Meyer goes soft on Spikes with half-game suspension
Urban Meyer just took, "Stand by your man," a little too far.
Florida coach Urban Meyer’s apparent policy on eye-gouging is now clear. Only a successful blinding or maiming can result in a full-game suspension.
Meyer suspended Brandon Spikes for only the first half of the Gators’ next game against Vanderbilt for eye-gouging Georgia running back Washaun Ealey.
I’m not sure if missing one half of a Vanderbilt game really qualifies as discipline. But apparently SEC commissioner Mike Slive didn’t want to get in Meyer’s way on this one. I guess Slive only worries about the real serious issues: sound bites about referees, not trivial matters like jamming fingers into eyeballs.
What happened Saturday certainly did not affect the outcome of Georgia’s 41-17 loss to Florida. The Bulldogs themselves have devolved into one of the nation’s most-penalized and least-disciplined teams. Meyer felt compelled to say the linebacker was retaliating for earlier incidents that resulted in him having his helmet knocked off and being poked in the eye (he said).
But Spikes’ act was on another level.
“I don’t condone that,” Meyer told reporters in Florida. “I understand what goes on on the football [field], but there’s no place for that. We’re going to suspend Brandon for the first half of the Vanderbilt game. I spoke with him. That’s not who he is. That’s not who we are. He got caught up in emotion.”
Ealey was not available for comment Monday. It was a day off for Georgia players (the NCAA mandates one day off per week for players). Coach Mark Richt declined comment on the incident Sunday night.
But that didn’t stop this from snowballing into a national story Monday. The strongest comments came from Mike Golic, co-host of ESPN’s morning, “Mike and Mike” radio show. Golic has some credibility. He was a defensive lineman at Notre Dame and an eight-year NFL veteran. He has been at the bottom of a few of these piles. So what does it mean when he calls this, “one of the biggest chicken-bleep things I’ve seen in my life”?
And what does it mean when he says it was worse than when Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount punched Boise State’s Byron Hout in the season opener? (Blount initially was suspended for the full season by Oregon. But several weeks later the school announced a tentative reinstatement, and he may return this week against Stanford.)
“You can clearly see Brandon Spikes’ fingers go into the facemask of the running back for Georgia, and, I don’t mean just go in there — go in there and twist around,” Golic said. “It is a bad looking eye-gouge. And I know this guy is a tough player and I know he hits and I know he’s considered one of the best linebackers. But that’s one of the biggest chicken-bleep things I’ve seen in my life. Ever. Ever! To be that good of a player and have to do that – stick your fingers in a facemask and try to blind a guy, eye-gouge him, is pathetic, Brandon! Pathetic, that you would do it!
“There needs to be some disciplinary action. Everybody wants to talk about LeGarrette Blount from Oregon for punching that kid. I’ll tell you what. I’ll take the punch over this garbage. Any day of the week. Any day of the week over that garbage on the field of sticking your fingers in somebody’s facemask and trying to blind him. Stick your fingers in their eye? Are you kidding me…?”
Golic later said: “What a horrible move that is. What a classless, unsportsmanlike move that is.”
Meyer said his wife and defensive coordinator Charlie Strong both mentioned the Spikes’ incident to him. His initial reaction was to move on. Then he saw a replay of the incident decided to speak to Spikes about it.
But his initial balking indicates he didn’t want to suspend Spikes at all.
“Very emotional things happened in that game in particular that were not good for either side,” Meyer said, “but the bottom line is we’re Florida and he’s Brandon Spikes and we expect certain things.”
Nice speech. But it would’ve meant more if there was some action to back it up.
If you haven’t seen video of the play, you can view it here.
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1,082 comments Add your comment
Paul's Johnson
November 2nd, 2009
8:09 pm
TampaGator:
Regarding your 6:07 post, in it’s entirety, all I have to say is you are a stereotypical GAYtor fan….a total bonafied idiot. I laughed so hard I threw up in my mouth.
falcon
November 2nd, 2009
8:09 pm
I hope this incident costs Spikes some money when it comes to the NFL Draft. NFL teams will look more closely at Spike’s character issues now as a result of this poor sportsmanship. Mike Slive you are a joke and nothing but a pawn for UF.
UrbanLikesThugs
November 2nd, 2009
8:11 pm
This angle shows Spikes didn’t mean to put his hand inside the guys facemask. It was a mistake.
– FL Fan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDOy-RMIpF0
KilfinIsPi$$ed
November 2nd, 2009
8:11 pm
Keeping It Real, who the heck is ‘Kilfin’? You must be a GT fan. If so, you’ll soon get your due.
SavDawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:12 pm
Thanks, Jeff, for exposing Mike “Slime” (Slive) for the gutless wonder he is. First, he embarrasses our conference by not taking action after the AJ Green blunder. He waited for the same morons to do it again before he acted. Now, this. I’m a UGA fan. Florida is a great program. A flagship SEC school. What this thug did deserves a lot more than a 30 minute suspension. Next week, maybe some other thug does gouge a guy’s eye and blinds him. What the hell, it’s only a 30 minute suspension ! Slive, you are a totally spineless, worthless commissioner. You obviously do not have the intestinal fortitude to do your job.
ohio dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:18 pm
and we thought Spurrier was a prime example of a classless act looks like thats been topped
gator dawgpounder
November 2nd, 2009
8:25 pm
You pu&&$’$ have no pride, keep whining with your ex Nole coach. I know you are tired of getting your butts handed to you, even the Zooker had a winning record.
Florida Dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:26 pm
Thugs stick together don’t they??? Meyer and Spikes…thugs.
Jim007
November 2nd, 2009
8:30 pm
Meyer must be taking lessons from Bobby Bowden……1/2 Game is a Joke
It will probably be 1 play just like Bowden ” The World’s Biggest Hipocrit ”
Still think his staue should be outside the State Pen and not the FSU Stadium
Wonder who holds the record for most felons on the team ??? May be Meyer soon !!
Frank
November 2nd, 2009
8:31 pm
Not only did the low life Brandon Spikes show his true colors on Saturday, but Gator fans are showing their true colors now too. Nothing but excuses for this thug. As long as their Gators are winning nothing short of murder will get the Gator nation’s attention. From the head coach all the way down to the fans in the stands, the Florida Gators are the most classless organization in the SEC.
Sickening
November 2nd, 2009
8:33 pm
Jeff, thanks for speaking out on this–at least someone from the AJC did. Mark Bradley watched the video and proclaimed it inconclusive. Meyer’s ridiculous comments show he has no guts and no class. Spikes is a thug. Oregon has won the respect of the country. Florida fans defending this speak volumes about what matters in that program.
Elliot Garcia
November 2nd, 2009
8:35 pm
Did anyone notice Dawg fans infatuation with everything “Gay”?
Dawg 1
November 2nd, 2009
8:36 pm
First, congratulations to the Gators. We got our tails kicked. You deserved the win. With this said, you have to be the most ‘thin skinned’ fans in the entire conference. You keep referring to the eye gouge Teboo received. Do you honestly think it started there? Both teams were playing dirty and UGA seemed to take the brunt of the penalities for it. You have the advantage of being the Number One Team in the Nation. That means to lose, it must be taken from you. It means playing discipline football, regardless of what is being done and said by the other team. Georgia did not do that – advantage Gators. It is on the coaches (who I routinely defend) to make sure the players understand this and play this way.
What Spikes did was out of bounds. Anyone who ever stapped on a helmet knows that the game can get ugly. And any big rivalry is going to have some nasty hits, late hits and facemask. Eye gouging is unacceptable for either team. What Spikes deserved more than 1/2 game suspension. It’s not about what the SEC would call for – it’s what his coach should have done.
So guys, you can deflect all you want; his butt should be sitting for a while. To believe otherwise is either niave or stupid. Pick one.
Elliot Garcia
November 2nd, 2009
8:36 pm
I’ll take Brandon Spikes vs. any GA linebacker
Cautiously Optimistic
November 2nd, 2009
8:37 pm
It seems that there are more UF fans on here than UGA fans. Why are ya’ll here? So you can defend your spineless dirtbag? I’m sorry but if that were a UGA player I would have to turn on him. I cant condone that behavior no matter what team. Ya’ll keep talking crap about us and our players being classless…….well if you had any class (those of you defending Spikes) you wouldn’t be defending him.
wawel78
November 2nd, 2009
8:39 pm
Elliot – is that the same as UGAy? I think every team has silly fan that likes to disparage gays.
gator dawgpounder
November 2nd, 2009
8:40 pm
Jim007, Fl Dawg and Frank, you are whining losers, Richt is self righteous just like his daddy, Saint Bobby and Dawgs squall even more than Nole women. Can’t wait until you have another rebuilding year with another top 10 recruiting class. There are no excuses for Spikes, he is getting what he got caught at, just like Williams should get for taking a late hit trying to lay out Tebow. His fellow punk Ealey didn’t even go out of the game or claim any foul by Spikes. He left that to all of the Richt apologizers. Your gutless whining makes it hard to even pull for you against Tech.
mt airy dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:40 pm
My son and I were watching this game and I told him that Spikes was the dirtiest player in the SEC.This just confirms my opinion.What gets me is I’ve never seen him draw a personal foul call.
Fair and Balanced
November 2nd, 2009
8:41 pm
No doubt that there are dirty plays, players and programs all over the country. The SEC is probably the most competitive conference of ‘em all and GA v FL is a long standing border rivalry that has a lot of history and heat. You are always gonna see some chipping in that game. When a team loses so many to the other then naturally they are gonna get frustrated and do some dumb things like GA did.
I’ve seen nothing deliberate by GA. Spikes is unquestionably deliberately trying to do damage to a defenseless player. Even if it was revenge, revenge isn’t right as two wrongs don’t make a right. At any rate, Spikes got caught. An example of good coaching would be to make an example of this and give out some serious punishment instead of this reluctant nothing. The SEC’s acceptance of this meaningless discipline further puts sportsmanship down a notch.
On the GA side – coaches should examine the film to determine if Tebow is correct. If he is, then the same should apply to the GA player(s) who have violated rules and lessened the integrity of their program and the game of football in general.
Finally I suggest this as discipline:
1. Make an apology. Nobody has said anything along these lines – nobody. Spikes ought to drive to Athens at his own expense and apologize to Ealey. Same for any GA player found guilty.
2. Suspension for all players involved for 1 game minimum with warning that any infraction of the same nature in the future will result in loss of scholarship.
3. Anyone found guilty of trying to gouge out an eye should wear a blindfold for a week. You want to blind somebody – try it yourself before you put someone’s eye out!
I know Football is not known as a “gentleman’s game”. That is pretty much held exclusively by golf alone. However, if football coaches are about more than just winning games – put some sportsmanship back into the game. We are losing it fast. These actions and the poor acceptance of clear guilt by the FL side has brought sportsmanship down a notch. Both Richt and Meyer ought to step up NOW.
Brandon Spikes
November 2nd, 2009
8:42 pm
Dawg fans, I know your season sucks…but you guys are officially becoming the MOST WHINY team in the SEC. That is not a good thing.
ohio dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:45 pm
oh wow look it’s brandon himself boy i’m impressed big words and strong sentence structure
Cmon man!
November 2nd, 2009
8:45 pm
Ok first of all is there video evidence of the Fu players getting jabbed in the eyes when the play is over? If so somebody please post that because everyone keeps talking about it but i havnt seen any such thing. Second dont make excuses for Spikes saying that was happening all game, because i never saw the play dead where they were on the ground and a Uga player reach in anybodies facemask for a couple seconds poking and moving their hands around. Im not saying it didnt happen im just saying nobody has shown me anything. And also you cant make the excuse that theres eye gouging at the bottom of piles because thats bs. Theres pinching, biting and scratching but ive never heard or been in an incident where someone gouged or attempted to poke out eyes. O btw Tebow was washing grass out of his eyes after being drilled and faceplanting into the grass not from someones hand I was there and they showed it on the screen. And last this is worse than the blount punch, Spikes you have got to be kidding me what a pansy move i guess his florida education doesnt teach him that when someones eyes are gone they go blind but thats assuming he goes to class… I bet meyer lets him off the hook for school too. He deserves more punishment for this and the Sec should look into this. there is no place for this type of thing in any sport and im sure if Richt gets evidence of his players gouging out eyes he will suspend them and i guarantee you it will be for more than half a game lol Spikes is a thug and will be wearing the pinstripes behind bars once hes out of college if not before. he has no character and this is a black eye for the florida program
ohio dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:46 pm
and put your chin strap on
GJW
November 2nd, 2009
8:47 pm
THUG!
patiot-dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:49 pm
Funny thing is morning paper here said Spikes was not going to play in the Vandy game at all because of his hamstring and then later in the day classless Urban gives him a 1/2 game suspension against Vandy. What a guy. I’m a Gator grad and he is an embarrassment.
ohio dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:49 pm
this is a black eye for the sec as well
Jeffey Schultz
November 2nd, 2009
8:49 pm
Cautiously Optimistic UF fans unaware of AJC’s fish wrapper reputation.
ohio dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:52 pm
everybody remember how spurrier was run out of gator town
joe taxpayer
November 2nd, 2009
8:52 pm
CUM teams still do not do half the penaltes that the dogs do.
gator dawgpounder
November 2nd, 2009
8:53 pm
Hurry girls, if you turn it to CBS college sports at 9pm, you won’t have to wait for another year to see your butts handed to you again. Gator grad Patiot-dawg, come on you are an imposter; you can’t even spell patiot, you must of been born in georgia.
Richard
November 2nd, 2009
8:53 pm
Jesse Palmer on ESPN said tonight that Spikes should be suspended and a 1/2 game is not enough. No excuses. No claims that anything any Bulldog did in the game came close to what Spikes did. I used to have a lot of respect for Tebow but his defending this is condoning it and he loses credibility–a lot.
mt airy dawg
November 2nd, 2009
8:57 pm
you FLA posters need to get off your high horse! most GA fans on here admit that our team is undisciplined…we’ve been saying that for years now.we’ve called out the coaches on that.It hasn’t done any good,but we’ve done it.You just can’t admit your coach is just plain classless! I wonder if the rest of your team gets jealous when Meyer and Tebow have all those warm and fuzzy moments on the sidelines.Maybe Spikes is just acting out because he really wants a hug too.
gator dawgpounder
November 2nd, 2009
8:59 pm
You girls need to worry about CMR, his buddy willie and bobo the clown. CMR begged Urban not to suspend him so you would forget about the 3 stooges.
wolfladyfan
November 2nd, 2009
9:03 pm
College coaches should know how important it is to mentor players. Letting this player see that NO real punishment comes from eye gouging if you are a great player for a nationally ranked team – sets him up for dangerous actions later in his life. Very short sighted on the coach and university’s part.
Bob
November 2nd, 2009
9:07 pm
Spikes is a meltdown waiting to happen once he leaves Florida and Meyer isn’t around to wipe his butt for him. All that freedom. All that (2nd or 3rd round AT BEST) NFL money. I give him a year out of college before he complete screws his life up. True story.
Don Hemke
November 2nd, 2009
9:15 pm
As a Floridian, I’m embarrassed. The thug should be suspended for the season.
Paul's Johnson
November 2nd, 2009
9:16 pm
Here’s the deal.
As a lifelong UGA fan and alum, I will attempt to break break it down from my perspective.
1.) I, along with every TRUE fan are not surprised by where this program is at right now. This has been in development since last season. We will tell you that we are not a good football team from any standpoint except for having a great kicker and punter, so all of you ______ (name your team) fans can stop w/ your “we’re better and you suck” posts.
2.) We were beaten by a better team. No doubt, Uf played a better game and won, that’s why they are the #1 team in the land. No excuses here.
3.) It disgusts me to see what this UGA program has regressed to. I took pride in the year’s of the Junkyard Dawgs and agonized through the Goff years and it makes me sick to see the urban thuggery that is portrayed from the time this team struts onto the field. Undiscplined action that all goes back to our coaches and ultimatally Coach Richt. Instead of the gimmicky uniforms we should wear the silver pants, red jerseys and red helmets that have exemplified our program and instead of Soulja Boy blasting through the P.A., traditional UGA fight songs should be firing up the players and the faithful. I’m not a prude either.
Believe me, if Van Gorder was D.C. and one of his players pulled a move such as the out of bounds facemask that Gamble pulled, his a.. would have watched the game fronm the locker room in street clothes. And the chest thumping after making a play during a losing effort, are you shi..ing me.
If your team needs to bust out a helmet has never been worn in UGA history to provide motivation against the UF, then it clearly falls on your coaches lack of confidence in his preparation for the game. Seems that last years endzone dance was the motivational ploy that proved so successful also.
Totally disgusted.
4.) As far as the Spikes incident. there’s no denying that there was dirty play on both sides of the ball. I think that the officiating crew was lenient on the UGA side of the ball in light of what has gone down this season with UGA and SEC officiating and the SEC in general.
But lets call a spade a spade, Spikes tried to hurt him. Emotions took over and it was caught on camera and shoved into the national spotlight.
He should have received a more substancial fine like missing the SEC championship game but lets face it, Meyer would never risk the chance of defeat in such a crucial game. He’s a self absorbed loser, no balls, no integrity.
If Spikes pulled that outside of the playing field then he would be facing a felony conviction.
I give him two years in the NFL and those dreads will really come into play as his cellmate pins him on the bunk and “gouges” his eye out.
Sorry for the long post.
5.) To hell with the UF. It’s good to be a GA Bulldawg!! Regardless of the situation.
Dawggrl
November 2nd, 2009
9:28 pm
If any of the UGA players attempted to poke the Gators in the eye, they should be suspended as well. I have been embarrassed this season by numerous Dawg fans I have seen on campus and in Jax with the way they behave towards the opposing team’s fans. That said, Spikes deserves a full game suspension – the same for those on the UGA team if they in fact commit the same act. As for the late hit, that should have been called during the game, it is nothing we don’t see in every game within the SEC.
We'llSee
November 2nd, 2009
9:35 pm
When ‘Bama beats the ever loving $#!+ out of the flawduh gaytuhs. You clowns have never, ever been undefeated in any season and it will not happen this year. I hate the crocs and their gay coach who loves to kiss Tebow on the sidelines – ugh. flawduh will NOT go undefeated this year, next year or the year after. Never has done it….never will. Put that in your flawduh crack pipe and smoke it. ‘Bama will kill you losers!
Rolllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Tide!!!!!!!!!
TS
November 2nd, 2009
9:36 pm
They should have cut his balls off and throw them in the Indian Ocean. They should strangle him with his own dreads until he passes out then waterboard him for the next five days. They should force him and Meyer to sit behind Paul Johnson on an international flight after he eats a Taco Bell grande meal. He should have to sit in jail next to every other black male he grew up with until he dies.
Or, just maybe, he’s a 22 year old that let his emotions get the best of him. He gave up a lot to forgo the draft and stay in college one more year. This is the first time he’s ever drawn attention to himself in this kind of light. He’s been reprimanded and will be punished with sitting out a half against Vandy. Let’s move on.
The real tradgedy is the attention this has taken away from Tebow’s accomplishment on Saturday. Congrats to him.
Tide Rising
November 2nd, 2009
9:38 pm
I’m neutral in this dawgs-gators hatefest but I saw the video clip and was thoroughly disgusted. Jeff is right. I would much rather take that punch that Lagarrette Bount threw any day then have someone gouging at my eyes while I’m pinned down in a pile and defenseless.
Eye gouging can blind someone and detached retinas from accidental eyepoking in boxing, mixed martial arts, etc. is not that uncommon anymore. What Spikes did was premeditated and downright lowdown and dirty. He got his helmet ripped off earlier in the game and had plenty of time to cool down from that play.And in that play he may have been poked in the eye but the Georgia player wasn’t sticking his fingers back and forth in several motions into Spike’s eye.
Even though Georgia got whupped again I did notice that Shawn Chapas was hitting on Spikes hard and often. I think Spikes was more bothered over having Chapas hitting him hard on every play then he was about what happened earlier in the game with his helmet being ripped off.
Anyway, eye gouging can maim someone for life and what Spikes did was far more egregious than what Lagarrette Blount did, especially considering Ealey was completely defenseless at the bottom of the pile.
I actually like and respect the gators. But now I like and respect the 85 man Gator roster minus 1.
Last, I’m very disappointed that Urban Meyer only meted out a meager half game suspension on such a dirty play that was one of the dirtiest I’ve ever seen. How can Meyer possibly not see not only how dangerous what Spikes did was but also just how lowdown and dirty it was. 1/2 game suspension? The punishment does not fit the crime here. Doesn’t even come close.
Dawg Whisperer
November 2nd, 2009
9:39 pm
Gator fans are just peeing in the wind. The more you make excuses and condon this type behavior, the worse you look. Try another tact, dodge the excuses and maybe you won’t come out smelling like urine. As for Meyer, he is making a huge mistake by letting this guy off with a slap on the wrist. He can only look bad for looking the other way. It’s better to take the high road and possibly lose a game or two without Spikes than go undefeated with a win at all costs mentality. As for Spikes, his act bordered on criminal and should be subject to the NCAA sanctions/punishment if Slive won’t step in and take appropriate action. Despite the deepest desire of misguided Gator fans, this isn’t going away.
Paul's Johnson
November 2nd, 2009
9:40 pm
ECall it Like It Is:
“Hey Moron,Paul’s Johnson
We do not care about your analysis about UGAY.
Bottom line the SUCK like u do.
Gators Roll with ease.
Enough Said!”
Get “Hooked on Phonics”
Your shift at Mickey D’s is coming in a few hours…get off mamas computer and get his night night spooning w/ your boyfriend.
Bob
November 2nd, 2009
9:41 pm
“The real tradgedy is the attention this has taken away from Tebow’s accomplishment on Saturday.”
Yep, that’s the REAL tragedy. Just win baby. That’s the Gator mantra.
What a classless pile of crap down their in Gainesville.
Athens Bail Bonds
November 2nd, 2009
9:44 pm
UGA is full of criminals, it’s a two way street. You guys got hammered again, deal with it.
Spikes would be in jail
November 2nd, 2009
9:45 pm
Richt stands pat with Cox at qb. Still not willing to make a single change. Come on Mark, realize we have a problem. Take some action.
Let’s all call and write the SEC commissioner about his lack of action and discipline with Spikes. It’s time to clamp down on the “thugs” in college athletics. They’ve got to realize its not the streets or playgrounds or they might start bringing out the guns and knives from under the uniforms. We need to make an example of Spikes and do more than excuse his actions. 1/2 quarter … what a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe N
November 2nd, 2009
9:45 pm
One more time (for you slow curs): no Gator is condoning what happened. The rules state a half-game suspension is standard for players who get ejected for fighting (which is basically the penalty Spikes deserves). The point is Meyer is stepping up to apply the penalty — yes, the standard, minimum penalty — but Richt is doing nothing (but whining and continuing to lose). Hey, I am okay with Richt losing — glad you guys have him.
Nice uniforms, too. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Dawg Whisperer
November 2nd, 2009
9:47 pm
BTW, for all you Gator fans that like to bring up the past 20 years, UGA still has the series lead because we pounded you for several decades, not just two. Life is full of cycles and your time is up.
Dawg Whisperer
November 2nd, 2009
9:49 pm
One more time, Joe, quit dodging reality. This was not fighting, it was an assualt…duh.
Joe's Sack-Shack
November 2nd, 2009
9:50 pm
Come on, assuming Bama gets by LSU neither team is going to kill the other one. Two great defenses, Florida has a good offense, Bama has an average offense, the game will be very close and low scoring. You know what’s funny Dawg fans, you have to be 75 years old or older to have a winning record against the Gators in your lifetime, everybody else doesn’t. 41-17, now that is killing someone.