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Williams: Who to blame for Cincinnati-Miami Victory Bell college football series ending

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Williams: Who to blame for Cincinnati-Miami Victory Bell college football series ending


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Ask columnist Jason Williams anything − sports or non-sports – and he’ll pick some of your questions and respond on Cincinnati.com. Email: jwilliams@enquirer.com

Subject: Another college football rivalry is lost

Message: It’s sad to see the Miami-UC football series is coming to an end. Long-time fans of both schools still cherish the regional rivalry, despite the game losing its luster over the past 20 years. How do you feel about the series being cancelled?

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Reply: Yep, it’s sad but certainly not surprising. And reaction to the news that the fourth-longest-running rivalry in big-time college football is ending in 2026 shows not many UC or Miami fans care.

For those who do care, no need to cast blame on either UC or Miami. We’ve learned to accept regional rivalries aren’t important to the college football oligarchs beyond a handful of games. Realignment – and the haves-vs.-have-nots schism that’s come with it – has killed games like this.

Regional, non-conference rivalries are especially on the endangered species list. Moreover, the cancellation of the UC-Miami series will end the longest-running rivalry between schools from power and so-called Group of Five conferences. The Utah-Utah State rivalry, which started in 1892, came to an end in 2015 – five seasons after Utah joined a power conference.

So you knew this was coming after UC moved to the Big 12 last season. The conference has moved to nine league games, reducing the number of non-conference games to three from four. For its part, Miami needs a massive paycheck to help the athletic department budget when it goes on the road to play a power conference team. That wasn’t happening with the UC series.

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Face it, if the UC-Miami rivalry hadn’t become so one-sided, the reaction to cancelling the series might have been different. But UC had won 16 consecutive games vs. Miami before the RedHawks defeated the Bearcats in overtime at Nippert Stadium last season.

The rivalry really hasn’t been fun since the 1990s and early 2000s. When I was a student at UC from 1993-1997, UC went 3-1-1 against Miami. Besides the 1994 tie, every game was decided by one score. The Miami games were among the few that filled up the Nippert Stadium student section back then. In those days, UC needed Miami. Now every game fills up Nippert.

We’ll have plenty of time to reminisce about this historic rivalry, which began with a riveting 0-0 tie in 1888. But I couldn’t help but think of two men who were on opposite sides of the Victory Bell rivalry when it was The Game for both schools – late legends Jim Kelly Sr. of UC and Wayne Gibson of Miami.

They both played in the 1940s before going on to work for their schools’ athletic departments and being named to their universities’ halls of fame. Kelly and “Gibby,” who was a close friend of my late grandfather, respected the rivalry and lived for keeping the Victory Bell in their athletic departments.

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Those days are long gone. It’s long been just another game to the UC and Miami players and most of their fans.

But hopefully, the 60-60-7 series record can help today’s players and younger fans have some appreciation for this rivalry. RIP, Victory Bell.



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Miami, FL

Firefight at NW Miami-Dade warehouse enters 2nd day: ‘It burned it all up’

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Firefight at NW Miami-Dade warehouse enters 2nd day: ‘It burned it all up’


Video shows bright orange flames still burning at a warehouse in Northwest Miami-Dade on Friday, almost 24 hours after crews first responded.

The flames broke out before 11 a.m. Thursday, sending towers of thick black smoke into the sky, and crews have been attempting to put the fire out since.

Officials said the structure located just east of Red Road and south of Florida’s Turnpike Extension is more than twice the size of a Costco warehouse and contains hazardous materials inside.

More than 200 firefighters from both Broward and Miami-Dade counties have been fighting the blaze, which officials say could burn for days.

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The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Lives spared, livelihoods lost

Miami-Dade Deputy Fire Chief Danny Cardeso said no injuries were reported.

The driver of an 18-wheeler told NBC6 he was at the warehouse, which stores inventory for shipments, when the fire alarm went off.

He said everyone immediately evacuated, no one was hurt, and everyone inside was accounted for. Still, some workers and business owners fear they lost their livelihoods.

Benny Monción, who owns DBenny Sazón, one of the food trucks parked at the facility, was in tears when she spoke to NBC6 at the scene.

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She said a friend of hers who also owns a food truck called to tell her how he fared.

“He called me just now, we were watching the news, and my truck was still intact, but his, the fire got it,” she said, her voice breaking as she put her head in her hand. “It burned it all up.”

She said she wasn’t sure what had happened to her truck, which normally operates on 50 North University Drive in Pembroke Pines, as the fire raged.

“I ask God that mine at least can be OK, but I feel so bad [that his didn’t make it], because these are hardworking people, looking to earn their daily living that in this country is too hard,” Monción said. “It’s so many things.”

Air quality concerns

A public safety alert was issued at one point Thursday due to the heavy smoke. The alert recommended those with respiratory problems and medical conditions to shelter in place if possible.

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Dr. Donny Perez, a medical director at Memorial Regional Hospital South, said fires like this can send fine particles into the air that can irritate the lungs and cause coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, sore throat, chest pain and palpitations.

“Even their eyes can get irritated, the sore throat. So the best thing is to stay indoors with the windows closed, avoid outdoor exercise. Wear an N-95 mask if you must go outside. Use your rescue inhalers as prescribed if you do have lung disease,” he said.

Resident Gloria Downey said the smoke was concerning, especially with the uncertainty about what materials could be burning.

“I mean I don’t know what’s in that building, but I have lived here since before that building was built off and on, and God knows what’s in there,” she said. “We have the house completely sealed. We have air filters running in both rooms. The air condition is off. It’s a little hot in Miami, but we’ll be all right.”

Drought and wind may hinder firefight

Winds on Friday are blowing consistently at 10-20 mph toward the northwest, pushing the smoke over a nearby landfill and out over the Everglades.

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“Just a couple of spotty little showers here, not enough to really help with the fire,” NBC6’s meteorologist Adam Berg said. “But the winds certainly don’t help.”

Traffic impacts

Officials asked people to avoid the area while they worked to put out the fire. Northwest 47th Avenue is closed between Honey Hill Drive (Northwest 199th Street) to Northwest 207th Drive.

Take Northwest 57th Avenue as an alternate route.



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Miami Gardens mother gets probation after her 2-year-old shot himself

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Miami Gardens mother gets probation after her 2-year-old shot himself


A mother in Miami Gardens has been sentenced to five years of probation after her 2-year-old son accidentally shot himself with a gun he found in her purse.

According to police, the incident happened last summer at an apartment complex in Miami Gardens. Authorities say the toddler grabbed his mother’s firearm from her purse and accidentally pulled the trigger, shooting himself in the leg.

Video captured at the scene showed the child being rushed to the hospital on a stretcher. The boy survived and has since fully recovered.

The child’s mother, 35-year-old Christina Monique Doyle, was arrested and charged with child neglect and culpable negligence for allowing easy access to the weapon. Prosecutors said those charges carried a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

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During a court hearing, the presiding judge, Alberto Milian, emphasized the responsibility that comes with gun ownership.

“I am a very pro-gun person, but along with the right and the privilege of having a gun comes responsibilities,” Milian said.

Doyle ultimately accepted a plea deal where she pleaded no contest, allowing her to avoid jail time. Instead, she was sentenced to five years of probation.

Her attorney, Dustin Tischler, said Doyle has no prior criminal record and described the incident as a mistake.

“She’s 35 years old, never been in trouble whatsoever in her life,” Tischler said. “She’s a very good mother, a very caring mother to several children. This has been a nightmare, and she’s happy to get it behind her.”

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Tischler also said the case should serve as a warning to gun owners about keeping firearms secure around children.

“Even though she had it in her purse and thought it was secure, the child was able to get to it when she was distracted,” he said. “If you have a firearm, it’s important to keep it locked away.”

Tischler said Doyle has completed a parenting program through the Florida Department of Children and Families and how she is allowed to have contact with her children, including her son who is now doing well after recovering from the injury.

NBC6 reached out to DCF about the case but we haven’t heard back yet.

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Miami’s own Marcello Hernandez delivers special tribute to former teacher on SNL

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Miami’s own Marcello Hernandez delivers special tribute to former teacher on SNL


Miami’s own pays tribute to former teacher on SNL Miami’s own Marcello Hernandez brought a piece of home to SNL for his latest performance, giving a tribute to his hometown and a special teacher in that classic Miami accent.

NEW YORK CITY — Miami’s own Marcello Hernandez brought a piece of home to SNL for his latest performance, giving a tribute to his hometown and a special teacher in that classic Miami accent.

During his performance, Hernandez definitely brought the character of “Mr. Fronzi” to life.

The over-the-top teacher with a big heart was a character inspired by his real-life theology teacher at Miami-Dade’s private Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Angie Fernandez.

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And Hernandez even flew her up to New York City to see the skit live in person.

“When I saw the skit, I was flabbergasted. I laughed from here to eternity. It was so good,” Fernandez said. “I am so honored that he chose to imitate me. That’s the best compliment you can give somebody!”

Fernandez said that while Hernandez drove her crazy in her classroom, he was also always humble, honest and she calls him one of her favorite students.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.

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Jenise Fernandez

Jenise Fernandez is a six-time Emmy award winning anchor and reporter at Local 10 News. Currently, she anchors the 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. news, Monday through Friday.



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