Sports teams that scared the piss out of White America

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

I can say without hyperbole that "The U" by Billy Corbin was one of the best movies of this decade. I only rank it behind the Tyson documentary.

Eh - it was just ok for me. Some stories about the 80s were great, and the interviews were cool. But it lost any sense of purpose after 45 minutes or so. It was really just a worse version of Cane Mutiny, which is much more detailed. Now THAT is a great story about the Canes. Check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/Cane-Mutiny-Hurricanes-Overturned-Establishment/dp/0451212975

And use the look inside feature to read the first few pages. You will get a much better idea of what these kids were facing.

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

I'd disagree to say that Ronald Curry's HS career>>>>>>>AI's.

He went 51-2 at Hampton High and led them to 3 straight State Championships playing QB, S, P, KR. In basketball, he led them to a State Championship his junior year, and was named McDonald's Player of the Year his senior year.

Iverson getting in trouble his senior year hurt him.

Iverson's size might have allowed him to be a PG in the NBA, but no way he is an NFL QB with that frame. Vick is a pretty solid guy and taller.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I can say without hyperbole that "The U" by Billy Corben was one of the best movies of this decade. I only rank it behind the Tyson documentary.

I don't think it was that good. But it was wildly entertaining.

I never realized how much heat they got from their University President and their Athletic Director. Seriosuly, could the school have employed two more stereotypically "Conservative Old White Dudes" for those roles.

I also totally forgot how badly Schnellenberger screwed up by leaving Miami for .... nothing!

I thought the Luther Campbell stuff was revealing. Seriously, a lot of these players didn't have a pot to piss in. And the University made an absolute fortune off their work. Can I really be mad at Luther Campbell for giving them $200 or $300 so they can buy some shoes or go to dinner?

But...again...the press saw it as "Thug rapper pays off thug players to beat up good Catholic boys from Notre Dame."

[LeesburgSkinFan]

I liked the documentary, but felt it was bit slanted in that they did not mention how Jimmy Johnson spent the entire month of December 1985 lobbying for the national title (assuming they would win the Sugar Bowl) only to get their butts kicked by Tennessee. They also ignored the 1993 Sugar Bowl when they were heavily favored over Alabama (Gene Stalling's team) and were completely taken apart. But no surprise since the film was done by a Miami grad. I noticed that they pretty much glossed over Butch Davis, and the shots of ripping down the Orange Bowl were misplaced. But the strongest parts had to have been the treatment of the Schnellennburger era and the Cotton Bowl against Texas. The Cotton Bowl just showed how outrageous that team was.

The one reality that they clearly did show was that the program kept getting further and further out of control and all too often the football staff and players blamed the media or claimed it was prejudice. They were an outlaw program and they revelled in it.

[ixcuincle]

The best part was Sebastian plugging the fog machine in...then the Miami players talked some more about how the fog machine helped them prepare for games

The movie did a very nice job of chronicling the events from the early 1980's to the early 90's, when the Canes dominated. Maybe it was just my youth but there was a lot of fascinating historical information in that documentary that I did not previously know about. The interviews were also good for comedy, as were the highlights of Randall Hill running into the tunnel after a touchdown

Yes the documentary mentioned that Howard would have been legend had he stayed. Shame he had to go

As I said before the "denials" by Campbell were hilarious. "No...I would never give 100 or 200 dollars just so some poor players could get some shoes."

ESPN Films wrapped up the fall slate of the critically-acclaimed "30 for 30" film project with Billy Corben's The U, Saturday night immediately following the Heisman Trophy presentation, and earned a 1.8 rating. That represents an average of 1.8 million homes (2.368 M viewers, P2+) and is ESPN's highest-rated documentary of all time (The Greatest Game Ever aired December 13, 2008, and earned a 1.4 rating - 1.369 million households, 1.811 M viewers). For the "30 for 30" series Fall slate overall, the seven films earned an average 1.0 rating (1,007,000 homes, 1,258,000 viewers).

http://www.rakontur.com/

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I liked the documentary, but felt it was bit slanted in that they did not mention how Jimmy Johnson spent the entire month of December 1985 lobbying for the national title (assuming they would win the Sugar Bowl) only to get their butts kicked by Tennessee.

The documentary was on how the Canes were the dominant program of the 80s and early 90s. It spent a lot of time on the 1986 Fiesta Bowl debacle. I don't think it would have made the documentary any stronger to go throught every high profile loss.

I watched the Cotton Bowl game against Texas when it took place. That was one of the more uncomfortable football-viewing experiences I ever had. You can look at it as comedy now, but at the time, it felt like the football equivalent of a snuff film. It really felt like the Canes were capable of anything that game - they could have intentionallt broken someone's neck and I would not have been surprised.

LeBetard brought up the point on Simmons' podcast that at some point street culture crosses from amusing to dangerous. That game was the transition from Run DMC to NWA.

[Spartacus87]

What middle American Bible Belt white family wouldn't like this team:

[ixcuincle]

Lol "We're the reason they don't put mics at midfield anymore"

As I mentioned Sebastian plugging in a fog machine

And the ending with the epic music playing

I'm a man who owns few DVD's. I only have one DVD and that is Tango and Cash. But whenever this movie comes out I will most likely buy it and make it the 2nd addition to my DVD collection. The movie is THAT good.

DVD supposedly has extra features too on the Butch Davis eras and rebuilding the program. Can't wait

http://www.thestate.com/338/story/1058949.html

Howard Schnellenberger, on one of his early discussions after his hiring: "Some people said to get rid of the 'U' (on the helmet). But I didn't see the point of it. What are we going to put on there? An M? There are lots of Ms in the world."

Schnellenberger, on leaving his pipe on the sofa of recruits: "I left it on purpose so I'd have a reason to come back. I didn't do it for everybody because I didn't have that many pipes to go around."

-Bernie Kosar, on beating Nebraska in the January 1984 Orange Bowl for Miami's first national title: "I wanted to show my teammates, 'Screw this team that's the best ever.' They were prehistoric in their defensive schemes. They had never seen a pro-style passing attack."

-Art Kehoe, on Schnellenberger leaving Miami: "If he would have stayed here, he would have been the most legendary coach in the history of football. He would have won so many national championships, it would have been staggering."

-Bennie Blades, on how Miami had such trouble luring fans to games in the 1970s that Burger King gave away a ticket with the purchase of a Whopper: "We couldn't afford many Whoppers, so we didn't go to many games."

-Leon Searcy, on criticism of Miami running up the score in a 58-7 win over Notre Dame in 1985: "It's football, not badminton. What are we supposed to do? Take a knee and punt?"

[Spartacus87]

My favorite part of the program was when they were discussing how Miami staked off south Florida for recruiting as their own territory for talent, and the only school willing to go in there to get kids was FSU.

The Miami/FSU rivalry started in the 80s as Miami viewing FSU as their little brothers, but as one player put it, Miami respected FSU, because they were one of the few schools that kept them on their schedule year after year, unlike the Gators. So true.

[ixcuincle]

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Clearly, this thread was wrong-headed considering ESPN just ran another documentary on the same basic subject.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Clearly' date=' this thread was wrong-headed considering ESPN just ran another documentary on the same basic subject.[/quote']

The one last night was fantastic (except the whole beating the Redskins in Superbowl 18 part)

The Raiders did become the team of "gangsta rap" although I am not sure if the post Superbowl 18 Raiders were nearly as intimidating as the Raiders of the 70s

[Skin'Em84]

Can we have the all-mexican team that scares the piss outta blacks and whites together?

What about the all-Middle Eastern team that gets searched boarding their team plane?

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

The one last night was fantastic (except the whole beating the Redskins in Superbowl 18 part)

The Raiders did become the team of "gangsta rap" although I am not sure if the post Superbowl 18 Raiders were nearly as intimidating as the Raiders of the 70s

The Raiders of the 70s were more intimidating than the Raiders of the 80s and 90s.

The Raider fans became more intimidating in the 80s and 90s.

At some point, the Raiders and their fans swapped identities. I'm not sure that has ever happened in professional sports before.

Steeler fans like to believe they are blue-collar, salt of the earth types. In reality, your average Steeler season ticket holder is a CPA from Cranberry.

If you go to a Raider game, the season ticket holder next probably has done 5 to 10 at some point.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

And before someone mentions the Eagles, low-life Eagles fans are low-lifes because they live in Philly. They would be the same miserable people regardless if football was never existed. And it's not like low-lifes from other cities seek out the Eagles.

If you live in Topeka, you could probably name the five people most likely to stab you in a bar and three of them would be Raiders fans.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Can we have the all-mexican team that scares the piss outta blacks and whites together?

What about the all-Middle Eastern team that gets searched boarding their team plane?

We played that game six months ago.

[Rudechain]

You just said you grew up in racially mixed neighborhoods inside the Beltway. I'm assuming your experience is very different from' date=' like, every white person in suburban Chicago.

I did not grow up in DC. I grew up in a majority white small towns in WV and Pennsylvania. Everything posted in these articles rings 100 percent true for me.

Do you really think that junior high students in, say, Midland Texas viewed the Hoyas the same way you did?[/quote']

Well I don't know about Midland, but I grew up in a small town called Schertz Texas outside of San Antonio.

Nobody I grew up with feared Georgetown because they were black. The feared them cause they played good basketball and were a threat to Hakeem and Clyde winning a title.

And yes I am a member of "white America" as you put it.

[Boss_Hogg]

I'm 99% white and 1% black.

These teams did not "scare" me. Is it because of my 1%?

I totally do not understand this debate.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I may bump this thread once a year for the next ten years just because the reactions it generates are so apoplectic.

How dare you, sir, suggest that anyone ever hated John Thompson's for anything but the purest of reasons? Have you no dignity?

Schools in Texas weren't desegregated yet, but America had put its racial issues behind it in 1982 apparently. I apologize for suggesting otherwise.

[Rudechain]

Well, being 'racist' is pretty much cut and dry. Either you are or you aren't. You view people based on the color of their skin, culture, nationality, etc. I don't do this. Not really 'saintly' or 'Almighty'. Really not difficut at all for me. But maybe your view on the ability to do this speaks for itself.

Not much passion at all. You made a blanket statement the includes- not a race- but millions of people based on skin color. It, IMO, deserved to be recognized as over the top. Just commenting on what I believe.

Well, in the words of our President, in attempting to snuffout racism for the large part

YES WE CAN.

no power point needed.

Good luck with it all

PS

having read half the thread it didnt seem at all to define white america,nor was it that interesting. Further I still dont seem to 'get' the whole concept. But, whatever, enjoy.

Well to be fair, racism/bias does exist in everyone. If you walk down the street and see young black men wearing certain clothing termed as the "thug look" what is your initial impression?

If your talking to someone and they have a heavy southern accent, what is your initial impression?

If your on an airplane and see a young man of middle eastern descent sweating or looking nervous what is your initial impression?

Everyone has opinions based on their own histories. Your initial impression may pass quickly, but that initial impression of someone can be unfair and labled as a bias or racist tendacy.

It's just part of our human nature to form these opinions based on our own histories and our enviornment during our formative years. The key is to try and recognize this and work to change these impressions.

All of us, black, white, latino and asian have a duty to work through them and improve our outlook of equality. Racism and or bigotry still exist although I don't believe it is nearly as predominant as it was in the past, but it is still a monkey on the back of the USA.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I just wish to point out that three of the 30 for 30 documentaries dealt directly with race (Miami, Iverson, Ice Cube) while a fourth had an obvious racial element (Jimmy the Greek).

But - again - discussing sports and race together is a silly notion, because they have no connection at all.

[Rudechain]

I may bump this thread once a year for the next ten years just because the reactions it generates are so apoplectic.

How dare you' date=' sir, suggest that anyone ever hated John Thompson's for anything but the purest of reasons? Have you no dignity?

Schools in Texas weren't desegregated yet, but America had put its racial issues behind it in 1982 apparently. I apologize for suggesting otherwise.[/quote']

The school I went to was desegregated and the largest percentage of race was hispanic. The number of blacks and whites were not far behind and members of the asian race were the least in number.

Now this might have had something to do with an air force base nearby and the number of military families in the area. But there was still racial tensions due to a number of mitigating factors as past histories and a parents own bias being taught to their offspring.

I distictly remember extreme bias being levied towards mexican americans more than any other group. People would call them beaners and make snide remarks about the size of their families. ( never fight a mexican cause you have to fight his thirty cousins too).

In regards to the topic at hand, I can only speak from my own personal experiences and the enviornment I grew up in. Specifically in regards to Georgetown, because the University of Houston was popular at the time, the discussion surrounding them never was about race. It was about the physical game they played and how Ewing was such a force underneath.

That's an opinion from someone growing up in South Texas, which was not inside the beltway. Nobody that I can recall ever was scared due to race.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

The school I went to was desegregated and the largest percentage of race was hispanic. The number of blacks and whites were not far behind and members of the asian race were the least in number.

Now this might have had something to do with an air force base nearby and the number of military families in the area. But there was still racial tensions due to a number of mitigating factors as past histories and a parents own bias being taught to their offspring.

I distictly remember extreme bias being levied towards mexican americans more than any other group. People would call them beaners and make snide remarks about the size of their families. ( never fight a mexican cause you have to fight his thirty cousins too).

In regards to the topic at hand, I can only speak from my own personal experiences and the enviornment I grew up in. Specifically in regards to Georgetown, because the University of Houston was popular at the time, the discussion surrounding them never was about race. It was about the physical game they played and how Ewing was such a force underneath.

That's an opinion from someone growing up in South Texas, which was not inside the beltway. Nobody that I can recall ever was scared due to race.

So, you admittedly grew up in a school filled with racial tensions. But that never spilled into any other areas?

[Rudechain]

So' date=' you admittedly grew up in a school filled with racial tensions. But that never spilled into any other areas?[/quote']

I never said otherwise. I have also stated there has always been and probably will always be some racism or bias prevelant in society. I think that there is a part of it that is natural through growth in one's enviornment.

But I also grew up as a dependent in the military and traveled quite a bit. One thing is the military really does not stand for racism or racist behavior. And this outlook on races is naturally viewed and learned by those military dependents. So my personal outlook on race would have been different from those that had grown up in the enviornment.

But as to my initial response, those who were interested in college basketball were fans of the University of Houston and University of Texas. So during the NCAA Tourney, the fans were not scared or concerned about Georgetown because of race. They were concerned because of the style of basketball they played as well as their overall talent level.

At least the circle of friends that I kept. Now that could also be that my friends have always been of varying races and mixtures of races my whole life. But even while living in Texas, they were not as concerned about black atheletes in the eighties as perhaps when Texas Westren won back in 1966.

There is still racist/bias behaviors today, and every individual expresses these behaviors. Some may not even realize it on a concious level. But society has worked to deal with the issue and in regards to the US in particular, it had improved from 1966 to 1983-84.

The people in South Texas were less concerned about the race of a college basketball team than the overal talent and style of play.

[Major Harris]

I just wish to point out that three of the 30 for 30 documentaries dealt directly with race (Miami' date=' Iverson, Ice Cube) while a fourth had an obvious racial element (Jimmy the Greek).

But - again - discussing sports and race together is a silly notion, because they have no connection at all.[/quote']

love how you word that.

no one says that sports and race don't intertwine. it just gets tiring reading someones post who sees race in every situation...it almost seems to be your obsession. to each his own i guess.

i'd also suggest that espn not be a litmus test. they also are just finishing up the "nfl pipeline tournament"