The University of Miami football team achieved very little from its inception up until the hiring of coach Howard Schnellenberger in 1979. Schnellenberger led the Hurricanes to a national championship in 1983, his fifth and final year as coach. Shortly after, the university hired replacement coach Jimmy Johnson. Johnson was not one to shy away from controversy, and he recruited some of the most polarizing athletes college sports have ever seen. Michael Irvin, Alonzo Highsmith, Vinny Testaverde, and dozens of others played under Johnson with an unprecedented sense of swagger and flash. Celebrations were plentiful, trash talk was abundant, and controversy was constant. We take a look at these events and how they relate to sociology.
Synopsis of the documentary by ESPN
Huffington Post article about the documentary
Bleacher Report review of the documentary
Huffington Post article about the documentary
Bleacher Report review of the documentary
The U: 30 for #
1. Describe the atmosphere of Coral Gables Florida prior to the 1980’s
2. How would you describe the University of Miami Hurricanes football program prior to the 1980’s?
3. Describe the various acts of violence that occurred in Miami throughout the documentary
4. Who was Ed Schnellenberger and how did he transform the University of Miami football program?
5. What caused Ed Schnellenberger to resign as the University of Miami football coach? What was the reaction from the people of Miami? Who replaced him?
6. How did the various players on the team feel about Jimmy Johnson? Which season of Johnsons was most successful? Explain why.
7. Describe the meaning of the fatigues that the players wore before the Penn State game. What was the meaning of them relating to the game and relating to what life was like for some of the people and players in Miami?
8. How did Jimmy Johnson and the players overcome the lack of support from the school and the president of the school?
9. When Jimmy Johnson left the Hurricanes how did the team respond?
10. How did the Miami community rally around the Hurricanes and the team’s success?
11. Explain how this documentary relates to sociology? How did the people of Miami display positive and negative sanctions throughout the documentary?
2. How would you describe the University of Miami Hurricanes football program prior to the 1980’s?
3. Describe the various acts of violence that occurred in Miami throughout the documentary
4. Who was Ed Schnellenberger and how did he transform the University of Miami football program?
5. What caused Ed Schnellenberger to resign as the University of Miami football coach? What was the reaction from the people of Miami? Who replaced him?
6. How did the various players on the team feel about Jimmy Johnson? Which season of Johnsons was most successful? Explain why.
7. Describe the meaning of the fatigues that the players wore before the Penn State game. What was the meaning of them relating to the game and relating to what life was like for some of the people and players in Miami?
8. How did Jimmy Johnson and the players overcome the lack of support from the school and the president of the school?
9. When Jimmy Johnson left the Hurricanes how did the team respond?
10. How did the Miami community rally around the Hurricanes and the team’s success?
11. Explain how this documentary relates to sociology? How did the people of Miami display positive and negative sanctions throughout the documentary?