According to Hurricanesports and the ACC the University of Miami has the most active players in the NFL this year thus far.

NFL Players by School:
Miami 42
USC 41
Texas 40
Tennessee 36
Ohio State 35
Georgia 35
LSU 35

ESPN ranked their top 50 college football greats that never made an impact in the NFL. You’ll find plenty of Seminoles, Gators, Trojans, Sooner and Irish on this list, but you will not, I repeat, you will not find not even one proCane. Enough said.

Here is ESPN’s introduction to the piece and click below to see the full rankings:

Heisman Trophy winners. All-Americans. Hall of Famers. Collectively, they were some of the greatest players in college football history. During their careers, they led their teams to titles, and had nicknames like "Mr. Inside," "Rocket" and the "Boz." They were the real big men on campus.
But once the marching bands and pep rallies stopped, they barely made a ripple in pro football. Because of injuries, military commitments and other career decisions, many of the sport's legends never made an impact in the NFL.

Once the head of the class in college football, they can simply be known for what they did on Saturdays. -- Mark Schlabach

Click here to see the rankings.


(espn.com)

Check out proCanes.com’s exclusive photo from the 2011 University of Miami Pro Day. This photo was taken as Ryan Hill was performing his Bench Press reps of 225 pounds. Many Champions have been made there, and there are many more to come.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- As any Canes fan knows, It's All About The U and nowhere is that more evident that in the NFL.

Another example of the proCanes influence on the next level came from Draftmetrics.com, who announced the results of its study of National Football League Drafts from 1991 through 2010. Among the information released was the list of the top ten colleges in terms of both the number of players drafted and the number of NFL starts by those drafted players.

The top-10 colleges in order of number of players drafted were:
1. Miami (FL) 2. Tennessee 3. Ohio State 4. Florida State 5. Southern California 6. Florida 7. Notre Dame 8. Nebraska 9. Penn State 10. Michigan

The top-10 colleges in order of the number of NFL starts by drafted players were:
1. Miami (FL) 2. Florida State 3. Ohio State 4. Tennessee 5. Michigan 6. Notre Dame 7. Florida 8. Georgia 9. Nebraska 10. Southern California



(hurricanesports.com)

Here is a photo of three of the 10 proCane Pro Bowlers in Honolulu this past weekend. Vince WIlfork, Ray Lewis and Brandon Meriweather ar throwing up “The U” in Honolulu.

The University of Miami may have been supplanted by Southern Cal and Florida as the leading supplier of talent to the NFL over the past 10 years, but if this season’s Pro Bowl rosters are any indication, the ‘U’ is still producing the most top-notch talent in the league.

Miami is one of just four colleges to have produced three of more Pro Bowlers from the 2010 season, and its total of 10 is nearly twice as many as runner-up Tennessee. The Patriots [team stats], incidentally, sent two ex-Hurricanes — defensive lineman Vince Wilfork [stats] and safety Brandon Meriweather -— to Honolulu.

Here is a breakdown of schools with at least three players named to the Pro Bowl squads:

MIAMI (10)
Pos Player NFL team
LB Jon Beason Panthers
KR Devin Hester Bears
WR Andre Johnson Texans
LB Ray Lewis Ravens
S Brandon Meriweather PATRIOTS
S Ed Reed Ravens
S Antrel Rolle Giants
LB Jonathan Vilma Saints
WR Reggie Wayne Colts
DL Vince Wilfork PATRIOTS

TENNESSEE (6)
RB Arian Foster Texans
LB Jerod Mayo PATRIOTS
TE Jason Witten Cowboys
S Eric Berry Chiefs
QB Peyton Manning Colts
T Chad Clifton Packers

SOUTHERN CAL (4)
QB Matt Cassel Chiefs
S Troy Polamalu Steelers
C Ryan Kalil Panthers
LB Clay Matthews Packers

MICHIGAN (3)
QB Tom Brady [stats] PATRIOTS
OT Jake Long Dolphins
CB Charles Woodson Packers



(boston.com)

Check out photos from Week 4 of the 2010 NFL U season of all of our proCanes. Click here or above on the proCanes Gallery link.

Hey proCanes.com! Each NFL week we will be doing a proCanes.com Sports Minute Update on the Canes4Life Show which airs every Saturday morning on CBS 4 at 11:30am. If you’re in the Miami area, you can head over to Harrison’s Sports Grill (1674 S Red Rd Miami, FL 33155) this Thursday Night at 6pm and watch the Hurricanes take on the Pitt Panthers followed by the live taping of the show where you’ll be able to hear former Hurricanes’ opinion on the current state of Miami Football and also meet those former players after the taping. Each week we will be posting our Video update on the site. Though a little delayed this week, we still wanted our fans to check it out!

Thanks for watching!

Andre Johnson (Texans): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO ANKLE INJURY

Darryl Sharpton (Texans): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO INJURY

Vince Wilfork (Patriots):

Brandon Meriweather (Patriots):

Jeremy Shockey (Saints): 6 catches 58 yards

Jonathan Vilma (Saints): 3 tackles, 1 solo tackle, 1 pass deflection

Santana Moss (Redskins): 1 rush for 5 yards

Clinton Portis (Redskins): 11 carries 55 yards, 2 catches for 26 yards before being injured in the 3rd quarter.

Rocky McIntosh (Redskins): 8 tackles, 7 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection

Calais Campbell (Cardinals): 4 tackles, 3 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss

Antrel Rolle (Giants): 2 solo tackles

Kelly Jennings (Seahawks): 4 solo tackles

Frank Gore (49ers): 21 carries 77 yards, 7 catches 60 yards to lead all 49er receivers

Kellen Winslow (Buccanneers): BYE WEEK

Roscoe Parrish (Bills): 1 catch for 7 yards, also had 4 punt returns for 50 yards

Greg Olsen (Bears): 5 catches, 39 yards to lead all Bears receivers.

Devin Hester (Bears): 3 catches, 16 yards, 1 rush for 11 yards. 2 punt returns for 6 yards.

Willis McGahee (Ravens): 14 carries 39 yards, 1 TD to lead the Ravens in rushing before being injured.

Ray Lewis (Ravens): 9 tackles, 7 solo tackles, 2 pass delfections and 1 interception returned for 2 yards which sealed the victory.

Ed Reed (Ravens): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO HIP INJURY

Tavares Gooden (Ravens): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO SHOULDER INJURY

DJ Williams (Broncos): 10 tackles, 8 solo tackles, 1 sack and 1 tackle for loss to lead the Broncos defense.

Sinorice Moss (Giants): DID NOT PLAY on IR Will miss the entire 2010 Season

Bruce Johnson (Giants): DID NOT PLAY, INACTIVE

Kenny Phillips (Giants): 5 tackles, 4 solo tackles

Reggie Wayne (Colts): 15 catches for 196 yards to set a franchise record and career record.

Jon Beason (Panthers): 7 tackles, 5 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss

Phillip Buchanon (Redskins): 3 tackles, 2 solo tackles

Antonio Dixon (Eagles): 1 solo tackle

Sam Shields (Packers): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO CALF INJURY

Randy Phillips: Was RELEASED and signed to the Detroit Lions this week.

Jimmy Graham (Saints): 1 rush for 3 yards. Played on 8 offensive plays, his most involvement thus far this season.

Leon Williams (Cowboys): BYE WEEK

Spencer Adkins (Falcons): 1 solo tackle

Jason Fox (Lions): DID NOT PLAY, INACTIVE

Eric Winston (Texans): Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Rashad Butler (Texans): Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Bryant McKinnie (Vikings): BYE WEEK

Chris Myers (Texans): Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Vernon Carey (Dolphins): Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Did you know that a former Miami Hurricane/current proCane has scored at least one touchdown in 126 consecutive regular season NFL weeks? Dating back to Week 15 of the 2002 season where Clinton Portis scored 4 TDs, at least one proCane has scored a TD in each regular season week since then. We have chronicled every touchdown since 2002. See below:

Week 4 2010:
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens

Week 3 2010:
Jeremy Shockey - 1 TD - New Orleans Saints
Santana Moss - 1 TD - Washington Redskins
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears

Week 2 2010:
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Clinton Portis - 2 TDs - Washingon Redskins
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Frank Gore - 1 TD - San Francisco 49ers

Week 1 2010:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Roscoe Parrish - 1 TD - Buffalo Bills
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens

Click below to see the rest of the list:



Read More...

Check out photos from Week 3 of the 2010 NFL U season of all of our proCanes. Click here or above on the proCanes Gallery link.

Andre Johnson (Texans): 4 catches 64 yards, led all Texans receivers.

Darryl Sharpton (Texans): 1 tackle

Vince Wilfork (Patriots): Played but did not record any stats

Brandon Meriweather (Patriots): 6 tackles, 3 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection and 1 Interception

Jeremy Shockey (Saints): 8 catches 78 yards, 1 TD for his best output thus far of the season.

Jonathan Vilma (Saints): 11 tackles, 8 solo tackles, 1 tackle for a loss to lead the Saints defense.

Santana Moss (Redskins): 6 catches 124 yards 1 TD, led all Redskins receivers.

Clinton Portis (Redskins): 7 carries 44 yards, 1 catch 14 yards

Rocky McIntosh (Redskins): 7 tackles, 6 solo tackles

Calais Campbell (Cardinals): 5 tackles, 4 solo tackles

Antrel Rolle (Giants): 7 tackles, 6 solo tackles, 1 tackle for a loss

Kelly Jennings (Seahawks): 3 tackles, 2 solo tackles, 2 pass deflections

Frank Gore (49ers): 15 carries 43 yards, 9 catches 102 yards to lead all 49er receivers

Kellen Winslow (Buccanneers): 3 catches for 24 yards

Roscoe Parrish (Bills): 5 catches for 83 yards, led all Bills receivers also had 1 punt returns for 3 yards

Greg Olsen (Bears): 5 catches, 64 yards, 1TD

Devin Hester (Bears): 1 catch, 16 yards, 3 punt returns for 93 yards including a 62 yard TD, Hester’s first punt return for a TD in 2 years.

Willis McGahee (Ravens): 7 carries 29 yards

Ray Lewis (Ravens): 7 tackles, 3 solo tackles

Ed Reed (Ravens): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO HIP INJURY

Tavares Gooden (Ravens): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO SHOULDER INJURY

DJ Williams (Broncos): 5 tackles, 3 solo tackles

Sinorice Moss (Giants): DID NOT PLAY on IR Will miss the entire 2010 Season

Bruce Johnson (Giants): 1 solo tackle

Kenny Phillips (Giants): 9 tackles, 6 solo tackles, led the Giants in tackles.

Reggie Wayne (Colts): 4 catches for 65 yards

Jon Beason (Panthers): 9 tackles, 4 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection

Phillip Buchanon (Redskins): 1 pass deflection

Antonio Dixon (Eagles): Played but did not record any stats

Sam Shields (Packers): 1 solo tackle

Randy Phillips (Lions): Played but did not record any stats

Jimmy Graham (Saints): 2 solo tackles

Leon Williams (Cowboys): 2 solo tackles

Spencer Adkins (Falcons): DID NOT PLAY, INACTIVE

Jason Fox: DID NOT PLAY, INACTIVE

Eric Winston: Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Rashad Butler: Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Bryant McKinnie: Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Eric Winston: Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Chris Myers: Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Vernon Carey: Offensive Lineman, did not record any stats.

Did you know that a former Miami Hurricane/current proCane has scored at least one touchdown in 125 consecutive regular season NFL weeks? Dating back to Week 15 of the 2002 season where Clinton Portis scored 4 TDs, at least one proCane has scored a TD in each regular season week since then. We have chronicled every touchdown since 2002. See below:

Week 3 2010:
Jeremy Shockey - 1 TD - New Orleans Saints
Santana Moss - 1 TD - Washington Redskins
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears

Week 2 2010:
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Clinton Portis - 2 TDs - Washingon Redskins
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Frank Gore - 1 TD - San Francisco 49ers

Week 1 2010:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Roscoe Parrish - 1 TD - Buffalo Bills
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens

Click below to see the rest of the list:



Read More...

Check out photos from Week 2 of the 2010 NFL U season of all of our proCanes. Click here or above on the proCanes Gallery link.

Hey proCanes.com! Each NFL week we will be doing a proCanes.com Sports Minute Update on the Canes4Life Show which airs every Saturday morning on CBS 4 at 11:30am. If you’re in the Miami area, you can head over to Harrison’s Sports Grill (1674 S Red Rd Miami, FL 33155) this Thursday Night at 6pm and watch the Hurricanes take on the Pitt Panthers followed by the live taping of the show where you’ll be able to hear former Hurricanes’ opinion on the current state of Miami Football and also meet those former players after the taping. Each week we will be posting our Video update on the site. Though a little delayed this week, we still wanted our fans to check it out!

Thanks for watching!

Andre Johnson (Texans): 13 catches 158 yards, 1TD

Darryl Sharpton (Texans): Played but did not record any stats

Vince Wilfork (Patriots): 4 tackles, 3 solo tackles

Brandon Meriweather (Patriots): 1 solo tackle

Jeremy Shockey (Saints): 3 catches 35 yards

Jonathan Vilma (Saints): 10 tackles, 7 solo tackles, 1 Forced Fumble

Santana Moss (Redskins): 10 catches 89 yards

Clinton Portis (Redskins): 13 carries 33 yards, 2TDs,

Rocky McIntosh (Redskins): 14 tackles, 5 solo tackles

Calais Campbell (Cardinals): 5 solo tackles

Antrel Rolle (Giants): 8 tackles, 7 solo tackles

Kelly Jennings (Seahawks): 5 solo tackles

Frank Gore (49ers): 20 carries 112 yards, 1 TD, 7 catches 56 yards, 1 TD

Kellen Winslow (Buccanneers): 4 catches for 83 yards

Roscoe Parrish (Bills): 2 catches for 34 yards, 3 punt returns for 30 yards

Greg Olsen (Bears): 1 catch, 39 yards, 1TD

Devin Hester (Bears): 4 catches, 77 yards, 1TD, 1 punt return for -5 yards

Willis McGahee (Ravens): 3 carries 10 yards

Ray Lewis (Ravens): 10 tackles, 6 solo tackles, 1 sack

Ed Reed (Ravens): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO HIP INJURY

Tavares Gooden (Ravens): 2 tackles, 1 solo tackle

DJ Williams (Broncos): 4 tackles, 3 solo tackles

Sinorice Moss (Giants): DID NOT PLAY on IR Will miss the entire 2010 Season

Bruce Johnson (Giants): Played but did not record any stats

Kenny Phillips (Giants): 6 tackles, 4 solo tackles

Reggie Wayne (Colts): 7 catches for 96 yards, 1TD

Jon Beason (Panthers): 9 tackles, 6 solo tackles, 1 tackles for a loss

Phillip Buchanon (Redskins): 3 tackles, 2 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection

Antonio Dixon (Eagles): Played but did not record any stats

Sam Shields (Packers): 2 solo tackles

Randy Phillips (Lions): 2 solo tackles

Jimmy Graham (Saints): Played but did not record any stats

Leon Williams (Cowboys): 1 tackle

Spencer Adkins (Falcons): DID NOT PLAY, INACTIVE

Did you know that a former Miami Hurricane/current proCane has scored at least one touchdown in 124 consecutive regular season NFL weeks? Dating back to Week 15 of the 2002 season where Clinton Portis scored 4 TDs, at least one proCane has scored a TD in each regular season week since then. We have chronicled every touchdown since 2002. See below:

Week 2 2010:
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Clinton Portis - 2 TDs - Washingon Redskins
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Frank Gore - 1 TD - San Francisco 49ers

Week 1 2010:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Roscoe Parrish - 1 TD - Buffalo Bills
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens

Click below to see the rest of the list:



Read More...

Hey proCanes.com! Each NFL week we will be doing a proCanes.com Sports Minute Update on the Canes4Life Show which airs every Saturday morning on CBS 4 at 11:30am. If you’re in the Miami area, you can head over to Harrison’s Sports Grill (1674 S Red Rd Miami, FL 33155) every Wednesday Night at 6pm and watch the live taping of the show where you’ll be able to hear former Hurricanes’ opinion on the current state of Miami Football and also meet those former players after the taping. Each week we will be posting our Video update on the site. Though a little delayed this week, we still wanted our fans to check it out!

Thanks for watching!

Andre Johnson (Texans): 3 catches 33 yards

Darryl Sharpton (Texans): Played but did not record any stats

Vince Wilfork (Patriots): 3 tackles, 2 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection

Brandon Meriweather (Patriots): 7 tackles, 3 solo tackles

Jeremy Shockey (Saints): 3 catches 23 yards

Jonathan Vilma (Saints): 4 solo tackles, 1 INT returned 5 yards, 1 pass deflection

Santana Moss (Redskins): 6 catches 77 yards

Clinton Portis (Redskins): 18 carries 63 yards, 1 catch for 1 yard

Rocky McIntosh (Redskins): 10 tackles, 8 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss

Calais Campbell (Cardinals): 2 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss

Antrel Rolle (Giants): 8 tackles, 7 solo tackles

Kelly Jennings (Seahawks): 5 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection

Frank Gore (49ers): 17 carries 38 yards, 6 catches 45 yards

Kellen Winslow (Buccanneers): 4 catches for 32 yards

Roscoe Parrish (Bills): 2 catches for 35 yards 1TD, 3 punt returns for 30 yards

Greg Olsen (Bears): 4 catches, 37 yards

Devin Hester (Bears): 1 catch, 17 yards, 5 punt returns for 17 yards

Willis McGahee (Ravens): 6 carries -2 yards, 1TD, 1 catch -6 yards

Ray Lewis (Ravens): 4 solo tackles

Ed Reed (Ravens): DID NOT PLAY DUE TO HIP INJURY

Tavares Gooden (Ravens): 2 solo tackles

DJ Williams (Broncos): 10 tackles, 8 solo tackles

Sinorice Moss (Giants): DID NOT PLAY on IR Will miss the entire 2010 Season

Bruce Johnson (Giants): 3 solo tackles

Kenny Phillips (Giants): 4 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection, 1 INT

Reggie Wayne (Colts): 7 catches 99 yards 1TD

Jon Beason (Panthers): 10 tackles, 6 solo tackles, 1 tackles for a loss, 1 pass deflection

Phillip Buchanon (Redskins): 3 solo tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 pass deflection

Antonio Dixon (Eagles): Played but did not record any stats

Sam Shields (Packers): 3 tackles, 2 solo tackles

Randy Phillips (Lions): 2 solo tackles

Jimmy Graham (Saints): DID NOT PLAY, INACTIVE

Leon Williams (Cowboys): DID NOT PLAY, INACTIVE

Spencer Adkins (Falcons): Played but did not record any stats

Check out the latest update to the 2010 NFL U Rosters. There are several new additions and subtractions since our last update. You can also check out the MLB, and CFL rosters. Click here to see the proCane rosters.

Daniel Stubbs, Alonzo Highsmith and Lamar Thomas were guests on Michael Irvin’s show on WQAM this week. Additionally Randy Shannon was also a guest on WQAM this week. Click here to listen to the interviews.





(wqam.com)

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson will appear on the CBS reality show "Survivor: Nicaragua" this fall, according to a source.

The 67-year-old Johnson, who was unavailable for comment, joins the show's 21st season this summer. The series has been taped in various exotic locations, including Panama, the Fiji Islands, Kenya and Brazil since it started in 2000. This year's show will tape in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Johnson, who won two Super Bowl titles with the Cowboys in the 1990s, will be grouped with strangers in an isolated area where contestants must complete challenges to win awards or immunity from getting kicked out of the game show.

Since retiring from the NFL as a head coach, Johnson has worked for Fox Sports as a pregame show analyst. The taping of Survivor is not expected to conflict with Johnson's job on Fox.

Several former Cowboys figures have been involved in popular television shows in retirement. Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin, part of "The Triplets" along with Troy Aikman who played for Johnson, competed in the ABC series "Dancing with the Stars."

Smith won the ballroom dance show in 2006. Irvin appeared on the show in 2009, but didn't win.

Former Cowboys quarterback Gary Hogeboom was a contestant on "Survivor: Guatemala," in 2005 and finished in seventh place.

In nine NFL seasons, with the Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, Johnson compiled an 80-64 record, which places him 49th on the all-time win list.



(espn.com)

When Dave and Billy began editing The U in Spring 2009, they knew it would be a monumental task to sandwich 20 years of football history into a 90 minute documentary.  Compromises would have to be made.

Like we do with all our projects, the film was storyboarded and assembled in scenes.  Then the scenes get laid out together, transitions are massaged, refinements are made, and ultimately entire scenes get cut. 

Scenes get cut for a variety of reasons: repetitiveness, length, deviation from pushing the story forward, etc. One of my favorite scenes that didn't make the final cut was the QB competition between Kosar and Testaverde in 1983, but there simply wasn't enough time for it.
So when The U dvd comes out August 17th, it will include a dozen deleted scenes:

The Locker Room
Schnellenberger's Pipe
QB Contest
Joe Namath 1984 Orange Bowl
Michael Irvin in the Cafeteria
Locker Room Speech
Tim Brown 1987
Discipline & Education
Tad Foote at the White House
Lamar and Irvin on the Phone
Ibis Arrest
Depth & Competition

We're also including all the player intros and three additional featurettes:
the World Premiere at the Lyric Theater Miami City Hall screening Randal Hill's Q&A from the University of Miami campus screening

On top of that, we cut an additional six scenes that didn't make it as bonus features on the DVD.  Starting next Tuesday and every Tuesday until the release on August 17th, we'll be posting those scenes on rakontur.com and on The U Facebook fan page.



(rakontur.com)

On Saturday proCanes.com had the opportunity to atttend the Annual Hurricane Football Reunion Party at Miami Prime Grill in North Miami. The event was attended by over 50 former Hurricane greats including the likes of Warren Sapp, Clinton Portis, Dan Morgan, Edgerrin James, Kenard Lang and many more.

Gerard Daphnis of Canes4Life organized the event which also honored the 1989 National Championship team. All the former players then headed out to the 2010 Spring Game where the University of Miami offenses put on a show. Click here to view our full photo gallery of over 400 pictures from the Hurricane Reunion Party and Spring Game. Enjoy!

On Saturday proCanes.com had the opportunity to atttend the Annual Hurricane Football Reunion Party at Miami Prime Grill in North Miami. The event was attended by over 50 former Hurricane greats including the likes of Warren Sapp, Clinton Portis, Dan Morgan, Edgerrin James, Kenard Lang and many more.

Gerard Daphnis of Canes4Life organized the event which also honored the 1989 National Championship team. All the former players then headed out to the 2010 Spring Game where the University of Miami offenses put on a show. Click here to view our full photo gallery of over 400 pictures from the Hurricane Reunion Party and Spring Game. Enjoy!

On Saturday proCanes.com had the opportunity to atttend the Annual Hurricane Football Reunion Party at Miami Prime Grill in North Miami. The event was attended by over 50 former Hurricane greats including the likes of Warren Sapp, Clinton Portis, Dan Morgan, Edgerrin James, Kenard Lang and many more.

Gerard Daphnis of Canes4Life organized the event which also honored the 1989 National Championship team. All the former players then headed out to the 2010 Spring Game where the University of Miami offenses put on a show. Click here to view our full photo gallery of over 400 pictures from the Hurricane Reunion Party and Spring Game. Enjoy!

On Saturday proCanes.com had the opportunity to atttend the Annual Hurricane Football Reunion Party at Miami Prime Grill in North Miami. The event was attended by over 50 former Hurricane greats including the likes of Warren Sapp, Clinton Portis, Dan Morgan, Edgerrin James, Kenard Lang and many more.

Gerard Daphnis of Canes4Life organized the event which also honored the 1989 National Championship team. All the former players then headed out to the 2010 Spring Game where the University of Miami offenses put on a show. Click here to view our full photo gallery of over 400 pictures from the Hurricane Reunion Party and Spring Game. Enjoy!

On Saturday proCanes.com had the opportunity to atttend the Annual Hurricane Football Reunion Party at Miami Prime Grill in North Miami. The event was attended by over 50 former Hurricane greats including the likes of Warren Sapp, Clinton Portis, Dan Morgan, Edgerrin James, Kenard Lang and many more. Gerard Daphnis of Canes4Life organized the event which also honored the 1989 National Championship team. All the former players then headed out to the 2010 Spring Game where the University of Miami offenses put on a show. Click here to view our full photo gallery of over 400 pictures from the Hurricane Reunion Party and Spring Game. Enjoy!

Rocky McIntosh dropped by my [Redskins.com] desk today wearing a green and orange 305 shirt, claiming to be on a cereal box. When I expressed my skepticism, he left and returned an hour later with an actual box of the Miami Hurricanes "Pipeline To The Pros" cereal.

It took a few minutes to find all the Redskins on the box -- a few minutes during which McIntosh noted that, with the signing of Antrel Rolle, the Giants now have more active Miami players than the Redskins -- but eventually they all turned up. (The most elusive was Clinton Portis, wearing a difficult-to-see #28 and with his face obscured by a visor. "Guess he didn't donate enough last year," McIntosh mused, moments before we finally noticed Portis disappearing into a bowl of cereal and berries.)

When I wrote about the Redskins Breakfast Blitz cereal last September, I noted that

Because it would probably be unwise to associate an NFL team with a cereal with zero nutritional content, this tastes much closer to Honey Nut Cheerios than anything else.

Well, The U doesn't play by those rules: this is straight-up generic Frosted Flakes, twelve grams of sugar and all. For all that, though, McIntosh seems pretty enthused by it, although he was quick to shoot down my suggestion that this was the highest honor of his career.

"That would be actually getting to the pros," he said. Then he promised to conduct a taste test tomorrow between Pipeline To The Pros, Breakfast Blitz, and "some General Mills thing". Which is something to look forward to, I guess, if there's still no free agency news.

(blog.redskins.com)

proCanes.com: The cereal is sold at your local Publix Supermarket. We've got our own unopened box. It's a great collectible.

Not only have proCanes scored the most touchdowns in Super Bowl History (see below), but they also have 44, that's right, 44 Super Bowl Rings to their names. Now that's impressive.

The University of Miami has also produced the most players who have scored Super Bowl touchdowns. Miami has had eight players; Notre Dame is second with six.

Miami's Eight are: Bill Miller, Oakland (scored 2) Pete Banaszak, Oakland Ottis Anderson, New York Giants (2) Michael Irvin, Dallas (2) Jimmie Jones, Dallas Duane Starks, Baltimore Ravens Devin Hester, Chicago Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis.

If you aren't a Colts fan, then you should be like proCanes.com and root for the team that will get the most proCane rings. In this case we're pulling for the Saints because Jeremy Shockey, Glenn Sharpe and Jon Vilma will all get rings including former Hurricane WR coach Curtis Johnson. The Colts only have one proCane, Reggie Wayne, and he already has a Super Bowl Ring to his name. Let's go Saints!

We had been hearing all week that Coach Sean PAyton of the NEw Orleans Saints had been wearing a University of Miami shirt and visor during their practices at "The U." The Saints used the UM lockerroom at Hecht Athletic Center and practiced on the Greentree Practice Fields. Here is photographic evidence that Payton did indeed wear UM gear. Maybe proCanes Shockey, Sharpe and Vilma convinced him to, or maybe former Hurricane WR Coach and Current Saints WR coach, Curtis Johnson, lent him some of old Hurricane clothes.

Did you see what they did? The very moment that the world's largest football party officially began in South Florida for the week? Here they were, at the Pro Bowl, the NFL all-star game, about to start player introductions in a sold-out stadium. This was a celebration. Of football. Of accomplishment. Of themselves. And, one by one, as they emerged from the tunnel to have the moment to themselves, to hear their family names echo at the top of their workplace before a national audience, the 11 University of Miami Hurricanes in the game -- 11! -- did something a bit unusual.

They didn't point to the emblem of their NFL employer on a patch, the way Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha did. They didn't raise a thumb and jack-hammer it toward the me-me-me name on the back of their jersey, the way Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew does after touchdowns. No, one by one, as they were introduced and guaranteed all the cameras in the place for perhaps the only time, the Hurricanes put their hands in front of their bodies, thumbs together, and formed a ``U'' to genuflect before their alma mater. Rather literally, they placed their school ahead of themselves.

ROLL CALL
This symbol, as much as football itself, is what connects them, hands together, thumbs together, with the kind of bond unlike any in this sport. And here's one reason it was interesting: Ray Lewis has accomplished some huge things in football. Defensive Player Of The Year, twice. Pro Bowler, 11 times. He has been Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl. He is, it can be argued, the best middle linebacker ever. And he is also very good at celebrating himself, his joyful entrances before games the most famous and emotional in the sport. And here he was, somehow feeling the need to remind everyone where he went to school a full 15 years after attending it.

Why?

Allow Jimmy Johnson to explain.

``Happiest time of my life,'' he says.

Tommy Tuberville likes to tell the story of driving Johnson to the Miami airport the day Johnson would fly off to become a legend with the Dallas Cowboys. Tuberville was a graduate assistant at UM then, and Johnson was in the back seat, having just accepted maybe the most glamorous job in pro football. As they made their way over I-95 to leave Miami, sun sparkling on the water, Johnson suddenly stopped talking and began taking in all he was leaving. And when Tuberville readjusted his rearview mirror, he noticed the car had gone so quiet because his hardened boss was weeping.

``Such a special, special time,'' Johnson said Monday night.

He was the master of ceremonies at a banquet to celebrate UM's greatness and raise money for a program that doesn't have enough of it. It was at the billion-dollar Fontainebleau hotel, and there was something glowing in the middle of the big ballroom like the contents of that briefcase in Pulp Fiction. There, amid the prime rib carving stations and Kobe beef sliders and a suit-wearing Sebastian the Ibis, five championship rings were encased in glass. That little treasure chest contained the single greatest thing we have in South Florida sports, now or ever, and Edgerrin James and Michael Irvin and Andre Johnson and Steve Walsh and Russell Maryland and Greg Olsen and Antrel Rolle and Santana Moss and Ed Reed and Jon Beason and Clinton Portis and Bennie Blades milled around it misty with nostalgia.

It is quite uncommon, this kind of assembly of talent in one place that isn't a football field -- this kind of talent, period, actually -- but it isn't uncommon in these parts at all. It was like a 20-year high school reunion just for champions, a forever fraternity, that glowing box of jewelry the soul at the center of a big local football celebration that was at the center of our biggest national one. The ripples from inside that box can be felt throughout America's most popular sport. It isn't just that a Hurricane has scored a touchdown every NFL week since 2002 -- a ridiculous record of 122 consecutive weeks. It's that South Florida pulsates in this sport like no other area in the country, our ravaged and hungry streets a pipeline of escape that travels straight from our poverty and violence to the kind of football violence that produces NFL wealth.

Consider this: According to the most recent study done by USA Football, Miami has more players in the NFL (34) than any city anywhere. The only other city even in the 20s is Houston. That's not Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach or Belle Glade or Immokalee. That doesn't include Dillard High School. No school in the country had more NFLers than Fort Lauderdale Dillard's six in 2008. Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas are big cities. None of them has produced as many current NFL players as even Fort Lauderdale's 12.

``So many great players made it easy by paving the way,'' Beason said.

Look around this ballroom. Irvin, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. Moss, Carol City High. James, Immokalee High. Rolle, South Dade. Johnson, Miami Senior. Beason, Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna. Darrin Smith, Miami Norland. Blades, Sunrise Piper. McGahee, Miami Central. Gore, Coral Gables. They learn in our high schools, grow into men at our college and then graduate to unleash unholy hell upon the pros once they leave home. There is so much pride in that, for them and for us, and they always seem to return here to share it.

Seeing Irvin and Blades hug and smile and whisper to each other, you see brothers bonded the way only shared, shaping experiences can bond two men. If you think about it, that UM huddle never really breaks. Sometimes you will see it on the sidelines of important UM games. Sometimes it'll watch ``The U'' documentary -- the most-watched documentary in the history of ESPN -- at a historic theater in Overtown. Sometimes it gathers around Sean Taylor's casket. Sometimes it will be at the strip club. And sometimes it will be around that glass case on nights like Monday.

``U, take a bow,'' radio voice Don Bailey Jr. said while introducing NFL player after NFL player to the audience.

It is hard to get Jimmy Johnson off that boat in Islamorada, away from the fishing and retirement. His agent can't get him to make speeches for $45,000 a pop. But Johnson will still do just about anything for this school for free. The man despises small talk, but here he was interviewing former players for the audience. And he gave voice to what so many of the players in the room felt. They don't forget. Ever. They talk about their school the way men talk about the first girl they loved. The pros, they say, are frigid. Different. A job. It makes them wealthier, yes, but only in the ways the bank tabulates. It is the difference between business and love. Ask enough of the guys who left after their junior year and they will tell you almost by consensus that a senior season would have been more valuable than even the immediate need to get paid and take care of family and friends.

Andre Johnson, maybe the best wide receiver in the sport, is extraordinarily quiet. Asked why he doesn't celebrate his touchdowns with flash like a true Cane, Johnson laughs and says, ``Dance? You won't see that out of me.'' Three 100-catch seasons? Two 1,500-yard seasons? A shrug of those sculpted shoulders. But ask him about Miami, and his time there, and he won't shut up. He has returned to school to take classes now and says he badly misses the feeling he had while playing at Miami. He shows zero joy while torching NFL opponents, but you should see him watching a UM football game on TV. He'll sprint right out of his house screaming, arms over his head.

Rolle was talking about his Arizona Cardinals when he said, ``We had a long history of no history,'' and the same could be said of UM before 1983. Everything that happened since -- a record 58 straight home victories; a record 14 straight years with a first-round selection; eight national championship games -- produced what was in that glass case. Its value? That's hard to say. In fans and dollars, UM certainly doesn't get the kind of support it would just about anywhere else in the country.

WINNING PAYS
Consider that the University of Texas won for the first time since 1970 in 2006 -- not five championships, just one -- and the result was an avalanche of cash. The $87 million in revenue last year, $65 million of it in profit, was more than a college program had ever made. Even in a recession, Texas has made more money annually since the championship than any school in the country because of that one championship. The Wall Street Journal reported that Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds recently asked a young booster for a $4 million donation. The booster didn't flinch even though he thought he was being asked for $40 million. The money was wired the next day.

That's not quite how it is at Miami, of course. So Monday's auction escalated until that glass case was finally up for bid. It got as high as $20,000, with four fans bidding, so school officials happily stopped it there and promised each fan a collection of rings for that amount. In true U fashion, everyone around the huddle got to feel like a winner. And $20,000 must feel like a bargain when what you get to feel in your hands is priceless.



(miamiherald.com)

Did you know that a proCane has gone to the Pro Bowl every season but one (1984) since 1959? Ever wonder what proCane went to the Pro Bowl in 1975, or 1983? Click on the link below and we've go the entire proCane Pro Bowl History in one PDF.

Click Here To See the Entire proCanes ProBowl History

I had coaching great Jimmy Johnson on the show Wednesday. Man is he a great interview. Anyway, here's a transcript of the key questions I asked him.

Q: How well do you know new Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and should Dolphins fans be happy with him?
A: "I've got tremendous respect for Mike Nolan. I've known him for a long time. I think he's done a quality job every place he's been. I think he's really, really going to help the Dolphins."

Q: What is your take on high-maintenance NFL receivers like Brandon Marshall? Do you take a chance on a guy that's a good player on Sunday but he's a pain in the ass?
A: "It's got to concern you. Jerry Jones and I had this conversation at the Super Bowl last year because he was aking me whether or not to keep Terrell Owens. It depends a lot on your head coach. These receivers that come in with a lot of baggage . . . what that does is it takes away from your head coach's time because you're continually putting out fires. That's part of the job and as a head coach you've got to do that. But there's only so much you can put up with. You have to weigh everything and say, 'Is he that good that it's worth it?' Obviously, everybody wants to have Andre Johnson. He's the best in the league as a player and as a person. But there's not that many Andre Johnsons out there. There's a lot of Braylon Edwards, Terrell Owens and Ochocincos."

Q: What kind of a year do you think Randy Shannon had with the Hurricanes?
A: "Randy Shannon had a really good year. When you consider all the injuries they had and how young the team was . . . I thought he had a good year. Now, you'd like the team to finish on a winning note against Wisconsin. But I think they'll be much better next year."

Q: With National Signing Day less than a week away, are all those recruiting lists overrated as far as where UM ranks?
A: "I think Randy and his staff have zeroed in on what they need to improve as a team. Look at some of the great classes that we had. Jimmie Jones did not have a single offer. Russell Maryland had one offfer. Rob Chudzinski . . . Villanova was the only offer. So we took a lot of players that we wanted, but weren't highly recruited. I think Randy is doing the same thing. He has proven in the last few years that he knows talent and he knows how to recruit."

Q: Were you happy with the way "The U" documentary came out?
A: "I liked a lot of things about it. I was disappointed they didn't emphasize the graduation rate as much as what they should have. When I went to Miami the graduation rate was 33 percent. When I left it was 88 percent. They graduated everybody last year. They talked a lot about us taking guys from the inner-city. But it was almost like, 'We took them from the inner-city, and we went out there and beat everybody, but then left it hanging after that.' Those guys got their degrees, and that's something I'm very proud of. So I was disappointed in that.
"Michael Strahan told me he loved it. He said he watched five minutes of "The U" and said, 'Man, I wish I would have played for you.' He said it looked like y'all had a ball. . . . Some of the stuff was funny. I know it was controversial and I wasn't there when it happened, but when Miami played Texas and Randall Hill coming down that ramp shooting those guns -- I was cracking up."

Q: Who do you like in the Super Bowl?
"I like the Colts because they have Peyton Manning and are consistent on defense. The Saints are going to have a problem because they have lived by the blitz. I just ddon't think that you can blitz Peyton Manning because he'll catch up with you. You may hurry him, but eventually he's going to make big plays on you. And the Saints have had so many holes in their defense."


(sun-sentinel.com)

Who's in and Who's Out?
After the Conference Championship Round of NFL U playoffs we know that both the AFC and NFC teams will be repreented by proCanes in the Super Bowl. Who are they? See below.

Who's in?
Jeremy Shockey: The Saints Defeated the Vikings and Play the Colts in the Super Bowl
Jonathan Vilma: The Saints Defeated the Vikings and Play the Colts in the Super Bowl
Reggie Wayne: The Colts Defeated the Jets and Play the Saints in the Super Bowl

Who's Out?
Bryant McKinnie: The Vikings were eliminated by the Saints
Calais Campbell: The Cardinals were Eliminated by the Saints
Antrel Rolle: The Cardinals were Eliminated by the Saints
Willis McGahee: The Ravens were Eliminated by the Colts
Ray Lewis: The Ravens were Eliminated by the Colts
Ed Reed: The Ravens were Eliminated by the Colts
Tavares Gooden: The Ravens were Eliminated by the Colts
Antonio Dixon: The Eagles were Eliminated by the Cowboys last week
Orien Harris: The Bengals were Eliminated by the Jets last week
Vince Wilfork: The Patriots were Eliminated by the Ravens last week
Brandon Meriweather: The Patriots were Eliminated by the Ravens last week

Who's in and Who's Out?
After the second round of NFL U playoffs some proCanes were eliminated and other made it to the next round. It is guaranteed that at least one proCane will be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl in Miami.

Who's in?
Jeremy Shockey: The Saints Defeated the Cardinals and Play the Vikings Next
Jonathan Vilma: The Saints Defeated the Cardinals and Play the Vikings Next
Reggie Wayne: The Colts Defeated the Ravens and Play the Jets Next
Bryant McKinnie: The Vikings Defeated the Cowboys and Play the Saints Next

Who's Out?
Calais Campbell: The Cardinals were Eliminated by the Saints
Antrel Rolle: The Cardinals were Eliminated by the Saints
Willis McGahee: The Ravens were Eliminated by the Colts
Ray Lewis: The Ravens were Eliminated by the Colts
Ed Reed: The Ravens were Eliminated by the Colts
Tavares Gooden: The Ravens were Eliminated by the Colts
Antonio Dixon: The Eagles were Eliminated by the Cowboys last week
Orien Harris: The Bengals were Eliminated by the Jets last week
Vince Wilfork: The Patriots were Eliminated by the Ravens last week
Brandon Meriweather: The Patriots were Eliminated by the Ravens last week

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Matt Birk had just wrapped up his question-and-answer session with the media Wednesday at the Baltimore Ravens’ indoor practice facility. Glancing behind him, Birk saw that teammate Ray Lewis was next in line to take the microphone.

“Heeeere’s Ray Lewis,’’ Birk said, giving the Pro Bowl linebacker a showman’s introduction.

Then, raising his hands and connecting them at the thumbs so that they formed a large letter “U,’’ Birk reminded everyone where Lewis played college football.

“He’s from ‘The U,’ ’’ said Birk, the veteran center.

Leave it to a Harvard man to spell it out.

“I’m still trying to get an ‘H,’ but I can’t figure out how you do that with your hands,’’ Birk joked.

The ubiquitous “U’’ hand signal has become a calling card of sorts for those NFL players who hail from the University of Miami. But it represents more than just a show of school spirit. It is a legacy of pride and passion upheld by those who have toiled - and still toil - in the South Florida heat and humidity, playing for the Hurricanes.

“Oh yeah, it’s just a history, man,’’ Lewis said. “It’s just a legacy of great players. These guys have been around a long time. Hurricanes come and they go.’’

Said Birk, “They’re a tight-knit group, all those guys, you know? They’re proud of where they went, and rightfully so.’’

Today, when the Patriots host the Ravens in a wild-card playoff matchup at Gillette Stadium, there will be six members of “The U’’ on hand, with nose tackle Vince Wilfork and safety Brandon Meriweather dressing for New England and linebackers Tavares Gooden and Lewis, safety Ed Reed, and running back Willis McGahee for Baltimore. They are among 14 Miami players listed on NFL playoff rosters this year, 10 of whom are starters, seven headed to the Pro Bowl.

“You’ll see a young Vince Wilfork over there and you’ll see a Meriweather over there,’’ said Lewis. “Anytime I’m on the field, I’m ‘Pops.’ But these are babies that you watched pretty much your whole career.’’

No matter what side of an NFL field they find themselves on, Hurricanes share a bond, a respect for one another, and pride in where they’re from.

“When we play against those players, we’re not out to hurt those guys,’’ McGahee said. “We’re out to beat ’em, but we’re not out to hurt ’em. Now, if we’re playing against somebody from Florida State? Aw, man, we don’t care anything about you.

“But I remember playing against Ray when I was in Buffalo and he tackled me and he was like, ‘C’mon young ’Cane, get up young ’Cane!’ ’’ McGahee recalled. “When I play against [Jonathan] Vilma [of the Saints], me and Vilma played together in school but we had this rivalry. It’s not like we hated each other, but it was like, ‘I’m gonna outdo you today,’ or he was trying to get a big hit on me.

“But at the end of the day, we always come back and it’s, ‘Good job, I’ll getcha next time.’ ’’

When the Patriots beat the Ravens, 27-21, Oct. 4 at Gillette Stadium, Meriweather was the best safety from “The U’’ on the field that day, better even than his mentor, Reed.

“He’s like my big brother, man,’’ Meriweather said. “Whenever I need advice or whenever I’m playing bad and I need someone to talk to, he’s always the one I call. He’s always been there with good advice.

“It’s like family playing against family - whenever you get a chance to play against family, you always want to win, so when you go home you have something to talk about.’’

In the mid-to-late ’80s, the Hurricanes were a force. Back then, it seemed, winning national championships was strictly “A ’Cane Thing,’’ with Miami capturing three of its five titles in 1987, 1989, and 1991. That dominance reflected Miami’s impressive assemblage of talent, which at first was culled largely from the stocked talent pools in South Florida.

“It’s a football program that’s had a lot of success and turned out a lot of good players,’’ Birk noted. “A lot of good pros.’’

Four went on to be immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, beginning with Jim Otto in 1980. He was followed by Ted Hendricks in 1990, Jim Kelly in 2002, and Michael Irvin in 2007.

“I don’t know who the Godfather of The U was, because you had a lot of them,’’ McGahee said. “You had Jerome Brown, you got Cortez Kennedy, you got Warren Sapp, you got Ray Lewis, and Michael Irvin, people like that. There’s a lot of great players. Bernie Kosar . . . Jim Kelly . . . Vinny Testaverde.

“You just can’t single any one person out at The U. That’s why we say it’s The U.

“When we hold up that ‘U,’ everybody knows what time it is: ‘Oh, he went to the University of Miami. You can’t say that anywhere else. It’s all about The U.

“At one point in life, everybody wanted to go to the University of Miami. I don’t care if it was even for a day or two. It was because of the colors we were, or the visors I wore - everybody wanted to be a part of it at one point.’’

For those who were, and still are, a part of that football fraternity, there remains a strong need to uphold their school’s reputation.

“It’s an honor,’’ Lewis said. “That’s why when the game is over - win, lose, or draw on each side - you got to go over and congratulate the other one, because that’s the way we’re built.

“It’s just like back when we were on the schoolyard in college, when we competed against each other. We’d do whatever we had to do to win, but after the day is over, then it’s over, and we’re back to being brothers.’’



(boston.com)