MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Michael Irvin is back at another Miami game, wearing the same long-sleeved shirt, cargo pants and black lace-up boots he has sported at each game since a come-from-behind victory over Virginia Tech to end September.

Football players are superstitious, and Miami is undefeated, so Irvin says he has no choice but to keep wearing the outfit, and to keep coming to games. His shirt has gained so much visibility over the last month, as cameras have panned to his exuberant outbursts and raucous cheering, that Miami has fielded questions from fans about where they can buy one like it. The truth is, the white Dri-Fit shirt — complete with orange and green sleeves and an ibis on the back — came from his closet and is not for sale in the team shop.

Thirty minutes before Miami kicks off against Duke this past Saturday, Irvin stands with fellow Canes greats Lamar Thomas and Andre Johnson, inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in August. Then Mike Rumph, who played on the 2001 national championship team and works on the Miami staff, comes over to say hello. Soon others follow: Frank Gore, Duane Starks, Daryl Jones, Rohan Marley.

Different game but same story: Miami alums showing up in full force as the 9-0 Hurricanes make a run at a championship this season.

“When I was playing, that’s how it was, all the guys would come back,” says Johnson, who lives in Texas. “They set an example for me. So I knew when it was my time, I would want to come back and show support. I had a free weekend, so I was like, ‘I’m going to catch a game.'”

Ray Lewis, Clinton Portis, Reggie Wayne, Greg Olsen, Bernie Kosar and many others have been back, too, part of a concerted effort coach Mario Cristobal has made since his return in 2022 to reconnect Miami alums with the team. This past spring, nearly 300 returned for alumni weekend around the spring game.

“Look at the old games in the ’80s and ’90s, and look at the sidelines, at how littered it was with real-deal dudes,” said Cristobal, who played at Miami from 1989 to ’92. ” As a player, I would kill to get over there and watch these guys go at it.”

The same thing is playing out in real time this season. Miami has not won a championship since 2001, but every win this season has brought a little more hope that maybe this will be the year. The alums who set the standard have been waiting decades to see a season like this one.

There has always been a suite reserved for alums for each Miami home game. But this year, many former players have decided to come down to the sideline to watch.

“All the past coaches told us to come back but never showed us the love Mario has,” says Thomas, who played with Cristobal at Miami. “He has embraced us.”

And nobody wears the emotions that come with seeing your alma mater rise again quite like Irvin.

Already this season, cameras have panned to him celebrating with Miami defensive ends coach Jason Taylor after the last-second win over Virginia Tech, laying on the turf in the late stages of a comeback win over Cal, embracing players against Louisville and celebrating against Florida State.

Michael Irvin is going through it �� pic.twitter.com/uIZ2rDUT1K

– SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Oct. 6, 2024

“I’m high intensity and animated, but it’s the emotions and the passion,” says Irvin, who starred as a receiver at Miami from 1985 to ’87 before an NFL Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys. “You’re not going to accomplish anything without that passion. The passion is what pushes you past the pain no matter what the deal is. This team is learning that.”

That takes time, of course. So does building a championship program. Miami had another start like this one in 2017, opening 10-0 with huge home wins over Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, during which alums and fans also came out in full force. But that team lost its final three to close out the season, including a 38-3 defeat to Clemson in the ACC championship game.

That season proved to be an anomaly — it’s the only 10-win season Miami has had since 2003. This year, though, feels different than 2017. Alums can sense that. It is why Irvin grows emotional when he recounts conversations he has had with players throughout the course of the season.

“One of the kids said to me, ‘We love coming out of the tunnel seeing you here,'” Irvin said, wiping away tears. “It means something. We talked for years about the importance of getting back to it on the football field and now that they’re doing it, it’s important for us to show up. I don’t care who it is. You’ve got to show up.”

As soon as the game starts, Irvin takes his customary spot along the sideline. Emotions firmly in check. But he soon gets antsy, and is on the move, walking to the opposite side of the field to follow the Miami offense. When Xavier Restrepo catches a 34-yard touchdown pass from Cam Ward to open the scoring, Irvin proceeds to run down the sideline, high-fiving players.

After going up 14-0, Irvin greets every player coming off the field with a, “Way to go, baby!”

Things start to get a little more tense as Duke jumps out to a 28-17 lead in the third quarter. Irvin watches intently from the sideline, alternating between biting his nails, taking his glasses off, crouching, taking a knee and putting his arms on his head.

He shouts more encouragement: “Let’s go eat!” and “We will get points!”

Finally, a shift: Restrepo scores on a 3-yard pass from Ward to cut the gap to three, then freshman O.J. Frederique Jr. gets a crucial interception to give Miami the ball back. Irvin runs over to Frederique, sitting on the bench, and shouts, “Way to make a play for us! Way to make a play for us!”

“I tell people you can only hope to contain Mike — you can’t stop him,” Thomas says with a laugh. “Mike is just like that. He loves the U. The passion that we have for that school is undeniable. We love it.”

As Miami drives down the field, Irvin grows more animated with every play — stomping, crouching, gesturing and yelling to no one in particular. When Elija Lofton scores to put Miami ahead, Irvin raises his arms in triumph.

But the game is not over yet. After Jacolby George scores off a 49-yard touchdown pass from Ward, Irvin gives him a hug on the sideline.

Restrepo scores again, this time on a 66-yard pass in the fourth quarter. Irvin jumps up and down on the sideline, and high-fives new school president Joe Echevarria. Next comes longtime Coral Gables chief of police Ed Hudak, a fixture on the Miami sideline for decades. As Restrepo comes off the field with running back Mark Fletcher Jr., Irvin hugs them both.

Miami now leads 46-31, and Restrepo has broken the all-time Miami record for career receiving yards. Irvin takes out his phone and poses with Restrepo for a selfie.

“He just said [I was the] best receiver ever in Canes history,” Restrepo said. “He put me on top of that list, he congratulated me. I have so much love for that guy. We see greatness right in front of our face, and they’re very interactive with us. That’s why you come to the U.”

Players like Restrepo also came to Miami to help get the program back to where it belongs. Growing up in South Florida, restoring the tradition and legacy has always been important to him. When last season ended, with his best friend, quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, in the transfer portal, Restrepo could have decided to leave.

But he is big on loyalty, and he is big on staying until the job is finished. Miami has never won an ACC championship. But a win every week brings them one step closer to that goal. Restrepo did not work long hours as a child in his backyard, on his high school field, or at Miami to let that slip away. When he saw the Hurricanes had signed Ward and assembled its most talented team since his arrival in 2020, he envisioned the possibilities.

He and his teammates put in the work. The alums who were there in the spring, who watch practice, who have attended games, take great pride in what they are seeing: A team that is holding each other accountable, pushing themselves, with the leaders and depth to get the job done. Mostly, this team reminds them of themselves.

They will keep coming back. Johnson, who had a front-row seat to watch Ward in the spring, says, “Winning cures everything,” Johnson said. “I remember seeing Cam, and I knew we had a great player at quarterback. It’s like anything: When you have a guy that has that impact at that position, you can go a long way.”

“We’re a different brand,” Irvin says. “People wait on Miami. To see this, now? It’s everything.”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is reviewing online videos that show police officers punching fans during the Florida–Georgia game Saturday at EverBank Stadium.

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said she has spoken to Sheriff T.K. Waters regarding altercations at the rivalry game known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”

“I’m aware of several disturbing videos circulating from [Saturday’s] game,” Deegan posted on X on Sunday. “We are awaiting the outcome of that investigation.”

The Sheriff’s Office said Sunday it won’t comment until its review is complete.

“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s Professional Standards Division is aware of the videos circulating from the Georgia-Florida football game. Administrative reviews of the incidents are being opened. As such, the agency will not comment until all facts are known and the reviews have been completed,” the office said.

One video shows two officers struggling with two spectators in the stands. Surrounding fans could be heard screaming at officers to stop.

A second video shows an argument between a man and two JSO officers escalate into a fight that left the man with his face bloodied and handcuffed after being shot repeatedly with a stun gun.

Neither video showed circumstances that led to the confrontations.

As the NHL and NHLPA enter the penultimate season under its collective bargaining agreement, there’s a new tone emanating from both sides: optimism.

For a league that has experienced three lockouts over the last 30 years, it’s a welcome change. The NHL and NHLPA last negotiated a CBA in 2020 — amid the COVID shutdown, when discussions were bundled with return-to-play protocols. Financials were bleak, especially for a sport quite dependent on gate revenue. In an unprecedented climate, both sides collaborated for solutions. Four years later, they all rebounded in a big way. Revenue hit a record $6.2 billion last season, as the league also set new marks in attendance and saw a spike in sponsorship revenue, thanks to evolving attitudes on sports betting, helmet decals and showcasing individual players’ personalities.

In Sportico’s recent valuations, the average NHL franchise is worth $1.79 billion — a 37 percent increase in just one year.

Last month at a Board of Governors’ meeting, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he’d like to start (and hopefully end) CBA negotiations early, saying “in terms of the relationship, we think we’re in a good place.”

The NHLPA’s new executive director, Marty Walsh, is equally positive these days. “Myself and Gary Bettman have had very open conversations about how this potentially could be laid out,” Walsh told ESPN in a recent interview. “Going in with an open mind, with open dialogue is how I’ve always approached collective bargaining.”

Both sides are motivated to continue momentum. And sources on both sides suggested that if a deal was reached as soon as this spring, there would likely be few changes to the overall structure, just tweaks. But from a player’s perspective, there’s only so often you can ask your boss to re-open your contract and hope to change the terms. So what exactly would they like to achieve?

Walsh agreed to an interview, but declined to speak on specific issues, saying it was premature. Walsh is currently on his annual fall tour – a series of individual union meetings with every team — to canvass players opinions. “Once we assess where we are at and what players feel, we will take next steps after that,” Walsh said.

In the interim, ESPN spoke with 21 veteran players around the NHL to get an early pulse on what issues are important to them. The players were granted anonymity to speak openly. Here is a primer of what topics are on the table and what might be feasible in a new CBA:

The biggest concern for players: Grow the pie

The one item that came up again and again with players was money. “It’s not overly complicated at this point, we need to grow revenue,” one player said. “It’s what all the other sports are doing. We don’t need to be squabbling over points; we need to make the pie larger so we can have a larger slice. This deal has been great for the owners.”

Players cited several examples on how the league’s value has ballooned. Jeff Vinik bought the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 for a reported $93 million. Vinik recently sold a majority stake of the team, which is now valued at $1.8 billion, per Sportico. Meanwhile players salaries have largely remained stagnant. Florida Panther star Matthew Tkachuk’s cap hit ($9.5 million) is roughly the same as what his father, Keith Tkachuk, was making in the 1999-2000 season for the St. Louis Blues ($10 million).

The NHL and NHLPA currently have a 50-50 split on hockey-related revenue. The salary cap, which is calculated based on HRR, remained largely stagnant through and directly following the pandemic to account for losses — though the league has hinted at bigger jumps the next several seasons. Players are hoping those jumps are sizable.

“Coming out of COVID was tough, and it felt like we took a lot of compromise to get to where we should be,” one player said. “Now it seems like the league has done well with HRR and hopefully that allows us to see the benefits.”

It’s unclear what economic proposals either side will bring to the table. Players uniformly felt they took a cut when the split went from 57-43 to 50-50 in the 2012 CBA. They have no appetite to decrease further, even if the league tries to argue that in other sports like the NBA or NFL, the players’ share is less than 50%. Several players wondered if the NHL could institute a luxury tax.

“We have some owners who would definitely be willing to spend over the cap,” one player said. “We should reward that. And then that money gets spread across all the owners, and for some of the smaller-market teams it puts money in their pocket.”

Players said they would like to receive a cut of future expansion fees as the league flirts with the idea of 34 teams. “We should fight for that, no doubt,” one player said. But, according to sources, that could be a sticking point for the league.

As usual, many players brought up escrow — in which the league withholds a portion of their salary until revenue is accounted at the end of the season – as something they were passionate about eliminating.

“I think a lot of guys get confused or caught up with escrow, but it’s just a mechanism for getting paid,” one player said. “We need to be focusing on the bigger picture. We want to get rid of escrow. I’m sure the owners want to get rid of guaranteed contracts. We all should be focused on how we can bring more attention and dollars to the sport.”

What could it be? The NHL should get another infusion of cash on the new Canadian TV deal, which will kick in for 2025-26. Players were optimistic about the presence of Amazon, which is dabbling with streaming games in Canada and produced an all-access show, Face Off, which got buy-in from players and the league.

Said one player: “I don’t think there’s a silver bullet, or one thing that will help revenue. But all of our energy should be focused on finding new ways to grow our sport.”

The possible tweaks

Throughout the course of the season, when matters are raised by players or at a general manager’s meeting, the answer can be a common refrain: That’s a CBA issue. So what topics since 2020 do the players feel passionately about revisiting?

• The schedule: One of the most intriguing topics expected to be discussed is the schedule. Anything could be on the table, from eliminating the three-day Christmas break to reconsidering the way out-of-division games are scheduled. Restructuring the preseason became a hot topic in September after a rash of high-profile injuries including to Drew Doughty, David Reinbacher and Patrik Laine. One idea that has been floated is trimming the preseason in favor of adding two games to the regular season (putting the total at 84). Players surveyed by ESPN had mixed opinions. “There are teams scheduling eight preseason games and that’s too many,” one player said. “Some of them become s—shows, especially when you see rosters some teams put out. Some teams are playing three [games] in three days.” Veteran players acknowledged that while they generally needed only two or three to feel game-ready, the preseason contests are valuable for prospects to get evaluated. “Our preseason is just too long,” one player said. “We’re almost done with camp. Media day in the NBA was two days ago and they finished earlier than us. It’s insane. I’d take 84 games if we could start earlier.” Others were wary of the expense of a longer regular season. “Hockey is a tough contact sport. Playing those two extra games could be the difference between having a guy in the playoffs or losing him,” one player said. “Also the wear and tear on your body. You may not notice it after two games, but it all adds up. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

• Playoff format: A handful of players want to change the playoff format to a typical 1-8 seeding by conference. “A lot of guys would like to see that change, myself included,” one player said. But according to sources, there have never been substantive discussions about that at Board of Governor meetings. The league believes the format is strong and the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best postseason in sports. It would have to be a major sticking point for players to get addressed.

• “The Jack Eichel issue”: In 2021, Eichel was sidelined with a herniated disc in his neck. He wanted to get an artificial disc replacement, a procedure never performed on another NHL player before. The Sabres preferred a more proven alternative. Under the CBA, teams get final say over a player’s medical care. It caused a massive rift, resulting in Eichel’s trade to Vegas, and an issue many assumed would be brought up in the next CBA. Players uniformly said they should get final say over their medical rights. And while there are some that are super passionate, many view Eichel’s situation as a rare occurrence — and not necessarily an easy tweak. One player noted they’ve actually made big strides in this department. “When I first started [11 years ago], it was super taboo to get a second opinion, like you were disobeying your team,” the player said. “Now they’ve made it so much easier, much more common. We’re in a decent place.” At its core, this CBA clause about final say on medical decisions is really about guaranteed contracts, which players do not want to relent on. Several players advocated for full benefits post-retirement. In the CBA, eligible retired players can enroll in the NHL Health and Benefits Fund and, in certain circumstances, receive a subsidy towards the cost. There have been enhancements on this over the years. For example, the offering used to be a one size fits all policy. Now, it’s more scalable. Some players want further assurances, even if it would be a massive cost. “Healthcare is a huge thing,” one player said. “We have one of the best pensions in major sports but we need an answer for health care and get full benefits.”

• International events: In the past, participation in international events was atop players’ wish list. However with the upcoming 4 Nations Faceoff tournament, commitment (and progress) on scheduling a regular World Cup, and commitment to play in the 2026 Olympics in Milan, players feel they are in a good place. “Feels like the league finally met us on international play. It’s important to players and I think the league also understands its importance for the growth of the sport, even if owners are taking on the risk of a guy getting injured, and dealing with the IOC and IIHF on insurance,” one player said. But for the players it’s still important to get it in writing.

• Rules and equipment: General managers have given the league feedback at their recent meetings that they would like changes to the long-term injury reserve rules, which has allowed some teams to activate players just as the playoffs begin. While some players had mixed opinions here, none felt super passionately that it needed to be addressed — though they knew the league may bring it up. The NHL also will likely discuss equipment mandates, such as neck guards.

• Next-gen ideas: Some players said their agents have bugged them about ideas for the next generation, such as changing the draft age to 19, shortening the draft, or finding an out to the Canadian Hockey League and NHL agreement that stipulates teenagers must be returned to their junior clubs if they aren’t on the NHL roster. The NHL and CHL agreement is separate from the CBA. And with a massive sea change coming – the NCAA is considering changing eligibility rules regarding CHL players – it’s tough to predict what is feasible here. But many of the draft-related ideas have not received traction, according to sources.

What’s next in the process?

Walsh and his top lieutenant Ron Hainsey — a defenseman who retired from the league in 2021 — are continuing their fall tour, which is expected to stretch into December. Discussions on the tour will help shape points of emphasis for negotiations with the league. Walsh said he is in no rush.

“It’s really dictated by the players,” Walsh said. “It depends on where we are with the players, what the players want to do. I mean, this is their association. We’ll talk to the entire team and then we follow up with player reps and follow up individual players who are interested in this stuff. Players are everyday people. They’re busy with life and family and everything else. So some players want to get very engaged and some just want to support their teammates.”

If the sides come to a resolution by June, there is nothing that prevents a new CBA from going into effect before the prior one is completed. So if both parties agree, the new CBA could theoretically begin as soon as next season.

Walsh was hired in February, 2023 after an exhaustive search. He was the longtime mayor of Boston before serving as the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Players on the search committee said they liked Walsh’s political background — his ability to communicate, form relationships and garner support. He’s remained accessible, giving all 750-plus members of the union his cellphone number.

“I think guys are feeling really confident being led by Marty,” one player rep said. “He has good energy, a good feel for the CBA, the league and also how to develop relationships with Gary [Bettman] and work with the league. We know issues are going to come up, but we feel like he’ll get them resolved.”

One question several players wondered: Who will exercise their voice and help in the fight? The NHL’s new marketing campaign is all about Gen Z as Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Connor Bedard become the new faces of the league. In the past, Sidney Crosby has been very opinionated on league issues behind the scenes, then goes through proper channels.

“Other sports that are seeing a lot of success are driven by their stars, and that’s where we want to be,” one player said. “Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, they’re at the forefront of league issues. That matters.”

Walsh said it was too early to identify which players might be the spokespeople for the union. “Depends on how negotiations are going,” he said.