It's been said Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. During this time, the baseball pennant races begin and so do the blockbuster movies at the box office. Since the FIU sports year came to a close 10 days ago with the baseball team ending its season at FAU, the GPP has sought the help of films that opened in the past 12 months in order to review the past season in FIU sports....grab some popcorn!
Snakes on a Plane: Or in FIU football's case it should be renamed Snakebitten on a Plane. The Golden Panthers lost their first four road games of the 2006 season by a total of 9 points culminating with the 7-OT disaster at North Texas. Of course, with a depleted squad after the UM game, the road game at Alabama became Anaconda.
Miami Vice: FIU vs. UM, Oct. 14 in OB...enough said.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning: 
Who knew we'd be referring to the 0-12 2006 football season. While the loss to North Texas was not a massacre in score, it sure was in the way it went down.
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny: The defense was tenacious and let's rename the middle of this film's title to "and the pick of destiny" referring to the choice of MC as the head coach to put FIU football on the map.
The Departed: Former FIU coaches and athletic staff.
Employee of the Month: The only reason to see this movie was Jessica Simpson. But in FIU terms, we'll refer to FIU media relations maven Rich Kelch. Until the new athletic administration took over, Rich always made lemonade out of lemons for the media while he was short-handed. But sorry Rich, Jessica's picture goes here. 
Saw III: That's what these FIU hoopsters did on the court: Johwen Villegas (166 3-pt. shots), LaQuetta Ferguson (149), Alex Galindo (127) and Iva Ciglar (120) all saw three.
Dreamgirls: The Golden Dazzlers. Beyonce would make the squad.
The Pursuit of Happyness: Coach Sergio Rouco looking to make a better life on the hardwood with his talented incoming recruiting class. Heard Will Smith was a pretty bad hoopster.
Blood Diamond: Could be the theme of the FIU baseball season. The gory lowlights were the 2 last-inning losses to UM and the finale sweep at the hands of the Owls. Is the new baseball coach a diamond in the rough?
Blades of Glory: Let's rename it Racquets of Glory to salute the FIU tennis team and their 3rd straight Sun Belt championship. Good job, ladies. I'm sure Will Ferrell will eventually make a tennis movie. 
The Fantastic Four: Yeah, I know there's more to the title of this latest movie, but that's too many words. Four of the few bright spots on this year's baseball team: Chris Dunn, James McOwen, Bryan Pullin and John Petika. But sorry, boys, like Rich, we have to put another picture here. 
28 Weeks Later: 28 weeks roughly equals 7 months and that's how long PG has been on the job. The "sleeping giant" got a wake up call, now it's time to win.
300: Judging from spring practice, the Blue/Gold Game and reading your e-mails and comments, I'd say it's been a 300 percent turnaround in the culture of the FIU football team by the new coaching staff.
TMNT: Now, I don't know who would want to go see this garbage flick of green sewer turtles with karate skills. Hey, Hollywood, "Those Days are Over, Son!"....T.D.A.O.S.
Did we miss a movie relating to FIU? Let the GPP know.
PANTHER PAWSE 
FIUandME: I'm sure there will be unique touches to the new Cage. Haven't heard of any yet, but a Golden Panther statue at the entrance could be a start.
Hay: FIU is talking to pro soccer about playing in the new Cage. Recently, I was at an MLS press conference in Miami Beach and MLS commissioner Don Garber said the MLS would like to come back to Miami. However, the MLS season runs from April-October so they would have to work around FIU football home games.
gpantera: I'm sure you'll be seeing more FIU/UM coverage this coming season, obviously including the Sept. 15 rematch in the OB.
FIUFanatic: Gracias, for reading the GPP from Puerto Rico.
We'll see what the FIU witches have been stirring up about the new baseball coach in the next blog !!
Come on, you left out the most obvious - Borat: PG before shaving off his stache. I like.
Posted by: FIUandMe | May 29, 2007 at 06:21 PM
Very clever way to keep the blogs cluttered until September, Pete. Keep up the good work.
Keep us up to date on "The Cage Upgrade Project."
Posted by: FIUmom | May 29, 2007 at 08:20 PM
That is funny...Borat
Posted by: FIU Fanatic | May 29, 2007 at 09:14 PM
There are many other titles for the FIU/UCG game
-Open Season
-Gridiron Gang
-The Grudge
-Let's Go To Prison...even though nobody did, but somehow I think that's one of the mottos at UCG
-Happily Never After
And just thinking ahead for the game this
year...Deja Vu
fun blog
Posted by: YouGotGold | May 29, 2007 at 11:59 PM
hahaa, very nice. Funny you mention Alabama cause im watching a replay of LSU vs Alabama on ESPNU. I like your latest blog pete, very creative. Any word on how our FIU mini camp invites did? Has Bouie signed with anyone? Thanks!
Posted by: alt7787 | May 30, 2007 at 12:01 AM
BASEBALL COACH:
I FIU SHOULD HIRE STEVE HERTZ FROM MIAMI DADE. IF ANYONE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE BASEBALL RICE UNIVERSITY HIRED A VERY OLD COACH (HE IS MUCH OLDER THAN HERTZ) AND HAVE BEEN TOP DOGS EVER SINCE. THIS WOULD BE THE SMART HIRE HOWEVER I KNOW THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY GOING TO BE JD ARTEAGA. THANKS AGAIN
Posted by: A realisst | May 30, 2007 at 09:12 AM
Awww, no Pirates of the Caribbean? I guess I relate FIU with the first movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl. Jack Sparrow wants the Black Pearl from Capt. Barbossa. Well, FIU wants to take over the Sun Belt.
Maybe I'm just looking for whatever random reason to have some "piratas" in here... or see a picture of Johnny Depp & Orlando Bloom (ok ok ok... Keira Knightley too) in here.
Very cool idea, Pete. Your blogs kick major butt.
FIUandME: The Borat comment is hilarious! High five!
Posted by: Miri | May 30, 2007 at 09:32 AM
love the creativity... we should put "happy feet"... for UM moving to Dolphin stadium from the OB...
Posted by: CJ | May 30, 2007 at 10:08 AM
300 is a good pick Pete, but I'd say the reason is because for FIU it kinda feels like we are a small but powerful school ready to take on the mass armies of the evil big name programs!
Posted by: FI-UM Fan | May 30, 2007 at 02:25 PM
How about CLICK, the adam sandler movie,
Cuz im sure we all just want to press a button and fast foward to FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!
Also a mute button for some people would be nice!
Posted by: FI-UM Fan | May 30, 2007 at 02:27 PM
Frankly, the Cage would be fantastic for soccer, it's in a great area for it. The MLS should just move Miami FC to their division!
Posted by: MancuniasRedArmy | May 30, 2007 at 03:42 PM
I personally think that a perfect movie title for the current state of FIU athletics is "Looser (2000)"; for the former FIUI football players in the pros or trying to mkake the pros, "The Waterboy (1998)"; for the coaches remaining from the pre PG era, "Dead Man Walking (1995)"; for all the new recent hires, and the soon to be hires, "Hope Floats (1998)" or "The Dreamers (2003)"; for the FIU posters on this blog, "Delusional (2000)" and for the Univeristy of MIAMI posters on this blog, "The Incredibles (2004)" Now before you all start being over critical of my post, please be advised that a majority of the movies referenced in this post have not been seen by me, nor does the content of these movies relate to the people they were chosen to represent. These movies were chosen strictly by title, NOT content. FIUmom, I have a special movie for you, "Wildcats (1986)"
Posted by: TheU24/7 | May 30, 2007 at 04:06 PM
Here's a few for the scUM fans in the audience.
(1) scUM's entire football program (Menace to Society OR A History of Violence)
(2) scUM's 2006 season (Rocky - literally OR Crash)
(3) Devin Hester's punch to the back and run(Catwoman)
(4) scUM posters on this blog (Pysco OR True Lies)
(5) Dee and Shalalalala (Dumb and Dumber)(6) Joe Robbie when scUM moves in (Ghost World OR Pitch Black)
(8) scUM fans opinion on scUM's role in the brawl (The Saint)
(9) scUM's road to another national championship (Mission Impossible)
(10) FIU when we pound scUM this year (Life is Beautiful)
Posted by: scUMsanitizer | May 30, 2007 at 07:00 PM
LOL!!! The Saint and Dumb and Dumber win the Academy Awards!!! Hilarious scUMsanitizer....
Posted by: FIU Fanatic | May 30, 2007 at 07:13 PM
For the record - my #7 was CLAWED out. Too much for the board Pete? LOL.
Posted by: scUMsanitizer | May 30, 2007 at 07:26 PM
October 14, 2006 - Battlefield Earth
Posted by: FIUandME | May 30, 2007 at 10:29 PM
This guy comes in here talking about Hope Floats and that we are wishing and praying that our new hires will be good ones
Well, just to remind you...you guys have a new fb HEAD COACH as well, an unproven HC, just like ours, shannon has not won 1 game as a HC yet..and guess what? he hired some new ppl too
talking about hope...you guys lost 4 STARS on defense(draft)...that same defense who
flat out won you games last year, or did you forget that the mighty cane offense scored less than 15 pts in HALF of yr games last yr?
You guys are HOPING for yr incoming freshman class to be great just like we are
Hoping for good defensive players, good receivers and a good QB, cuz highly-touted Kyle "High Throw" Wright hasnt lived up to the hype
talking bout hope...get outta here
Posted by: YouGotGold | May 30, 2007 at 11:14 PM
Hey PP, How about relating some coaches to a movie title. MC, "Gladiator", he kind of reminds you of Russell Crowe. PG, definitely, "Borat",. SR, "Around the world in 80 days", doesn't he reminds you of Cantinflas ?. KK, "Rocky 7", please no more comebacks. DP, "Liar Liar", enough said.
Posted by: sunblazer69 | May 31, 2007 at 12:17 AM
KUDOS to sunblazer69. Just don't tell Mario Cristobal he looks like Russell Crowe. It will definitely go to his head. Sergio looks like and dresses like Cantinflas.
On a separate note, I want to thank the local media for giving Danny Price his moments of fame by allowing him to cry in his Cocoa Krispies on the radio and tv. We saw more of Price the last week that we saw for his previous 28 years.
The local tv and radio people that were heartbroken over the firing of an inept, incompetent, and, worst of all, irrelevant coach should learn how to be consistent. Most of them were elated when Larry Coker got canned at UCG after winning 60 games in his 6 years at the U.
A note to Pete Garcia: don't let JD Arteaga get away. Don't be fooled by people at UCG trying to pawn off another assistant coach that they want to get rid off. Arteaga is your man.
Posted by: TheFIUfan | May 31, 2007 at 08:02 AM
Hey everyone if you go to the FIU sports website look up the football page and there are some cool before and after pictures of the stadium and the ground breaking day. Still no drawings of the future stadium but the pics of the old stadium are good.
Posted by: FI-UM Fan | May 31, 2007 at 09:36 AM
Do not cry for DP, he made his own bed. He allowed a "cancer" to stay on his team...after he told the players to vote on whether he should stay or not...after NUMEROUS team/school/law violations. He overruled the team vote. He used and abused too many good players...because he did not really know the game, or pay attention. DP never knew the difference between the nine best and the best nine.
He was too worried about where to park his truck, pre-game (he thought where he parked his truck affected the outcome of the game!). PG will get the right guy...anyone will be a step up.
Posted by: HiHardHeat | May 31, 2007 at 10:25 AM
Here's a movie....
UCG fans--Clueless
Posted by: FIUmom | May 31, 2007 at 07:25 PM
hey have you seen the new UM blog... they are saying that they are trying to start a rivalry w/ USF and thats the next big program in FLA. i dont know about you guys but thats a little bit insulting. ya the BULLS are good thats a slap in the face to FIU.
Posted by: CJ | June 01, 2007 at 02:52 PM
On a side note.....
Can you guys in south Florida send some of the rain you're getting to Atlanta? We are desperate up here.
Posted by: FIUmom | June 02, 2007 at 12:00 AM