The Orange Bowl for all its charm and history had a feeling of a run down cheaply run stadium owned by a municipality. Not only did the stadium contain few reminders of the dominance of UM football since the early 1980s, it contained no reminders of the players and history associated with the program. Former Athletic Director Paul Dee initiated a ring of honor/ wall of fame in 1998 and but after the induction of two classes the tradition stopped, partly because as I am told the lack of space on the walls at the OB.
The first game at Dolphin Stadium last month was a different experience. Images of UM greats including Russell Maryland and Vinny Testeverde graced the scoreboard, the Ring of Honor looked presentable and other banners at field level hailed UM's accomplishments in big bold letter: The stadium looked like a home field not a rented municipal facility.
Now Miami will induct its first class on the Ring of Honor since 1999, when evidently the Orange Bowl ran out of room.
In the class that will inducted the evening of Miami's huge game with Virginia Tech will be:
- Jim Kelly
- Jim Otto
- Edgerrin James
- Cortez Kennedy
- Gino Toretta
For the 2009 class let me suggest:
- Steve Walsh
- Michael Irvin
- Chuck Forman
- Russel Maryland
- Eddie Brown
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