dad that animated about anything. So, the disgust of all things gator comes naturally to me. The flop was just another in a series of gator like events.

One of my favorite example of gator douchiness came in 1965. Detroit dropped football and their players were looking to transfer. Ray Graves, the gator coach threatened to cancel the game with Miami if we used any Detroit transfers. We did take at least one transfer, but I don't remember if he played in the 65 game. The transfer we got was good enough to be All-American in 1966 (Tom Beier)

Guys mentioned the 70s Navy game. The 71 Navy game was the first game I took my son to. It was wet, and we sat virtually alone in the upper deck south side (I liked the view).
 
Advertisement
Dingaan1828 said:
That's the truth about the gators. I've always been a gator hater. I became a fan in 1951, the day after Miami beat Florida. I was already aware of college football and the hurricanes, but until that day I didn't realize how much fun it was to be a fan. I went with my dad down to the local restaurant for breakfast. We sat with his friends, and I swear not one word was spoken about anything but the game. I was awed by the whole thing. I never saw my dad that animated about anything. So, the disgust of all things gator comes naturally to me. The flop was just another in a series of gator like events.

One of my favorite example of gator douchiness came in 1965. Detroit dropped football and their players were looking to transfer. Ray Graves, the gator coach threatened to cancel the game with Miami if we used any Detroit transfers. We did take at least one transfer, but I don't remember if he played in the 65 game. The transfer we got was good enough to be All-American in 1966 (Tom Beier)

Guys mentioned the 70s Navy game. The 71 Navy game was the first game I took my son to. It was wet, and we sat virtually alone in the upper deck south side (I liked the view).
Click to expand...

I appreciate your jogging the old memory, if you were a Cane you hated the Gators, reasons notwithstanding. They were dycks then and have continued their tradition. It truly has always been great to be a Miami Hurricane and being part of the tradition came out in this post and that is great. Go Canes:neonu:
 
This thread is awesome, much appreciated. As someone who was born in '79, I obviously don't go as far back as the posters in here, but my family has had tickets since they moved to Miami in 1952, and I grew up going to games (first game in '84) and listening to their stories of going to games in the 50s, 60s and 70s, which are similar to those on here. This thread is a must read for those who think Miami football started in the 80s, or worse yet, 2001. ****, just realized my post sounded like a review on the back of a book.
 
Truth be told Miami has been mediocre for a while, brings back memories, but also know, that even a college football team that was a door mat in its early years change the way college football was and is played today, and proved it was like the engine that could. Is it realistic to believe it will happen again? It certainly was not even a pipe dream growing up.
 
Advertisement
The Canes were ranked in the AP top 20 from 54 through 56. We had first round NFL draft running backs on the 55 and 56 teams (Losch and Bosseler). Those were good teams with good attendance. It may be hard for some newer fans to get their heads around this, but Miami played a very home heavy schedule before the mid 60s because the crowds were often larger for a game in Miami than other places (hard to believe, but it's absolutely true). The city of Miami also had a much different image back then. Miami was sort of viewed as an exotic place to travel to (another thing that's hard to imagine). Most of the monster sized stadiums in the South were not very big back then. They have increased capacity dramatically over the years.

TV exposure in the 50s and 60s was very rare. In 1958, the team was 1-8 going into the last home game against Oregon. It was televised - Miami always started the season later than almost everyone, and finished the regular season late. Anyway, the anticipated crowd was so small they made almost everyone sit on the North side so some fans would show up for TV. That was the first time I ever sat on the North side. We won 2-0, as Oregon had three TDs called back on penalties.
 
if you haven't read Cane Mutiny do so. Crummiest thing about playing on Friday nights - after I graduated and went back to NY, could never get the game scores. They would be to late for the Saturday paper and they only published the Saturday scores on Sunday. Of course this was pre internet. I'd always have to call a Florida bud to get the score.
 
One thing that hasn't been mentioned in here yet is the way that college football has changed in terms of the fans. I remember many times sitting with and enjoying the games alongside fans from the opposition (minus UF.ag, whose fans have ALWAYS been douches). That happens very rarely for me when I go to Miami home games now. I've had mixed experiences with road games, but the Miami home games now just aren't that much fun anymore. The stadium being where and what it is doesn't help, but the bandwagon/30-for-30 generation just behaves differently at games. Get drunk, start fights, talk *****. The atmosphere was a lot less 'in your face' back then...no trash talking really, and I don't remember ever seeing fights in the stands or tailgates until the 80s. Perhaps I'm showing my age now...
 
sebastian91 said:
One thing that hasn't been mentioned in here yet is the way that college football has changed in terms of the fans. I remember many times sitting with and enjoying the games alongside fans from the opposition (minus UF.ag, whose fans have ALWAYS been douches). That happens very rarely for me when I go to Miami home games now. I've had mixed experiences with road games, but the Miami home games now just aren't that much fun anymore. The stadium being where and what it is doesn't help, but the bandwagon/30-for-30 generation just behaves differently at games. Get drunk, start fights, talk *****. The atmosphere was a lot less 'in your face' back then...no trash talking really, and I don't remember ever seeing fights in the stands or tailgates until the 80s. Perhaps I'm showing my age now...
Click to expand...

It was fun to mix with fans of other teams way back then. We even got along with ND fans. After I moved out of SoFl I continued to travel to games in Miami. I finally gave up going in the late 80s because of the crude, and hostile atmosphere. I also got really tired of all the drunks. I always went to games to see the game, not start fights and act like I just had my first beer.

capefearcane mentions the problems getting Friday night scores. My brother was in the service in the mid 50s. He made money betting his buddies on Miami games after he got the score. Most people outside of a few places where not aware that anyone played on Fridays. He says they never caught on. He's still alive, so maybe it's true.
 
Advertisement
Dingaan1828 said:
sebastian91 said:
One thing that hasn't been mentioned in here yet is the way that college football has changed in terms of the fans. I remember many times sitting with and enjoying the games alongside fans from the opposition (minus UF.ag, whose fans have ALWAYS been douches). That happens very rarely for me when I go to Miami home games now. I've had mixed experiences with road games, but the Miami home games now just aren't that much fun anymore. The stadium being where and what it is doesn't help, but the bandwagon/30-for-30 generation just behaves differently at games. Get drunk, start fights, talk *****. The atmosphere was a lot less 'in your face' back then...no trash talking really, and I don't remember ever seeing fights in the stands or tailgates until the 80s. Perhaps I'm showing my age now...
Click to expand...

It was fun to mix with fans of other teams way back then. We even got along with ND fans. After I moved out of SoFl I continued to travel to games in Miami. I finally gave up going in the late 80s because of the crude, and hostile atmosphere. I also got really tired of all the drunks. I always went to games to see the game, not start fights and act like I just had my first beer.

capefearcane mentions the problems getting Friday night scores. My brother was in the service in the mid 50s. He made money betting his buddies on Miami games after he got the score. Most people outside of a few places where not aware that anyone played on Fridays. He says they never caught on. He's still alive, so maybe it's true.
Click to expand...

Perfect! Wish I thought of that.
 
Advertisement
Back
Top