More thoughts from the weekend’s festivities.  I didn’t get a chance to get out to LandShark Stadium for Canesfest, but from what I heard, it was a great event.  This event pretty much culminates a summer filled with the Canes doing more than just playing football.  Over the summer, members of the football team have been very involved in the community.  UM has hosted several youth camps, where players can interact with youngsters from south florida.  This weekend, Canes fans could come to LandShark stadium to hang out with the team, tour the locker room, and of course, buy their season tickets.  It was a free for all where anybody could come (for free) and meet their favorite players and get autographs, and things like that.  Players were even sitting in the dunk tank as part of the festivities.

Events like these make me proud to be a Miami Hurricanes fan.  This team isn’t acting like they are better than everyone else, and they aren’t hiding away in the athletic complex untouchable by the people that admire them.  Randy Shannon realizes the importance of having a good relationship with the community and is setting this team up for long term success because of it.  There’s always the side perk that being close with the community will lead to prized recruits heading to UM for college.

Go ahead and add this good charity work next to the fact that Robert Marve is the only player with an arrest since Randy was named head coach.  Compare that with academic scandals and 20+ arrests at FSU and UF in that time frame.  An article I read recently talked about Randy Phillips (RS senior safety) talking about how he cut his dreads and got rid of his gold grill and decided to focus on his degree becaue coach Shannon inspired him to do so.   More proof that a coach like Randy Shannon is the long term solution to a sport that seems to glorify the infamous players.  He’s making community, education, and leadership as his selling points for the U.  This has resulted in plenty of top level high school talent going to Miami.  Now, the only thing that is left if for victories to happen on the field.  And they are certainly on the way.

Related posts:

1. The U Report: What Happened? 2008 in Review
2. The U Report: Miami Disrespected
3. The U Report: Camp Finally Begins
4. The U Report: Roster Analysis – Tight Ends
5. The U Report: Schedule Analysis