Hail To The Redskins!!

[Squid]

Originally Posted by silentjon

I get it was a joke, but I still take objection towards the term thug.

I have a very good friend from high school whose sister had a "reputation" for being the go-to girl if you wanted to lose your virginity or to get a little action. My friend has felt tremendous embarassment over the years for the things that his sister did. In fact, we all kind of feel sorry for her because she has been stuck for more than 30 years with that reputation and at each reunion, inevitably someone brings her up.

A reputation, once earned, is hard to overcome. Shannon has done a decent job of keeping players under wraps the last couple years. There are a lot of great players that came out of the U that were role models for others...but, they get lost in the reputation that the U earned. Of course, anytime you have a FIU-Miami brawl, the natural tendency is to bring back past behaviors and history of schools and individuals. To be upset about the term "Thug Brawl" is an issue that you'll have to take up with the media. They coined the phrase....the rest of us just use the term. In fact, if I recall correctly, wasn't the Sportscaster that broadcast the FIU-Miami also fired for his comments supporting what was occurring on the field by the Miami players??? If I remember correctly....he was also a Miami grad.

Here in NC, Chuck Amato began building the reputation at NC State of bringing in the "thug" players with attitudes and questionable behaviors. He came out of the FSU program that often times lacked character, as well. He wanted the players to have a get in your face attitude and not back down or be intimidated by the opposing players. With all that, came the associated problems, as well...on and off the field. To have Tom O'Brien as the new coach at NC State come in and rebuild the program with discipline and hard work is a joy to watch.

But again....as much as you may want the reputation to go away, Miami earned its reputation over the years and its going to take awhile to remove the stigma associated.