Miami Hurricanes Future Home

The Miami Hurricanes football program needs a new home. Hard Rock Stadium is a great NFL stadium, but it doesn't feel like The U. The campus is 21 miles away from the stadium, and with traffic it can take an hour for students to get to the Rock. Ever since the Canes left the Orange Bowl, they haven't been able to sustain success on the field. This is not a coincidence. Miami has had a difficult time keeping elite South Florida talent in South Florida. I think a large part of that is due to the lackluster atmosphere at Hard Rock. Imagine being an elite recruit going on official visits. You go to a sold out Swamp, Death Valley, and Samford Stadium only to go to Hard Rock and see the place half empty. Where would you go? The program needs a Miami Hurricanes future home of their own.

Tough times are not entirely due to the home stadium of Miami. However, most of those problems are being addressed. The football facility was just completed in 2020, and is up to the standard of elite programs around the country. Mario Cristobal is an elite coach who understands the culture of Miami football. He has assembled a very good coaching staff as well. And now that NIL is legal, the boosters are doing a great job at getting their players paid. John Ruiz is a billionaire who is splashing cash around the Canes program, and now he's looking to build a football stadium for the program. The Miami Hurricanes future home is getting closer and closer each day. Yesterday we got the first renderings of the stadium, and WOW! This thing looks gorgeous.

The architect is HKS Architects , the same firm that designed SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles where the Super Bowl was held last February. The stadium will fit roughly 65,000, and there are plenty of nods to the Orange Bowl. The open endzone, the ovular shape of the bowl, and the open air design feel like the Orange Bowl, the staduim where Miami experienced their most success.

Tropical Park.

John Ruiz told Miami New Times Tropical Park give his 270-acres of land that can be developed into the new home for Miami Hurricanes football. Great news for students too; the stadium will be less than 3 miles from campus. It would also feature a separate indoor practice area for the Canes.

This is not a done deal by any means. Tropical Park is owned by the City of Miami, and as of this article, the two sides have not discussed the potential build. Ultimately the decision will come down to the voters in Miami, according to Ruiz saying "Obviously, we're going to talk to the commissioners and the mayor, but ultimately it goes out to a vote to the general public." via the Miami New Times. Whether this is the new home of the Miami football program or not, there is real momentum within the program and I have no doubts something will stick eventually. 

The start of the college football season is right around the corner.  Here are the latest headlines that you may no know about.

Here's one that goes well with lunch or even dinner.  If you like watching college football players puke, well Lincoln, Nebraska is the place for you.  It's fun for the whole family in fact.  The Cornhuskers head coach, Scott Frost, who claims to be coming off the best 3-9 season of all time, says it' s not because the players are not in shape.

Ohio State quarterback and Heisman hopeful, C.J Stroud, thinks college football players in the Big 10 should receive revenue sharing.  Well in case you haven't heard, on Thursday the Big 10 signed a 1.2 billion dollar annual media rights contract.  Each Big 10 program will now receive 75 million

The contract will pay each Big Ten institution $75 million from television rights alone.  CBS, NBC, Fox and Peacock are all part of what's being called the largest media contract in the history of college athletics.

In the words of Elaine Benes: "Fake, Fake Fake Fake".

College football players penalized for targeting can have part of their punishment appealed, players faking injuries to stop the clock might not get away with it like they used to and blocking below the waist has been restricted further.  The penalties for the faking nonsense is way overdo.  It's college football's version of "flopping" in soccer and basketball.

In an attempt to crack down on teams awarded an injury timeout after a player fakes an injury, schools and conferences will be able to report questionable scenarios to the national coordinator of officials. The coordinator will provide feedback. Any penalties levied would be up to the conference office or school involved.

From the "Just in the nick of time" category, the NCAA sent out an email from Stan Wilcox, NCAA executive vice president of regulatory Affairs, and Jon Duncan, VP of enforcement. It said NCAA enforcement staff is "actively investigating potential abuses of NIL transactions and we'll allege any substantiated concerns as soon as possible.

In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi:  "You need to go home and rethink your life"

The Associated Press' Top 25 College Football poll was released earlier this afternoon.  Guess what?  For the fifth time in the last 7 years Alabama is number one. At least at the beginning of the year they are.

We will discuss this poll in greater detail later today on the Shemon and Sheppard Show.

Here are all the rankings for the Top 25 College Football Poll.  Comments are my own (Pete).  Feel free to disagree. Please do. Actually, join in the discussion on our facbeook page. Or it's @ESPNSWFL  if you've been banned from the facebook again.

The Crimson Tide received 54 of 63 first place votes.  Blah blah blah blah.  Alabama is great again, Blah Blah Blah.  Ohio State and Georgia received the other 9 first place votes six and three respectively.

The Buckeyes are powerful Jedi's.  Quarterback C.J. Stroud is a Heisman Trophy finalist with out a doubt if he stays healthy.  Plus, the Buckeyes are still pissed they lost to Michigan last year.

The defending National Champs.  No longer ceiling 5 anymore Craig Shemon!! Much of last year's awesome defense is returning.  I have more faith than most regarding quarterback Stetson Bennett.

Ridiculous they are this high up.  Some polls have my Miami in the spot but more on that later.  I think the Tigers are a top 10 team but not 4th, sorry.  I also don't like saying their quarterback's name all that much.  In case you don't know it's "DJ Uiagalelei".  It's pronounced "DJ"

Daaa Daaa Daa Da Da...Daa daa daa daa.  More like No No No No No, No No No No..This is ridiculous to have this team ranked 4th.  They suffered a couple of major injuries during their scrimmage last Friday and new head coach Marcus Freeman is in for a rude awakening week one when Ohio State wins by double digits.

Ohhhhh Nellie or should I say, Ohhhh NILLLLIIIi..(Me imitating Keith Jackson)  Well, it's poop or get off the pot time for Jimbo Fisher and his Aggies.  Very high expectations by most. (I have them in my college football playoff)  Big test week 3 when they host an awesome Miami Hurricane's team.

Uttttaaaahhh!! (We say this name with affection on our show)  This is the highest pre season ranking for the  defending Pac-12 Champs.  Did you say "Ute?"

I don't like Jim Harbaugh.  This ranking is way too high.  The defending Big 10 Champs finally made the CFP last season.  It won't happen again.  Ohio State blows them out again at the end of the season.

As I like to say/sing all the time when talking about the Sooners.."OOoookkkklllaaahhhooommmaa where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.." You guys know the rest.  Head coach Brent Venables should have this team atop the Big 12 when it's all said and done.

Head coach Dave Aranda should have this Bears team fired up and ready to go.  Could be a sleeper for the CFP when it's all said and done.

Quack Quack Quack.  How will first year coach Dan Lanning fair?  Good or will he "quack" up?..I make a joke!

"I'm a man!!"  "I just turned 55"  Coach Mike Gundy did indeed have his 55th last Friday.  Cowboy up all!

Lots of respect for this football team.  Very good coach and quarterback.  If they can win at Clemson on October 1st, they could very well win the ACC-Atlantic Division

Better know this season as TPU(Transfer Portal University) head coach Lincoln Riley is under a lot of pressure to get the Trojans back on track this season.

Sparty was back big time last year lets see what head coach Mel Tucker and Michigan State can do this year for an encore.

There is no doubt in my mind that the "U" is finally back.  Mario Cristobal has got this team mental and physical approach to the game completely changed from the past few seasons.  With Heisman hopeful Tyler Van Dyke at the helm, there is no stopping this team.  They should be ranked in the top 10 right now.

They lost a whole bunch of great players from last year's ACC Championship team.  Miami beat them by the way at the end of the season in case you forgot at their place.  This team should not be ranked right now.

I bet this team runs the football better than most teams in the Big 10.  I'm going way out on a limb.  Good team, not great.

Suuuuueeeeeeeeyyy!!  Did you know that Arkansas is the the only state in the country with another states name in theirs's?  It's true.  "Kansas"  Hogs will give some teams fits this year in the SEC as they continue to build.

Head Coach Bob Stoops has had two, 10 win seasons, in the past 4 years for the WildCats.  Hey head hoop coach Cal.  Stay in your damn lane buddy!

Always fun pre and post game to listen to head coach Lane Kiffen.  Priceless

The Demon Deacons just lost their starting quarterback Sam Hartman for the year.  This team should not be ranked right now.

The Bear Cats shocked the world last year by getting into the CFP as a non power five.  Coach Fickle will have a much harder time this season.  But that coach and team have some Moxy.

Cougars QB-1 Clayton Tune will have to "face the music" big time this season.  That's all I got.  Hit the cymbal here

No coffee, no chocolate, not swearing, no problem.  These "Cougars" led by head coach Kalani Sitake will be a pain the butt for the rest of the country no matter who they play.  Home vs Baylor week 2 and at Oregon week 3.  They get wins in those two games, look out.  It will be another UCF controversy again if they go undefeated. 

They were actually 27th with 164 votes.  Tennessee was 26th with 180 votes.  I would have put the Vols in my top 25