Official SEC Football Thread 2009

[longknocker]

Great Pics, Michael! Is Spikes That Big In Person?

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by longknocker

Great Pics, Michael! Is Spikes That Big In Person?

6'3, 258 lbs on the roster.

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by icehog3

6'3, 258 lbs on the roster.

He Does Look A Little Intimidating! Definitely Should Go First Round In The Draft This Year, Admiral!

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by longknocker

He Does Look A Little Intimidating! Definitely Should Go First Round In The Draft This Year, Admiral!

Definitely, Greg.

[Powers]

Originally Posted by longknocker

Great Pics, Michael! Is Spikes That Big In Person?

he is quite a specimen. was a gentle giant in person but not on the football field!

[icehog3]

Where's Joey at?

[ir13]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Where's Joey at?

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by ir13

Wow, just a

Can't even admit you had it all wrong.

[ir13]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Wow, just a

Can't even admit you had it all wrong.

Im not worried about the GA game, Im just waiting for the SEC Championship Game.

[icehog3]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Top-ranked Florida will be without star linebacker Brandon Spikes for the first half of Saturday's game against Vanderbilt.

Coach Urban Meyer suspended Spikes on Monday, two days after the defensive captain apparently attempted to gouge the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey in a 41-17 victory.

"I don't condone that," Meyer said. "I understand what goes on on the football [field], but there's no place for that. 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."

Spikes issued a statement apologizing for what he did.

I thought I saw this when watching the game...I had hoped I was wrong. Spikes seems like a decent kid, but this was not cool.

Wonder if the team would have suspended him if they were playing a tougher opponent.

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by icehog3

I thought I saw this when watching the game...I had hoped I was wrong. Spikes seems like a decent kid, but this was not cool.

Wonder if the team would have suspended him if they were playing a tougher opponent.

Supposedly Spike's Incident Was In Retaliation, But It Still Doesn't Make It Right. Should Have Had a Harsher Punishment, IMO.

[DrDubzz]

a whole half a game... versus Vandy no less, bravo Urban, way to stand up for what's right

Originally Posted by RX2010

a whole half a game... versus Vandy no less, bravo Urban, way to stand up for what's right

"Meyer then spoke to Spikes and determined he was retaliating after getting his helmet ripped off and eye poked earlier in the game. Meyer also talked to Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive, but Florida officials said it was Meyer’s decision to suspend Spikes."

Football's a rough sport gentlemen. Let's not go overboard attacking Spikes - if you want him benched, what about the original offender? You can't make a huge deal out of the small percentage of incidents that show up on film if you're going to allow those that the cameras miss to go unpunished. Sounds like the first guy did the same thing but against a helmet-less Spikes, which was not the smartest decision. Yes it was unsportsmanlike, but no one's going to seriously expect Spikes to go shake the dude's hand after he was grabbing at his unprotected face.

Plus, it did come down to Meyer's decision, and he really has no reason to make some big PR statement out of some minor incident like this.

[Powers]

Originally Posted by TheManWithNoName

"Meyer then spoke to Spikes and determined he was retaliating after getting his helmet ripped off and eye poked earlier in the game. Meyer also talked to Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive, but Florida officials said it was Meyer’s decision to suspend Spikes."

Football's a rough sport gentlemen. Let's not go overboard attacking Spikes - if you want him benched, what about the original offender? You can't make a huge deal out of the small percentage of incidents that show up on film if you're going to allow those that the cameras miss to go unpunished. Sounds like the first guy did the same thing but against a helmet-less Spikes, which was not the smartest decision. Yes it was unsportsmanlike, but no one's going to seriously expect Spikes to go shake the dude's hand after he was grabbing at his unprotected face.

Plus, it did come down to Meyer's decision, and he really has no reason to make some big PR statement out of some minor incident like this.

i see ur point

[DrDubzz]

Originally Posted by TheManWithNoName

"Meyer then spoke to Spikes and determined he was retaliating after getting his helmet ripped off and eye poked earlier in the game. Meyer also talked to Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive, but Florida officials said it was Meyer’s decision to suspend Spikes."

Football's a rough sport gentlemen. Let's not go overboard attacking Spikes - if you want him benched, what about the original offender? You can't make a huge deal out of the small percentage of incidents that show up on film if you're going to allow those that the cameras miss to go unpunished. Sounds like the first guy did the same thing but against a helmet-less Spikes, which was not the smartest decision. Yes it was unsportsmanlike, but no one's going to seriously expect Spikes to go shake the dude's hand after he was grabbing at his unprotected face.

Plus, it did come down to Meyer's decision, and he really has no reason to make some big PR statement out of some minor incident like this.

so you're saying, if everyone does something wrong, but only a few people get caught, they really shouldn't get punished because someone else didn't??

it may not be cheating if you don't get caught, but he was caught red-handed, and should be punished. Benching him for the whole Vandy game would still be a token punishment anyway since it's Vandy. It's a pretty weak and spineless punishment for what could have permanently damaged the other player. The ends don't justify the means, his intent was malicious, and should be punished accordingly. those are my

you're free to feel however you wish

Originally Posted by RX2010

so you're saying, if everyone does something wrong, but only a few people get caught, they really shouldn't get punished because someone else didn't??

In a sense. If he'd be punished for retaliation, then they should go back and find the original offense on tape - they have enough cameras to catch it, it just wasn't on the TV screen. Since it was apparently the same offense, that should be punished too right? But then things get complicated. If you don't punish the same earlier offense, it still supports the "OK unless caught" idea which promotes the behavior in the first place.

Originally Posted by RX2010

it may not be cheating if you don't get caught, but he was caught red-handed, and should be punished.

What it comes down to is that the refs and officials saw it, and chose to let it go. They're the ones who make the decisions. We can sit and argue about it 'til the cows come home and it won't make any difference in the world. Good thing it didn't affect the outcome of the game. The dude may have acted in an unsportsmanlike manner, but I'd bet a hefty wager this little incident won't hurt him at all when he's being drafted.

[Powers]

Spikes is definitely a not a dirty player. That was no doubt a dirty play but it is an anomaly and not the norm. Several players have come into my work, Cunningham, Haden and the Pouncey Twins, but he was the only one that was kind enough to carry on a conversation and with whom i felt comfortable enough to ask for an autograph and a picture. Also, He and Tebow are consistently the last to leave when giving autographs to kids after games.

That being said, there is no excuse for his action. This is not FSU or Miami. Florida prides itself on having classy players. I think Meyer should have set more of a message and suspended Spikes for the whole Vandy game.

[rizzle]

Urban thinks a half against Vandy is rather harsh.

[ucubed]

Spikes should have been suspended much more than a half game, especially against the worst SEC team...there is no message being sent except that Meyer is thinking about that title, which in turn is quite lame...as much as I want Florida to Roll over Alabama and then eat Texas, taking care of things at home is more important for future potential players..

[icehog3]

From MSN Sports:

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - A most unlikely person came to the defense of Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes, who was suspended for half a game for apparently trying to gouge the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey.

Ealey said Tuesday he doesn't believe Spikes should have been suspended.

In fact, Ealey seemed surprised the play from Saturday's game drew so much attention.

Florida coach Urban Meyer on Monday suspended Spikes for the first half of this week's game against Vanderbilt after the defensive captain stuck his hand in Ealey's helmet and appeared to try to stick his fingers in Ealey's eyes.

Ealey says he doesn't agree with those who have said the suspension was not stiff enough.

"That really didn't matter to me," Ealey said of the suspension. "That's their decision. He shouldn't, I think, get suspended at all. We were just out there playing football."

Ealey said he had his eyes closed when Spikes stuck his hand in his helmet and he wasn't hurt.

"He really didn't gouge my eyes," Ealey said. "He really didn't get a chance to get close to my eyes."

The freshman said he believes similar incidents happen all the time.

"I'm pretty sure it goes on back and forth," he said. "We probably do it and other teams do too. It's all football. We're just out there trying to have fun."