Monday Musings: Viva Las Vegas!

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT’SSSSSSSSSSSS MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! And it’s been a little bit since I’ve put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), as it’s been vacation time over the summer. But hey, I’m back, and there are things to discuss regarding the Miami Hurricanes.

So let’s grab those bottles out of the fridge, put on our goggles, shake them up and pop the corks, and let those Miami Hurricanes-related thoughts from deep inside my mind fly.

1) Oh, so we’re doing Vegas now, are we? Sign me up. I’m going to go ahead and pencil that trip in for Labor Day weekend 2027.

I haven’t been to Vegas in a looooooooooooooooong time. October 2000 was the last time I was there, I think. Stayed at the MGM Grand. First time I’d seen a sports book and had been just handed beer from cocktail servers while gambling. Was rather euphoric, to be honest. Early 20s me very much enjoyed the experience.

But hey, over a quarter century later, it’ll be time to run it back, so I will get to see the Canes and the Utah Utes do battle inside the black spam can just off the strip. Can’t wait. And hey, maybe this can become a regular matchup. Surely they’d have to create a trophy or some kind of stakes for the game relating to the “U” logo, right?

2) I don’t know how many of you have seen, but the Canes have gotten some pretty big kudos from EA Sports over the last few weeks in advance of the release of College Football 25. According to EA Sports, the Canes were given the #7 overall offense at 89 OVR, sitting right between LSU and……Colorado (??? LMAO). The Canes also checked in at #13 overall in team rankings (88 OVR) between Florida State and Texas A&M.

Yes, I know. It’s a video game. But…it really is more than that. EA’s college football games have been the biggest thing in the sports video game world during its entire run. After being gone for over a decade, the thirst for this game is palpable. Heck, I’m buying a PS5 just to be able to play this game. And so I can’t wait to finally shelve the 2013 Canes team on PS3 and upgrade to the new version starting later on this month. Going to be awesome.

3) Oh….yeah….Mario Cristobal and staff have actually been making some moves lately in actual real football land. The Canes landed three studs while I was gone in S Hylton Stubbs, IOL SJ Alofaituli, and LB Gavin Nix. Stubbs, who picked the Canes over FSU after having been previously committed to USC, is the highest of the three recruits at #55 overall on On3 Sports. Alofaituli is also a Top 100 recruit. Nix, out of IMG Academy is also a four star who looks like a wrecking ball from behind the line. I’m….pretty damned excited about this trio coming on board, and even more so based on where they play. This team has needed to get better behind the defensive line for years, and hey, I’ll never take offensive line play for granted again, so give me all of them.

Again, Mario just knows how to recruit. It’s what he does as well as anyone in the country. Now, he’s got to prove starting August 31 that he knows what to do with what he’s bringing to South Florida. It’s time.