Canes Working and Playing Hard in New York City
By David Villavicencio
HurricaneSports.com
NEW YORK – It is game week and the Canes are officially in The Big Apple.
After spending the last week of bowl prep in Coral Gables, the Miami Hurricanes held their first practice in New York on Sunday and it was filled with energy and excitement.
“I don’t know exactly the reason for it, but it was just a very, very spirited day,” head coach Mark Richt said. “Probably the weather: sunshine, beautiful and mid-forties. It felt good for everybody. I think some of the guys overdressed a little bit. The weather was great and when you go from a warm climate to a cool climate, it just gives you a little juice and you don’t need to have as many breaks. We just wanted to keep going. It was a great day.”
The Canes will face the Wisconsin Badgers in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Thursday in a rematch of last season’s Capital One Orange Bowl and that is a pairing that Miami’s players have been looking forward to since it was announced. Now they are just focused on getting ready for a game against a great opponent.
“I think we are where we are supposed to be,” linebacker Shaquille Quarterman said. “Everyone did a great job of preparing so far when we were back in Miami. Today we had our first practice in New York and it was a highly competitive practice on both sides. We got a lot done.”
While the main focus of this week’s trip is Thursday’s game, the Hurricanes are getting a chance to experience New York in a way that few ever have.
“It’s been really amazing,” Quarterman said. “A lot of us are Floridians that have never left the state before outside of for the games we play on the road. New York is a totally different animal. It’s very beautiful and there is a lot of history. A lot of good vibes are flowing through this place.”
Richt is happy his team can experience the bright lights of Times Square and the abundance of activities New York has to offer.
“They’re getting a taste of it,” Richt said. “We are giving them a little freedom to see some things and do some things. So far, they’ve had a good time. Last night they did a great job on our curfews. They always come in on time and because of that we’re going to extend it an hour. They guys did a good job.”
While there is plenty of fun involved this week as part of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl festivities, the players know their main goal is to earn a victory on Thursday and they have not lost sight of that.
“You have to know when to turn it on and off,” Quarterman said. “When it’s time to practice, it’s time to lock in. We have a game on Thursday that we’re not just going to show up for; we are showing up to win. As far as everything else like the bowl events and the things on our schedule, you have to enjoy those things. It’s a blessing to be able to be here and do this.”
“Any time you play a game, you want to win it, for sure,” Richt said. “I just got telling them at the end of practice that I kind of rank bowl games being good or bad on whether you win the game or not. If you win it, it was a great bowl. If you lose, it wasn’t quite so good. I want to say the New Era Pinstripe Bowl people are doing a beautiful job. Our guys are really enjoying it and the coaches and families as well, but winning the game is paramount.”
