Urban Meyer's "Suspension" of Linebacker Brandon Spikes Sends Wrong Message

Let me set the scene for you.

All American linebacker, in a rivalry game, deliberately attempts to gouge the eyes of the opposing teams running back.

Fortunately, for all concerned, Brandon Spikes, the Florida Gator's all American linebacker, was unsuccessful in his attempt to permanently injure Washuan Ealey, the Georgia running back in question.

Fortunately, indeed.

It goes without saying that emotions, especially in a rivalry game run high and sometimes players do things that they normally would never do otherwise.

Understood.

And for his part, Brandon Spikes has shown remorse and said all the right things since the regrettable incident.

Brandon Spikes, who doesn't have a history of dirty plays, should be forgiven.

But he also should be punished.

Maybe not suspended for the year, but punished nonetheless.

So what does Urban Meyer, the tremendous Florida Gator coach do?

He suspends Spikes for the opening half of the Gator's next game against 2-7 Vanderbilt.

That's right, a half.

Perhaps Meyer's should have just sent him to bed without dinner or make him stand in the corner for five minutes.

For a coach, whose responsibility to his players goes beyond "X's & O's," this "suspension" is almost a mockery of the values that should be instilled in his players.

I find it almost laughable that this is Meyer's idea of meting out punishment to a player who could have seriously hurt an opposing player.

Some might say that Meyer also has an obligation to the team itself and that would include putting his best players on the field in order to ensure success.

I can understand that.

Except this is Vanderbilt, proud owners of the aforementioned 2-7 record and going nowhere.

Meanwhile, Florida is number one in the nation, led by the best college football player in the country, and expected to steam roll the Commodores with or without Mr. Spikes.

So in this case, the notion that there is a greater obligation to the team simply doesn't wash.

Not that I am so sure it is valid anyway for an incident like this.

Urban Meyer is a great coach with good values but in this case he blew it.

Instead of making a statement by benching Spikes for at least the entire game for an ugly transgression, Meyer slaps him on the wrist by suspending him for a half.

How this sends a message to his players that this kind of conduct is absolutely unacceptable, I'm not sure.

If I am a Gator playing for Urban Meyer, the message I get is that if I try to permanently injure an opposing player, I will basically get little or nothing in the way of punishment.

This is a slap in the face to all those who teach good values as educators (which a coach, by extension is) and especially to Washuan Ealey, who fortunately still has a pair of eyes to see with.

Its just too bad that Urban Meyer's doesn't have the "vision" to see that his "punishment" is sorely lacking.