Why would their football team gettinig off to a slow start hurt the University of Miami itself?
These are tenuous times for the University of Miami and its football program. Vulnerable times. Anxious times. This isn’t a state university that is well-funded. This isn’t a program overflowing with big-money donors. This isn’t a school that draws well, even during national title seasons. This isn’t Southern California, which doesn’t have competition from an NFL team. This isn’t a rich city. In fact, it’s poor. Now Miami will go into the 2009 football season facing its toughest four opponents in the first five weeks. It’s like being in the playoffs, only in reverse. If the Hurricanes start 2-2 and are in the running for the ACC title game, there is hope and a reason for fickle fans to keep coming to the games. But if the Hurricanes don’t win early — and there’s a lot to overcome with new coordinators and a lot of sophomores and redshirt freshmen playing key roles — their final four home games will look like Marlins baseball. Empty seats. Booing. Apathy, which can be even worse. Going
Slow Start Could Hurt Ticket Sales, Shannon CORAL GABLES — These are tenuous times for the University of Miami and its football program. Vulnerable times. Anxious times. This isn’t a state university that is well-funded. This isn’t a program overflowing with big-money donors. This isn’t a school that draws well, even during national title seasons. This isn’t Southern California, which doesn’t have competition from an NFL team. This isn’t a rich city. In fact, it’s poor. Now Miami will go into the 2009 football season facing its toughest four opponents in the first five weeks. It’s like being in the playoffs, only in reverse. If the Hurricanes start 2-2 and are in the running for the ACC title game, there is hope and a reason for fickle fans to keep coming to the games. But if the Hurricanes don’t win early — and there’s a lot to overcome with new coordinators and a lot of sophomores and redshirt freshmen playing key roles — their final four home games will look like Marlins baseball. E
