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. (Aug.)
