Spring Break
Miami needs strong finish in 2008-09
Dan Kukla
Issue date: 8/26/08 Section: Sports
Last year the RedHawks gave Miami fans more twists, turns (and unfortunately falls) then an Olympic U.S. women's gymnastics team event. At one point, the RedHawks had a legitimate chance to complete the triple crown of mid-major sports: a trip to a bowl game, the NCAA men's basketball tournament and the Frozen Four. In the end, however, they each lost their balance and fell to a quite agonizing defeat.
The football team started the emotional rollercoaster with a surprising run at the MAC championship game. After a fair share of both successes and failures during a rigorous non-conference schedule, Miami then managed to win all of the right games down the stretch to clinch a spot in the title bout. Up by 10 at halftime against archrival Ohio University in the final game of the regular season, all signs pointed to the 'Hawks bowling in December. Instead, 31 second-half Bobcat points sent them stumbling into the championship game where a superior Central Michigan team slapped them with an embarrassing 25 point loss. End result: no crown and no bowl.
On the hardwood, the RedHawks again played a less-than-spectacular regular season but still did just enough to be in position for postseason glory. With the same record (15-14) as the 2007 Miami squad that ran the table in its MAC tournament as a No. 4 seed, the fifth seeded 2008 'Hawks looked to renew their mid-March magic. Wins against Buffalo and Ohio in the first two rounds sent them to the semifinals and had the Miami faithful hoping. A Kenny Hayes lay-up that evened the score against the No. 1 seeded Golden Flashes with 34 seconds left had them believing. Once again, however, the RedHawks fell short as a 15-footer by Kent State guard Al Fisher kept Miami's dancing shoes packed up for good. End result: no championship and no NCAA berth.
Watching these two teams stall in the clutch proved painful enough. Even though they each surpassed their otherwise modest pre-season expectations, the unforeseen success only made RedHawk fans hunger for more. Needless to say, they were none too happy when the manna from heaven stopped falling.
The football team started the emotional rollercoaster with a surprising run at the MAC championship game. After a fair share of both successes and failures during a rigorous non-conference schedule, Miami then managed to win all of the right games down the stretch to clinch a spot in the title bout. Up by 10 at halftime against archrival Ohio University in the final game of the regular season, all signs pointed to the 'Hawks bowling in December. Instead, 31 second-half Bobcat points sent them stumbling into the championship game where a superior Central Michigan team slapped them with an embarrassing 25 point loss. End result: no crown and no bowl.
On the hardwood, the RedHawks again played a less-than-spectacular regular season but still did just enough to be in position for postseason glory. With the same record (15-14) as the 2007 Miami squad that ran the table in its MAC tournament as a No. 4 seed, the fifth seeded 2008 'Hawks looked to renew their mid-March magic. Wins against Buffalo and Ohio in the first two rounds sent them to the semifinals and had the Miami faithful hoping. A Kenny Hayes lay-up that evened the score against the No. 1 seeded Golden Flashes with 34 seconds left had them believing. Once again, however, the RedHawks fell short as a 15-footer by Kent State guard Al Fisher kept Miami's dancing shoes packed up for good. End result: no championship and no NCAA berth.
Watching these two teams stall in the clutch proved painful enough. Even though they each surpassed their otherwise modest pre-season expectations, the unforeseen success only made RedHawk fans hunger for more. Needless to say, they were none too happy when the manna from heaven stopped falling.
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