(Updated, 1:30 p.m.) Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes, from nearby Crest High in Boiling Springs, was caught on camera Saturday reaching into the helmet of Georgia player Washaun Ealey and digging around for Ealey's eyes. (UPDATE: Benjamin Volin of the Palm Beach Post reports that Spikes will be suspended for the first half against Vanderbilt.)
Video is below. It's not pretty. (UPDATE: But was it retaliation? Click here to see Spikes on the receiving end earlier in the game.)
Fans, bloggers and prominent writers are calling for a suspension. Florida coach Urban Meyer says he'll talk to Spikes about the incident.
What do you think? Vote in our poll over to the right - and comment here.
(FYI, Tebow breaking Herschel's SEC record for rushing touchdowns wasn't the only record broken in Jacksonville on Saturday.)
P.S., from Tommy T. -- Hadn't seen this until this morning -- I've been looking for one of those "Men In Black" flashy things to wipe the game from my memory -- but that's pretty low. I wonder if somebody has charted how Ealey did pre-gouge and post-gouge. Either way, two things will happen, whether Spikes gets suspended or not: 1) Refs will now be watching to see if Spikes pulls any more punk moves, and 2) Georgia now has bulletin-board material for next year's game. I suspect that video will be played lots of times in the locker room over the next 365 days.
P.P.S, from Cliff Mehrtens:
Brandon Spikes' Top Five Excuses On His 20/20 Tackle:
5. I thought I saw a bug, and was shoo-ing it away.
4. I was retrieving a sweatband that had slipped off my wrist.
3. Hey, anyone can fist-bump. That's so passe' ….I was being innovative.
2. That Georgia runner obviously hadn't been flossing.
1. It works on WWF.
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Monday, November 2, 2009
Should Florida's Spikes be suspended for eye gouge?
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22 comments:
He should at least be suspended for the remainder of the season, if not removed from the college.
Some of this stuff goes on in a game. I think it is atrocius and should be strongly penalized. But, I do think it should be more broadly exposed and not just focused on Brandon Spikes. I guarantee you that Spikes wasn't the only person who did that type of thing, among other things equally abominable, during that game, or any football game.
He should absolutely be suspended for at least one game, if not more. A message needs to be sent to the "Thuggees."
Florida is just another big time football program who has a bunch of punks on their team. He should be suspended at the least, but Urban Myer will give him a slap on the hand.
This is what happens in Piles, every game, all the time. Spikes was unlucky the camera angle they had. He obviously didn't actually hurt the guy though so what is the big deal exactly?
btw, Tebow needs 3 more TD's to actually break the record. Walkers numbers don't include Bowl Games, Tebows do. add Walkers Bowl Game TD's like Tebows, and Tebow needs 3 more TD's
Did the player actually get hurt?
no, so What the heck is the fuss?
"Spikes may have been committing a little Old Testament-style retaliation Saturday. Earlier in the game, a Georgia player went under Spikes’ facemask, ripping off Spikes’ helmet in the process. After the play, Spikes clutched the area around his eyes in pain. If a camera also caught that play, someone should upload it as well.
"
Suspended? No Banned? Yes
What a thug.
Dez Bryant was suspended for the entire season for having dinner with D. Sanders and lying about it. Spikes deserves the same punishment for being a thug on the field and intentionally trying to injure an opposing player.
If Meyer and the SEC have the balls to do it, he should be suspended for at least a game if not the rest of the season. I remember when Ohio State's Robert Reynolds choked Wisconsin's Jim Sorgi. He didn't get penalized during the game but the Big Ten criticized it and Ohio State suspended him the following game. We'll have to see if the SEC and Florida have the same high standards.
People are saying "But he didn't actually get hurt..."
WHAT?
This guy intentionally tried to poke someone in the eye and just because he wasn't hurt there should be no penalty for it?
What if he WAS hurt? What if he permanently damaged that running back's sight? How could he know at the time whether it was enough to do damage?
Going for someone's eye in a vulnerable position should be HEAVILY penalized. In fact any kind of blatant foul like that should be heavily penalized. That is BATTERY. Don't think it isn't just because it occurred in the context of a football game. Spikes was intentionally trying to inflict damage to the eyes. TOSS HIM FROM THE PROGRAM.
I'm not saying what Spikes did was right but what about the GA player who ripped off his helmet. Why aren't you guys posting that? Spikes has been punished by Meyer which is more than Mark Richt is doing to the GA player.
Thanks to the folks who pointed out that Spikes lost his helmet earlier in the game. There's a link to that video in the post.
Meyer's benching Spikes for ONE HALF of next week's game tells us very clearly what kind of conduct Meyer condones in his players. I doubt he would have suspended him at all if the media hadn't condemned Spikes for the eye gouging. Be careful Urban, this is liable to tarnish your and Tebow's holier than thou image. The argument from some of you Anonymice above that Spikes conduct is OK because other players do it is absurd. Should we stop enforcing all the rules on the field because some players break them?
Was the Georgia RB injured? No. Did he miss the next play? No. Did he even get up from the pile and rub his eyes, talk to the refs, or even look mad? No. So Spikes was not trying to gouge his eyes out or poke him in the eyes, that is easy to do and Spikes could have done it if he wished. He was intimidating him, which is what football players do, but he never actually did anything or intended too.
Despite that, Meyer has suspended Spikes because there was the appearance of something wrong and he wants to set an example that there will be no poor sportsmanship that could result in injury if taken further. That is the kind of program he runs, and I suspect you whiners that like to tear down programs like UF and coaches like Meyer just ignore that and listen to stupid rumors and biased reports from rival schools.
So now let's see what Georgia and Mark Richt will do about:
1. Darryl Gamble ripping off the helmet and dangerously twisting the neck of Brandon James well after he has run out of bounds on a kickoff.
2. Darryl Gamble reaching up underneath Tim Tebow's helmet and scratching his eyes late in the game, so that Tebow required constant irrigation and medical attention between plays.
3. The two offensive linemen who ripped off Spike's helmet on one play, then did it again with the added bonus of spearing him in the side of the head after he lost his protection.
4. Easley the running back who is the supposed victim punching CB Joe Haden in the chin, seen here: http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/slmdls1/sports%20randoms/ealey20shove.jpg
5. Or how about a player taking a shot at Tebow long after the play is over, deliberately hitting him in the chin with the crown of his helmet? I'm trying to find videos of the rest, but this one is on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDvFbD7wIAg&feature=player_embedded
That's just the stuff blatantly caught on camera and replayed. Let's see how much equal treatment there is. I will also wait for the Charlotte Observer to keep us posted on details like this, maybe have another poll, rather than just be another worthless rag tearing down whoever the #1 team is in the country that year.
Here is the video of Georgia players ripping off Spikes' helmet, scratching his face and then another guy spearing him in the side of his head with his helmet. I bet they get suspended for a half too, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnPj3aeAzZU&feature=player_embedded
A new poll, maybe?
Are the Georgia atrocities offered by Gator fans here - watch the videos - equal to the eye gouge?
He has been doing it for eight years.He will get his one day.Florida is the perfect place for people like him.
Are some of the commenters here having language difficulties? There was no eye gouge. People are just guessing about intent, and they don't have as much evidence as they think they do. It's just stupid.
Anonymous said
"Did the player actually get hurt?
no, so What the heck is the fuss?
November 2, 2009 12:14 PM"
OK, let's use that logic the next time an armed burglar breakes into an old lady's house and is about to assault her when something happens to cause the burglar to run before he does anything. By your logic, no charges would be brought against him, since the old lady didn't get hurt.
Anonymous said
"Are some of the commenters here having language difficulties? There was no eye gouge. People are just guessing about intent, and they don't have as much evidence as they think they do. It's just stupid.
November 2, 2009 7:40 PM"
If you list every possible reason for reaching inside a helmet between the top of the face mask and the bottom of the helmet multiple times, I doubt very many of them would be positive. Please elaborate on the reasons for doing that which don't involve inflicting harm on the other person. (Warning: If you say, "to intimidate him," I will respond with, "then just yell at the guy! No need to reach inside his helmet.")
Ask Oregon's RB what he thinks.
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