From Publishers Weekly
Sportswriter Feldman (ESPN The Magazine) reports on the Miami Hurricanes' legendary success story without sugarcoating the team's notorious problems off the field, which include substance abuse, violence and scandals. The author shows how the team, which has been one of college football's powerhouses for 25 years, put the "nasty" in dynasty. Its players became the bad boys of college football, epitomizing the image of the academically underachieving, macho, entitled athlete; taunting their opponents and, as Feldman demonstrates, committing personal fouls basically for the fun of it. (Indeed, the statute prohibiting such behavior has become known as "the Miami rule.") Not that everything always came easily. With a frenetic, fast-moving narrative, Feldman tells how Miami's coaches stayed consistently ambitious and hungry, always looking to make a name for their team. Several Hurricanes players have gone on to the NFL, more often than not as first-round draft picks (notably, Vinnie Testaverde and Bernie Kosar). The 'Canes' success, says Feldman, lies in their ability to replace departing stars with players of equal or greater talent. Whether he's writing about Ray Bellamy becoming Miami's first black player (in 1966) or the team's amazing track record (they've won more national championships over the last 20 years than Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Florida State combined), Feldman's knack for storytelling will draw readers in. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
How the Miami Hurricanes rose from a laughingstock to a college football legend-and reshaped American sports.

When fans think of college football, they think of Miami-the cool school with street cred that all the kids dream of playing for. A powerhouse unlike any other, they are a dynasty fueled not by individuals but by the aura of "The Miami Vice"-a swaggering, trash-talking, us-against-the-world mentality. But less than 25 years ago, the program faced extinction. Now, five national championships-and five different coaches-later, Miami is the preeminent football factory, boasting such high-profile NFL alumni as Michael Irvin, Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, Jim Kelly, Vinny Testaverde, Clinton Portis, and Jeremy Shockey.

Nothing is typical about the 'Canes. Not the brutal, "voluntary" 6 a.m. workouts in July. Or the merciless drilling of teammates who show fear. Not the constant pressure from their Godfathers, the ex-Canes who want them to uphold the legacy-and will make them pay if they don't. And certainly not the reputation that has made the Hurricanes synonymous with excellence-even among superstar athletes. Now, an award-winning sportswriter gives us a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the Miami program-after more than ten years of special access as a former UM student and beat writer. This is the amazing story of how Miami has won more national championships over the last two decades than Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Florida State combined-and gone from near-death to dynasty.


About the Author
Bruce Feldman covered Hurricanes football while a student at the University of Miami and as the college football beat writer for ESPN: The Magazine, where he is now a senior writer. He has earned mention in three consecutive editions of The Best American Sports Writing, and has written for Maxim, Playboy, Palm Beach Post, Miami Herald, and St. Petersburg Times.

FROM OUR EDITORS

In the past two decades, no college football combine has been more dominant than the Miami Hurricanes. The evidence is indisputable: National championships in 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001, undefeated seasons in 1987, 1991, and 2001. Bruce Feldman's 'Cane Mutiny celebrates a pigskin powerhouse that confounded the experts.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Miami Hurricanes are the beast of college football. A sports powerhouse unlike any other, they are a dynasty fueled not by individuals but by the aura of "the Miami Vice" -- a swaggering, trash-talking, us-against-the-world mentality. But less than twenty-five years ago, the program faced extinction. Five national championships -- and five different coaches -- later, Miami is the preeminent football factory, boasting such high-profile NFL alumni as Michael Irvin, Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, Jim Kelly, Vinny Testaverde, and Jeremy Shockey. Sports dynasties are typically linked to players or coaches, especially in college football. That isn't the case at Miami. But then, nothing is typical about the 'Canes. Not the brutal, "voluntary" six a.m. workouts in July. Or the merciless drilling of teammates who show fear. Not the constant pressure from their Godfathers, the ex-'Canes who want them to uphold the legacy -- and will make them pay if they don't. And certainly not the stranglehold on college football that has made the Hurricanes synonymous with excellence -- even among superstar athletes. Sportswriter Bruce Feldman gives us a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the Miami program. Unlike other notable football books, this one is written by an insider who has had special access to the Miami football machine for more than ten years as a former UM student and beat writer. It is the amazing story of how Miami has won more national championships over the last two decades than Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Florida State combined -- and gone from near-death to dynasty.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly