Sports and politics embrace the politics of campaigns
By Derek Joy
It happened like so. . .
Booker T. Washington High School Head Football Coach Tim “Ice” Harris won “Coach-of-the-Year honors for the second consecutive year.
He deserves it, earn it. After all, Harris went to the State Finals three consecutive times and has won the State Championship two times in a row for his third state title overall.
While some lament that Harris isn’t coaching Miami Northwestern High School, especially since Stephen Field recently resigned, others hold out hope that he’ll get a college coaching opportunity.
Speaking of college coaching; think of Al Golden feeling trump tight and staying put at the University of Miami, despite enticing overtures from his alma mater, Penn State University.
Not so for Charlie Strong, who left the University of Louisville for the head coaching job at the University of Texas Longhorns. Strong replaces Mack Brown, who resigned after 16 years.
Funny thing about that; Strong was an assistant at the University of Florida before getting the head coaching job at Louisville. Gators Head Coach Will Muschamp was the defensive coordinator and coach-in-waiting for the Longhorns.
Seems Muschamp got tired of waiting and accepted the job at the Gators. Strong’s Cardinals beat the Gators in a Bowl game following the 2012 season and knocked off Golden’s Hurricanes to end the 2013 season.
Real interesting turn of events along the athletic campaign trail; the twists and turns are equally interesting on the coaching carousel revolving around the campaign trail.
Poor Miami Dolphins fans got the old one, two, three bum rush again.
But this time a head rolled, too bad the so called “Extortion/Bullygate” Saga, adds fuel to the fires of incompetence.
Miami got rid of Mike Sherman as offensive coordinator. Texas A&M University didn’t renew his contract for a reason. Seems the Dolphins should’ve known better, too. Then Jeff Ireland was fired from his general manager’s gig.
Everybody knows quarterback Ryan Tanneyhill was a reach at the number eight pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Trading up to draft defensive end/linebacker at number three was an even longer reach.
Remember Jason Taylor? He was drafted in the third round from relatively obscure Akron University. It is hard to imagine Jordan matching Taylor’s accomplishments that many believe will eventually land him in the NFL Hall of Fame.
And so, much of that came to mind as Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert III engagingly answered questions asked by Jim DeFede on WFOR/CBS 4’s Facing The Issues.
Granted, it isn’t politically correct or popular to tell the truth. People consider that to be a troublemaker, devil’s disciple and other dastardly names. Gilbert acknowledged as much and spoke a truth anyway.
Gilbert was absolutely correct in pointing out that parents bear the brunt of blame for what their children do, how they grow up. To accept that responsibility fuels the fires of change.
And change begins precisely as Miami Dade Public Schools Educator, Dr. Robert Malone, to Glenna Milburg, who was filling in for host Michael Putney on WPLG/Local 10’s This Week in South Florida.
“We have to take back our neighborhoods, one block at a time,” said Malone.
