GAINESVILLE, Fla. — With all the negative attention “weighing heavy on his heart,” Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes asked to serve a full-game suspension for apparently trying to gouge the eyes of a Georgia running back.
Coach Urban Meyer obliged, saying Wednesday that it was in the top-ranked Gators’ best interest that Spikes sit out Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt.
“I really don’t want to be a distraction to the team,” Spikes said after practice. “I want the guys to prepare without any negative things going on, and I feel like if I would play, it would be a big thing going on. I’m just trying to stay out of the way and just motivate the guys.”
Meyer had faced some criticism for only suspending his star defender for the first half of the Vandy game. The Southeastern Conference accepted the original punishment.
Spikes stuck his hand into the facemask of Georgia’s Washaun Ealey during Florida 41-17 victory against the Bulldogs. There was no penalty called at the time, but after talk about the play spread, Meyer reviewed it and decided to punish Spikes.
Meyer, Spikes and defensive coordinator Charlie Strong agreed to increase the punishment.
“A lot of the negative things out there really weighing heavy on his heart right now and so we thought that, as a group, we decided the best interest just for the team to not play him Saturday,” Meyer said. “It was a group decision and we’re doing it out of respect to our team so we can focus on trying to win our ninth game.
“We think it’s the right thing to do. We support Brandon fully and we look forward to get back and finish the season the right way.”
Spikes is fourth on the team with 42 tackles and has three sacks.
He considered entering the NFL draft in January, but decided to return for his senior season in hopes of helping Florida win a third national title in four years.
But he’s battled injuries all season. He missed time early in the season because of an Achilles’ tendon injury, and sat out most of two games because of a strained groin. He played only a series against Arkansas on Oct. 17 and sat out the entire game the following week.
He returned against Georgia and finished with a team-high 10 tackles. He also intercepted a pass and returned it 5 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
What he did to Ealey, though, overshadowed one of his best games of the season. Meyer said Spikes was retaliating for things that happened earlier in the game.
Ealey defended Spikes on Tuesday, saying he didn’t believe he should have been suspended. Ealey also said he was surprised the play drew so much attention.
Fifth-year senior Ryan Stamper is expected to replace Spikes in the starting lineup.
“I’m pretty sure that Stamper got my back, and my teammates really support this decision” Spikes said.
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Comments » 93
panties4tebow writes:
And what will be PEE WEE meyer's punishment?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Man, what harsh treatment.
He'll be so needed aginst the Commodores.
nwcs writes:
Public criticism is the only reason why this happened. It's hard to run anything by popularity contests.
back2backchamps writes:
Rumor is Meyer increased the penalty because of all the idiots posting on here that it wasn't harsh enough :)
TommyJack writes:
Caving in is worse than the 1/2 game penalty.
ethanfrome writes:
I hear the guy went blind.
back2backchamps writes:
Being old and senile and wasting our time posting on a stupid sports page is definitely worse than making the $4 million a year Meyer is raking in now too :)
orangekoolaid2 writes:
Spikes action was a crimminal act. The weak one, Slive should have stepped up and backed his own words. Now Slive should step down over this one. If Spikes had done this against TN. in the state of TN, I would have him arested ( Citizens arrest if nessary)
My sources tell me, cryin meyer, asked Spikes on Monday, "What's for dinner?" Spikes replied, "eyeballs"
Slimmy Slive: Go away! cryin meyer: ND is a phone call away, Run Run, Kiffin has Smokey in hand and we are going to tree you
dvhill100 writes:
The refs also shoulder some responsibility for all of the nonsense in the game. If the refs had cracked the whistle early and often, then they would have kept things under control. It's too late to call fouls late after the nonsense took hold.
It is pretty weak when the guy who did the crime has to insist on the time.
txvolsfan writes:
Suspend him for the SEC championship if you got any nads, they could play without a replacement and beat the comode doors!!!
But who really cares anyway
GO VOLS
TXVOLSFAN
KiFFiNOMiCS writes:
Meyer can coach....we all know that....no one doubts him....but his back bone is made of a rubber band wrapped around a newspaper plastic bag....and he wouldn't know the word nor definition of the word DISCIPLINE if it and its meaning were tattooed backwards on his forehead so he would have to read it everytime he looks in the mirror.
By the way, was Meyer a Priest before a coach....this is creepy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ml27I...
VolsRaysBucs writes:
Wouldn't surprise me in the least to learn that Urbie monitors this site's activity. After all, he is a Gator, and it's apparent the fear complex the Gators have regarding the impending future of Tennessee's program.
If he REALLY wanted to punish his players, he'd make them go to class and ban jorts from being worn at the training table.
WestTennVol writes:
Whats that saying about a pot and a kettle? Maybe its a song, I dunno...
back2backchamps writes:
If you think the Gators are in fear of the Vols, take notice of which articles on this site get the most discussion by the Vol fans. Any article dicussing the National Champion Florida Gators gets the keyboards fired up :) Go Gators!!! Going after the 3rd National Title in 4 years!!!!
commonsense32 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
BigVolinCarolina writes:
So, according to Meyer, this punishment was done "out of respect for the team so we can focus...."? If so, that's the wrong reason.
Spikes should be punished for what he did to another player, NOT for how it may/may not benefit your team. Ridiculous!
REVOL writes:
Me thinks thou dost protest too much!
back2backchamps writes:
Sorry to disappoint you, but what I mean't was "all of us" posting on these sites are doing nothing more than wasting time. Its called entertainment for the weak-minded :)
elbtenn#502977 writes:
You say Mike Slive, i say Mike Slime!
MoralVictory writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Fryinpansvols writes:
This should have been the minimum suspension by Florida from the get go! I'm sure all the media attention got Meyer, University of Florida officials and Brandon Spikes maybe a full game is the best thing. Kiffin would have probably kicked the guy off the team!
BillsBrother writes:
Please stay on topic...we really are not interested in your self-biography.
Unless you are writing your apology for wasting our time, in which case we fully forgive you for being old and senile.
Voluvr writes:
WHY not the standard UF suspension? Criminal behavior, assault, possession of a controlled substance, etc......suspension until the next big game.
I'm sure Meyer is very proud of his record...24 arrests since he's been there. Unless there have been more.
mmoosem#627652 writes:
no class. must still have the flu. poor,pitiful florida. what a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!
HossDiesel writes:
Aww bless all their little heavy hearts.
DC_Vol writes:
Meyer made the decision to increase the penalty from a 1/2 game to a full game because he was losing the battle of public opinion. Then Meyer told Spikes to act contrite and pretend it was his idea.
I love all the Florida fans coming on here defending the defenseless actions of that coward Spikes, all the college football fans see is a team who is so arrogant they think they are above the rules. The world was watching when the refs gave the Arkansas game to Florida that they should have lost. The world was watching when Meyer gave a slap on the wrist to a coward who tried to gouge the eyes out of defenseless player. I wanted Meyer and all you Florida fans to stick with his 1/2 suspension, just so Florida would continue to be hated nationally.
If Meyer had given a suitable punishment to Spikes this would have blown over. Now the National Media is ripping Meyer and Florida at every turn. I am loving it!!!! This will hurt Florida's recruiting this year.
All the negative press will turn off some of UF's recruits and definitely turn off their families. Every recruiter in the country will show perspective recruits how classless Meyer's and UF's response to Spike's actions who was trying to physically injure another player.
THIS VOL SAYS KEEP ACTING LIKE SPIKES DID NOTHING WRONG that just adds fuel to the fire. UT and the rest of the nation will take your recruits when they don't want to play for the University of Felon.
BillsBrother writes:
How to win friends and influence people in a classy manner (Florida Style-team version)...
1) Player must engage in premeditated act of retribution in violation of sporting rules.
2) Athletic administration will ignore the premeditated act until notified by local and national media outlets.
3) Player will then be "disciplined" with slap on wrist.
4) Player and athletic administration will sit back and await public outcry from sporting fans, sporting media and general public.
5) Athletic administration will guage public sentiment and at the appropriate time advise the player to act.
6) Player will then publicly declare that slap on wrist is a distraction and he is a "team player"
If handled appropriately, this sequence will bring glory and honor to the athletes wearing the orange and blue.
markw20012002 writes:
I think you mean Us, Refs,and Slive against the world.
mmoosem#627652 writes:
u deserve it. u gators think u r ao above everyon else. cry some more, please!!!!!!!!!!!
markw20012002 writes:
and your dumb @ss is on a Tennessee blog site every night.
Down_The_Field writes:
urbun cryer could never coach at notre dame. he's more suited for oregon, fsu, or any other rogue program that shakes the jails before the game.
my question is....who's the coach here? TJs right! any bad decision is better than changing your mind. on top of this, it was the player who stepped up and requested it. i was wrong and i'll admit it. spikes is not a thug. he is actually a thug with a conscience coached by a defensive coordinator that's a puppet and a head coach that has proven he has nothing in the sac when it comes to leadership and discipline.
the university of flar-duh Gators football team.
building championships one thug at a time!
tnvol27#546179 writes:
chew my gristle a$# wipe, why are you here anyway? Go eye pokin there in flaDUH idiot.
CLEMSONVOL716WASBANNED writes:
As soon as one of our guys is classy enough to deliberately gouge the eyes of another player, you will be the first one we inform.
WytheVol writes:
See: Eric Berry...
Down_The_Field writes:
at the university of tennessee...the coaches make surprise visits to players classes....had NO arrests since the take over....hand out suspensions in whole game sit out no matter who the opponent is....kick players off the team that mouth off to the coaches.
at flar-duh...players are thugs and discipline themselves.
the university of flar-duh Gator football team.
building championships one thug at a time.
NobodyCares (Inactive) writes:
Clearly you think everything in life is a joke ... except for your blind faith in your Gatas. Make sure you know where the edge of the cliff is. For folks like you, the step off the cliff is nothing. The sudden stop at the end of the fall is called reality.
ArealVolFan writes:
Spikes is just giving Myer an easy out. Bigger story will be whether or not Slive owns up and decides to suspend Myer as well....gotta hand it to him Myer played it well. If he gets a suspension he will gain his own "street cred" with players by acting like he sold himself out to protect his players. Truth is he is scared that Kiffin is gaining a reputation as a players coach, and is an easy sell to parents because he is tough on player discipline and keeps grades up. Unlike Myer, who is gaining a rep of just having thugs on his team. He is running scared because of players like Luc, Chaz Green,Dunkley and Elam are all taking a serious look at UT.
NobodyCares (Inactive) writes:
Yup, that defines you trolls ... weak minded.
VolsRaysBucs writes:
Hey Doc,
Is that you on the fanshots page at CNNSI in a throwdown? If so, LOVE the avatar!!!
Gator_Hater (Inactive) writes:
Did half of you read this article? Meyer didn't change the punishment, Spikes did! What does that say about Meyer? Spikes felt some remorse, and while I won't applaud him, at least he gained a little respect. He bit the bullet, while Meyer bowed to his own player's wishes. Do you really think he would have changed the punishment if it weren't for Spikes manning up, TWICE?
Meyer is the one who looks like a complete tool, AGAIN. Seems the UF players have more integrity than he does. And all you trolls must really hate that the national media, not just the KNS and UT fans, are the ones exposing Meyer for what he is. It must be hard on you guys when the nation is starting to look at Kiffin as classier than Urban Meyer.
Stay classy, Urban!
MoralVictory writes:
Wasn't Lane who taught the Hillbillies and the rest of the world.."there is no such thing as bad publicity". GatorNation is everywhere..and in the heads of the Tennessee Vols..when is it the Vols will beat the Gators? 2012? That means we will be dancing all night on Rocky Top in 10 and the Swamp in 2011. Can't wait. Watch Spikes and Urban will get wonderful press by the sincere act of self reporting and correction..shoot they may go on the speaking tour in the off season. How to win in football and life..
NobodyCares (Inactive) writes:
C'mon naval, let these lil' gataboys have their fun. This is their last hurrah. They know full well that without Timbow they will revert to their normal status as a 2nd tier SEC football school. Lil' Billy proved that in basketball and next year lil' Urbie will do the same thing in football.
UF -- Irrelevant sports school.
markw20012002 writes:
The only thing we learned this week is Spikes had his fingers stuck up somebodys facemask Saturday and Meyer had his thumb stuck up his @ss all week.
NobodyCares (Inactive) writes:
Woof, woof lil' puppy dog. Look out for what?
MoralVictory writes:
Gater_hater..meyer could careless what you thin. He has more brains, class, and respect in the tip of his finger than the Creamcicles here. Meyer told me to tell you that. Has Lane EVER said hey Mike Slive " I messed up and I know it"? No the Comissih had to come looking for your Captain Courageous Coach . Watch Lane will take all of you on a trip down uspension lane and quite possibly to the NCAA Investigators Banquet..it just feels that way.
smyrnavol writes:
Putting the word "OUR" in your post must mean you are a closet VOL!!! Try doing like zz and dc tried at one time and put VOLS in your screen name. GO VOLS!!!
WytheVol writes:
It is quite sad that at this point, Spikes does appear to have more guts and class than Meyer. Meyer comes out looking like the bad one in all of this. Spikes has manned up (however, not forgiven). Meyer on the other hand... He appears to be a puppet. And to turn this to a team thing??? Oh well. What can you really say. I'm not one to typically pile on, but he's making himself look worse as time goes on with this. He should have considered the public opinion of this and looked at it objectively in the first place. Prior to this, I had a lot of respect for Meyer as a coach, but this entire situation was classless and Spikes was the only one who appeared to take it seriously after the fact. Again, not saying it was ok. But the offender shouldn't look better than the coach dishing out punishment when all is said and done...
markw20012002 writes:
I could care less what you Thin.
mytrifecta writes:
Well played Urban...you completely blow this off and give Spikes a half game suspension...and then he personally decides the punishment isn't harsh enough and extends it to a full game. Who's in control of this program? Meyer looks like a complete idiot.
mmoosem#627652 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
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