Although I do attend the University of the Alabama, the 2001 Miami Hurricanes was the reason I fell in love with college football. Why? Allow me to explain.
Back in the fall of 2001 a 9-year-old version of myself was starting to fall in love with the game of football, in particular the NFL. Up until that point I had never watched a college football game before, and I really knew nothing about the game. Then one fall I turned on the TV and a certain college football game was playing. I was hooked from that moment forward.
The game was between Boston College and the University of Miami and my mind was blown. From the loud bands to the school's colors, everything about the game drew my attention and I couldn’t stop watching. But one play in particular sealed the deal for me. A fumble by Boston College was picked up by a Miami defensive lineman and then, all of a sudden, the Miami Safety stripped it from his own teammate and returned it for the touchdown. Miami went on to win the game, but that play remained in my mind forever.
It turns out that Safety for Miami was Ed Reed, who will go down in history as the greatest Safety of all time. Miami also had the greatest collection of talent of any college football team of all time. Some of the Miami players included: Andre Johnson, Vince Wilfork, Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Willis McGahee, Jeremy Shockey, Phillip Buchanon, Bryant McKinnie, Jerome McDougle, Jonathan Vilma, Kellen Winslow Jr, Antrel Rolle, Najeh Davenport, and Quarterback Ken Dorsey. In total 38 players from that team went on to play in the NFL, and 17 were first-round draft picks.
But it wasn’t just the talent that got me hooked on Hurricane football, it was the way they played. I had never before seen a team celebrate and play with a swagger like they did. I had never seen a team wear a matching orange or green visor to go with their uniforms. The way they entered a game, through the smoke, again was something I had never seen before.
From then on, I was hooked on Hurricane football. I had a Andre Johnson jersey growing up, multiple University of Miami hats and shorts. Every time I played NCAA football on my Playstation I always chose Miami. I created myself multiple times in that game and always put myself on the Hurricane team.
Today things are much different. I attend and love the University of Alabama. We are at the center of the college football universe. The University of Miami is now struggling to return to that level of success they had in the early 2000s. Even so, I will forever love the University of Miami, they will always hold a special place in my heart. Alabama may be college football's forever dynasty, but I will always remember this,
“The U Invented Swagger."
