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The CIS Week 3 Mail Bag is in. This week we cover WRs, FSU, ancient Mexican civilization, and "The Trolley Problem".
Dan (Twitter): The 2nd level of the defense has been poor from bad angles, slow of foot, and keep getting beat on misdirection Any changes you see to depth chart or scheme to address the problem?
The LBs haven’t been impressive through 2 games, although McCloud did come on strong after a rough few series to start the game. Just from watching the games, we seem slow, both in terms of speed and ability to diagnose plays. Both UAB and Louisville run the outside zone which would further expose slower LBs. I’m not ready to give up on this group yet, but a stong showing is needed against FSU. I’d like to see more of Brooks though.
@ghost2 (CanesInsight): Does Mark Pope have it in him to bounce back and put up numbers, or are we already relegating him to the Jeff Thomas/Lance Leggett pile?
Also favorite sipping bourbon for game day?
I think he does. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a dominant force but he’s not far off from making a big impact. Yes, the one drop was terrible, no getting around that. He drew a pass interference on a deep ball which could have been a touchdown. The one play where he stiff armed the defender before stepping out of bounds was 3 inches from a big play. He is getting open so there is progression from last year, his issues seem more mental than physical at this point.
As far as the bourbon, last week I enjoyed a glass of Hillrock. This week most likely Woodford Reserve. I like to pair that with a victory cigar after each win as well.
@Mr. Dynasty1 (CanesInsight): Does FSU have the skill players to test Miami’s defense like Louisville did 2nd half?
No. FSU has Terry, that’s about it. Louisville with Hawkins, Atwell, Fitzpatrick, and Cunningham is one of the better groups in the ACC and outside of Clemson and maybe UNC, we won’t face a better group of skill guys the rest of the year.
@LokiCane (CanesInsight): Which makes you smile more... Wide Right I, Wide Right II or Wide Left?
It’s hard to compare because the smile is so vast any time I watch any of those games back. The reactions of Bobby Bowden are always the best part for me, from the sheer bamboozlement of the first Wide Right, all the way up to the “I knew that was going to miss” look he had for Wide Left.
That being said, the moment that never fails to brighten my day is when, after the kick sailed right in Wide Right II, Keith Jackson said, “And Bobby Bowden is left to wonder, ‘Why Lord Me?’” Hysterical.
@ddann (CanesInsight): According to historians and archaeologists, the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans, in spite of their many advancements and vast civilizations, did not make use of the wheel. At the same time, most other cultures and nations commonly employed the wheel in everyday applications. How do you explain this apparent technological blind spot in these ancient new world civilizations, and in what ways might an analysis of these issues relate to the possible presence of any current blind spots that may exist in connection with the UM football program when compared to other programs around the country. Thanks.
It’s hard to say that those great civilizations made a mistake in their technological advancements because they were able to do so much with so little. All of the great Mesoamerican civilizations have left artifacts that prove they understood the concept of wheels, but they are mostly limited to simple children’s toys. In that case, what could be described as a “blind spot” is likely more just an apathy to pushing it as a prominent tool of the culture.
Why that is (and why it’s comparably used so prominently in other centuries old cultures) is likely due to their location. While other places around the globe feature flatter, consistent ground that made the advancement of wheel technology a priority, the Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs had to contend with inconsistent, rocky, mountainous, and often muddied ground. Even if one looks at the surviving pathways carved out by these cultures, they often merge right in with the hilly terrain, making wheeled travel more of a hassle than an asset.
Interestingly, Miami had often made decisions based on their location and its strengths that seem to be counter to the standard of other great programs. While Miami is certainly one of the schools with a significant national presence, there has often been discussion about how much needs to be done in national recruiting vs maintaining a largely local focus. While you see the Bamas and the Clemsons of the world getting most of their elite recruits from states across the country, Miami has always known it can thrive by taking advantage of its greatest resource: local talent. While such a focus would cripple most schools and keep them from ever reaching an elite level, it is certainly a viable plan for the Hurricanes.
@OriginalCanesCanesCanes (CanesInsight): I have a question, should we go in (explicit sexual reference deleted) versus FSU? (Should we run it up versus FSU?)
The last 2 weeks we took our foot off the gas. That can’t happen against FSU. Anytime you get a chance to run it up on your rival, you do it. Don’t give them a chance to say “Well, we only lost by 14 in a rebuild year.” Destroy them.
@swampcougar1 (CanesInsight): If you were rating OLs where would you place ours in the ACC after 2 games. I know they have improved and hope to see that continue.
It’s tough to say after 2 games. UAB is a good G5 defense and Louisville is a bottom tier P5 defense. FSU and Clemson will provide a better gauge. If i had to rank now, I’d say middle of the pack. The pass protection has been good but the OL couldn't get a consistent push against Louisville in the run game.
@Luke Caneswalker (CanesInsight): Do you think Amari Carter will be “stereotyped “ this Saturday? I believe the refs view every play he makes as dirty until proven clean.
Yes. Carter is a big time hitter in a game where there are very few left. He’s going to have a “target” on him. This is the modern game of football, any time there is a big collision the refs are going to throw the flag and let replay take it from there.
@ben (CanesInsight): Deep dish pizza -- pizza or casserole?
I’m accepting of all pizza types and varieties, as long as we are in agreement that they are held to different standards. Eliminating true deep dish pizza, though in its purest form it just barely fits the basic pizza qualifications, would be negating the opinion of a significant, though misguided percent of the population.
I will add that New York area pizza is easily the greatest overall pizza type that this country has to offer, and any consideration of something else is a waste of time.
@imyrhuckleberry (CanesInsight): Do you think there will be any holding?
Oh yeah, FSU is going to hold the crap out of us. Will it get called? Probably not. Such is the life of being a Cane.
@SinisterCane (CanesInsight): How would you rate FSU defense?
Despite holding GT to 16 points, that could have easily been 30+ if not for a true freshman making game 1 mistakes. I’m not a fan of their DC who came with Norvell from Memphis, those defenses were very “meh”. They have talent, the starting lineup is filled with 4 and 5 star guys, and they are going to be fired up to face a ranked Miami team. My money is on Lashlee to make their lives **** on Saturday night.
@JD08 (CanesInsight): 1. We dominated using our run game against UAB and using our passing game against Louisville. What do you think will be our most dominant aspect against FSU?
2. What exactly is wrong with wearing white after Labor Day? We kicked *** last week.
Question 1 is a great question. The answer depends on what FSU tries to do on defense. If they want to load the box and make King beat them passing then so be it. If they want to play bend but don't break we will run it down their throats. If I was FSU, I’d blitz nearly every down and see if the OL and King can handle it.
I’m not what anyone would call a “fashion guy” so the whole no white after Labor Day just confuses me. The storm trooper uniforms have become one of my favorite combos though. I wouldn't mind if they became our primetime road uniforms.
@PinellasCane (CanesInsight): Which WR will feast against the FSU defense?
Hopefully one of them because this group had a rough go last week. I’m focusing on Payton this week as I think he’ll see an increase in snaps after Harley’s and Pope’s drops. This group lacks an alpha as of now and I think we’ll continue to see King spread it around.
@Gi0logy (CanesInsight): Prior to the season I think a lot of experts were expecting a mediocre season (7-4 type of record) and were still not sold on Manny. With the first two weeks now in the books, have your expectations changed for the season and for Manny? Does 8-3 relieve some of the pressure on Manny? Or do we now think it's 10-1 or bust?
My expectations haven’t changed as I thought this was a 9-2 type season. We still have 9 games left with some quality opponents in the not so distant future so lots of football still to go. 8-3 would feel like a disappointment to me because that means we would have a “bad” loss in there somewhere. Losing to an NC State or Wake or UVA would put a damper on the year and all but eliminates us from a shot at making the ACCCG. That adds more pressure on Manny.
@305407cane (CanesInsight): What if we lost the war?
By “the war” I can only assume you’re talking about the Revolutionary War, because without that victory no other war would be the same. To answer the question of what we’d have done if the British defeated us, securing their imperial hold over the colonies, I’ll defer to the words of Thomas Paine in the December 1776 edition of his pamphlet, The American Crisis:
“America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars, without ceasing, will break out till that period arrives, and the continent must in the end be conqueror; for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.”
Just like Miami fans will expect to be back every year, so too would the Americans until they took control.
@uprising (CanesInsight): How much more involved will Manny be in planning/calling the defense? Will the WR's who have the drops start to lose snaps?
I don’t think Manny will be anymore involved in the defense than he has been based on what happened vs. Louisville. The game plan last week was to not let Louisville score TDs on explosive plays (bend but don’t break). They did what they had to do. Louisville has a **** good offense with speed and playmakers everywhere. They got theirs but it was on our terms, long drives. I would have been happy with the defense holding them under 30 and if not for a garbage time TD against backups, that would have been the case. If FSU has 500+ yards and 30+ points then yes, I see Manny getting more involved. I don't foresee that being the case though.
WR’s who struggle with drops should see their snap count decrease. Is that how Likens coaches? We’ll find out. We’re not exactly super deep with playmakers at WR so we don't have a lot of options with only 8 scholarship guys. Getting Payton back will eat into everyone’s snap counts and I would like to see the freshmen get more opportunities.
@Artist Formerly Known As (CanesInsight): Hypothetical: you are on a bridge above a fork in a railroad tracks. You see a train barreling towards you and you control the fork to determine which direction the train goes. On the train’s current path, it is heading towards three young boys playing on the tracks. Death is guaranteed for all three if the train continues on this path. If you pull the lever to switch the fork, it will send the train towards an old man wandering down the track. If the train heads this direction, the old man is certain to die. Do you pull the lever?
Any time there is a discussion of this type of scenario, often referred to as the “Trolley Problem,” the type of act that leads to the death of the lone person is always my focus. Is it more of an act of logic or emotion?
In this case, the simple act of pulling the lever is simple enough to justify a deliberate action, because even though I would technically be choosing who lives and dies, I could, and likely would, rationalize it as an act that saves multiple people. The Doctrine of Double Effect says that “morally grave harm” is allowable as a side effect of a great good. In this case, I would hope to pursue any opportunity to avoid the death of the older man, but if necessary, it could be seen as a necessary side effect of saving three lives.
Other examples of the problem have the responder deciding between allowing the death of several people or actively pushing someone into the tracks to stop the train. This creates a much stronger emotional reaction and would be far more difficult to justify because of this, even though logically the actions of pushing the man and pulling the lever would create the same result.
Miami fans saw Manny Diaz need to make his own trolley problem decision last offseason, electing to sacrifice Enos and Butch Barry after one disastrous year rather than stick with them and risk their incompetence costing the entire staff their jobs with a repeat performance in 2020.
Dan (Twitter): The 2nd level of the defense has been poor from bad angles, slow of foot, and keep getting beat on misdirection Any changes you see to depth chart or scheme to address the problem?
The LBs haven’t been impressive through 2 games, although McCloud did come on strong after a rough few series to start the game. Just from watching the games, we seem slow, both in terms of speed and ability to diagnose plays. Both UAB and Louisville run the outside zone which would further expose slower LBs. I’m not ready to give up on this group yet, but a stong showing is needed against FSU. I’d like to see more of Brooks though.
@ghost2 (CanesInsight): Does Mark Pope have it in him to bounce back and put up numbers, or are we already relegating him to the Jeff Thomas/Lance Leggett pile?
Also favorite sipping bourbon for game day?
I think he does. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a dominant force but he’s not far off from making a big impact. Yes, the one drop was terrible, no getting around that. He drew a pass interference on a deep ball which could have been a touchdown. The one play where he stiff armed the defender before stepping out of bounds was 3 inches from a big play. He is getting open so there is progression from last year, his issues seem more mental than physical at this point.
As far as the bourbon, last week I enjoyed a glass of Hillrock. This week most likely Woodford Reserve. I like to pair that with a victory cigar after each win as well.
@Mr. Dynasty1 (CanesInsight): Does FSU have the skill players to test Miami’s defense like Louisville did 2nd half?
No. FSU has Terry, that’s about it. Louisville with Hawkins, Atwell, Fitzpatrick, and Cunningham is one of the better groups in the ACC and outside of Clemson and maybe UNC, we won’t face a better group of skill guys the rest of the year.
@LokiCane (CanesInsight): Which makes you smile more... Wide Right I, Wide Right II or Wide Left?
It’s hard to compare because the smile is so vast any time I watch any of those games back. The reactions of Bobby Bowden are always the best part for me, from the sheer bamboozlement of the first Wide Right, all the way up to the “I knew that was going to miss” look he had for Wide Left.
That being said, the moment that never fails to brighten my day is when, after the kick sailed right in Wide Right II, Keith Jackson said, “And Bobby Bowden is left to wonder, ‘Why Lord Me?’” Hysterical.
@ddann (CanesInsight): According to historians and archaeologists, the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans, in spite of their many advancements and vast civilizations, did not make use of the wheel. At the same time, most other cultures and nations commonly employed the wheel in everyday applications. How do you explain this apparent technological blind spot in these ancient new world civilizations, and in what ways might an analysis of these issues relate to the possible presence of any current blind spots that may exist in connection with the UM football program when compared to other programs around the country. Thanks.
It’s hard to say that those great civilizations made a mistake in their technological advancements because they were able to do so much with so little. All of the great Mesoamerican civilizations have left artifacts that prove they understood the concept of wheels, but they are mostly limited to simple children’s toys. In that case, what could be described as a “blind spot” is likely more just an apathy to pushing it as a prominent tool of the culture.
Why that is (and why it’s comparably used so prominently in other centuries old cultures) is likely due to their location. While other places around the globe feature flatter, consistent ground that made the advancement of wheel technology a priority, the Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs had to contend with inconsistent, rocky, mountainous, and often muddied ground. Even if one looks at the surviving pathways carved out by these cultures, they often merge right in with the hilly terrain, making wheeled travel more of a hassle than an asset.
Interestingly, Miami had often made decisions based on their location and its strengths that seem to be counter to the standard of other great programs. While Miami is certainly one of the schools with a significant national presence, there has often been discussion about how much needs to be done in national recruiting vs maintaining a largely local focus. While you see the Bamas and the Clemsons of the world getting most of their elite recruits from states across the country, Miami has always known it can thrive by taking advantage of its greatest resource: local talent. While such a focus would cripple most schools and keep them from ever reaching an elite level, it is certainly a viable plan for the Hurricanes.
@OriginalCanesCanesCanes (CanesInsight): I have a question, should we go in (explicit sexual reference deleted) versus FSU? (Should we run it up versus FSU?)
The last 2 weeks we took our foot off the gas. That can’t happen against FSU. Anytime you get a chance to run it up on your rival, you do it. Don’t give them a chance to say “Well, we only lost by 14 in a rebuild year.” Destroy them.
@swampcougar1 (CanesInsight): If you were rating OLs where would you place ours in the ACC after 2 games. I know they have improved and hope to see that continue.
It’s tough to say after 2 games. UAB is a good G5 defense and Louisville is a bottom tier P5 defense. FSU and Clemson will provide a better gauge. If i had to rank now, I’d say middle of the pack. The pass protection has been good but the OL couldn't get a consistent push against Louisville in the run game.
@Luke Caneswalker (CanesInsight): Do you think Amari Carter will be “stereotyped “ this Saturday? I believe the refs view every play he makes as dirty until proven clean.
Yes. Carter is a big time hitter in a game where there are very few left. He’s going to have a “target” on him. This is the modern game of football, any time there is a big collision the refs are going to throw the flag and let replay take it from there.
@ben (CanesInsight): Deep dish pizza -- pizza or casserole?
I’m accepting of all pizza types and varieties, as long as we are in agreement that they are held to different standards. Eliminating true deep dish pizza, though in its purest form it just barely fits the basic pizza qualifications, would be negating the opinion of a significant, though misguided percent of the population.
I will add that New York area pizza is easily the greatest overall pizza type that this country has to offer, and any consideration of something else is a waste of time.
@imyrhuckleberry (CanesInsight): Do you think there will be any holding?
Oh yeah, FSU is going to hold the crap out of us. Will it get called? Probably not. Such is the life of being a Cane.
@SinisterCane (CanesInsight): How would you rate FSU defense?
Despite holding GT to 16 points, that could have easily been 30+ if not for a true freshman making game 1 mistakes. I’m not a fan of their DC who came with Norvell from Memphis, those defenses were very “meh”. They have talent, the starting lineup is filled with 4 and 5 star guys, and they are going to be fired up to face a ranked Miami team. My money is on Lashlee to make their lives **** on Saturday night.
@JD08 (CanesInsight): 1. We dominated using our run game against UAB and using our passing game against Louisville. What do you think will be our most dominant aspect against FSU?
2. What exactly is wrong with wearing white after Labor Day? We kicked *** last week.
Question 1 is a great question. The answer depends on what FSU tries to do on defense. If they want to load the box and make King beat them passing then so be it. If they want to play bend but don't break we will run it down their throats. If I was FSU, I’d blitz nearly every down and see if the OL and King can handle it.
I’m not what anyone would call a “fashion guy” so the whole no white after Labor Day just confuses me. The storm trooper uniforms have become one of my favorite combos though. I wouldn't mind if they became our primetime road uniforms.
@PinellasCane (CanesInsight): Which WR will feast against the FSU defense?
Hopefully one of them because this group had a rough go last week. I’m focusing on Payton this week as I think he’ll see an increase in snaps after Harley’s and Pope’s drops. This group lacks an alpha as of now and I think we’ll continue to see King spread it around.
@Gi0logy (CanesInsight): Prior to the season I think a lot of experts were expecting a mediocre season (7-4 type of record) and were still not sold on Manny. With the first two weeks now in the books, have your expectations changed for the season and for Manny? Does 8-3 relieve some of the pressure on Manny? Or do we now think it's 10-1 or bust?
My expectations haven’t changed as I thought this was a 9-2 type season. We still have 9 games left with some quality opponents in the not so distant future so lots of football still to go. 8-3 would feel like a disappointment to me because that means we would have a “bad” loss in there somewhere. Losing to an NC State or Wake or UVA would put a damper on the year and all but eliminates us from a shot at making the ACCCG. That adds more pressure on Manny.
@305407cane (CanesInsight): What if we lost the war?
By “the war” I can only assume you’re talking about the Revolutionary War, because without that victory no other war would be the same. To answer the question of what we’d have done if the British defeated us, securing their imperial hold over the colonies, I’ll defer to the words of Thomas Paine in the December 1776 edition of his pamphlet, The American Crisis:
“America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars, without ceasing, will break out till that period arrives, and the continent must in the end be conqueror; for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.”
Just like Miami fans will expect to be back every year, so too would the Americans until they took control.
@uprising (CanesInsight): How much more involved will Manny be in planning/calling the defense? Will the WR's who have the drops start to lose snaps?
I don’t think Manny will be anymore involved in the defense than he has been based on what happened vs. Louisville. The game plan last week was to not let Louisville score TDs on explosive plays (bend but don’t break). They did what they had to do. Louisville has a **** good offense with speed and playmakers everywhere. They got theirs but it was on our terms, long drives. I would have been happy with the defense holding them under 30 and if not for a garbage time TD against backups, that would have been the case. If FSU has 500+ yards and 30+ points then yes, I see Manny getting more involved. I don't foresee that being the case though.
WR’s who struggle with drops should see their snap count decrease. Is that how Likens coaches? We’ll find out. We’re not exactly super deep with playmakers at WR so we don't have a lot of options with only 8 scholarship guys. Getting Payton back will eat into everyone’s snap counts and I would like to see the freshmen get more opportunities.
@Artist Formerly Known As (CanesInsight): Hypothetical: you are on a bridge above a fork in a railroad tracks. You see a train barreling towards you and you control the fork to determine which direction the train goes. On the train’s current path, it is heading towards three young boys playing on the tracks. Death is guaranteed for all three if the train continues on this path. If you pull the lever to switch the fork, it will send the train towards an old man wandering down the track. If the train heads this direction, the old man is certain to die. Do you pull the lever?
Any time there is a discussion of this type of scenario, often referred to as the “Trolley Problem,” the type of act that leads to the death of the lone person is always my focus. Is it more of an act of logic or emotion?
In this case, the simple act of pulling the lever is simple enough to justify a deliberate action, because even though I would technically be choosing who lives and dies, I could, and likely would, rationalize it as an act that saves multiple people. The Doctrine of Double Effect says that “morally grave harm” is allowable as a side effect of a great good. In this case, I would hope to pursue any opportunity to avoid the death of the older man, but if necessary, it could be seen as a necessary side effect of saving three lives.
Other examples of the problem have the responder deciding between allowing the death of several people or actively pushing someone into the tracks to stop the train. This creates a much stronger emotional reaction and would be far more difficult to justify because of this, even though logically the actions of pushing the man and pulling the lever would create the same result.
Miami fans saw Manny Diaz need to make his own trolley problem decision last offseason, electing to sacrifice Enos and Butch Barry after one disastrous year rather than stick with them and risk their incompetence costing the entire staff their jobs with a repeat performance in 2020.
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