The punishment is surprisingly light, considering the nature of the offense: It doesn't get much dirtier than poking an opponent in the eye, and it's surprising that Florida coach Urban Meyer didn't give Spikes at least a full game suspension. Meyer claimed, however, that Spikes was retaliating for a Georgia player cheap-shotting him earlier in the game, and he said he thinks his punishment was appropriate:
"I don't condone that and I understand what goes on on the football [field], but there's no place for that,'' Meyer said. "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. I love Brandon Spikes. Our team does. We're going to move on. He has our full support."
Video has circulated of Spikes sticking his fingers into Ealey's face mask while Easley was at the bottom of a pile, and that video has infuriated Georgia fans, who have been calling for the SEC to deal harshly with Spikes. It's still possible that the SEC could come down harder on Spikes than Florida did, but for now, Spikes will just have to sit out a half, and then take the field in the third quarter against Vanderbilt.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-02-2009 @ 2:50PM
Robert Garcia said...
SEC reviewed and accepted - cowards. This is just wrong. Big 10 had handled this way better. What's wrong with the SEC?
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11-02-2009 @ 2:51PM
lobo121148 said...
"I don't condone that and I understand what goes on on the football [field], but there's no place for that,'' Meyer said. "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. I love Brandon Spikes. Our team does. We're going to move on. He has our full support.''
It's called being an ENABLER! He's a Ghetto Minded player. They're all about uncontrolled emotion and the trash talk. He's getting a pass because he's black and a gifted athlete. When he hits the pro's he'll be in trouble with the law, you can bet on it! IF you can't control your emotions, you shouldn't represent your team on the field! I see in more and more and the coach's seem to "accept" it as part of the game? The Irish had a lineman get two penalties for roughing and you could see he just didn't get what he did was wrong! Cheap shots are bad enough, but gouging someone's eyes is just being a animal!
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11-02-2009 @ 6:16PM
bastion78 said...
And I guess that makes you white trash...
11-02-2009 @ 3:24PM
Dick said...
The Gainsville Pope Urban has no balls, should it happen to one of his players he would be calling for life time suspensions. Just like the SEC not to do anything to one of its favorite programs.
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11-02-2009 @ 4:05PM
vetteL4878 said...
Wow! A whole half suspension.....does that not imply that Spikes is being half disciplined? Yes it is an emotional sport, but emotion should be tempered with good sportmanship. I can just imagine Urban Meyers rage if a Ga player had gouged at Tebows eyes in the same manner. He would have screamed suspension for the rest of season. The 1/2 game suspension is just so Spikes will be fresh for "dirty play" in the 2nd half. Now lets call for Myer to be removed from the sideline for the 2nd half and that still would not be punishment enough!!! This is a game people....not mortal combat!
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11-02-2009 @ 6:40PM
Eileen said...
Tebow did get poked in the eye and he was leveled after he had thrown the ball, neither incedents were called by the refs.
11-02-2009 @ 4:12PM
eddiev005 said...
urban meyer and the SEC, what a joke.. some piece of garbage in a football uniform tries to gouge another kids' eye out, and you're going to sit him for 30 minutes.. urban meyer is a lackey for a bunch of pathetic people who are just trying to push another thug through the system to make themselves look good.. what's Brandon Spikes GPA? 1, maybe.. and wait, let me guess, his major is what? phys ed? psych? no wait- political science ? am i close? what would you people have done if Spikes had suceeded and blinded this other kid? made him sit out a whole game? you guys are the best.. you set a fine example.. why don't you let your player bring guns on field from now on.. Hey Urban, maybe we'll get lucky and one of your kids will be on the recieving end of something like this..
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11-02-2009 @ 4:16PM
dk4xploracity said...
Wow...Blount throws a punch AFTER A GAME and has already missed two months; may be reinstated or may not be...Spikes tries to gouge someone's eyes DURING A GAME and is "suspended"(I am using that word lightly) one-half of a football game????? Of course it is the SEC we are talking about so no surprises. Enough@
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11-02-2009 @ 4:16PM
chilly16 said...
Yeah u can take them out the ghetto but you cant take the ghetto out of them. at least his homies didn't shoot up his babies momma's house after the game.
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11-02-2009 @ 6:17PM
bastion78 said...
Go back to your trailer @ssmunch...watch hockey and you'll see some real thugs
11-02-2009 @ 4:24PM
ga6thdist said...
Hey Brandon Spikes was just caught practicing to be in the NFL. Mostly thugs like Michael Vick.
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11-02-2009 @ 4:49PM
smithpmi said...
Wow,you haters really don't get it....its a brutal game and a lot more than this happens all the time...and NO he is not a thug...and you people don't know anything about him or his personal life or you wouldn't make those type of comments...but my question is...WHO posted this and if you are going to do it to Spikes why NOT show every infraction including Georga's ????? I think the SEC should be more mindful of how this happened and where the tape came from...looks like team tape...??? GA ???
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11-02-2009 @ 5:01PM
elpjason said...
Florida Gayturds sux!
ROLL TIDE BABY!!!!!!
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11-03-2009 @ 10:26AM
redfldnparadise said...
You have to get by LSU first.
11-02-2009 @ 5:08PM
jptrs175 said...
He needs to be suspended infinitely!!!!! What a loser. Unfortunately every sport on every level has it's dirty players, however this!!!! He needs to take anger management 101 and so on. What is the deal!!!!
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11-02-2009 @ 5:22PM
kfogs1957 said...
Way to have a back bone Urban. Oh my, a complete half, against the dreaded Commodores??? What will Florida do? I guess if he blinded the kid he would have gotten a complete game.
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11-02-2009 @ 6:00PM
quietnomad said...
Most of you must not have seen that game at all, or you wouldnt be saying those things just about Spikes. I did, and both teams were taking cheap shots towards each other, not just Spikes. It got so bad that the officials talked to both teams captains about it. One thing I do know, those teams hate each other, and the officials should have known those kinds of things were sure to happen.
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11-02-2009 @ 6:31PM
kmgolf said...
Sorry, but what Spikes did is beyond a cheap shot for all those saying that's what it was. Cheap shots are a big part of heated rivalries and games, but what Spikes did was intended to seriously (and possibly permanently) injure the player. A little punch, pinch, or late/rough hit here and there is about sending a message and trying to intimidate, not seriously injure. Spikes acted in a malicious way. Give him at least a full game.
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11-02-2009 @ 7:22PM
SandhillsRider said...
Long time,hard core Gator fan here. I am not defending Spikes. The eye poke was not cool at all. There was dirty play from the Dawgs also. Tebow also got poked in the eye. The refs took the captains aside and called them out. Spikes is the heart of the defense. That being said I would have set him out for at least two games maybe three. Go Gators!
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11-02-2009 @ 7:23PM
juscallmebrett said...
Spikes used the spike! He is a big neanderthal with little or no compassion for the well-being of others. He should be immediately kicked off the team and expelled from University. We expect more of scholarship athletes, and should be made an example of. I propose we tie him up and let the gouge victom have free reign of Spikes and his groin. This will keep him from reproducing as take some of the gorilla mentality out of him. Let's cage him up against King Kong in an MMA match!
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