Coked Out

Did the University of Miami football team have anything to really play for last night? Sure, by beating Boston College the Hurricanes are now bowl-eligible. It was a tumultuous season for the Canes, with a 6-6 record that some might say is unacceptably low, the nasty on-field fight with Florida International and the tragic murder of Miami player Brian Pata. Miami head coach Larry Coker, through it all has been the face of the program, never surrendering, never making excuses and seemingly working his hardest to get through the difficult times for "The U". All of this made last night's upset of a Boston College team in the thick of gaining a conference championship bid and bettering their oppurtunity for a BCS bid, that much more impressive. Coker was seen before the game, loose as ever, joking with his players and staff. So where is Larry Coker this morning? The unemployment line. And it's unfair. Completely unfair. Lets look at Coker's tenure with Miami. The guy went 49-15 over six seasons winning a National Title in his first season. And if it weren't for a bogus pass interference call, he would have won two in his first two seasons. Only one coach in the storied history of Miami has ever won more games in his first six seasons at the helm. Is part of the reason Miami is where it is now Coker's fault? Sure. Is it worth him losing his job, after he was there like a father for his team through everything this year? No, not at all. The Miami program as a whole needs to look in the mirror and fix itself. It's a program that's had a reputation for being at times, a bunch of thugs that long precedes Coker. If Coker has to go, why shouldn't athletic director Paul Dee go? Oh yeah, that's right school president Donna Shalala can get by with letting the axe fall on Coker, but Dee survives because the rest of the athletic department is undeniably one of the best in the nation. It's unfair and Larry Coker deserves better. And judging by Coker's attitude and demeanor this year, he'll end up with something better. Here's hoping he does.