Spring Break
Miami not benefiting as 'Cradle'
Worm hole
Eric Wormus
Issue date: 11/6/07 Section: Sports
Miami University is called "The Cradle of Coaches," a nickname the university wears around its neck as a symbol of pride and accomplishment for its athletic teams, but especially football.
Penn State is referred to as "Linebacker U" and has had Head Coach Joe Paterno at the helm for 42 years, longer than some of our parents have been alive. Florida State has Bobby Bowden, who has been the head coach since 1976. And Miami has "The Cradle of Coaches." How proud should we really be of this?
We got our hands on Ara Parseghian, Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler before they went onto bigger and better football programs. Yet, when 99 percent of the population hear the names Parseghian, Hayes and Schembechler they think of University of Notre Dame, Ohio State University and University of Michigan respectively.
It's not like Miami doesn't know how to keep coaches. Miami just recently showed its commitment to the hockey program, locking up Head Coach Enrico Blasi until 2016-17. Blasi has been the coach for the past nine years. On the basketball side, Miami has stuck with Coach Charlie Coles since 1996.
For some reason, when it comes to the football program, we are happy, even proud to watch coaches blossom at another university. How much different would Miami be right now if Woody Hayes or Bo Schembechler had decided to stay here instead of jolting for the bright lights of the Big Ten?
Miami may not have the rich football tradition of an Ohio State, Michigan or Notre Dame, but that has not stopped other schools from building solid football programs. How many people knew the University of South Florida was in Tampa Bay until this season? The Bulls didn't even have a football program until 1996. In 1997 they played in Division I-AA, finally moving into I-A in 2001. This season, USF Head Coach Jim Leavitt had the Bulls ranked all the way to No. 2 in the BCS, and in position for a possible shot at the National Championship. Had Leavitt chosen to leave South Florida and lead the University of Florida or the University of Miami to that No. 2 ranking, who knows where the USF would be, but probably not their current No. 19 BCS ranking?
Penn State is referred to as "Linebacker U" and has had Head Coach Joe Paterno at the helm for 42 years, longer than some of our parents have been alive. Florida State has Bobby Bowden, who has been the head coach since 1976. And Miami has "The Cradle of Coaches." How proud should we really be of this?
We got our hands on Ara Parseghian, Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler before they went onto bigger and better football programs. Yet, when 99 percent of the population hear the names Parseghian, Hayes and Schembechler they think of University of Notre Dame, Ohio State University and University of Michigan respectively.
It's not like Miami doesn't know how to keep coaches. Miami just recently showed its commitment to the hockey program, locking up Head Coach Enrico Blasi until 2016-17. Blasi has been the coach for the past nine years. On the basketball side, Miami has stuck with Coach Charlie Coles since 1996.
For some reason, when it comes to the football program, we are happy, even proud to watch coaches blossom at another university. How much different would Miami be right now if Woody Hayes or Bo Schembechler had decided to stay here instead of jolting for the bright lights of the Big Ten?
Miami may not have the rich football tradition of an Ohio State, Michigan or Notre Dame, but that has not stopped other schools from building solid football programs. How many people knew the University of South Florida was in Tampa Bay until this season? The Bulls didn't even have a football program until 1996. In 1997 they played in Division I-AA, finally moving into I-A in 2001. This season, USF Head Coach Jim Leavitt had the Bulls ranked all the way to No. 2 in the BCS, and in position for a possible shot at the National Championship. Had Leavitt chosen to leave South Florida and lead the University of Florida or the University of Miami to that No. 2 ranking, who knows where the USF would be, but probably not their current No. 19 BCS ranking?
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Ron Adams
posted 11/06/07 @ 5:24 PM EST
You hit it right on the head with your football program. When recruits arrive at Miami they hear about all the coaches that went on to greatness elsewhere. (Continued…)
Brian Halas
posted 11/06/07 @ 7:45 PM EST
The salary paid to Miami head coaches (football, basketball, etc.) are among the lowest of all D1 schools and oftentimes lower than many top assistant coaches. (Continued…)
Jay
posted 11/08/07 @ 4:02 PM EST
Also you're comparing Oxford (MU) with Tampa Bay (USF). Where do you think your average recruit wants to be/play? I loved Oxford during my time there, but that's not where the big recuits want to go. (Continued…)
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