Leonard Hankerson on Belitnikoff List
UM’s Leonard Hankerson is a preseason candidate for the Belitnikoff Award, presented annually to the best collegiate receiver.
The senior from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale led the Hurricanes in receiving last season with 45 receptions for 801 yards and six touchdowns.
Brandon Harris on Nagurski, Thorpe Preseason Lists
UM’s Brandon Harris is on the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive player by the Charlotte Touchdown Club, and is a preseason candidate for the Jim Thorpe Trophy, presented annually to the best defensive back.
The junior from Booker T. Washington High School in Miami was a first team All-ACC selection last season and is a 2010 Sporting News Preseason All-America selection.
Allen Bailey Added to 4th Watchlist
UM’s defensive lineman Allen Bailey was added to the watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award (down linemen) on Friday.
The senior from Sapelo, Georgia is also up for the Bednarik Award (best defensive player), Ted
Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (also best defensive player).
Colin McCarthy on Butkus Watch List
UM’s Colin McCarthy is on the preseason watch list for the Dick Butkus Award, presented annually to the nation’s top linebacker. The senior from Clearwater Catholic High School was a second team All-ACC selection last season and joins fellow ‘Cane linebacker Sean Spence on the list.
McCarthy is also on the Bednarik Award list (best defensive player in college) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy list (best defensive player).
Matt Bosher on Groza Watch List
UM’s Matt Bosher is on the preseason watch list for the Lou Groza Award, presented annually to the nation’s top placekicker. The senior kicker from Jupiter, Florida is also a candidate for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award, which recognizes seniors who excel in the areas of community, classroom, character and competition.
Read AP reporter Tim Reynold’s recent story on Bosher here.
Miami Arena? Yeah, I Miss It
Miami Arena? Yeah, I miss it.
With its small capacity and lack of suites a beancounter’s nightmare, they did get one thing right.
The catwalks. Rafters. Whatever you want to call them. Most of you never looked up there, let alone walked on them. But with their placement, they were perfect for us photographers. For basketball, they crossed right above the rim on both ends. Another pair even lined up perfectly over goal for the Florida Panthers’ first five seasons.
I often mounted a remote over the basket in those days, as evidenced by the shot of James Jones against Providence College in 2000. This image is one of 290 images from the 2000 season I recently uploaded to the Caneshooter Archive. The ‘Canes won the Big East regular season championship that year and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the tournament.
When the ‘Canes moved to the BankUnited Center on campus, our perfect overhead remotes were history. The new building’s catwalks span the outside perimeter of the floor, and only one crosses the court, right above the scoreboard. There is one location for an off-center view of the hoop, and I may try it out this upcoming season.
So despite the inch thick layer of dust, chalk marks of how many bolts were loose and occasional rat, I kind of liked the “old” place. I’m likely the only one.
Orlando Franklin: All Business?
A story in today’s Miami Herald describes ‘Canes OL Orlando Franklin as “all business” and that he is “a scowler.”
Except after wins over Oklahoma, that is:
Reggie Johnson Makes SI’s Breakout List
Sophomore center Reggie Johnson has been named as one of five breakout sophomores to watch by Sports Illustrated’s Luke Winn.
Winn has tested out a statistical method of identifying breakout sophomores based on a Basketball Prospectus study of players’ possession usage over their first three seasons.
Nebraska forward Christian Standhardinger, Texas forward Jordan Hamilton, Villanova guard Maalik Wayns and UCLA forward Reeves Nelson also made Winn’s list.
Read more at Sports Illustrated’s web site.
Zampogna, Gonzalez, Marley on allCanes Radio Tonight
Former ‘Canes Rohan Marley, Joaquin Gonzalez and Francesco Zampogna will join Brian “The Beast” London on allCanes Radio, live from Smoke’t Southern Kitchen and Tap in Coral Gables tonight at 7pm.
Marley played at Miami from 1992-94 and played for Ottawa of the CFL in 1995. He is the son of the late reggae legend Bob Marley.
Gonzalez starred at Miami from 1997-2001 and spent four years in the NFL with the Browns and Colts.
Zampogna was the ‘Canes primary kicker during the 2007 season. Showing the form of Garo Yepremian but the results of Dan Marino, his touchdown pass on a fake field goal (above) helped lift the ‘Canes past the Seminoles in Tallahassee that year.
Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald will also appear.
You can listen to allCanes Radio online by visiting allCanes.com.
Cleveland Rocks Saturday’s Practice
Seantrel who?
Asante Cleveland, a 6’5,” 255 pound freshman tight end from Sacramento, California, was the newcomer to watch during Saturday’s practice in front of 3000 ‘Canes fans.
Cleveland sure caught Coach Shannon’s eye; he had this to say while meeting with reporters after practice: “I’m very excited about Asante Cleveland’s performance today. The big catch he had with three people around him was unbelievable.”
Rolle Media Guide Gaffe Not FSU SID’s Worst Error
After reading “Cane Mutiny” author Bruce Feldman’s retweet from Heath Cline about the 2010 FSU media guide featuring Rhodes Scholar Myron Rolle on its academics page and misspelling his name “Myrone,” I was reminded this gaffe wasn’t the most egregious one in ‘Noles Sports Information history.
Back in the fall of 1982, Florida State printed 10,000 copies of its 125th Anniversary special edition football program before someone noticed one of the fans on the cover was none other than Miami Hurricanes baseball coach Ron Fraser. Fraser, fresh off the ‘Canes first College World Series title, was photographed as part of a crowd shot with his daughter Lynda, who attended FSU at the time. While Fraser is a FSU alum, his claim to fame being “The Wizard of College Baseball” was due to his success of leading the rival Miami baseball program to national prominence.
Needless to say, the program was pulled after the discovery.
Neither case compares to the Florida Gators putting a photo of a crocodile on the cover of their 2003 media guide. Only in “Floriduh!”
Thanks to John Clough for the Rolle story and to Karen Fraser for the program story and the copy of the program shown above.