That was an excellent one.

Powerful

How sad is this?

Blistering performances.

I lived in Miami at this time and just recently watched the "U"..... This was so fantastic and the authenticity and truthfulness of these athletes is unmatched..... They are not despicable at all.... they are, "real." They made a social statement that every American should see....and, they were , fantastic football players who worked hard to have a winning team. I am enraged that they would be referred to as, "despicable." They made the University, millions of dollars and improved the football program to a level that was never seen.... Doesn't that deserve recognition? I am disgusted at anyone who insults them..... I am completely inspired by their bravery and courage, which most people do not have. They were themselves and they were very talented. They did not play by the social rules of the time..... so what? That makes them despicable...? No, that makes them, "unconventional." I am very offended at the insults to the most "authentic," football team ever seen.....And, I love Jimmy Johnson, for standing by them...... you will never find a coach stand by his controversial players in this day and age.... hats off to Jimmy!!! And, furthermore, all of the coaches (Schnelleberger, Johnson, Erikson) were extremely different in style but brought out the best in them.I love the Hurricanes!!

If you watch this documentary as a die-hard Hurricane fan, you'll love this production. If you watch it as a neutral fan who simply enjoys great football, you will likely be disgusted. It goes in depth about how coach Howard Schnellenburger brought a struggling program from rags to riches. In the '70s, UM was a perennial loser and attendance was so bad, they were giving out tickets to a game at Miami-area Burger Kings when someone bought a Whopper. Schnellenburger began to recruit talented players from tough neighborhoods- areas other college coaches had never tried to enter.They won the national title in 1983, beating favored Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, 31-30 in a game that is still regarded as a classic today. Schnellenburger left the team to join the ill-fated USFL as a part owner and was replaced by Jimmy Johnson. Miami would go on to even higher heights of success in terms of winning but the problems with player conduct on and off the field started to become an issue, both to the school's administrators and with the national media. Playing for the national championship in 1987 against Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl, the Hurricanes caused a storm of controversy by deplaning in Phoenix wearing fatigues, talking about being ready for "war" and pretty much alienating everyone they met. There are a lot of interviews with former Hurricane players and many of them seem to have the exact same boorish, taunting attitude they had over 20 years ago. The worst of their behavior is shown in the 1991 Cotton Bowl, where they obliterated Texas, 46-3. They also managed to accrue over 200 yards in penalties. This display revolted many viewers, the media, and even administrators at their university. In closing, the documentary is very good as there is plenty of game footage and lots of interviews with former Hurricane players and coaches. You might not like everything they have to say, though. 8 stars out of 10

In the 1980s and 90s, the University of Miami went from a second-rate college football school to THE powerhouse school. Unfortunately, they did this by encouraging thuggish behavior--a celebration of obnoxious and unsportsmanlike conduct. While this isn't the main reason I could now care less about sports, it is one of many. Sure, they were good teams--but the players frequently had brushes with the law, acted like jerks on and off the field and promoted the worst in people. BUT, they won games because apparently that is what's important in life--not character, class or intellect--just winning. Well, the ex-players and coaches all interviewed think this was the case, but there were many non-Miami players and coaches who couldn't stand them...and said so in this film. All in all, I found this to be one the least enjoyable films in the "30 for 30" series. Mostly, this was because I really hated what these people represented...and also because the film seemed to promote this or at least to tolerate it. This non-judgmental approach might appeal to some. It just made me annoyed. And, your view of their antics will greatly affect what you think of this installment of the series. It sure left a bitter taste in my mouth.

This was an absolutely superb documentary about the rise of a the crummy University of Miami. What was most interesting to me was that I had no idea that they were considered a joke pre-1980 something. As long as I knew of the U I always knew of them as being one of the best colleges to go to for any player that possibly had a chance of going into Pro Football, whether it was to play for the USFL or the NFL. In fact if they just went through how many players have turned Pro in the last 30 years I bet it's almost 100 or more. That is extremely impressive & I very much doubt there are any other schools that can claim that. It was nice to see interviews from all sorts of the players, Jimmy Johnson, & the coach that came before him. This was an excellent documentary & any true college or Pro Football fan will be glad they saw this. I hope this gets a DVD release so that it can gain an even bigger audience. My only complaint was I felt this could have been longer & even more in depth especially in the later years.