Negative recruiting against Canes was hurdle that led all the way up to Signing Day

CORAL GABLES -- The first thing Al Golden did after putting together the finishing touches on UM's 2012 signing class Wednesday afternoon was thank everyone who helped him put it together. Everyone got a shout out: UM President Donna Shalala; school professors; the wives of his assistant coaches who never saw their husbands; the fans and boosters who lent their private planes to allow Golden and his assistants to fly all over the country; the current players who hosted recruits; the recruits who became early enrollees and the longtime commitments who recruited the recruits on the fence. Nope, this job wasn't easy. The way UM arrived Wednesday to a Top 10 nationally class of 33 recruits (second most in the nation behind Troy St. and Tempe who each brought in 35) was grueling process, a job only made tougher by looming NCAA sanctions, a 6-6 season and a whole lot of negative recruiting.  "This was the most grueling six or seven weeks in my career in 17 years in the bus...