Ask Me Anything, Volume 1, Number 1

For weeks, I’ve been fielding your questions on Twitter, and in person, about a wide variety of subjects. Unfortunately, 140 characters isn’t always enough room for me to give full answers. So, I’m taking a stab at a “mailbag” column, which will hopefully give you answers to some questions that you have, and give me a little more room to explain my thinking.  

So, here goes:

Q: Which do you like most: writing sports columns, teaching a chorus class, or being a game announcer/commentator? – from Nicole @Sweetchoc85

Miramar Sports (MS): Guess we’re not going to get started with any easy questions in this edition of Ask Me Anything. I love writing articles for this blog. It gives me an outlet for all this sports knowledge that I have rattling around in my head. Announcing/commentating, whether it’s in the stadium or on TV (and there will be more of that coming up again this year, so stay tuned) is challenging, but a lot of fun. I have learned more about that in the past 2 years than I thought I ever would. I really love the opportunity to share my voice with sports fans, and work with outstanding people.

All of that being said, NOTHING that I’m doing professionally right now compares to standing in front of my choir. There is something about for working together towards crafting a powerful musical performance that cannot be matched by writing or announcing. It’s about the connection with the students, and the music, and working together to tell the story of a song through beautiful music. That is why I get up in the morning. That is what I believe I was put on this earth to do. And that, more than anything else, gives me the most personal satisfaction out of anything I could possibly be doing.

Q: Have you seen the first 2 Rocky movies? Or studied the history of the first 2 Ali-Frazier fights? – from Adam @askosnitzky

MS: Of course I’ve seen the first 2 Rocky movies!! What sports fan hasn’t? As for the Ali-Frazier fights, I’ve seen them, and done a bit of reading about them, but haven’t “studied the history” in the way that you mean it.

After asking for clarification, I understand your underlying question: have you seen how the underdog-champion dynamic has played out in the past, with the favorite winning the first bout, and the underdog gaining redemption in the next matchup. Here’s my thoughts on that, and if it can happen again, with Cypress Bay winning on Friday:

Is it hard to beat a person/team that you’ve already beaten in a given season? Yes, of course. I do not, however, think that anything is a given. I know that Cypress Bay is probably the underdog this week, and is looking to be the spoiler to Miramar’s (to this point) perfect season. Yes, the underdog won the re-match in the Rocky movies and in the Ali-Frazier bouts. But, there are many examples in history where the favorite continues to defeat their opponent: the Patriots over the Jets in the playoffs, the Pistons over the Bulls in the late 80s, the Bulls over the Pistons in the early 90s, the Bulls over the Knicks in the early-mid 90s, Steelers over the Ravens since forever, and the list goes on and on.

For this, I believe you could write whatever story you would like: the underdog overcoming the champion, or the champion continuing to dominate the underdog. As to which of those scenarios I believe will happen…you’ll just have to wait and see for yourself on Friday.

Q: Do you think that it was a good choice for Malcolm Lewis to commit to the University of Miami? Why or why not? – from Tra’Neka @Plain_Jane113

MS: Honestly, yes I do. Malcolm is a player with immense talent, and plays a position where he could have the ability to change the game at UM. If Malcolm believes that he has an opportunity to help the team win, and feels that the University of Miami is the right place for him academically, socially, and athletically, then I think he’s made a sound decision.

Q: Who is going to step up next year to fill the shoes of the big 3 (Malcolm Lewis, Devonte Mathis, and Tracy Howard)? – from Danielle @DanielleLynESPN

MS: I don’t believe any player can replace those guys on a 1-to-1 level. But, there are a bunch of players who have the ability to be the next breakout stars. Here are a few names for you:

• WR Sean Avant – Already putting up numbers and making big plays as a Junior, he should be the top target for whoever wins the battle to be the next Miramar QB.
• WR Tanares Robinson – Playing a lot of snaps as a Sophomore on a State Championship caliber team, Robinson offers a completely different type of receiver from the ones we’ve had in the past. He’s shorter than his predecessors at 5’8’’, but his shiftiness and straight line speed will present challenges for opposing defenses for the next 2 years.
• RBs Alex Lee, Trevon Rolle, and Khalil Lewis – any of these 3 players could be a superstar. Lee and Rolle are already making plays on the Varsity level, and Lewis was absolutely a man among boys at the JV level this past season. All 3 are all talented, hungry players, and should work together to form a running attack that will ease the workload for whoever inherits the starting Quarterback job.
• LB Jermaine Grace – Any discussion about the future of Miramar Football has to include the player nicknamed Country. He is in the top 3 on the team in tackles, has 3 interceptions, and has blocked 2 field goal attempts this year. Simply put, he is a do-it-all player, and will surely be the foundation of the Darkside Defense in his Senior Year.
• LB Wesley St. Ange – Already on Varsity as a Sophomore, coaches say that he is possibly the hardest hitter on the team. Get used to seeing this name a LOT in the future.
• CB Jeffery Hill –Displayed a propensity for making plays at the JV level. Has the speed, tenacity, and ball skills to continue to be a top level defender at the Varsity level .

Qa: Are you concerned about a Thanksgiving hangover?
Qb: Are you thinking about last year’s playoff game vs. Northeast this week? – From @Akosnitzky

MS: No. That’s in the past. Cypress Bay has our undivided attention, and we are focused on bringing our A game on Friday.

Q: What happened during the first half of last week’s game? Should we expect to see a performance like that again? – From DJ @DJ_0o

MS: Last week, I believe the 2 week layoff had us come out a bit slow on offense (as I said in my game recap article). The sloppy field made the ball a bit slippery and also helped derail a couple of our signature plays. I would like to think that we have worked out the kinks in our performance from the last game, and last 2 of the regular season. But I’ve said that before and been wrong. I just hope I’m right this time.

Q: Would you ever consider becoming a Football coach? – from @Sweetchoc85

MS: No. I understand the game, and can tell you what I see. But the intricate technical aspects are something that I don’t have a good knowledge of since I never played the game (except on PlayStation).

Basketball and Baseball, however, are a different story. Those were my sports of choice (played 3 years Varsity Basketball in HS, and Baseball since I can remember walking), and I would definitely love to coach one or both of those sports in the future. I think it would be fun. It’s funny: Coach Kelly actually plays the style of basketball that I personally prefer: uptempo on offense, and pressure all day on defense.

SHAMELESS PLUG: Want to know more about Coach Kelly’s system, and what he thinks about this year’s team? Then check out my Basketball Season Preview article next Monday. It’s really good.

Q: Are you prepared to face a more balanced attack than you saw last week? – from @Akosnitzky

MS: South Plantation presented a unique challenge, with 1 superstar player and a largely unassuming supporting cast. Cypress Bay also presents a unique challenge: a Wing-T team with very good athletes and the ability to score points. I believe we will be prepared for this opponent, and the different offensive looks that they will try to employ. That being said, I still anticipate a good game.

SHAMELESS PLUG #2: If you want more detail on what I think leading up to this game, check out my Game Preview Article that will come out on Thursday.

Q: Do you feel all the pressure is on Miramar this week? - @Akosnitzky

MS: Not so much pressure as attention. The Patriots are in an enviable position: District Champions hosting a second round playoff game. Don’t believe this position is enviable? I believe there are plenty of teams around South Florida who are cleaning out their lockers and wondering which game to attend on Friday who would agree with my stance on this one.

Q: Can you name every coach and their function with the team? – @Akosnitzky

MS: Yes, I can. But, that would take away some of the mystery of the “group of at least 20 coaches, which almost seems like 1 coach per player”, as someone once put it this season.

That's it for the first edition of Ask Me Anything, the column. Want your question answered? Send them in on twitter (@MiramarSports) or email: miramarsports@gmail.com. I'll take questions until Midnight every Sunday.

And be sure you check back tomorrow and Thursday for articles previewing the Miramar-Cypress Bay playoff game.

Until Next Time,

Cameron J. Underwood
Miramar Sports