You can't have it both ways...

There was another point weighing on me earlier, but I didn't want it to get lost in the last lengthy blog. This comment needs a place of its own.

Coker supporters oft say that his Canes are "winning with class" and that his impact is being felt on the field and in the classroom, as Miami is churning out quality young men.

Being that Miami's only won 2 of their past 6 games, I can hardly remember 'winning' at all - let alone, 'winning with class.'

That said, the whole notion is a complete farce.

Classy teams don't roll into an opposing stadium and disrespect the competition the way Miami did today.

Stomping the Cardinals' logo was a feigned effort to rally the troops here. I'm not even saying it backfired. The Canes were getting whipped today whether they stomped the logo or not. Poor game planning by this coaching staff was much more offensive than the actual pregame actions.

My point is that the whole 'winning with class' notion is way blown out of proportion.

Not only did Miami eat crow today - but they ended last season's debacle against LSU in similar fashion. Trash-talking and jumping around before the game, getting worked 41-3 over the next sixty minutes and the throwing hands with the Tigers, in the tunnel after the game.

Over a four game span, those are two rather embarrassing displays by Coker's supposedly squeaky-clean bunch.

'Swagger' isn't rolling into an opponents stadium and doing the 'jump around' on their 50-yard line. That's plain foolish. Especially if you get your ass kicked over the next few hours.

The old Canes had that bravado - but they more than walked the walk after talking the talk. Today's display was infinitely worse than anything I've seen in the past. If you're going to disrespect a team pregame, you better be on the winning end of that 31-7 ball game.

As if the theatrics aren't bad enough, Coker's bunch have also earned a reputation of being quitters. They folded up the tents against LSU and it appears the Canes packed it in midway through the second half today. Did all the kids give up? No. But the aura of this team was that of a bunch of quitters. How can this team continuously lose big games, not score in the second half and not have one kid step up and say, "enough already" and make a friggin play?

It's hard to give Miami the benefit of the doubt when a back-up running back and back-up quarterback are taking it to the Canes' vaunted defense.

Oh yeah, as for Coker the disciplinarian... this team currently has a wide receiver in limbo (Ryan Moore) for choking out a female bar patron - as well as a few other players who received suspensions for academic reasons.

Point being, Coker's ace in the hole has always been the fact that he's fielded classy teams and even that appears to be in jeopardy after today.


.:Canes305:.