All`s fair in love, war and, at least Thursday, in college football.
Justice won, making winners out of both Miami and Washington. Faced with picking between two excellent 12-0 football teams, the voters did the only fair thing and split the bounty.
Miami edged Washington by a 32-28 margin in the closest Associated Press (media) poll in history. Washington, though, got its prize in the USA Today/CNN poll of 59 coaches, who put the Huskies on top with eight more first-place votes.
Thus, both teams can say they are the national champions, and T-shirt salesmen will clean up in Miami and Seattle.
The split polls, though, left the all-important question of which team gets to make the trip to the White House. Miami defensive back Charles Pharms offered one answer that could provide a solution to the No. 1 debate.
”Miami and Washington should both go,” Pharms said. ”Then we could settle the thing by playing a sandlot game in the Rose Garden.”
Imagine the pay-per-view possibilities, especially if George Bush acts as line judge?
Without the ultimate game, Miami`s Dennis Erickson and Washington`s Don James agreed the split polls was the only logical alternative. The polls were divided for the second straight year. Colorado (AP) and Georgia Tech (coaches) shared the title last year.
However, the coaches` views probably were based less on charity than on fear of being shut out.
”I`ve seen what these kids went through, and for them not to get a piece of this would have been a tragedy,” said James with tears in his eyes over winning his first national championship and Washington`s first in any sport.
”I`m delighted. I don`t mind sharing it. Miami has a great team, and we`ve got a great team. Everyone can argue about who`s the best. It doesn`t matter.”
Besides, sharing the title with Miami also was more tolerable because James is an alum.
”The split title doesn`t make a difference to me,” said Erickson, who won his second championship in three years and guided the Hurricanes to their fourth in the last nine years.
”These are two great football teams, and they both went undefeated. Everyone guessed that the polls would split, and it happened. I have no problem with that at all.”
Erickson, though, did have a problem with some of the members of his coaching fraternity, especially the one coach who listed Miami third. The coach`s identity wasn`t known because that poll didn`t disclose its ballots;
AP did.
”I think in a poll like this, you should see some accountability,”
Erickson said. ”I`d like to see who voted us third and ask what was he drinking.”
Erickson also will take an informal poll of the coaches when he attends the coaches convention in Dallas. He expects to get a lesson in honesty and sincerity.
”I`m going to mark down all the coaches in the lobby who tell me they voted us No. 1 and see where we`re at,” he said.
Erickson still can`t understand Miami`s erosion in the polls. After it beat then-No. 1 Florida State Nov. 16, the Hurricanes held a 46-14 lead over Washington in the AP poll and a 44-15 in the coaches poll.
However, after Miami struggled but still won over Boston College, the polls shifted. The Hurricanes and Washington came into the bowl season tied in points in the final coaches poll; the Hurricanes had a 31-28 edge in first-place votes, but three voters had Miami out of their top two.
Miami then lost 5 1/2 first-place votes in the coaches polls Thursday despite thrashing Nebraska 22-0 in the Orange Bowl Wednesday. Washington made its pitch with an impressive 34-14 victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
”We played a tremendous football game, and for us to lose votes is a joke,” said Miami defensive end Rusty Medearis. ”We should have gained votes.”
Ironically, Washington probably has Miami to thank for its share of the title. If the Hurricanes hadn`t stopped Florida State, the Seminoles were on their way to No. 1 regardless of what Washington did. Given its tough schedule, there wouldn`t have been any debate about Florida State`s claim to the top spot.
Still, no Huskie players acknowledged Miami for the gift.
”I don`t like sharing anything, but I`m happy for Washington,” said Husky quarterback Billy Joe Hobert. ”I feel there`s no doubt we can beat Miami.”
Hobert could have gotten his shot in next year`s Kickoff Classic, which wants to pair Miami and Washington in a dream game. But it probably won`t happen because neither coach is interested in getting the season off to such an early start.
That leaves open the possibility of the same scenario developing again next year because both teams figure to be loaded again. The Huskies return Hobert and several other key starters. But much of their fate rests with All- American defensive tackle Steve Emtman and whether he decides to turn pro.
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Miami, which returns 15 starters, including quarterback Gino Torretta and all of its skill players. Next season`s schedule, though, is tougher, with road games at Iowa, Penn State and Syracuse.
”We went 12-0,” Erickson said. ”It`s going to be difficult to match.” As for this year`s debate, it was suggested to Medearis that the two teams meet in a best-of-seven series.
”Yeah, we can call it `Miami-Washington World Tour `92,` ” Medearis said.
Erickson prefers a more civilized approach.
”I`m going to play Don James in golf,” Erickson said. ”But he has to give me strokes.”
