Willie Williams Pt. III - The Miami Visit

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by marcmc99, Jan 27, 2004.

  1. marcmc99

    marcmc99 Founding Member

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    I know this has nothing to do with LSU, but since we had so much fun with Willie last week, I thought some of you might be interested to hear how his visit to Miami went. It amazes me a real newspaper would print this stuff.



    http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/7804726.htm



    FOOTBALL RECRUITING
    UM trip is paradise for Williams
    Star linebacker Willie Williams enjoys his Hurricanes visit but has yet to commit to a college. Florida is next before he decides on Feb. 4.
    By MANNY NAVARRO
    [email protected]




    If his trip to Florida State was like an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and Auburn was a trip to the Simple Life, Willie Williams' experience this past weekend with the hometown Miami Hurricanes could be summed up in one word: paradise.

    Coach Larry Coker picked him up at his Carol City home in a white Cadillac Escalade, then put Williams up at the Mayfair House Hotel in Coconut Grove. Williams' room featured a jacuzzi on his balcony.

    The name of Williams' room? The Paradise suite.

    As usual, Williams was treated to feasts at some of the area's nicest restaurants. He gobbled up ribs, shrimp and barbeque chicken at Monty's, then had three lobster tails and two steaks at the Rusty Pelican.

    Williams called the trip his best yet, although he said Miami and Florida State are still tied in the battle for his services.

    ''This thing just gets harder every week,'' Williams said. ``Who knows, maybe when I go to Florida next week I'll like them so much I'll commit right then and there.

    ``This is going down to those three nights before National Signing Day [Feb. 4]. Then, I'll announce it.''

    COOL COKER

    Williams was surprised when Coker picked him up.

    ''Coach [Coker] looks like an old guy in his 50s or 60s, but he's real cool,'' Williams said. ``When he talks, he sounds like he's 18 or 20.

    'And when I saw he was driving the Escalade, I was like, `Dang, coach got some taste.' ''

    When Williams arrived at UM, Killian running back Bobby Washington and Killian cornerback J.R. Bryant were waiting for him. The recruits spoke with school counselors about academics.

    ''UM looks like it has a real good business school,'' Williams said. ``After going on these trips and living like King Tut, I think business is something I want to get into.''

    After talking books, the recruits were taken to the weight room.

    ''I love that weight room -- it's state of the art,'' Williams said. ``I felt like I was in the year 2020 when I walked in there. They had some machines I've never seen in my life. Now I know why these guys get so big.''

    During the tour, Williams said he enjoyed partaking in playful banter with Washington and Bryant over their state semifinal playoff game this past season. Carol City beat Killian 3-0 and went on to win the Class 6A state title.

    ''All they kept talking about was that game,'' Williams said. 'They were like, `If it wasn't for you Willie, we'd be state champions.' I told them, 'If it weren't for our defense -- not only me.' ''

    RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

    Following the campus visit, the recruits boarded a bus with the coaching staff and headed for the Orange Bowl. Williams said he wasn't aware the recruits had a police escort.

    ''We'd get to a red light and I would hold on because the bus driver would just take it,'' he said. ``Coach Coker looked at me and he was like, `Are you OK, Willie?'

    'I was thinking the bus driver was crazy. Coach Coker was like, `Willie, we've got police escorts.' I told him, 'Thank God. I thought the police were trying to pull us over and give us a ticket.' That was pretty funny.''

    Williams, who wore No. 17 at Carol City in honor of UM linebacker D.J. Williams, had his own No. 17 waiting for him inside the Canes' locker room. In the next locker was jersey No. 52 -- the number once worn by superstar linebacker Ray Lewis.

    ''When I first put on [his UM jersey], I felt at home,'' Williams said. 'Coach was like, `That's you, Willie.' To be honest, it really felt like it.''

    After the players put on their jerseys, parents were asked to leave the locker room. The players were then called out one by one to run out of the famed tunnel while their names were announced over the stadium speakers.

    Williams ran out of the tunnel through a giant-sized UM helmet and the infamous smoke. The music playing over the loudspeakers was Bone Crusher's rap hit Never Scared. Oddly, though, Williams kind of was.

    ''I was running like a blind man,'' Williams said. 'I had my eyes closed cause I didn't want none of that smoke to get in my eyes. Coach was like, `It's OK, Willie. It isn't going to hurt you.' Now, I know. Running through that smoke was awesome.''

    Williams and the recruits enjoyed their experience so much they didn't want to give back their jerseys.

    ''J.R. and I figured we would stuff it under our clothes,'' Williams said. ``Bobby hid his in his stomach, but he looked pregnant.''

    DINNER AT MONTY'S

    Following the stadium, the recruits were bused to Monty's restaurant on Miami Beach.

    ''As soon as I got off that bus, it was like a cartoon,'' Williams said. 'The smell hit me right away. Coach was like, `Willie, you've got an eating disorder.' ''

    After the recruits were greeted with nachos and crab claws, the main course quickly followed -- along with the arrival of UM players, including D.J. Williams and cornerback Antrel Rolle.

    ''Coach Coker must be related to Cleo or something,'' Williams said of the famed TV psychic. ``The man knew what I wanted and had it already ordered. I didn't need a menu. I told him, `Coach, how did you know what I like?'

    'He was like, `Willie, I've been reading up on you.' ''

    Dinner was followed by a trip back to Rolle's apartment for a few hours of video games. Then it was off for a night out on South Beach.

    'They took us to this place called `The Bed.' Warren Sapp, Clinton Portis, Jevon Kearse and a whole bunch of really hot girls were all there. We didn't stick around long. After that, we just went back to the hotel to sleep.''

    After breakfast the following morning, Williams met with linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves.

    ``He told me how they really want to use me for blitzes and that I'll play [weakside linebacker]. I liked hearing that.''

    The following morning, Williams and the recruits headed back to the athletic complex for one final meeting with the coaching staff.

    Williams met with Coker, who handed him the crystal football awarded to the Hurricanes as part of the Sears National Championship trophy of 2002.

    ''He asked me, `You ready to win one of these?'' Williams said. 'I was like, `Sounds good to me.' He told me, `All you need to do, Willie, is let me know. The jersey is the easy part. All we have to do is scrape off the D.J. on the number 17 and put a W.'

    ``Man, that sounded awesome. I like that No. 17.''

    Coming Tuesday: Williams details his final recruiting trip -- to the University of Florida.

    • MORE ONLINE: To read previous installments of the Willie Williams recruiting series, go online to www.herald.com/sports and click on High Schools.
     
  2. Sourdoughman

    Sourdoughman TigerFan of LSU and the Tigerman

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    RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

    Following the campus visit, the recruits boarded a bus with the coaching staff and headed for the Orange Bowl. Williams said he wasn't aware the recruits had a police escort.

    ''We'd get to a red light and I would hold on because the bus driver would just take it,'' he said. ``Coach Coker looked at me and he was like, `Are you OK, Willie?'

    'I was thinking the bus driver was crazy. Coach Coker was like, `Willie, we've got police escorts.' I told him, 'Thank God. I thought the police were trying to pull us over and give us a ticket.' That was pretty funny.''
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    This is one of the funniest stories I've ever seen!!!

    This guy most be from Green Acres or Pixley!:shock:

    At least at Miami they could fix his grades because he aint all there!:D
     
  3. tigerlaw

    tigerlaw Founding Member

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    Its a perfecct fit. I'll bet anyone he'll end up there. Its one of the only programs that can deal with an ego as big as his. You want proof? KW2. Warren Sapp. Jeremy Shockey. Need I go on?
     
  4. Sourdoughman

    Sourdoughman TigerFan of LSU and the Tigerman

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    kellon Winslow the 3rd and I believe Leon is from there!:D
     

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