GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Urban Meyer has suspended Brandon Spikes for the first half of Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt after the star linebacker attempted to gouge the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey in a 41-17 victory.
Meyer says Spikes was retaliating after getting his eye poked earlier in the game.
Spikes is fourth on the team with 42 tackles and has three sacks.
He decided to return for his senior season instead of entering the NFL draft. The team’s defensive captain has missed most of two games this season with an injured groin. He played only a series against Arkansas and sat out the entire game at Mississippi State on Oct. 24.
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Notre Dame beats Tennessee 72-44…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 244
aidensgrandpa#442215 writes:
big f--- deal. 1/2 game.
JBVols1698 writes:
WHAT... A.... JOOOOKKKKKKEEEE
Orangeblood97 writes:
1/2 a game? That's an insult. Why didn't Meyer just take away his juice box. I loved the comment by Meyer on ESPN.com that Spikes was just getting even for getting poked in the eye earlier in the game. I didn't know two wrongs made a right.
CRFVols writes:
Yea...I'm sure that's the only time he's done it. Right. lol If UF had a decent opponent coming up, he wouldn't even be suspended. Urban Meyer knows it's Vandy, so no big deal. Even though I think he's going light anyway...I think Spikes should miss an entire game.
TommyJack writes:
First HALF?? Are you chitting me? Man, that Urbee is a tuff disciplinarian. Bwahahahahaha
Brillovol writes:
That sounds like a Fulmer suspension! Ridiculous!
DownTheField writes:
1st half against vandy... they'll really suffer that loss... i guess the rest of them just got the green light to eye gouge all they want
Down_The_Field writes:
if urbie grew him a set, he could follow the CLK model and suspend them for a game (DR) or kick them off the team. awww, but that'd ruin his street cred.
flar-duh! building championships one thug at a time.
Madkels writes:
I hope the SEC increases the penalty. Oh wait. I must have lost my mind there for a moment. It's Florida. Nevermind.
huntined#565710 writes:
B.S. HE WEARS A FULL MASK OVER HIS FACE HOW IS ANYONE GOING TO POKE HIS EYES..He is just a DIRTY PLAYER PERIOD..
CLEMSONVOL716WASBANNED writes:
Suspended for first 1/2 of Vandy game...lol..what a joke. If the SEC does not step in and do more, then the conference loses more credibility than they already have with the officiating problems.
Their is absolutely no place for these kinds of players in college sports, no matter what team he plays for.
allntl1#565211 writes:
Say what you want but Urban is an awesome coach. Spikes just got caught, you can not blame him getting caught on Myer. Cooper's one handed catch was perfect technique, push off with one hand to get a little separation. That was the best I've seen since the shirt tug against LSU. Meyer teaches the technique and tebow plays the choir boy.
I wonder if the coaches in the SEC complaining has put pressure on officials to start making some calls?
LittleJohnny writes:
Slive is upset! He has asked Brandon to send him a list of all of the Georgia players involved and he will suspend them.
MTSUVOL writes:
Do you think that's too much!!!!! A whole half aginst Vandy????? You're kidding right.
CrankE writes:
This weeks award for worst missed call goes to the refs of the Florida-Georgia game!
If we follow the SEC model for discipline and conflict resolution, then we should find out who brought this event to light and reprimand/fine/suspend/disembowel them. Publicly. There's simply no excuse for anyone saying bad about Mike Slive, the refereees, or anyone associated with Florida or Alabama.
I checked ESPN.com. Spikes is wearing a face shield. How could he get gouged? Sigh.
Come reprimand me, Slive!
CT_VOL writes:
This is outrageous! How can the SEC turn a blind eye to this. Pun intended!
Frank
CRFVols writes:
I went back and watched video and you're right. I think the time he's claiming was when his helmet got knocked off and a player went to block him and hit his face...maybe his eye too. My advice is to strap your helmet on better bud. It was clearly an accident though.....not the purposeful eye gouge he made.
He could have ruined a young man's vision doing that.
huntined#565710 writes:
The SEC will do nothing about this..man that is a FLA player you are talking about..
UTByrd writes:
Aww, he was just trying to be Moe on the Three Stooges. How about the Oregon? player punching out the opposing player. A punch is one thing, eye-gouging is entirely more atrocious. Half a game suspension is an insult to the game of college football. Slive should either get involved or be ousted. He can't control the referees and now he can't control the players. I wonder how bad the punishment would be if it had been one of CLK's players doing the damage.
back2backchamps writes:
Vol fans are mad because the best their players could do was try to tie an opponents shoelaces together :)
tennezz writes:
Way to go Erbie that will teach him...1-HALF game against Vanderbilt...Kinda hard on the good old boys! This will realy teach him to be a better thug!
99gator writes:
ever since the end zone dance in 2007, the fl-ga has become very chippy.
lot of unsportsmanlike behavior in this season's game on both sides.
there will be a year where there is an all out brawl.
sad
ArealVolFan writes:
Flo and Diane will be along shortly to defend this. Jokes. Deserved more. 1 game at least. It happens in all games, but he got caught.
heyitsme writes:
Never been a conspiracy theorist, but you may be on to something...
back2backchamps writes:
An honest question to you holier-than-thou fans...How long should the suspension be? Isn't this the same penalty as throwing a punch? Should players be suspended anytime there is a personal foul? Happens all the time guys....be careful in those glass houses :)
Vol86 writes:
Hey lets invite Slive(slime) to this site so we can realy have a fair round table talk. Oh everyone bring their tebow's.
DownTheField writes:
big commit news... http://www.volnation.com/forum/tennes...
RoadTrip writes:
IMO Urbie already called Mikey and they decided what to do between themselves. The SEC office will then back him up "after they have had a chance to review the play in question."
Same ole, same ole. Apologists for thugs and cheats at UF and Bama. From the SEC office to the head coaches to the players to some (not all) of the fans.
ArealVolFan writes:
Honestly, a one game suspension. You are right it happens on every team in every game. I'm sure some of our Vols have done similar things...and if they ever got caught doing it I'd say it should be a one game suspension same as for Spikes. Trouble is with a half its not really a suspension so much as a benching..which players can get for being late to a team meeting. Somehow this seems worse than being late to a meeting.
Vol86 writes:
Dear Slime:
What spikes did is not a problem. It is what is expected out of UF. This is the way they behave in Fl. No punishment is needed.
memphis_vol_fan writes:
One game suspension. When I mean suspension, he wouldn't be on the sidelines at all. That's the problem I have with the 1/2 game "suspension". Spikes will be on the sideline drinkin' gatorade waiting for the 1st half to end. Plus, do y'all really need him to beat Vandy?
BillsBrother writes:
Here is an honest answer.
I can defend a punch as "heat of the moment". Spikes act was obviously premeditated and according to UM, his player was exacting revenge ("he was poked in the eye earlier").
Compare this 1/2 game to the full season penalty handed down by the Oregon coach earlier this season.
Oregon = we do not tolerate this behavior
Florida = don't get caught next time
TrouserCough writes:
One half!
VolunteerLifer writes:
Maybe so, but there's no denying that meyer has only given this player a slap on the wrist for a very serious offense. The offense isn't one of football rules breaking - it is akin to a criminal act - deliberately trying to gouge out someone's eyes.
Shows you what a lack of class and integrity meyer has, failing to discipline or restrain his thug's impulses for violent assault. Classless - just as we've been saying for years.
Vol86 writes:
Eye gouging techniques could be used in jail someday. Fl fans and players get practice it come in handy for thugs.
Hardrocknox writes:
Ya right , I don't think in this level it happens all the time , Lets see go to Florida and learn how to play like a girl scout or go to Tennessee and learn how to knock somebody's block off , if your pissed , so happens all the time ? , I don't think so ! grow up Gators !
kman29 writes:
Thats all good, but lets be honest here. If Spikes is suspended for an entire game, Vol fan is still complaining that he isn't suspended for the rest of the year, because one game against Vanderbilt is a "joke." So it really doesn't matter what Meyer would have done, Vol fan would still have their weekly whinning to do in regards to this.
FearTheVols1252 writes:
It’s one thing to have a personal foul called against you, it’s quite another to commit one in such a manner that violates a code of conduct and potentially causes great harm to someone else. Gauging eyeballs is a serious offense to a player and to the schools credibility. A half-game suspension, as many have stated, is a joke! LaGarrette Blount was essentially removed from the team for that punch to the face. He’s only now working his way back into the good graces at Oregon and has missed most of the season as a result. In my mind, that’s a pretty fair result for such an offense. It will certainly affect his draft status and teach him never to make that mistake again. A half-game suspension is NOTHING!! It’s a pathetic slap on the wrist that will occur against a team FL could walk over with their entire 2nd string. It doesn’t teach anyone anything other than the fact that if you’re a star player at Florida you can get away cheap shots. But hey… it’s the Gators… I guess it doesn’t count.
kman29 writes:
need to read up on Blounts history before thinking this was his first incident while at Oregon. Secondly, Blount was throwing punches at fellow teammates and a police officer throughout the ordeal. You can't even compare the two situations.
FearTheVols1252 writes:
Nice... coming from those who invented the whine flu!
jcherrie#219531 writes:
Whoaaaaa! A 1/2 against Vanderbilt! That's cracking the whip!
I'm glad to see the SEC has set it's priorities. Forget about protecting players. Slive has determined that that it's more important to worry about the feelings of its officials. In the rest of the world, if you fail at your job you're fired or criticized. In the SEC, coaches can't comment on their calls because the officials will get upset. Hell, the officials may go home and cry.
Volsrbest writes:
Hope this is accurate!!
ArealVolFan writes:
Well you're right. There would still be Vol fans clamoring for him to be suspended the rest of the season...but that doesn't make them right. Vandy just happened to be the next team on the list. Which worked out, but like I said earlier you could lose spikes against virtually anyone and be fine. I would just have like to have seen him get the game suspension because I feel that would have been just. Not all fans are irrational lol.
Vol86 writes:
I agree, but why most brawls invovle Fl teams. Just my observaion. btw glad your back.
VolinCalif writes:
I stated it in earlier post. Slive is a Incompetent A@@ Fans should get together and hit the AD's of all schools to give Slive the ax. 1/2 game for trying to blind a player!! UM is a joke making an excuse for that type of play. That shows just what kind of a person he really is and Slive is no better for allowing it to happen. The country should now see why 5 or six coaches have complained and just what Slive has done. Nothing except excuse FL. Slive needs to go!
ArealVolFan writes:
Flo..why arent you condemning every UF player that has ever had a face mask? hmm? because its not a big deal? Oh yeh...care to admit you were wrong on picking SC over the Vols? No? Well you'll come around Flo.
FearTheVols1252 writes:
The topic of the article was about SPIKES, not Eric Berry. But if you really must know, I was pissed that he committed such a stupid penalty. However, he didn’t have the guy on the ground trying to poke the dude’s eyeballs out. It’s an aggressive sport, so sometimes players let their emotions get the best of them. I don’t see what he did as a cheap shot when someone was already down though… Spikes crossed the line of good taste.
kman29 writes:
This coming from a fan base who cries about something new EVERY WEEK.
This week: Brandon Spikes
Last week: refs are against Tennessee.
Two weeks: Refs conspired to let Florida win
Three Weeks ago: Meyer is selfish to let Tebow play against LSU.
Four Weeks ago: Meyer was trying to run the score up on Kentucky by leaving starter in to long.
Wow! what a common theme here, its always crying about something Florida does.
HallowedHill writes:
LOL - Classic - I'll have to use that one. "Building championships one thug at a time."
FearTheVols1252 writes:
The pot calling the kettle black… aren’t you here practically every day whining about Vol fans? If you don’t like what’s being said, stick to the Gator boards.
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