UM Hall of Famer Tim James Serving in Iraq

No matter what side of the political spectrum you reside, you should read the story written by Dan LeBatard about former Hurricanes and Heat star Tim James, who is serving our country in Iraq with the US Army.

Lane Carico

University of Miami outside hitter Lane Carico blasts a shot past a Florida Gulf Coast defender during the Hurricanes' season opening 3-0 victory over the Eagles in Coral Gables on Friday.

NFL Preseason Leaves Much to be Desired

PSL’s (Personal Seat Licenses) are a relatively new premium fee, often enacted when a new stadium is built, which is required before fans can buy season tickets. In the NFL, PSL’s have existed for years in another form: the NFL Preseason.

If you want to buy season tickets for an NFL season, you have to buy all ten home games. Only eight of those are games that count in the standings. The other two are preseason games.

In those games, you are paying full price to see the starters in street clothes and the competition for the last five or so roster spots. If your team has more spots up for grabs then you are going to have a long season, and quite possibly a home game that has been moved to London. But that’s a entirely different rant for another time.

All you need to know about preseason football is that the Detroit Lions were 4-0 in August last year. Not exactly the harbinger of things to come.

Forget baggage fees, fuel surcharges, and health insurance. The NFL preseason is one of the largest rip-offs around.

Cash for Clunkers Extended in Minnesota

While the national "Cash for Clunkers" program ended last night, it could continue for Vikings fans through December. Unlike the national program which has invigorated auto sales, the Minnesota version could see losses continue to mount. Fans will realize their rebate in January, retaining money which would have been spent on playoff tickets.

#1 'Canes Fan Jim Fragos Passes Away

Hurricanes' fan "Big Jim" Fragos died Friday in his sleep from heart disease. Jim was a faithful follower of the Hurricanes Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Rowing and Swimming programs.

Above, Jim is pictured with Audra Cohen, the 2007 NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Champion.

I can still hear his voice, "hey JC, come here, I need a picture!"

New Photography Book Pays Tribute to The Orange Bowl

Friend and "former comrade," photojournalist Scott B. Smith, has amassed an astounding collection of photographs that record the vitality and history of this storied stadium in his new book, The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey (published by AuthorHouse).

“The Orange Bowl. To a kid growing up in Miami, getting a ticket to a game there was awesome. Sneak in? Never. (It was quite easy…)” Smith writes. “I recall like it was last week, walking up those oh-so-steep ramps and still see the light blue air against the night sky. The field of dark green grass. The enormity of the place. Blue air, you ask? Remember – everyone smoked in the ’50s. It was a night game. Hey, I was nine.”

The Orange Bowl Stadium was put to rest in the spring of 2008, but not before Smith captured the Miami landmark from every possible angle, taking time to find every architectural detail from the seats, the ground and even in aerial shots. In The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey, Smith records his own experience at The Orange Bowl, over the course of his early life and through his career.

As a child, Smith enjoyed football games with his parents and godparents, tailgating and being a “water boy” and ball boy for the University of Miami Hurricanes. In later years he returned as a sports photographer to shoot for CaneSport and Huskers Illustrated, but in 2008 he revisited The Orange Bowl for the last time, before its demolition, as an architectural photographer who could appreciate the classic, functional design of a stadium of a bygone era. “The book is not about football so much, but a visual memory for the scores of fans who may not have realized the last game attended would be their final time in the stadium,” Smith writes.

In a stunning collection of images from a true fan, The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey offers a piece of history and a glimpse into fond memories of the stadium that readers of all ages can appreciate and remember for many years to come.

Scott & I worked for a local well known sports photographer in the early 90's, thus the "comrade" statement. I can vouch for his fearless approach to aerial photography.

Order the book here and view some of Scott's Orange Bowl photos here.

'Canes Keeper Beats Cancer

Miami Hurricanes Goalkeeper Austen Everett is back on the field after battling Non-Hodgkins lymphoma last summer after a football-sized mass was found next to her stomach. Read the MSNBC story here.

2009 Miami Hurricanes Volleyball

The 2009 Miami Hurricanes Volleyball team poses during their photo day last week at the Knight Center in Coral Gables.

Our Own "Rudy"

Yesterday Dave Hyde's column in the Sun-Sentinel told the story of Chris Hayes, a walk-on for the University of Miami Football team who had his "Rudy" moment during a game against Wake Forest last season.

Chris' moment came the day after his father's funeral, who had committed suicide earlier in the week.

Ever wonder why you see those "U Family" slogans around? This is one reason why.

Have you ever wondered why I have a suicide prevention ad on my blog? Suicide touches many more families than you can imagine, mine included.

You can read the article here.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Sebastian is! Sebastian the Ibis watches a classic 'Canes-'Noles matchup while shopping at Allcanes (formerly Allsports) in Coral Gables earlier today.

Hurricanes Photo Day

You can meet the 2009 Miami Hurricanes via these slideshows above and below. These images were taken during last Saturday's photo day in Coral Gables.

The first slideshow contains groups and the team photo, the last slideshow contains images of this season's incoming freshmen.

Visit www.caneshooter.com for these and many, many more Hurricanes images.

2009 Miami Hurricanes Women's Soccer

Leigh Van Lear, Brittany Bucknor and Nichole Chandler of the Miami Hurricanes Women's Soccer team pose during photo day last week. View the complete take in the slideshow below:

Football in Paradise

After a season of "Reaching Higher," FAU Football has returned to using the "Football in Paradise" theme.

For this year's media guide, we hauled the 2007 Sun Belt Conference Champion trophy, and the New Orleans Bowl and Motor City Bowl trophies out to the beach in Boca Raton.

What recruit wouldn't be impressed with this combination?

From the Vault

Charlton Jimerson of the Miami Hurricanes stands under an aptly named billboard during the 2001 College World Series in which he earned MVP honors.

Jimerson overcame a turbulent childhood while growing up in Heyward, California to earn an academic scholarship at the University of Miami and earned a spot on the baseball roster as a walk on in 1999.

Jimerson went on to the Houston Astros organization and in 2006 while pinch-hitting for Roger Clemens homered on the very first pitch of his first major league at-bat.

He is currently playing for the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League.