Miami football goals under Manny Diaz stated Ray Lewis HOF Speech

Manny Diaz has spoken a lot about culture, and what he wants from his Miami football players. Ray Lewis’ 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech had a lot of content on what Diaz wants to accomplish.

Canes Warning previously discussed that Diaz should pair legends with young Miami football alums to speak to the team. Ray Lewis’ brashness and Demetrius Jackson’s dedication to community service would pair well in speaking to the Miami football team.

The next step is loyalty. Miami has often been praised as having one of the most active alumni bases from their football team. Flashing the U during NFL starting lineups, returning to work with the players and wanting to be a part of the program long after graduation are common with Hurricane football alums.

Former Head Coach Mark Richt and current assistants Mike Rumph and Dallas Crawford all played football at Miami. They came from vastly different eras.

Crawford is only four years removed from playing football at the U. Richt played in the 1970s and early 1980s. Rumph played on UM’s 2001 National Championship team.

After speaking about Dr. Martin Luther King’s view on leadership, Lewis continued to talk about Dr. King. The excerpts are courtesy of ESPN.

"“The love described by Dr. Martin Luther King. The love that sacrifices and is defined by action taken for others. The actions of stepping up and being a leader.It’s no different than we all did to get here. We rose to the challenge, week after week for the love of the game and for the love of our team. That love just doesn’t go away when we retire. It’s still in us burning to be used.“I’m talking to you at home, too. Martin said everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subs [subjects] and verb agree to serve…You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. The next 30 days, I want you to think about why you get up in the morning. What’s the most important to you in this life? Are you living every day to make this world better?“We must come together as brothers and sisters. If I keep my hands separated, anybody can come and bend my fingers. But I promise you if I put my fists together, there is nothing we can’t do. Think what we can do if we work together as a country…"

This was the perfect example of what makes the Miami football program so great. Manny Diaz is a Florida State alum but a Miami native. He was hired by Temple 18 days before becoming the Miami Football Coach. He genuinely knew he was letting Temple down by returning to Miami.

Diaz’s heart was with the Hurricanes though. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit and many others have stated the alumni network among former Miami Hurricanes players is stronger than anywhere else in college football. The U has to get back to working together as a team.

"Not just loving my neighbors as I love myself but by challenging people to walk with me and teaching our nation how to love each other again. What wouldn’t I do to make this happen? That’s the reason why I’m here — to call this crew to action, to inspire, to come together and raise up our country.Everybody can serve. Anybody can be a leader. Will you take action to lift up your community and inspire others to dream and to do more? You’re a leader. Listen, our gravestone has a date when you’re born and a date when you die and they got a dash in between. And that dash defines what your legacy is.I will leave you with this last thought. Dr. Myles Munroe compares leaders to the king of the jungle. He says the lion is not the tallest animal in the jungle. The lion is not the largest animal in the jungle. The lion is not the smartest nor the most intelligent animal in the jungle."

This last part relates not just to Lewis, but 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee and Miami Football alum and Lewis’ former Baltimore Ravens teammate, Ed Reed. Both Manny Diaz and Mark Richt have had Reed come back and speak to their players.

Reed is much more understated than Lewis. His speech is not likely to be as riveting as Lewis’ was. Reed let his play on the field do more of his talking. It will be interesting to see how the Miami Hurricanes all-time leader in interceptions approaches his Hall of Fame Speech.

Lewis continued by talking about leadership. There were reports of tension between the offense and defense on the Miami football team last season. Diaz is reportedly setting up a players council to police themselves.

"And yet, when the lion shows up, he is king. You don’t need to be intelligent. You don’t need to be smart. You don’t need to be a certain height. You don’t need to have a certain weight. You don’t need to have any kind of advantage. Yet, you can be a leader.“I was not the biggest, the strongest or fastest. But my goals were clear. My actions were and still on service of those goals. I was a leader on the field then and I’m a leader in my community now.“I’ve joined a new team and my goal is clear with this team — to lift up my brothers and sisters, to inspire the leaders and this next generation to fight for love, not money, not fame, not success, not how many followers I got but to fight for love.My mother once told me, ‘Run your race, Ray. Don’t give up, do not sit down, do not lie down. But stand up, go forward and I’ll go with you.’Walk with me out of here today with the mission in your mind, in your heart. Vow to be a leader in your community. Vow to be a ray of light in the world around you. Together, there is nothing we can’t do. Hall of Fame 2018.”"

You might not like Ray Lewis and want to focus on his flaws or that he is too brash. There is no denying what a dynamic leader he is. That did not end when his playing career did. Manny Diaz bringing him in to speak to his Miami football team would help the Hurricanes players more than hurt them.

Lewis speaking to the young Miami Hurricanes could be compared to Urban Meyer teaching a leadership class at Ohio State. We all have flaws. Being able to overcome our shortcomings is a true testament to our life. Think about the dash.