Accent writer Mauricio Vieira squeezed into a packed Two Last Shoes last Friday for the latest version of FM. The night had a full line-up of electronic talent. Local IDM artists Romulo Del Castillo and Joshua Kay brought back their soulful work as Soul Oddity, of Astralwerks label caliber (Fatboy Slim, Chemical Brothers). Headlining was English electronic artist Carl Finlow; a.k.a. Silicon Scally, bringing his entire set of equipment-an itsy-bitsy Apple iBook. His hour-long set grooved the house with quirky and utterly original Miami bass, made in the U.K.
Miami Hurricane: First of all, how do you define your music? The revved up beats are not accessible to everyone, it’s clear, but after the fifth selection people were demonstrably digging it, especially with the addition of melodic elements.
Silicon Scally: I find it hard to label my music, but thoughtful electro would do. The live set was put together using nearly all new tracks that nobody has heard. I wanted to ease the Miami crowd into my sound, starting slower and very melodic, and gradually move into the more rhythmic stuff and ending in a mixture of both so that the set had a flow and a purpose.
MH: How did you begin to get involved in this type of thing?
SS: I got involved in the music ‘industry’ in 1990. I was a bedroom musician, and started hooking up with local djs and clubs etc. One thing led to another and more and more records came along. I started a house label, too, with my friend and dj Ralph Lawson. Our label 2020 Vision has been going for some five to six years and we’ve had about 75 12″ out and several albums. This output has given me a decent amount of notoriety around the globe and has also helped to get my electro noticed too.
MH: Where do you want to take your music?
SS: I’m always expanding my music. Of late I’ve been entering female vocals into the equation, and see this as being an exciting development, as well as a sexy one! But overall, I’m heading down a very digital path; I’ve sold all my studio equipment and now just use an Apple iBook.
MH: Who did you listen to when you first got involved?
SS: My first contact with ‘dance music’ came in 1989. I’m from a small town and it had no ‘scene’. I came to a study in Leeds, in northern England, and from here started to hear stuff in nightclubs etc. These were my first tastes of house, techno and so on.
MH: What do you listen to now?
SS: I couldn’t tell you names and still can’t! I’ve not got a record player, I don’t buy records and I rarely listen to them. It sounds a bit strange I suppose being as though that’s how I make my living, but I just prefer to make my own stuff and don’t really pay much attention to what goes on around me- I’m trying to do my own thing and keep it original.
MH: What did you think about the crowd in Miami?
SS: The gig in Miami was so special for me. Of all the electro gigs I’ve ever played, this one meant the most to me. I was in the heart of electro land! And I could REALLY feel it- I won’t ever forget that night- thank you Miami Bass crew!
MH: How is the scene in the U.K. currently?
SS: The scene in the U.K. is very small I think, nothing like Miami. My music is very much a niche market. My house music has a much wider audience though and as such, that pays my bills.
MH: What is your method of composing? Can you list a few things you use in terms of equipment?
SS: My method of composing is quite simple. I sit at my laptop and use Cubase VST5. Within this program I can use all manner of virtual synths, drums and FX processors. I normally start by making some beats using NI Battery, then I’ll gradually layer more and more synth elements using plugs like NI Absynth, PRO52, PPG, Waldorf Attack and a vast range of FX plugs. Once I feel I have enough elements, I’ll build them all into an arrangement, then master it down straight to CD within the laptop. I’m totally digital these days. I used to have a full 32 track studio full of gear, but now it’s just me and the ibook (thank God for apple).
MH: Did you ever have any problems with the setup you have, namely the iBook crashing, putting you in a tight situation?
SS: Solid as a rock so far…I know its limits and never abuse it; the show has to go on. There is nothing worse than a club full of paid up punters watching someone’s rig spin out before their eyes- they didn’t pay to see me clown about with wires and a torch; I want maximum stability.
MH: What were your worst and best performances and why?
SS: Worst performance was in the early 90’s with an indie band I was in. They got me into the band to make it a bit more dancey, but to be honest, they couldn’t cut it and played very badly to my computer tracks. On our final fateful gig, it sounded rubbish, and the whole club started booing and shouting “What a waste of money!”- and they were dead right too! Best gig… There have been a load that I’ve loved. As I mentioned, the Miami gig was super cool. There have been many European gigs too that I’ve really loved. The house gigs in our local town with all our local fans are always great too, they all know the tracks and they’re all personal friends so the vibe is sweet.
MH: When are you coming back to Miami?
SS: I’d come back to Miami tomorrow if I could. Everyone I met was super cool. I’d especially like to say a big thanks to Chris St. Cavish from Mass Transit who got me out there for the gig, to Rom from Soul Oddity for putting me up at his crib and showing me round, and to Alpha 606 for the best laugh I’ve had in ages! There are too many people to list really, but to all that I met- A BIG THANK YOU!
Two Last Shoes is located at 2826 N. Miami Ave., tel. 305-438-0810.
Silicon Scally says Miami’s ‘heart of electro land’
‘Tenenbaums’ A Regal Hit
The Royal Tenenbaums are no less than a regular family doing irregular things. But what makes this family special is their sensational love for lying, stealing, cheating, arguing and fighting- but with their loves come their hates. And with their hates comes a gritty film about divorce, interracial marriage, incest, drugs, and a child’s primary need to be loved. Director Wes Anderson delves into the inner psyche like no other before, and brings to life a beautifully meticulous story.
His third installment to date, Anderson began his road to fame with a small independent film called Bottle Rocket. Catching the appeal of critics and studios alike, he returned with the dry humored Rushmore. Once again, he was acclaimed for his work. But now he’s taken a different turn. Unlike his previous films, Tenenbaums takes a deeper approach to the comedy aspect of family matters.
Anderson and I had the chance to speak about this movie.
He walks to the table in a too-small tailored suit, sneakers, and wire frame glasses, looming over the table. He may not appear to be a major Hollywood player, but the growing sentiment in the business says otherwise. Like his characters, Anderson is nothing like he appears on the surface.
“How long can you keep directing films that don’t make any money?”
“Well, probably not very long,” he replies with a chuckle. Tenenbaums, at a cost of twenty five million, his biggest budgeted film to date, and with a cast of such magnitude, represents to many Anderson’s baptism to the mainstream.
“It’s intimidating to have all these big actors at first, but I pretty quickly became comfortable with them,” he said.
Independent from traditional studio thinking, big names have taken notice of Anderson’s work. This particular cast has put their trust into Anderson’s reputation, sacrificing paydays and their usual creative control for the greater good.
But perhaps the actors are attracted to Anderson’s unyielding internal vision of composition. Every shot is meticulously planned and executed within his head. This is not an easy task, considering Anderson is a fairly new director. Even though inspiration is not hard to come by, his accomplishments come from only the best.
Roman Polanski, John Houston, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, all famous for story and characterization, not for their epic nature, are sources from which Anderson draws his creative insight. Though Anderson need not look that far for direction. Similarities run rampant in his own family dynamics.
“There’s a lot of stuff connected to [my mother],” he said. “The main thing that is her is the way that she encouraged the children to pursue all these different activities and expose them to a lot of different things and keep them kind of motivated in all their pursuits.”
And this motivation is what spawned Anderson’s work more than anything. The Royal Tenenbaums is a brilliant film that dares to juggle taboo subjects about life in general. But that’s not all. The layer of thinking lies far beneath the grain, submerged in a world of reality and reverie.
So what’s next in life for Anderson? Will he ever going to give into the big bucks of FX films?
“Well, I don’t have an idea for one, ” he said. “So I don’t know, it might be fun, but it’s certainly not something I’m that excited to do.”
But one thing can be sure, whatever his next project will be, he will not have to take that endeavor alone.
Backing him up will be only the best, for a director that assures nothing but the best deserves it.
The Royal Tenenbaums: featuring Gene Hackman , Anjelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller, Bill Murray and Danny Glover. Rated R.
Berlin transfers from UF – Spurrier’s old home
When the Hurricanes renew their regular season series with Florida in September, there will be a significant absence from the Gators sideline.
The visored-one, Steve Spurrier, will no longer be roaming Florida Field in Gainesville, having departed for the NFL and the Washington Redskins. In his stead will be Ron Zook, a former Gators assistant who was demoted by Spurrier during his tenure.
The Gators, who were this year’s preseason No. 1, will have to try and improve on their 10-2 record with some other notable omissions. Wide receivers Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell decided to try their luck in the NFL as well, and will skip their final seasons of eligibility.
Gaffney, a red-shirt sophomore, ranked 10th nationally in receiving with 74 catches for 1309 yards, while Caldwell ranked 16th nationally with 69 catches for 1106 yards.
Quarterback Rex Grossman and wide receiver Taylor Jacobs did decide to stay at UF and are still a lethal combination.
“My new favorite target is No. 6 [Jacobs], and I’m just glad he’s staying,” Grossman said. “If he was going to leave, there was a good chance I was going to leave, too. Not that the other receivers aren’t going to be good, but my receivers would have been gone, my coach would have been gone. I would have had to learn a whole new system.”
Spurrier’s resignation also shook up more than Gator Country and had a direct affect on the Hurricanes. Quarterback Brock Berlin, who toiled behind Grossman at UF, was already thinking of transferring to Miami when he heard news of Spurrier’s resignation. That made the decision easier for Berlin.
“Obviously, one of the biggest reasons I came to the University of Florida was to play for coach Steve Spurrier,” Berlin said at a news conference in his hometown of Shreveport, La. “It made a difference when the guy I came there for left, but there were other reasons, too.”
Berlin wasted his freshman year behind Grossman and Jesse Palmer, not playing that much once Grossman emerged as Spurrier’s man. But the former No. 1 high school recruit was used enough early in the year to lose his red-shirt, and his chances of getting any significant starting time at UF was dwindling.
Berlin did start in this year’s Orange Bowl against Maryland in place of a suspended Grossman. He threw for 11-for-19 for 196 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
Berlin is scheduled to be taking classes at UM this semester in order to participate in spring practice. Then, under NCAA guidelines, the sophomore would have to sit out a year before playing for the ‘Canes.
That sets up the opportunity for Berlin to be the Hurricanes’ next great quarterback, with Dorsey graduating after next season. Berlin would have two years of eligibility left in 2003, and would have to fight off current UM backups Derrick Crudup and Buck Ortega.
Also in the mix is Marc Guillon, a senior at Miramonte High in Orinda, Calif., who has orally committed to Miami. The incoming freshman from Dorsey’s old high school would be a red-shirt freshman in 2003, but would seemingly have two years to start at Quarterback U.
For now, Dorsey is the quarterback of the present and Berlin is happy to possibly succeed him.
“I just wanted to make sure I was making the right choice,” Berlin said. “I felt good about it. I was looking for the best situation for me.”
Sports Briefs
TRACK AND FIELD
The Miami men’s and women’s track teams competed at the Florida Intercollegiates Meet at the University of Florida in Gainesville last Saturday. The event featured athletes from UM, Florida, Florida State, UCF, South Florida, Bethune-Cookman, FIU, Florida A&M, North Florida and Jacksonville. Lauryn Williams won the women’s 55-meter dash and broke the school record with a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 6.87. The Miami women return to competition at the North Carolina Invitational at Chapel Hill, N.C. on January 18th-19th. The men’s team next competes in the North Carolina Invitational on January 25th-26th.
SWIMMING AND DIVING
The Miami women’s and men’s swim teams lost to Clemson and Rutgers at the Norman Whitten Pool on Saturday, January 5th. Clemson defeated the men’s team 127-43 and the women’s team 133-68. Rutgers defeated the men’s team 151-37 and the women’s team 112-89. Senior Wesley Stoddard won the men’s 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:42.85. Stoddard also captured first in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:39.84. Sophomore Manon van Rooijen took first in the women’s 100-yard freestyle (52.18) with Erin Johns finishing fifth (53.78), Heather Soloman (Getzville, N.Y.) ninth (56.37) and Josie Huffman 12th (57.80). Van Rooijen took second in the women’s 200-yard freestyle (1:53.49) with Samantha Caetano of Rutgers won the event with a time of 1:52.13. Junior Christine Williams finished second in the women’s 50-yard freestyle (24.16). Freshman Kristy MacLennan finished second in the women’s 200-yard butterfly (2:05.84) and third in the 200-yard IM (2:10.19). Sophomore Courtney Caples took third place in the women’s 200-yard breaststroke (2:25.58). In the relay events, Miami (3:32.14) finished second behind Clemson (3:31.93) in the women’s 400-yard freestyle and third in the 400-yard Medley (3:57.96) behind Clemson (3:54.86) and Rutgers (3:56.22). Miami’s swim teams return to action on January 19th in Jacksonville in a meet with North Florida and the College of Charleston.
SOCCER
University of Miami soccer player Lisa Gomez started for the Mexican national team in a match against the United States on Saturday, Jan. 12 at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. Gomez, a junior defender, played the entire match broadcasted live on ESPN 2 in a losing cause as the Mexicans fell 7-0 to the defending World Cup Champions. Gomez was recently named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-South Third Team after leading the Hurricanes to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. She finished the season with four goals, three assists and 11 points. She scored the game-winning goal in Miami’s 3-0 shutout victory over Florida Atlantic (Sept. 4, 2001).
Tennis rebounds during Spring Fling
Despite winning only two of their first eleven singles matches, the University of Miami men’s tennis team maintained their focus on victory throughout this past weekend’s Miami Spring Fling. This determination guided the Hurricanes to win nine of the last eleven singles matches, balancing this weekend’s singles record to 11-11. The preseason tournament consisted of Clemson University, 18th-ranked Miami, 13th-ranked Texas A&M, and No. 6 Illinois.
The Hurricanes’ most impressive outing was against Clemson on Monday when they won five out of their seven singles matches. The day was highlighted by freshman Andrew McDade’s remarkable three-set victory (7-6, 2-6, 6-3) over Clemson’s Damiisa Robinson.
McDade was also victorious when he teamed up with junior Andrew Golub earlier that day to defeat Clemson’s No. 2 doubles team of Robinson and Madreadi Skinner (8-2). Miami’s top two seniors, Jose Lieberman and Tomas Smid bounced back after losing all their singles matches to Texas A&M and Illinois Monday – Lieberman beating Marko Gojanovic (6-4, 6-2) and Smid defeating Matt Walton (6-0, 6-1).
Freshman Todd Widom was the most successful Hurricane at the Spring Fling, finishing 2-0 in No. 1 singles and 3-0 in doubles competition where he was teamed up with a different partner each day.
“Todd will lead us at the No. 1 spot this spring,” said UM head coach Jay Berger. “But seniors like Jose and Tomas really need to step it up.”
Widom now has six consecutive victories at the No. 1 spot, which makes him 11-2 in singles overall.
“I would love to win all my matches,” Widom said. “I’ve played with a lot of the competition, but there is still a lot I haven’t seen.”
Miami’s battle with Illinois on Sunday focused on senior Joel Berman, who made his first singles appearance in over a year after suffering an elbow injury. Berman, now fully recovered, cruised by Illinois’ Conner Murnighan (6-3, 6-2) and he and Widom beat Alex Hobson and Alex Meresan (8-5) in an exciting doubles victory.
“Right now he’s playing good tennis,” Berger said. “He’s probably playing better now than he did before his injury. We just have to make sure he stays healthy.”
Berger wasn’t as pleased with anyone’s tennis on Saturday. Miami’s lone singles victory came on Golub’s close match (4-6, 6-4, 7-5) with Texas A&M’s Keith From at No. 2 singles. The Hurricanes did have success in two doubles matches, as the freshmen team of Justin Kinney and Widom defeated Derrick Bauer and Ante Matijevic (9-7) and the senior squad of Berman and Tarik El Bassiouni won 8-2 over Hunter Emmott and Khaled El Dorry.
With Miami’s spring season underway, Berger recognized that the ‘Canes must improve if they want to live up to and improve on their preseason ranking.
“It’s a starting point and we hope to move up from there,” Berger said. “But you don’t get any points in the beginning for being 18th, you get them by winning matches.”
‘Canes glad to be home
After dropping the final two decisions of their season-long three game road trip, the University of Miami women’s basketball team found the perfect remedy for their slump – home cooking.
The Hurricanes took advantage of a large Wednesday night crowd, defeating Big East foe Syracuse in a 75-71 overtime thriller. Sophomore forward Shaquana Wilkins came off the bench to score a career high 26 points for Miami, who improved to 10-6 (3-3 Big East) with the win.
“Coming into this game, I was thinking about defense and that if I’m playing good defense, then the offense will come and that’s exactly what happened,” Wilkins said.
In 33 minutes of play, Wilkins shot 11-of-17 from the field and added 10 rebounds. Sophomore Chanivia Broussard also recorded a double-double, posting 23 points and 15 rebounds. The Hurricanes were able to get viable scoring options against the Orangewomen, but according to head coach Ferne Labati, they won by sticking to the game plan.
“We wanted to attack the zone, stop the penetration, play good three-point defense, and overall be much more patient,” Labati said. “We were able to perform all those things much better tonight.”
The victory comes four days after Miami suffered their most lopsided defeat of the season, losing 96-50 to top-ranked Connecticut at the Hartford Civic Center. After sticking with the Huskies early on, the ‘Canes were bombarded with a 32-6 UConn run to end the first half. Despite Broussard’s 18 points, the Hurricanes couldn’t counter with any weapons to cool down UConn’s up-tempo style, and that was what killed them, according to Labati.
“In order to stay in the game with Connecticut, you have to score,” Labati said. “And when they made their run, we couldn’t answer with any points at all.”
The road swing started off on a positive note, as Miami avenged last season’s 39-37 loss to Rutgers, beating the Scarlet Knights 67-53, in Piscataway, N.J. on Jan. 5. Down by two at halftime, Miami came out firing in the second half and outscored Rutgers 44-28. Senior Martha Bodley provided an unusual spark for the Hurricanes, scoring a career-high 18 points to go along with 14 rebounds.
Miami also got double-digit scoring games from Meghan Saake and Melissa Knight, but it was Bodley who answered every Rutgers possession with a big score of her own.
“I was thinking about how hard I have to work and I was really happy that I could step up, get some points and rebounds, and also get some minutes,” Bodley said.
The joy of defeating Rutgers didn’t last long, however, as Miami fell to West Virginia 57-52 three days later. After getting off to an 18-5 advantage, the Hurricane offense suddenly turned frigid, as Miami was unable to record back to back victories against a team they handled by 16 at home earlier in the season. Broussard scored 14 points to lead a Miami team that shot just 36 percent from the floor.
“We started off real strong and then let them come back on us and we couldn’t quite come back ourselves,” Saake said.
The win against Syracuse puts Miami’s Big East mark right at .500. The schedule doesn’t get any easier, however, as the Hurricanes play host to Big East foe Seton Hall tomorrow afternoon at the Miami Arena before traveling to St. John’s on Wednesday.
The next few games may determine whether there will be life after the regular season for Miami.
UM off to best start in school history
The Miami men’s basketball team has no plans of allowing the school’s recent athletic success to culminate with the football team’s national championship.
The Hurricanes are off to an explosive 16-2 start, earning national respect under second year head coach Perry Clark. Miami is ranked No. 20 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the AP Poll.
Miami matched last season’s win total on Tuesday night, with a 76-69 double overtime victory over Pittsburgh in the Hurricanes Big East home opener. The victory was a much needed quality win over the 15-3 Panthers.
John Salmons converted four free throws in the final 12 seconds and Darius Rice threw down a crowd-pleasing slam-dunk to seal the victory for Miami.
“I’m extremely proud of our effort in the second half because this was a night where not a lot went right for us early and we could have given up,” Clark said. “The guys never quit, always hanging tough with their defense until the offense got going in the second half.”
Salmons finished with a season-high 25 points. The 6-7 senior guard also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists, as Miami improved to 3-2 in Big East play.
“We had to pull this one out,” Salmons said. “We have to win at home in the Big East. You can’t let someone come down and beat you in your own place.”
The Hurricanes trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half, but came back to tie many times down the stretch. Miami did not take the lead until the second overtime.
The Hurricanes had a chance to win in the first overtime, but Marcus Barnes missed two free throws with 1.3 seconds remaining.
“When Marcus went to the line at the end of the first overtime I was sure the game was over,” said Clark. “Every game is a struggle in the Big East.”
Barnes made up for his two missed free throws by connecting on a three-pointer from the corner to extend Miami’s lead to 70-66 in the second overtime. Salmons and Rice then sealed the victory with their six points.
“Any win in the Big East is a good win for our team,” said Rice. “It is really important for us to win our league games at home because the Big East is so balanced.”
While overshadowed by the football team’s success, the Hurricane basketball team began the season with a school record 14-game winning streak.
The streak included a quality 58-53 win over nationally ranked Indiana at the Orange Bowl Classic.
Salmons came a rebound short of a triple double in another impressive victory over Charlotte – a NCAA tournament team a year ago.
The Hurricanes then started 2002 with a tough two-week stretch on the road to begin Big East play.
The Hurricanes began with a 79-71 win at No. 24 Georgetown, giving Miami its 14th straight victory. James Jones made three of Miami’s 10 three-pointers as the Hurricanes’ long distance shooting overcame a strong Georgetown rally.
The Hurricanes traveled next to Connecticut on Jan. 5, and witnesses Huskies big man Johnnie Selvie connect on two free throws with 5.7 seconds left to give UConn a 76-75 victory.
In the following game at St. John’s, Miami was held to one field goal over the final 16 minutes, as the Hurricanes lost their second straight game, 71-60. Miami shot just 10 percent (3-30) from the field in the second half.
“They whipped us,” Clark said. “They came out aggressive. [St. John’s] Mike Jarvis is a great game coach, and he had them ready to play. They whacked us, and we never whacked back.”
The Hurricanes rebounded from their poor performance with a 77-68 victory over Virginia Tech to end the grueling 13-day road trip.
“I don’t think there are many teams in the Big East that can go on the road for 13 days and play at Georgetown, at Connecticut, at St. John’s and at Virginia Tech and go home 2-2. And, we were one basket from going 3-1,” said Clark. “I’m proud of the effort the team gave on this trip.”
The Hurricanes surprising start can be attributed to a balanced scoring attack and strong team defense. These qualities are necessary if the Hurricanes want to be playing in March.
All five starters are averaging in double figures with Rice and Salmons tied for the team lead with 13.4 points per game. Salmons also leads the team in assists with 5.4 per contest, while Jones is the top rebounder with 6.6 per game.
The Hurricanes will need more production off their bench, as the starters have carried the load so far. Rafael Berumen leads all reserves with 3.4 points per game.
The Hurricanes continue Big East play tomorrow at 12 p.m. versus Providence at the Miami Arena.
Did you watch the Rose Bowl? If so, where and with who?
Katie Stacks Junior
“No, because I’m bad luck. I did it for the team!”
(Unable to display picture for Katie)
Burglar’s paradise: UM housing a haven for thieves
I knew something was wrong when I walked in and saw my roommates sitting in the living room wearing grim expressions on their faces.
Check your room, they told me. And as I walked in, it hit me. Several of my things had been thrown on the floor. Some of the dresser drawers were open, barely hanging from their slots.
We had been robbed.
My case of CD’s? Gone. Jewelry lying on the bureau? Gone. My personal CD player on the desk? Gone.
Questions were now racing through my head. What else did they take? Where were the police? Didn’t anybody see this happen? How did they get in? Two of my roommates had also been robbed of some of their things. The thieves had gotten in through the kitchen window, in broad daylight, around lunchtime when none of us were there, and the police had already been there to record what happened. That was it.
We were basically told: “Too bad, it could have been worse, and have a nice day.”
It ain’t pleasant being robbed. It was and still is the worse feeling of violation I have ever experienced; like rape. I had never been robbed before, but surprisingly a lot of on-campus residents have. But there was nothing they could say to relieve me of my anger, despair, and frustration. S– happens, they said. Be thankful that you weren’t there when they were, and, as before, it could have been worse.
I am frustrated at this school, which is supposed to be protecting our safety and preventing things like this from occurring. I know I pay a hell of a lot of money to come here and I expect to have top-notch security on this campus. I’ve been told there’s nothing much one can do about it. But there are tons of things that could be done. People should be warned. Apartments should be armed with some kind of alarm system. Everyone knows that they are extremely vulnerable to robberies. Security should be beefed up around campus, particularly in this building-where not one, not two but three robberies have occurred.
If so much attention is being paid to giving goddamn parking tickets, then where the hell are the police when our homes are getting burglarized? Can you say priority check?
Derek Bramble is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism.
Congratulations from a proud ‘Cane
I was nervous on Jan. 3. I wasn’t one of the many doubters; I knew if our football team came to play they could beat anyone. I just wasn’t sure if they could handle the pressure of a big game like this after a relatively easy season. Imagine my relief when the game began to look like one of my high school football games, only this time I was rooting for the winning team.
Now, as we head into the second semester, we come back as national champions. We did what Florida State University could not do last year, and what the Gators only wished they could have done this year. Not only is our team clearly the best in college sports, they are the best team I have ever had the pleasure of watching. It has certainly been a marvelous climb from the troubles and sanctions of a few years ago. Now UM football is back where it belongs.
I have immensely enjoyed watching the games in the Orange Bowl, where the Hurricanes truly lived up to their name and reputation. I loved watching us beat FSU two years in a row (last year’s home game was the best sporting event I have ever witnessed), and then thrashing Washington. If that didn’t shut the critics up, I bet the Nebraska game will. It has been a pleasure to stand behind this team, especially because many of my friends are Gators or Seminoles. Just think of the bragging rights I now have! It has been an even bigger pleasure to walk around campus and overhear Ed Reed talking about the game clinching interception at Boston College or to walk to class under the shade of a tree only to realize that it is actually Bryant Mc Kinnie- and that he is so tall, I can head butt him in the back of the knee.
Coach Larry Coker has done an outstanding job after the surprising departure of Butch Davis. The whole team has just been amazing. And so I would like to congratulate them; not only for winning, but also for the way they won. It must feel good to be part of the best team in the whole nation. It certainly feels good to be a fan.
Travis Atria is a sophomore majoring in English literature.