“Miami’s turnover chain for 2018 is somehow even gaudier than last year’s”
USA Today headline
The Miami Hurricanes football team plays Florida State University today. While the game may not be as big as it was back in the day, it’s still a strong rivalry. And while Miami is still a top 20 team, they are arguably number one in the props department with their turnover chain.
The player that gets an interception or recovers a fumble gets to wear the turnover chain. It’s a symbolic gesture meant to fire the team up. It’s a thick Cuban chain holding an image of Ibis (the team’s mascot) made of 4,000 thousand orange, green and white stones. It weighs 6.6 pounds and it fits Miami’s culture100% . It’s even making waves in Germany…
There’s been solid talent that’s flowed to Hollywood from both the University of Miami and FSU. Here’s a list off the top of my head:
Florida State: Burt Reynolds (Deliverance), Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), screenwriter Jamie Linden (We Are Marshall), editor Joi McMillion (the first African American editor to ever be nominated for an Oscar), Oscar-winning producer Adele Romanski (Moonlight), Producer Cherylanne Ann Martin (Westworld), Oscar-winning screenwriter Alan Ball (American Beauty), Oscar-winning actress Faye Dunaway (Network)
Miami: Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), Dwayne Johnson (Ballers), Emmy-winning director David Nutter (Game of Thrones), Emmy-nominated producer/actor Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), screenwriter Max Landis (Bright), filmmaker Billy Corban (Cocaine Cowboys), singer/actress Gloria Estefan
P.S. Am I the first one to ever dream about hearing Barry Jenkins do a director’s commentary on Smokey and the Bandit? Call it A Night with Burt & Barry—could be a big fundraiser for the FSU Film School (one of the top-rated in the world). Though Jenkins commenting on Rocky would make more sense. Jenkins has Miami roots as well so maybe he can do a fundraiser for the UM film school as well. (Where my early love of movies began to flourish long ago.)
10/9/18 update: Despite Miami not beating FSU at home in 14 years, and the fact that they were behind Saturday 27-7 late in the third quarter, they found a way to win 28-27. And they beat FSU in social media, too. (Miami’s turnover chain vs. the FSU’s turn over backpack.)
Related article:
“Meet the College Friends Who Helped Make Moonlight”
Related posts:
Postcard #24 (Coral Gables)
Hurricane Mark, the Turnover Chain, and ‘The Other Florida Project’
Postcard #25 (Miami Beach)
Oscar Winner Barry Jenkins Before ‘Moonlight’