ESPN 760 in West Palm Beach is reporting Steve Walsh has accepted the Cardinal Newman head-coaching job left vacant Monday when Don Dicus resigned.

Walsh went 23-1 in two seasons as the starting quarterback for the Miami Hurricanes and led them to the 1987 national championship. He spent 11 seasons in the NFL.

Cardinal Newman athletic director Alan Botkin did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment, and neither did Walsh.

If Walsh takes the position, he will join fellow ex-‘Canes Kenny Berry (head coach at Berean Christian) and Lamar Thomas (assistant coach at Boynton Beach).

(palmbeachpost.com)

Kelly, who never could get the Bills over the Super Bowl hump in his Hall of Fame career, has a new mission these days -- to get every state to test for 54 potentially fatal diseases that could be diagnosed at birth. Only one state, Minnesota, tests for that many today.

He's on this mission because of the death of his son, Hunter, in 2005, from a rare brain disease called Krabbe Leukodystrophy. The disease (leukodystrophies afflict one of every 100,000 American births) could have been diagnosed at birth, but New York State did not test for the illness when Hunter was born in 1997.

"The tragedy for Hunter, and for so many children born with fatal illnesses, is that they're simply born in the wrong state,'' Kelly said the other night. "If you don't think that's something that just tears at your heart every day ...''

I've known Kelly for a long time, and I've always found him to be one of the biggest life-of-the-party guys I've covered. He was a prolific pre-curfew beer man in his Bills training-camp years, when the Buffalo players were as tight as a team could be. But when I saw him the other day, I saw he'd changed. There was a grimness to a once-carefree guy, with more lines on his face than I remembered. The grimness is not from giving up; it's a grim determination.

He's already seen governors of three states -- New York, Pennsylvania and Kansas -- and gotten each to increase dramatically the number of diseases tested for at birth. When babies are born, their heels are pricked and a blood sample taken to test for diseases. With Kelly's lobbying, New York has increased from 11 to 44 diseases tested for, Pennsylvania from 11 to 29, and Kansas from four to 29.

Parents can buy a kit to screen their children for the maximum number of diseases for less than $100, but Kelly, and his foundation, want the tests to be done for every child as a matter of course. Considering that the costs of caring for children with one of many known leukodystrophies can run from between $500,000 and $1 million per year, it seems like early-testing money would be well spent.

"I never won a Super Bowl,'' said Kelly, "and for a long time that really bothered me, obviously. But this is real. This is life. My Super Bowl victory will be to get every state to adopt universal newborn screening so we can save lives that are now being lost needlessly. When that day comes, that victory will be 10 times better than any Super Bowl.''

Because New York now tests for Krabbe, Kelly met a perfectly healthy boy, now a year and half old, who was diagnosed at birth and successfully treated. "Little Elmer,'' he said with a grin. Now his goal is to meet a lot more Elmers. If you'd like to help, or learn more about Kelly's mission, you can go to www.huntershope.org.

Miami is unranked this week in college football. The Hurricanes haven't been to a bowl since 2006. They haven't finished a season in the national polls since 2005. The Hurricanes haven't won a national title since 2001.

But Miami remains the first stop for NFL talent evaluators looking to build championship teams. The Hurricanes placed 44 players on NFL rosters in September, tops in the league by a wide margin. Florida State was next with 37.

Miami safety Kenny Phillips was a first-round draft pick by the Super Bowl champion New York Giants last April. It marked the 14th consecutive draft that a Hurricane has been taken in the first round. The next-longest current streak is five consecutive drafts by LSU.

Miami has had 26 players selected in the first round this decade. Ohio State is next with 14 first-rounders. There are Hurricanes on 22 of the NFL's 32 rosters. Fourteen Hurricanes have been to the Pro Bowl, including six last season.

Of the 44 Hurricanes on NFL rosters, 22 started last weekend. That group includes four halfbacks (Frank Gore of San Francisco, Edgerrin James of Arizona, Willis McGahee of Baltimore and Clinton Portis of Washington) and four middle linebackers (Jon Beason of Carolina, Ray Lewis of Baltimore, Jonathan Vilma of New Orleans and Nate Webster of Denver).

Four Hurricanes play for the Giants. Four also play for the Texans. Surprisingly, none play for the Cowboys, who once used first-round draft picks on Michael Irvin and Russell Maryland. Both won Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys, as did fellow Hurricanes Bernie Kosar, Jimmie Jones, Darrin Smith and Kevin Williams.

In fact, the Cowboys have not drafted a Hurricane since selecting Smith in the second-round in 1993. The Cowboys also haven't won a playoff game since Smith left in free agency after the 1996 season.

Here are some other roster/school tidbits:

Ten schools have 30-plus players on NFL rosters, and three are from the state of Florida - Miami (44), Florida State (37) and Florida (30).
Cal (27) has more players on NFL rosters than traditional powers Alabama (18), Arkansas (16), Oklahoma (18) and Penn State (22).
Fresno State (17) has more players on NFL rosters than Ole Miss, Pitt, Syracuse or Washington - all with 14.

Hawaii (15) has more players on NFL rosters than Clemson (13).

Here's a list of all the schools of the top schools with NFL opening-day rosters in 2008:
Miami (Fla.); 44
Florida State; 37
Georgia; 36
Michigan; 36
Ohio State; 36
LSU; 35
Tennessee; 34
Texas; 34
Southern Cal; 32
Florida; 30
Notre Dame; 28
Auburn; 27
Cal; 27
Virginia Tech; 25
Nebraska; 24
Maryland; 23
Boston College; 22

(sportsline.com)

Cortez Kennedy had to catch his breath when he received the news. That is how humbled he was to learn he was one of five University of Miami greats selected for the UM Football Ring of Honor.

''I couldn't believe it,'' Kennedy, 40, a former defensive tackle, said by phone from his Orlando home. 'I'm in the Seattle Seahawks' Ring of Honor, and this has even more meaning to me. Just think of all the UM greatness that came before and after me.''

After a nine-year hiatus, UM's Ring of Honor has been revived -- and strengthened.

The five UM greats who were announced Thursday to become the newest members of the Ring of Honor during halftime of a Thursday night game against Virginia Tech on Nov. 13 are:

• Kennedy.
• Running back Edgerrin James.
• Quarterback Jim Kelly.
• Center Jim Otto.
• Quarterback Gino Torretta.

''It's great when you're considered one of the best your school has ever had,'' said Torretta, 38, who lives in Coral Gables with his wife and their 3-year-old daughter. He is the CEO of Touchdown Radio, a company that syndicates a college football game every week for national radio. He led the Hurricanes to the 1991 national title and won the Heisman Trophy in '92.

''It's a tremendous honor and brings back lots of great memories,'' Torretta said. ``When I signed my scholarship, I just wanted an opportunity to win a national championship. You never know if things are going to work out for you individually. Obviously, my teams had a lot of success.''

`SUPER BIG-TIME'
James, 30, is the youngest in the class. James, a cousin of UM tailback Javarris James, played from 1996-98 and was a first-team All-American before being taken fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 NFL Draft. He now plays for the Arizona Cardinals.

''This is one of my biggest accomplishments,'' James said by phone Thursday night. ``To stand out among the greatest players at the University of Miami, that's super big-time. That is where I started. That is my family.''

James said his mother, Julie, will attend the ceremony in his place because he will be in the middle of his season and on a West Coast swing.

''She's super nervous and excited,'' he said.

The Ring of Honor began in 1997 to recognize the outstanding UM players through the decades. UM athletic director Kirby Hocutt said an anonymous committee of ''eight individuals with a long-standing history with [UM] and its football program and athletic department'' worked with himself and coach Randy Shannon to determine the honorees. Criteria for selection included athletic achievements at UM and on the pro level, commitment and loyalty to the continued success of the program and a personal commitment to courage, fortitude, honesty and integrity, according to a statement from the university.

''This was the appropriate time to do it,'' Hocutt said Thursday afternoon. ``[UM] has a tradition of excellence in the sport of football that is unmatched anywhere in the country. This is a way for us to recognize and embrace that tradition.''

Hocutt said he expects more names to be added before another nine years pass.

''We won't have an induction every year, but it's a process we hope to continue in the years to come,'' he said.

This will be the third class to be inducted. The first class was made up of quarterback George Mira (1961-63), halfback Jim Dooley (1949-51), defensive end Ted Hendricks (1966-68) and quarterback Vinny Testaverde (1982-86). The second class in 1999 had fullback Don Bosseler (1953-56), running back Ottis Anderson (1975-78), quarterback Bernie Kosar (1982-84) and defensive back Burgess Owens (1970-72).

TWO HALL OF FAMERS
Kelly and Otto had equally illustrious careers. Kelly, who starred at UM from 1979-82, went on to a great career with the Buffalo Bills and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

Otto, a 12-time Pro Bowl selection with the Oakland Raiders, played center for UM from 1957-59 and was inducted into the 1980 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He now works in the front office of the Raiders.

The five will have their names unveiled on the Ring of Honor banner that will be displayed at UM home football games, beginning with Virginia Tech.

''I can't believe I'm in that top category,'' said Kennedy, a single father who is raising his 13-year-old daughter and works with Seahawks linemen during training camp. Kennedy was the MVP of the Hurricanes' 1989 national championship team.

''I respect every player that came through the U, because we sacrificed so much on and off the field,'' he said. ``It was hard for me to even tell some of the former players I was selected, because so many of them deserve to be in that ring.''

Shannon, a friend and former teammate of Kennedy's, said in the statement it was difficult to make the decision because of all the great players from which to choose.

''A tremendous group has been selected for this next induction,'' Shannon said. ``They truly understand what it means to be a Miami Hurricane.''

(miamiherald.com)

Though the University of Miami football team has seen better days, the program still rules the NFL.

The NFL announced Wednesday that The U has the most players in the league, for the third consecutive season. Miami has 44 players on NFL rosters, following 42 in 2006 and 46 in 2007.

And Florida colleges continue to dominate the NFL landscape. Florida State is second on the list with 37 players, and Florida is 10th with 30.
The top 10 most-represented schools in the league:
1. Miami — 44
2. Florida State — 37
3. Georgia — 36
4. Michigan — 36
5. Ohio State — 36
6. LSU — 35
7. Tennessee — 34
8. Texas — 34
9. USC — 32
10. Florida — 30

The league also breaks it down by position.

Not surprisingly, Miami has the most tight ends in the NFL (four) and linebackers (nine).

Florida State has the most running backs (five), offensive tackles (five) and defensive tackles (five).

What is a bit surprising is that Ohio State produces the most skill players. The Buckeyes have the most receivers (six, tied with LSU) and defensive backs (nine).

Michigan and USC have the most quarterbacks in the league (four apiece).

Georgia leads in defensive ends (nine), tied with Miami in tight ends (four) and tied in kickers (two).

And little Louisiana Tech, whose team hasn’t exactly been nationally relevant since the days of Terry Bradshaw and Fred Dean, also appears on this list. The Bulldogs are tied for the most kickers in the NFL, with two.

(palmbeachpost.com)

Check out Version 1.1 of the 2008 proCanes NFL Roster. This Roster will be updated whenever neccessary so you can keep up with your favorite 'Canes and which teams they are playing on. Click here to check out the roster or above on proCanes Stats/Rosters.

Check out Version 1.0 of the 2008 proCanes NFL Roster. This Roster will be updated whenever neccessary so you can keep up with your favorite 'Canes and which teams they are playing on. Click here to check out the roster or above on proCanes Stats/Rosters.

FORMER PLAYERS, HISTORIC RIVALS ANNOUNCE NEW CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Letterwinners from 3 of college football’s legendary rivals form a unique partnership through the Make a Play Foundation, a new charitable organization that will impact children across Florida

MIAMI, Fla – August 21, 2008  – Legendary former football players of Florida, Florida State and Miami have developed programs and initiatives designed to create opportunities for children in their hometowns by providing academic and recreational grants through a new charitable organization, the Make a Play Foundation. The 501(c)(3) organization is a unique partnership between former players of three of college football’s most storied rivals and will partner with established community organizations and individual player foundations to provide grants promoting leadership, accountability and confidence in children around the state of Florida.

“There are so many kids out there that don’t have goals or expectations of themselves because they don’t have access or the opportunity for bigger things,” co-founder Terry Jackson said. “Anything we can do to help get them involved in something that interests them, whether it’s sports, music, art or education, it’s worth it.”

The organization’s goal is to use a collective voice to help promote growth and change for children in their hometowns, building on what several individual players have already done by devoting their time, leadership and financial support to a range of causes. The Make a Play Foundation’s vision is to provide academic or recreational grants designed to fund educational field trips, improve or build community playgrounds and athletic fields, provide college scholarships, develop leadership programs, reward academic improvements or success, purchase athletic equipment and uniforms, support musical programs, provide computers and technology to local community centers and fund additional family-based programs.

Founding members of the Player Panel include Neal Anderson (UF), James Bates (UF), Lomas Brown (UF), Warrick Dunn (FSU), Earnest Graham (UF), Jacquez Green (UF), Terry Jackson (UF), Willie Jackson, Jr. (UF), Marvin Jones (FSU), Nick Maddox (FSU), Shane Matthews (UF), Santana Moss (Miami), Sinorice Moss (Miami), Burgess Owens (Miami), Errict Rhett (UF), Leon Searcy (Miami), Max Starks (UF), Fred Weary (UF) and Lawrence Wright (UF).

“So many players are out there doing things on the local level, this just provides a network between us to do bigger things, help us expand and build,” Jackson said. “We’ve always supported each other’s community projects, this just gives us the opportunity to pull together and bring fans into the competition and have a little fun with it.”

One hundred percent of individual fan donations will go towards youth and family grants thanks to the generosity of corporate partners and members of the Player Panel who will underwrite the foundation’s operating expenses.

Programs will focus on having a local presence as resources raised in each specific area will be invested back into those communities through hometown grants. Players and fans will also have the opportunity to directly support children and families in their communities through an option to specify that financial donations are designated for children in one of seven areas: the Panhandle; North Central Florida; Jacksonville; Tampa-St.Pete; Orlando and the East Coast; Southwest Florida and Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Along with providing opportunities and access to at-risk youth, the Make a Play Foundation will also focus the energy and spirit of the three rivalry weeks by launching state-wide fan competitions. The week leading up to each rivalry game promises to bring fans into the battle, making them an active player in some of the most intense rivalries in all of sports. The foundation will partner with a different national or regional charity and dedicate service hours and donations to the adopted organization during the head-to-head competition weeks. The 2008 college football schedule includes games at all three universities: Florida hosts Miami in Gainesville on September 6th, Miami will host Florida State at Dolphin Stadium on October 4th and Florida will travel to Tallahassee to face Florida State on November 29th.

The Make a Play Foundation was established and provided Publix and Wal-Mart gift cards to 250 families in Miami, Tallahassee and Gainesville to purchase holiday meals last December. The cards were distributed through three organizations: the Refuge House of North Florida, Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network of North Central Florida and the CBS4 Neighbors4Neighbors Holiday Adopt-a-Family program in South Florida. The Refuge House of North Florida and the Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network are two organizations that focus on assisting families and victims of domestic violence while the CBS4 Neighbors4Neighbors organization assists South Florida families in crisis for a variety of different issues.

The foundation will expand to include alumni of all Florida colleges and universities to develop the power to promote change for children and families around the state.  For more information on the Make a Play Foundation and partnering player foundations, please visit the official Web site at www.makeaplayfoundation.org.

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION:
The Make a Play Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that represents a unique partnership of former players of three of college football’s legendary rivals – Florida, Florida State and Miami- and will partner with established community organizations and individual player foundations to create opportunities for underprivileged children through academic and recreational grants, designed to promote confidence and leadership. The organization’s goal is to use a collective voice to help promote growth and change for children in former players’ hometowns.

We at proCanes.com view Luke Campbell as an Honorary 'Cane. He has contributed a lot to the Miami program and still does. Congrats to you and your bride Luke!

Luke Campbell, former frontman of 2 Live Crew, heard wedding bells instead of beatboxing on Saturday as he and Kristin Thompson tied the knot in Dallas, Texas.

"I waited 47 years to find a special woman and have found that in Kristin," Campbell tells PEOPLE exclusively. "I never knew that I could feel love on another level like this until I met her, and I am now honored to call her my wife."

The stars of the upcoming VH1 reality series Luke's Parental Advisory tied the knot in front of 300 guests at Saint Luke Community Methodist Church, followed by a reception at the Opus Grand Ballroom at Hotel Palomar. Thompson, 27, who serves as general counsel for Campell's company Luke Entertainment, wore a wedding gown by Monique Lhuillier.

Doug E. Fresh deejayed and performed, keeping guests, including Arizona Cardinal Edgerrin James, on the dance floor until the early morning. Soul singer Betty Wright serenaded the happy couple. Their first dance was to Brian McKnight's "Back At One."

Campbell and Thompson met at Jerry's Deli in Miami Beach two years ago. He proposed to her on Halloween last year. This is the first marriage for both. Campbell has two children from a previous relationship.

Luke's Parental Advisory premieres Aug. 4 at 10:30 p.m. EST. The wedding will be featured on the season finale in September.

(people.com)

CAROL CITY
Rudy Barber - 1989
S - Kenny Phillips - 2005
QB - Ethenic Sands - 1998

COLUMBUS
RB - Danyell Ferguson - 1992
RB - Alonzo Highsmith - 1983

CORAL GABLES
RB - Frank Gore - 2001
LB Jon Vilma - 1999

EDISON
DL - William Joseph - 1998
GULLIVER
S - Sean Taylor - 2001

HIALEAH DE - Ted Hendricks - 1965

HOMESTEAD
LB - Micheal Barrow - 1988

KILLIAN
WR - Randal Hill - 1987

MIAMI HIGH
WR - Andre Johnson - 1999

NORLAND
LB - Darren Smith - 1988

NORTHWESTERN
RB Melvin Bratton - 1982
OL Vernon Carey - 1999
QB - Jacory Harris - 2008
WR - Aldarius Johnson - 2008
WR - Brett Perriman - 1984
LB - Sean Spence - 2008
LB - Nate Webster - 1996
NORTH MIAMI DB - Earl Little - 1992

SOUTH DADE
DB - Antrel Rolle - 2001
REMEMBER: Nominations should be based on high school performance and not what the athlete did after high school!

(miamiherald.com)

For 13 years, the University of Miami has had at least one player drafted in the first round. To put that in perspective, the last time a Hurricanes' player wasn't taken in the first round — in 1994 — gas was $1.03 per gallon.

Depending on who you talk to, Miami's streak of first-round picks will continue with safety Kenny Phillips and perhaps defensive end Calais Campbell — or it'll end.

Two months ago, Phillips and Campbell were first-round locks. Now they're not, according to various mock drafts.

Phillips is projected to go as high as 19th in the draft by The Sports Xchange and CBS Sportsline's Clark Judge.

The Sports Xchange also has Campbell being taken 21st, but ESPN's Mel Kiper and Sports Illustrated's Peter King have neither player going in the first round.

"I originally had Kenny Phillips and Calais Campbell in," Kiper said. "The Arkansas State state kid (Tyrell Johnson) has moved up and Phillips is not coming off a great year.

"Calais has a better chance to be picked late in the first round. ... Like Kenny Phillips, it was not his best year."

Gary Wichard, Campbell's agent, laughs at all the conjecture.

"I've won too many bets with Mel Kiper," he said. "None of those guys have a pick on Saturday, which is a good thing.

"There's no way Calais won't be picked in the first round. He's a 6-foot-7, 280-pound freak. I don't care if he was down a little bit. He's a great kid, he'll graduate and he's nothing but hard work and a good attitude. And how many guys in the draft can do what he can do? He'll be fine."
Phillips, who's represented by Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, said they've told him to ignore all the talk but that it's hard.

"It's in the paper, on TV, shows you like to watch," Phillips said. "They're always saying something and it's a negative. It's someone's opinion, not a general manager or coach. People saying that have nothing to do with the draft. They get paid to do it, which I understand. But there's nothing I can do about it."

It's tougher for family members, Phillips said.

"No one likes to hear talk about their son or children," he said. "It's those people's opinions, but it's not things a mother who loves her son likes to hear."

Phillips remains confident he'll be chosen in the first round.

"You never know what will happen," he said. "If I fall into the second round, that's fine; people are dying to go in the second round. But you pray to go in the first round or as high as possible."

While Kiper isn't high on Campbell's or Phillips' first-round chances, he continues to move Tavares Gooden up. He ranked Gooden No. 2 among outside linebackers.

"He had a heckuva a year," Kiper said. "He put it together at the right time."

The 6-foot-1, 234-pound Gooden, who played all three linebacker positions, had 100 tackles (three for losses), three fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and an interception this past season. He has nearly a 40-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.65 time in the 40-yard dash.

"I don't think the real me has come out yet," Gooden said. "I played so many different positions. ... When I worked at something for a couple of years, I get the feel for it and get better at it. I can't wait to show skills at the next level."

Quarterback Kyle Wright, wide receivers Lance Leggett and Darnell Jenkins, offensive linemen Derrick Morse of Estero High, John Rochford and Andrew Bain and defensive lineman Vegas Franklin look like free agents.

Wright never matched his high school hype and was slowed by a series of offensive coordinators.

"I'm very anxious for a new start, to start a new chapter and not look back," Wright said. "Here's what a lot of teams stress. It's hard to get any continuity in the offseason. I never had the same coordinator twice in the summer. I'm definitely looking forward to get in a system team-wise and having people around me work on things I really didn't get here."

(news-press.com)