Kirk Herbstreit, echoing the comments of many analysts, just said on ESPN that Miami coach Larry Coker should suspend the players involved in Saturday’s mega-brawl for the rest of the season. I’m thinking maybe that’s not enough. If UConn coach Randy Edsall can kick four guys permanently off the team for drinking beer the night before a game in violation of team rules, why can’t Coker do the same to the guys who were kicking players in the head, using their helmets as weapons, etc.? (And likewise with Florida International’s coach and his players.) Surely such behavior is against team rules! It’s one thing to engage in a little pushing and shoving, but it seems to me that such truly violent behavior deserves the ultimate punishment, the football equivalent of the “death penalty”: kick ‘em off the team. I realize they’re just college kids, but getting a scholarship to play football is a privilege, and if they so blatantly abuse it, they should lose it. Am I wrong about this?
I think the report I saw said the schools and conferences had suspended 13 Miami players and 18 FIU players for their next games. I suspect that is just the beginning and it gives them more time to make further decisions.
I don’t think you are wrong, Brendan, but I do think there will be several “levels” of punishment. Permenently kicked off the team, suspended for a season (until 10/15/07), and suspended for 1..2..3.. games, depending on their level of involvement.
Another thing I’d like to see is for the NCAA to permanently ban the worst offenders. This would include, but not necessarily be limited to, the players who used weapons (helmet, crutch) against other players. I still remember watching live (probably 20 years ago now) as Chucky Mullins of Ole Miss delivered a hit that left him a quadraplegic. He later died from his condition. If something like that can happen accidentally in football then it, or something worse, could happen from intentionally using a weapon to assault an opponent. When I think of it this way I can certainly see criminal charges being filed too.
The NCAA should ban the dumb ass commentator who, if he had been at field level, would have been egging them on. The guy sounded like a total dumbass — “Don’t come into the OB talking smack.”
You cannot clean up Miami. The school [and city] always has and will always be a collection of thugs and felons. Remember the classic 1988 matchup - The Catholics vs. the Convicts
ScottF, I certainly agree about the levels of punishment — that’s what I was trying to imply when I said, “It’s one thing to engage in a little pushing and shoving, but it seems to me that such truly violent behavior deserves the ultimate punishment.”
Re: “Don’t come into the OB talking smack” … how about, “Don’t lower yourself down to the level of Florida Freakin’ International”?!? I realize some of these kids played together in high school, but c’mon… if a bunch of high-school kids started talking smack to the Patriots, would the Patriots beat them up? At some point, you have to have enough pride to realize, “The guy who’s saying this stuff is a pipsqueak compared to me; I’m going to ignore him because he’s not worthy of my anger.” You’d think Miami would have that attitude toward Florida International (still a member of the Sickening Six, lest we forget). Apparently not.
Let’s see Miami banned from Bowl eligibility. That’s what I think should happen, along with suspensions. Send a message: “This will NOT be tolorated. You will control your team, or they will NOT be eligible for bowls.” Do it for multiple years (at least two), to show you have teeth and this will affect you).
I hated watching that video. Especially that one part where there are 12 of em all kicking one guy on the ground. I say boot their asses also. If there isnt appropriate punishment i will throw a fit. That was ridiculious
(Oh, and FIU should ALSO be bumped from bowl eligibility. That’s probably a toothless sanction in their case, though, because they are just plain bad.)
Phil Mushnick, in the NY Post, posed this question: Suppose you heard there had been a full-scale brawl between two college football teams. Suppose further your life depended on naming one of the two teams. Now: What are the chances you’d pick a team other than Miami?
So what you are saying is that the county of Dade Florida has nothing but thugs/criminals coming out of it so what could anyone possibly expect but criminal behavior.
After reading tons of fan boards I have come to the conclusion that the term “thugs/thuggish” is really just code for “niggersâ€? and it would really be refreshing if people were man/woman enough to just say the word and express how you really feel.
A&A
Please explain to me how the University of Miami is “actively promoted as gangsta/thug”….have you come to that conclusion because Michael Irvin calls his alma mater the “The U”? I have not seen any promotional items or posters from the school or athletic dept to support your assertion.
What Lamar Thomas, former player, said was stupid and he should be disciplined for that and if the school deems it fineable I would not have a problem with that.
The fight was a disgrace to college football and both Universities and will handle the discipline as they see fit but all of the calls for banishment are stupid especially if a kid had NEVER been in trouble with the school before that fight so are they now not allowed to graduate from college? For the athletes that have now been in trouble with the law 2 or 3 times then yes it is time to say good bye to them but not every kid falls under that umbrella.
Everyone was preaching patience with the Duke LAX players when they were accused of raping a woman when none of those boys had ever been accused of a crime before and yet that same patience is not being preached for the kids involved in this fight who have never been in trouble.
Nebraska, the difference is the Duke kids are probably innocent or at least deserve that presumption. The Miami kids are quite obviously guilty. Let them graduate, but revoke their scholarships and kick them off the team.
And if it makes you feel any better, Nebraska, I would have no problem suggesting that what we saw on the field Saturday deserved the n word description as much as anything else I’ve ever seen.
Miami has a long and sordid record of thuggery, on the field and off. Anyone who has followed college football for the last 20 years is well aware of this.
would that be anything else you have ever seen by black people or people in general? because your comment sounds like something a dumbass nigger would say.
Wow, this might be the most disgusting thread I have ever seen on this blog, and that is quite an accomplishment. Which is worse: Russ referring to a city in which 60% are people of color as ‘a city of thugs?’ Nebraska suggesting a ‘three strikes and you’re expelled’ rule for blatant and public assault? No, it is certainly Andrew Long describing the violent assault with the ‘n-word.’ To a black man, no less.
Have you ever lived in Miami? I lived about ten miles outside it for a while. There are quite a lot of thugs there, the ordinary ignorant kind and the organized criminal kind.
But more to the point, the University of Miami has long been identified as, and embraced the identity of, a team of thugs. If you know anything about college football, this is simply undeniable. Hell, just listen to their former football color commentator…he is entirely representative of the culture there.
Gahrie,
Actually, I thought that part was the least asinine comment on that thread. If you read my comments, I didn’t dispute the part about the football team, of course, because their culture is one of lax coaches (Pork-faced Satan and Dennis Erickson come to mind) who turn a blind eye to behavior such as this. However, I thought it was a little bit of a stretch to blame the Miami/FIU brawl on the city itself, whatever crime problems it might have.
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October 16th, 2006 at 3:28:12 am
I think the report I saw said the schools and conferences had suspended 13 Miami players and 18 FIU players for their next games. I suspect that is just the beginning and it gives them more time to make further decisions.
I don’t think you are wrong, Brendan, but I do think there will be several “levels” of punishment. Permenently kicked off the team, suspended for a season (until 10/15/07), and suspended for 1..2..3.. games, depending on their level of involvement.
Another thing I’d like to see is for the NCAA to permanently ban the worst offenders. This would include, but not necessarily be limited to, the players who used weapons (helmet, crutch) against other players. I still remember watching live (probably 20 years ago now) as Chucky Mullins of Ole Miss delivered a hit that left him a quadraplegic. He later died from his condition. If something like that can happen accidentally in football then it, or something worse, could happen from intentionally using a weapon to assault an opponent. When I think of it this way I can certainly see criminal charges being filed too.
October 16th, 2006 at 8:11:47 am
The NCAA should ban the dumb ass commentator who, if he had been at field level, would have been egging them on. The guy sounded like a total dumbass — “Don’t come into the OB talking smack.”
October 16th, 2006 at 8:29:00 am
You cannot clean up Miami. The school [and city] always has and will always be a collection of thugs and felons. Remember the classic 1988 matchup - The Catholics vs. the Convicts
October 16th, 2006 at 9:06:39 am
ScottF, I certainly agree about the levels of punishment — that’s what I was trying to imply when I said, “It’s one thing to engage in a little pushing and shoving, but it seems to me that such truly violent behavior deserves the ultimate punishment.”
Re: “Don’t come into the OB talking smack” … how about, “Don’t lower yourself down to the level of Florida Freakin’ International”?!? I realize some of these kids played together in high school, but c’mon… if a bunch of high-school kids started talking smack to the Patriots, would the Patriots beat them up? At some point, you have to have enough pride to realize, “The guy who’s saying this stuff is a pipsqueak compared to me; I’m going to ignore him because he’s not worthy of my anger.” You’d think Miami would have that attitude toward Florida International (still a member of the Sickening Six, lest we forget). Apparently not.
October 16th, 2006 at 9:08:47 am
P.S. No comments re: my brilliant headline? I’m hurt! ;)
October 16th, 2006 at 9:59:00 am
When a program is actively promoted as a gangsta/thug program, this kind of behavior is a surprise?
October 16th, 2006 at 11:24:33 am
Let’s see Miami banned from Bowl eligibility. That’s what I think should happen, along with suspensions. Send a message: “This will NOT be tolorated. You will control your team, or they will NOT be eligible for bowls.” Do it for multiple years (at least two), to show you have teeth and this will affect you).
This type of thing is not acceptable.
October 16th, 2006 at 11:25:07 am
I hated watching that video. Especially that one part where there are 12 of em all kicking one guy on the ground. I say boot their asses also. If there isnt appropriate punishment i will throw a fit. That was ridiculious
October 16th, 2006 at 11:25:19 am
(Oh, and FIU should ALSO be bumped from bowl eligibility. That’s probably a toothless sanction in their case, though, because they are just plain bad.)
October 16th, 2006 at 12:40:35 pm
Phil Mushnick, in the NY Post, posed this question: Suppose you heard there had been a full-scale brawl between two college football teams. Suppose further your life depended on naming one of the two teams. Now: What are the chances you’d pick a team other than Miami?
October 16th, 2006 at 4:15:32 pm
Russ
So what you are saying is that the county of Dade Florida has nothing but thugs/criminals coming out of it so what could anyone possibly expect but criminal behavior.
After reading tons of fan boards I have come to the conclusion that the term “thugs/thuggish” is really just code for “niggersâ€? and it would really be refreshing if people were man/woman enough to just say the word and express how you really feel.
A&A
Please explain to me how the University of Miami is “actively promoted as gangsta/thug”….have you come to that conclusion because Michael Irvin calls his alma mater the “The U”? I have not seen any promotional items or posters from the school or athletic dept to support your assertion.
What Lamar Thomas, former player, said was stupid and he should be disciplined for that and if the school deems it fineable I would not have a problem with that.
The fight was a disgrace to college football and both Universities and will handle the discipline as they see fit but all of the calls for banishment are stupid especially if a kid had NEVER been in trouble with the school before that fight so are they now not allowed to graduate from college? For the athletes that have now been in trouble with the law 2 or 3 times then yes it is time to say good bye to them but not every kid falls under that umbrella.
Everyone was preaching patience with the Duke LAX players when they were accused of raping a woman when none of those boys had ever been accused of a crime before and yet that same patience is not being preached for the kids involved in this fight who have never been in trouble.
October 16th, 2006 at 6:50:52 pm
Nebraska, the difference is the Duke kids are probably innocent or at least deserve that presumption. The Miami kids are quite obviously guilty. Let them graduate, but revoke their scholarships and kick them off the team.
And if it makes you feel any better, Nebraska, I would have no problem suggesting that what we saw on the field Saturday deserved the n word description as much as anything else I’ve ever seen.
October 16th, 2006 at 8:17:50 pm
Penguinsix, the commentator was fired for his dumbass statements, as he should have been.
It’ll be interesting to see how the schools react to the ensuing shit storm.
October 16th, 2006 at 8:46:20 pm
Yea, I just saw that and was going to post it. He was a dumbass…
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/15774438.htm
October 16th, 2006 at 10:10:50 pm
Miami has a long and sordid record of thuggery, on the field and off. Anyone who has followed college football for the last 20 years is well aware of this.
October 17th, 2006 at 9:50:22 am
Andrew
would that be anything else you have ever seen by black people or people in general? because your comment sounds like something a dumbass nigger would say.
which is why you said it.
October 17th, 2006 at 4:14:46 pm
Wow, this might be the most disgusting thread I have ever seen on this blog, and that is quite an accomplishment. Which is worse: Russ referring to a city in which 60% are people of color as ‘a city of thugs?’ Nebraska suggesting a ‘three strikes and you’re expelled’ rule for blatant and public assault? No, it is certainly Andrew Long describing the violent assault with the ‘n-word.’ To a black man, no less.
October 17th, 2006 at 11:26:22 pm
Wobbly H.:
Have you ever lived in Miami? I lived about ten miles outside it for a while. There are quite a lot of thugs there, the ordinary ignorant kind and the organized criminal kind.
But more to the point, the University of Miami has long been identified as, and embraced the identity of, a team of thugs. If you know anything about college football, this is simply undeniable. Hell, just listen to their former football color commentator…he is entirely representative of the culture there.
October 18th, 2006 at 12:31:32 am
Gahrie,
Actually, I thought that part was the least asinine comment on that thread. If you read my comments, I didn’t dispute the part about the football team, of course, because their culture is one of lax coaches (Pork-faced Satan and Dennis Erickson come to mind) who turn a blind eye to behavior such as this. However, I thought it was a little bit of a stretch to blame the Miami/FIU brawl on the city itself, whatever crime problems it might have.