Swagger U?

On the week the first BCS standings were announced, the story in college football that is getting the most attention is the brawl between the University of Miami and Florida International. 31 players between both teams were suspended by the ACC and Sun Belt conferences including 8 Miami players who were suspended indefinitely by lame duck Head Coach Larry Coker.

The ironic thing is this is more than likely the final nail in the coffin for Coker, who along with his predecessor Butch Davis have worked hard to restore the image of Miami football from the camouflage wearing, felony committing and hanging out with Luther Campbell that seemed to coincide with the Jimmy Johnson era of the 80’s.

With planes rented by boosters, calling for Coker’s firing and the publicity of the cat calls impossible for his players not to notice, he is just about powerless to continue to implement his authority and prevent outbursts like Saturday nights.

The problems for Miami started with two quick losses to teams that were just better than them, Florida State and Louisville. Immediately, media and alumni were talking about Miami regaining its “swagger” and the misunderstanding of the word caused what happened Saturday night. In college football swagger is expecting to win, acting like your expected to win and winning. Saturday night in Miami, one Hurricane player thought “swagger” meant swinging your helmet at your opponents head, another thought “swagger” meant bodyslamming an opponent onto the turf.

Miami broadcaster Lamar Thomas thought “swagger” meant beating down players on a Sun Belt school which prior to this weekend, few even knew existed and had a Division 1-A football program. Expect his mea culpa or termination sometime this week.

The final scene was several Miami players jumping up and down raising their helmets, celebrating the regaining of their “swagger”. Without one clue as to what the word actually means.