The system fails Sean Taylor and rewards killers...

Way to get it wrong again, legal system.

Prosecutors have decided against the death penalty regarding the four scumbags charged with the murder of Miami Hurricane safety great, Sean Taylor because the accused shooter was a minor whent the killing took place.

Even if Eric Rivera was 17-years and a handful of months when he cowardly shot the Pro Bowl safety in his bedroom, it seems moronic that the others directly involved cannot be tried as adults because the minor pulled the trigger - unless they were 'directly' responsible. Co-defendants can't be subject to the death penalty if the alleged shooter isn't.

Let's get this straight - Rivera was man enough to take a life, but due to a legal loophole, not man enough to receive a death sentence for doing so.

Pardon my French, but the irony in that is utter bulls**t and downright pathetic. Is there really that big a difference between 17-years and seven months versus 18-years of age? Rivera is legally a man now, but wasn't last November when the thug and his cronies broke into Taylor's home, with the intent to rob him blind?

Seeing these four scumbags pay the ultimate price wouldn't bring Taylor back. I'm not even sure how I feel about Capital Punishment as general rule, but I do know that hearing "life in prison" for these four selfish S.O.B.'s doesn't seem like justice to me.

Rivera and crew will pay when they finally meet their maker, but for now I pray their jail sentence shows them just how rotten this world can really be if you take a life and choose the path they've chosen. I

hope for them the death sentence would've been the easy way out and that every moment they rot in jail is a living hell for them. They deserve to forever be haunted by the memory of what they did and for taking the beloved Sean Taylor from those who needed him here.

Miami Baseball takes series at Virginia Tech...

Two of three ain't bad, but when you're the top-ranked team in the land and your road opponent enters the series 20-28, with only four conference wins - a sweep should've been in the cards.

The #1 Miami Hurricanes rolled into Blacksburg, VA this weekend for their final road series of the regular season. After smacking up the Hokies 12-4 in Friday' night's contest, the Canes dropped the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, 7-6 and then battled back to a 9-2 victory in the series finale.

Many are being critical of the now 41-6 Canes, but Saturday's early loss should get this team refocused as it enters a very crucial point of the season. Miami hadn't lost since April 23rd; a mid-week tussle with city-rival Florida International, 6-3. Before that, the Canes dropped one on April 19th at Florida State.

No complaints regarding these winning ways, but sometimes an unexpected loss to a lesser opponent is just what the doctor ordered. I cover this program from 3,000 miles away so I have no clue where this team or these kids are mentally. That said, I've seen enough sports to realize that great teams can sometimes lose their focus on some level and a loss can bring things back into perspective.

Miami takes on North Florida this Tuesday night and from there, a three game homestand against #2 North Carolina. The Canes take on the Heels from Thursday to Saturday and the following Wednesday, head to Jacksonville for the ACC Tournament.

If the Canes were going to absorb that sixth loss somewhere, better this weekend than anytime between the 13th and 25th, with all the money on the table. Miami won their 12th straight series this weekend, which is the lone goal of any road trip. Get over Saturday's loss and gear up for the 'real' season ahead.

Breaking down CFN's Miami Hurricanes '08 analysis...

CollegeFootballNews.com broke down the 2008 version of the Miami Hurricanes earlier today. Their Miami preview was pretty solid, but being that CFN has a slew of teams to analyze and only so much time and manpower to do so... I figured I'd take a stab at things and break down their breakdown even further.

The CFN opening: "How patient can Miami be? While there's a good nucleus of players to build around, like RB Javarris James, it could be tempting to throw several true freshmen from this year's great recruiting class to the wolves. Check out the CFN Preview of a Hurricane team that should be better, but should still be a year away."

Hard to disagree that the Canes are at least a year away, despite the beliefs of some of the uber diehards. Miami did reel in a top-ranked class this past February and Randy Shannon has definitely righted the ship, but until the depth returns Miami is still going to have some ups and downs.

A week or so ago I broke down the 2004 tussel with Louisvile, where Miami railled to a 41-38 comeback victory. If you look at the names on that roster, the Canes were loaded and two-deep at some positions. Compare that to 2001 where Miami was damn near three-deep in several spots, it's all a far cry from 2008 where the Canes simply don't have the depth to make a legit run and beat some of the bigger name teams on the schedule.

Sure, anything can happen and that's why they play the game... but it'd take a near flawless season by the Canes, who'd have to remain injury-free, hit the ground running regarding the new youth movement and pull a few upsets to gain the momentum needed to become anything close to a contender in 2008.

This season is all about improvement, valuable playing time for younger players, winning the close games Miami has dropped the past few years and proving the Canes are on the right track, in an effort to haul in another big time class in 2009.

"Although this latest recruiting class has brought a spark and some rare positive national pub back to the Miami program, it’s not likely to have a profound impact on the Hurricanes’ win total in 2008."

Gotta love the "rare positive national pub" jab. Typical. Moving on, I slightly disagree with this class not having a "profound impact on the Hurricanes' win total in 2008." Miami dropped seven games last year. Losses to Oklahoma, Virginia Tech and Virginia were utter beatdowns with no way to spin positively.

That said, losses to North Carolina, Georgia Tech, NC State and Boston College were all winnable games. A 27-0 halftime deficit was the difference-maker in a 33-27 loss at UNC. An inability to stop Tashard Choice on the ground in the second half gave GT the 17-14 win. A 1 of 14 performance by then-quarterback Kirby Freeman caused The U to fall in OT, 19-16 to NCST and even the 28-14 season finale at BC was 14-14 with 11:21 left in the contest.

5-7 could've, should've and would've been 9-3 if last year's team had a little more depth, experience and heart. With a lot of the 'wrong' players gone and the right players in place, Miami can grow leaps and bounds this upcoming season. The ACC crown is still a year away, but winning most of last year's losing efforts is a reality.

Offensively: "The last time Miami started a freshman under center, Bernie Kosar was a teenager on campus in the 1980s. It’ll happen again this year, as Robert Marve tries to reverse a recent trend of inconsistency at quarterback and a last place ACC finish in passing. He’ll be surrounded by 10 players with something to prove, particularly RB Javarris James and WR Sam Shields. James is looking to bounce back from an injury-riddled sophomore season and a drop in production. Shields has a world-class blend of speed, burst, and leaping ability, but needs to put it all together to finally reach his enormous potential."

Ten players have something to prove, but it all starts and finishes with Robert Marve. End of story. Miami has been a non-factor offensively since Ken Dorsey rode out of town with a 38-2 record.

True, ol' Brock Berlin had his share of big time wins while at The U and wound up 5-0 against Florida and Florida State -- but he's also the gunslinger who didn't sling in a 31-7 loss at Virginia Tech, a 10-6 loss to Tennessee, a putrid second half collapse against Clemson (L, 24-17 OT) and another big time faceplant to end the 2004 season with an ACC title on the line (L, 16-10 to the Hokies).

Marve needs to be "the man" and needs to hit the ground running. The Canes will go as far as their quarterback takes them. Period. Yes, Sam Shields needs to be the wideout everyone expects and the frosh and soph wide outs need to step up, but Marve needs to look more Dorseyesque than Kyle-Wronged.

A healthy Javarris James and beefed up Graig Cooper are going to take some of the pressure off the passing attack, while a more experienced offensive line needs to prove their worth.

Defense: "The Cane defense will be looking to rebound from a November collapse that saw it sink to an un-Miami-like 10th place ACC finish in scoring D. While LB Colin McCarthy and DE Eric Moncur will be the catalysts, new coordinator Bill Young will also be weaving in a handful of younger players, including blue-chip true freshmen Marcus Forston, Arthur Brown, and Sean Spence. Keep an eye on sophomore DE Allen Bailey, a converted linebacker who has torn it up in the offseason and possesses a ridiculous combination of size, speed, and strength."

The real key defensively has less to do with the players and more to do with the head honcho pulling the strings. Bill Young is your difference-maker here. He's as important to this defense as Marve is to the offense. Shannon ran the defense from 2001-2006 and there's no mystery why 2007 was the abortion of season as it was; Tim Walton. Walton didn't have the pedigree to run Miami's defense. He couldn't improvise or adjust on the fly and the Canes paid dearly. Most notably in the 48-0 loss to Virginia where the Cavs seems to run the same few offensive plays and the Canes never found a way to stop them.

The upgrade from Walton to Young is the difference between a Yugo and a muscle car. Young is a wily veteran who's made his name on gameplanning for each week's particular opponents and employing the blitz. Young might already have more talent in Miami than he had in just over half a decade in Kansas. The Canes team speed and Young's scheming are going to make this a completely different defense than witnessed in 2007.

And yes, names like Marcus Forston, Arthur Brown and Sean Spence are going to be immediate impact players. Colin McCarthy and Eric Moncur have to pick up where they left off last year and they have to get better with this addition of newer, yet raw, talent. Allen Bailey is going to be an utter freak this season and will be a household name by year's end. No doubt.

Schedule: The Canes will know just how much better they've gotten this off-season in a big hurry. After a warm-up against Charleston Southern, road dates at Florida and Texas A&M could either set the tone for the season or show just how far the program still has to go. On the flip side, the big Coastal showdown against Virginia Tech is at home, missing Clemson and Boston College from the Atlantic, and getting Florida State in Miami are all tremendous breaks. Closing up with three road dates (Virginia, Georgia Tech and NC State) in the final four, with the home game against the Hokies, isn't a plus.

One has to almost pray a hurricane warning is in effect September 6th when Miami is slated to go to Gainesville. This will be the first time in the past six meetings that A) the Canes aren't ranked and B) that the Gators will be the higher ranked team. There was a formula to Miami's six-game win-streak against Florida and that's not the case in 2008. A road game with a freshman QB on one side of the ball and a Heisman winner on the other also doesn't bode well.

The Canes had a similar experience last year getting #4 Oklahoma on the road the second week of the season and we all remember how that played out (L, 51-13). That said, it didn't truly "set the tone" for 2007. The Canes could've absorbed the out of conference loss and moved forward.

The true tone-setter was a 24-14 win against Duke where Miami nursed - and almost blew - a 17-14 lead with upwards of three minutes remaining. If the Canes struggled against the Blue Devils, how would Miami fare the rest of the way conference-wise? How about 2-6 -- with the other win, an inexplicable upset at Florida State.

Wins against Florida or Texas A&M would be great feathers in a young team's cap, but the tone-setter is North Carolina on September 27th. Earn revenge for last season, get to 1-0 in ACC play and gear up for the annual showdown with Florida State the following week.

The home schedule is favorable, but Miami has three road games in November - @Virginia, @ Georgia Tech and @ NC State. Sandwiched in there, a home game against Virginia Tech.

This Miami team will have to actually get BETTER as the year goes on and not backslide like they did in 2007. Games in Gainesville and College Station can literally be thrown out the window as long as this team is ready for ACC play.

The Rest: CFN says James is the best offensive player - I like Cooper. I think the added weight and explosiveness are the difference. James will be much better this year, but I think Coop is the more special player.

Defensively CFN gives the nod to McCarthy, but I like Moncur. Defensive line is the key this season and Moncur needs to be in 2007 what Calais Campbell should've been in 2007. Pressuring opposing quarterbacks and stuffing the run at the line will take the pressure off the linebackers and secondary. Moncur needs a monster season.

Everyone's in agreement that the November 13th match up against Virginia Tech is the game of the year. The ACC could be on the line and Miami will have nine games under their belt by that point of the season. We'll all know by mid-November if this team has jelled or not. This game could mean everything if the Canes have come together or mean little if Miami stumbles in 4-5.

CFN calls the season a 'success' if Miami goes 8-4 and returns to the postseason - and that's the magic number in my book, as well. Eight wins is doable with this home schedule and OOC match ups. But it's also not a gimmie when coming off of 5-7 and some of the shellackings the Canes took last season.

As successful season is one that gives everyone hope for a legit run in 2009. To do that, it'll take the Canes overachieving instead of underachieving. Marve needs to get Miami one step closer back to being Quarterback U. Receivers need to step up and keep progressing - which is a lot considering guys like Lance Leggett and Ryan Moore actually regressed during their tenure at The U.

Guys like Shields and James need to reach their potential, while younger guys need to have an immediate impact.

Defensively, Young needs to be as good as advertised and truly put his fingerprints all over that side of the football. His players need to be quick learners and Miami needs to set the tone early on, instead of simply "reacting" to what other offenses throw their way.

Some other not-so-fun stats that need to change? Fourth quarter scoring. Gone are the days of holding up 'four fingers' and owning the final period of play. Miami needs to take that back, pronto. Last season the Canes were outscored 112-61 in the fourth en route to seven losses.

Regarding third down conversions, opponents were 67 of 174 (39%)and Miami was 61 of 167 (31%). The Canes needs to wake up on offense and shut 'em down on defense.

All in all, a good enough outlook from CFN. Now we'll see how fair other publications prove to be as summer is near.

Canes Baseball remains on a roll...

Miami Hurricanes baseball has sort of fallen through the cracks blog-wise the past week or so and I apologize. With the snoozer series against the likes of St. Mary's (the Canes swept, obviously) it's sort of been a quiet week for baseball.

Of course that all changes this weekend with the final road finale at Virginia Tech, a midweek game against North Florida and then the final homestand, against No. 2 North Carolina.

The next seven games are big time for the now 39-5, top-ranked Canes. Regional berths are on the line after the ACC Tournament (begins May 21st) and Miami needs to keep a stranglehold on that top-ranking.

Tune in this weekend for coverage of the Virginia Tech series and hold on to your hats next weekend as we could see a #1 vs. #2 match up at The Light and a preview of things to come in the postseason.

A retrospect, and a blueprint for better days...

I started throwing NFL Draft parties a few years back. It felt like a good halfway point between bowl season and the first college football weekend at the end of August. The obvious highlight being the experience of watching NFL-bound Canes getting chosen to play at the next level.

I started the tradition around 2002 when Miami was putting four, five or six kids in the first round and I'm ready to put the tradition on ice until the current curse is reversed.

In need of a Canes-themed fix last weekend, I dove into my archaic VHS collection in search of better days and some old school memories committed to videotape. Randomly, I gravitated to Miami v. Louisville, circa 2004.

I trekked 3,000 miles back to the 305 for that Thursday night home game and I'll never change the channel when that classic is on. Love the memories as well as the constant conformation I made the right choice in picking that particular weekend to revisit the Orange Bowl.

The No. 3 Miami Hurricanes took on the No. 17 Louisville Cardinals on October 14th, 2004. The Canes were a season removed from an 11-2 run, an Orange Bowl win over Florida State... and that was considered a "down" year after 2000-2002. Back-to-back 9-3 seasons ensued... which could be stellar seasons after 7-6 and 5-7 the past two years. Talk about perspective.

Watching this thrilling 41-38 comeback, a lot of things came to mind and warrant discussion.

Quarterback Brock Berlin played the role of whipping boy for most Canes fans, even though he went 5-0 against Florida and Florida State over his two year run. Then again, on the heels of a 38-2 run by Ken Dorsey, a national championship and a second title game berth - Berlin's 19-5 run was going to pale in comparison amongst a fan base expecting perfection.

Protecting Berlin, an offensive line that couldn't hold a candle to the 2001 squad - but a bunch that would play over every starter on the 2007 line. The running game? Frank Gore and Tyrone Moss were pounding the rock. Talib Humphrey and Quadtrine Hill were capable fullbacks that the Canes haven't found a way to replace in four seasons. 

Ryan Moore was sidelined again Louisville, but looked like a budding sophomore in 2004 after a solid freshman campaign. Roscoe Parrish was the Santana Moss-like flanker - and his back up, Darnell Jenkins - arguably the best wideout Miami has seen since since and bar none, a 'throwback' Cane.

Defensively Baraka Atkins was backed up by Bryan Pata. Orien Harris had Teraz McCray behind him. Kareem Brown backed up Santonio Holmes and Javon Nanton was behind Thomas Carroll. Hardly the superstars Miami's defensive line saw in the early part of the decade, but depth was infinitely greater in 2004 than it has been anytime since.

Antrel Rolle and Kelly Jennings were your corners, with Marcus Maxey and Glenn Sharpe as your back ups. Brandon Meriweather and Greg Threat held it down at safety.

At linebacker, the beginning of what's been a depleted position since. Jon Vilma and D.J. Williams were one year removed, so it was the Rocky McIntosh, Leon Williams and Tavares Gooden show. That said, depth was still prevalent with Jon Beason, Glenn Cook and a highly-touted Willie Williams/James Bryant duo were waiting in the wings - a few years before both moved to Bust City, USA.

Even on the kicking front, a second-year Jon Peattie gave fans much more confidence than any Miami kicker since. Special teams-wise, Parrish was returning punts and kicks with Jenkins, Rolle and superstar Devin Hester setting the Canes up field position-wise.

The talent level was 'down' by 2001-2003 standards, but the 2004 squad would've taken it to the 2005-2007 Canes' teams. A No. 1-ranked recruiting class just landed in Coral Gables and in time, the talent will again be prevalent at The U. If grading every class since 2001, the Canes have progressively gotten worse over time and bottomed out last fall.

A lot of criticism was thrown the way of offensive coordinator Patrick Nix last season, hired in 2007 to replace the one-year Rich Olson experiment after Olson was brought in to take over for oft-criticized Dan Werner.

The Werner Era is one most would like to forget, but damned if the guy didn't call a decent game when he had some weapons to work with. Slant patterns, finding speedy receivers underneath, a powerful rushing attack, balance (33 rushes, 37 passing attempts), getting the ball to the tight end and making sure playmakers were involved, be it upperclassmen or freshman showing potential.

Down 24-7 at the half, Werner and crew made adjustments, threw Berlin in the shotgun and the Canes effective moved the ball up and down the field while a talented, stout defense with a decent amount of depth held a potent Louisville offense to 14 points, while the Canes put up 34.

Conversely, former defensive coordinator Randy Shannon looked all-world early on and won the Frank Broyles Award as assistant of the year in 2001 when his defensive out-talented the competition. Three short years and a handful of superstars later, Shannon's defense is giving up 38 against Louisville, 31 a week later in a win at N.C. State and 31 the following week in a loss at North Carolina. Proof that schemes are simply schemes if the right players aren't executing them and the depth isn't there.  

Miami graduated 17 seniors after 2004 and sent five starters to the NFL - Rolle, Parrish, Gore, Kevin Everett and Chris Myers. Upwards of 25 Canes that played the Cardinals in October 2004 found their way onto NFL rosters, most through the Draft and a few free agent signings. Five first rounders suited up for The U on that Thursday night.

As is the overall theme with this article, that number pales in comparison to the success earlier this decade - but will dwarf the 2007 squad's results when looking back on last season's roster years from now. At a quick glance, there are upward of a half dozen NFLers regarding 2007's upperclassmen, at best - and that includes the three who were drafted last weekend.

Superior talent made Werner look halfway decent as an offensive coordinator and two years later, inferior talent made Olson look like an utter bum, calling plays for Miami in 2006. A year later, Olson surfaced with Dennis Erickson and at Arizona State and the Sun Devils offense looked like a well-oiled machine.

Before Shannon is chastised as a head coach or Nix is shredded as an offensive coordinator, the talent and depth need to return and the team needs to jell. The seeds are being planted and the Canes are one step closer entering 2008, but still have their work cut out for them. 

Even with the boatload of new defense talent recently arriving in Coral Gables, or heading to town in fall - first year defensive coordinator Bill Young still has his work cut out for him. Sadly, most will forget that come fall and expect an exact duplication of the Kansas defense he just led to an Orange Bowl win over Virginia Tech.

Miami doesn't need a Marcus Forston, Sean Spence and Arthur Brown to turn things around. It needs a dozen or so guys like that to turn the defense around. Same to be said for a Robert Marve, Aldarius Johnson or Tommy Streeter. The Canes offense needs to be two deep all the way around before steamrolling opposing defenses anytime soon.

We put on weight one pound at a time when we get fat and we melt it off one pound as a time when we workout and aim to get lean. Miami didn't get good overnight, nor did the wheels fall off in a one year span. The 2000-2003 run happened due to seeds being planted and harvested 1997-1999. Special players signed on, depth was created, superstars emerged and even more depth was added.

How else do you almost make the title game (2000), win a championship the next year (2001), lose 11 starters to the NFL (five first rounders) and rebound with another 12-0 season and screwed out of back-to-back championships? That kind of depth doesn't just 'happen'.

5-7 didn't just 'happen', either. The Canes eroded away under Larry Coker. 12-0 became 12-1, 11-2, 9-3, 9-3 and 7-6 on the old man's watch. Check out some old game footage if you have your doubts. Last year's games were unwatchable, making a three and a half-year old contest like 41-38 against Louisville as welcomed as a National Championship berth.

Of course those of us in the stands for that Thursday night thriller left the Orange Bowl bitching about 38 points given up on defense and the middle of the field being exposed - instead of celebrating a 4-0 ranking and No. 3 ranking a third of the way through the season. It was all relative and the 2004 version of Miami couldn't hold a candle to recent Canes teams.

The right staff is in place, the right players are returning and soon enough, all will again be right in college football when Miami is revamped, reloaded and reminiscent of the great Hurricane teams witnessed earlier this decade.

Hang tough, Canes.

Post Draft Free Agent Signings for The U...

A few more Miami Hurricanes made some NFL rosters (for now) as of Monday morning. Only three Canes were drafted this past weekend - Kenny Phillips (31st), Calais Campbell (50th) and Tavares Gooden (71th). It was Miami's worst draft representation since 1999.

As of this morning, here's a list of the Canes who have gotten the call:

Kyle Wright to the Minnesota Vikings.... Darnell Jenkins to the Houston Texans... Lance Leggett to the Cleveland Browns... Teraz McCray to the Buffalo Bills... Andrew Bain to the N.Y. Giants.

Congrats to the Canes picked up today. Hopefully a few of these guys can stick. Most won't, but you never know if the right guy falls into the right system at the right time and the stars align.

Wright to Minnesota sounds sort of promising due to their quarterback situation. The Vikings did pick up John David Booty in the latter rounds, but really have no proven superstar gunslinger leading their franchise.

Time is ripe for change and who knows who will rise to the top in that organization? Booty looked to be a player at USC, but safe to say the kid had eons more talent around him in one game than Wright had over the span of three seasons.

Wright is a tough kid and has the ideal NFL physique and arm... but his decision-making has oft been questioned. He came to Miami when the Canes hit a downward spiral, endured a slew of offensive coordinators and a huge drop off talent-wise regarding offensive line, running backs and wide outs.

Of course all that is hindsight. No one cares anymore. Wright's NCAA days are behind and all that matters is his ability to elevate his game and make an NFL roster. Hopefully he'll get all the tutelage he missed at Miami and can correct some fundamental wrongs. If Wright could be re-wired mentally, this kid would be your prototypical NFL quarterback. Can that happen after five years of ups and downs at The U? Who knows....

I'm curious to see how things play out with Jenkins in Houston. Former Cane Andre Johnson is the bigger receiving threat there, followed by Kevin Walters and a handful of other no names, for the most part.

'Nuke' was impressive the past few seasons. The kid showed some serious toughness. The stats may prove otherwise, but so much of that can be blamed on an overall piss-poor performance from the overall Miami offense.

I stumbled across a YouTube video of Jenkins tearing it up during his time at The U and recommend it to any of those doubting his skills. I believe there's space on the Texans' roster for a gritty player like Jenkins. There was talk of a slow 40 time at the combine - but let the critics watch the vid above where he's smoking defenders left and right as Miami's biggest deep threat the past few seasons.

Leggett to the Browns is sort of a headscratcher. Obviously seeing another Cane taken by an NFL franchise is good news... but safe to say Miami fans are still burned by #9 over the past few seasons. Drops. Short-arming receptions. Less than physical play. Leggett absolutely underachieved during his time at The U and seems to lack the toughness an NFL receiver needs. Can he turn it around at this point of the game? We'll see. I wouldn't bank on it though.

McCray to the Bills and Bain to the Giants are long shots... but so is the whole notion of playing in the NFL to begin with. Here's hoping both those guys can find a way to get it done and stick around.

(Editor's Note: Glenn Sharpe was picked up by the Atlanta Falcons later in the day...)

Campbell goes in second, Gooden in third...

Calais Campbell missed the first round boat but was eventually picked 50th overall - in the second round of the NFL Draft, by the Arizona Cardinals. Did the oversized Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman jump the gun regarding his early exit from The U and entry to the NFL? Sure looks like it... 

Tavares Gooden proved to be the exact opposite - snared up 71st overall by the Baltimore Ravens and early in the third round. Gooden's stock rose after the combine and the under the radar Miami linebacker overachived his way into an early Sunday morning pick. Gooden also returned for his senior season to up his game, as opposed to bailing early and testing the NFL waters. 

Kenny Phillips was the last pick of the first round, extending Miami's first round streak to fourteen straight seasons... but the luster of that has worn off as the Canes' Draft impact has fizzled.

Even coming off of 7-6 in 2006, Miami still pumped out three first rounders last year and a total of five Canes drafted. Disappointing after the run Miami saw earlier in this decade - 2006 (9), 2005 (5), 2004 (9), 2003 (8), 2002 (11), 2001 (7) and 2000 (5) - but still All-World compared to what The U saw in 2008.

Miami bottomed out on the field in 2007 and is gearing up to bottom out in the NFL Draft in 2008 and possibly 2009. "The Streak" should come to an end next season, barring some stellar play from NFL bound upperclassmen.

While Cane fans never want to see the day a kid from The U doesn't make his way into the first round, this program is in serious need of a wake up call. Playing for Miami is about winning national championships and being a top five team year in and year out. It's a stepping stone to the NFL for a slew of kids - but that needs to be secondary to getting one's degree and keeping this program amongst the elite.

Winning ways are going to attract front runners and some selfish "me first" players, as we've seen here and there since Miami's last championship in 2001. The trend really started with the 2004 recruiting class and seemed to be the case over the next few seasons.

The lone upside to 5-7? Knowing that the several dozen kids who signed on last February to make up this top-ranked recruiting class are signing on to rebuild. No one is riding any gravy train at Miami anytime soon. It's time to roll up one's sleeves and put this program back on the map first and foremost. 

As all this Draft news has settled and sunk in, Miami is very lucky Phillips kept the streak alive. KP snuck into the first round based on the program's legacy, the type of players Miami puts into the league and based on his potential versus his resume. The New York Giants like Miami Hurricanes. Sinorice Moss was their choice last year, William Joseph a few years back and Jeremy Shockey has been running game in the Big Apple since 2002.

Phillips made the 'right choice' if you measure his decision by being nabbed in the first round, but safe to say another year at Miami could've made this kid mid-first round material in 2009.

As for Campbell, the 6'8" lineman was somewhat exposed during the 2007 season and in the combine. Of the two highly-touted Canes in this year's Draft, Campbell absolutely should've stuck around for his senior year. #81 could've tightened up his game, mentored younger players (little bro Jason Campbell will battle for a safety positon) and worked on his technique.

I don't know Campbell's history. I don't know if his family needed the money or what his motivating factor was to bail with one year of eligibility remaining. To his credit, Campbell did earn his degree and returning to The U would've strictly been a football decision - but one has to believe another season would've helped CC climb up from that 50th spot at which he was chosen yesterday.

Randy Shannon wants to change the culture at Miami and has oft stated a big part of that is getting upperclassmen to return. A tough sell after 5-7 and no shot at being in the hunt in 2008. When Shannon turns the program around and gets the Canes back to winning ways, maybe guys like Campbell and Phillips stick around. It's sort of a 'chicken or the egg' type situation. What comes first, seniors staying or winning ways returning?

Congrats to Phillips, Campbell and Gooden. Very frustrating to see so few Canes drafted, but that can't take away from those who were. This is just another part of the Miami down-cycle the program has experienced the past few seasons and that tide will turn soon enough.

Tune in over the next few days to see which Canes get picked up as free agents. One has to believe quarterback Kyle Wright and flanker Darnell Jenkins are going to get some looks.