SEC Daily Fever: Seemingly Insufficient Punishment For Spikes Sparks Controversy

Posted: Nov 03, 2009

Is a half-game suspension at home against Vanderbilt really a punishment? That’s what many are wondering after Urban Meyer determined that should be the penalty for All-American linebacker Brandon Spikes’ eye-gouging of Georgia’s Washaun Ealey.

More concerning than a coach going soft on his star defender is that the SEC office and Mike Slive agreed to the slap on the wrist. As Jeff Schultz writes on the SEC Commissioner:

“I guess Slive only worries about the real serious issues: sound bites about referees, not trivial matters like jamming fingers into eyeballs.”

The usually understated SEC blogger, Chris Low of ESPN, also takes Meyer and Slive to task:

“Either way, it’s a complete farce that Spikes was only suspended for a half.

And I bet Meyer would feel the same way if we were talking about one of his players that was on the receiving end.

It’s also good to see SEC commissioner Mike Slive taking such a hard-line stand on this, especially with the league so willing to suspend officiating crews and reprimand coaches who complain about the officiating.”

A week after Slive threatened to suspend coaches for commenting on the horrible season his referees are having, he once again looks like he’s playing favorites with the one of the league’s BCS contenders. If the commissioner wants to end the ‘conspiracy’ talk of the league office wanting to make sure Florida and Alabama make it to the Title game, this is not going to help.

If a Georgia defender 'eye-gouged' Tim Tebow, one could likely assume that Urban Meyer would want a federal investigation, and that he would be asking Slive and the SEC to accommodate him. The half-game suspension sure looks like Meyer did not want to do anything to Spikes, but just felt outside pressure in pretending to instill discipline.

The worse black 'eye' for the conference comes from the Commissioner, who threatens his league's own coaches if they question the SEC's actions, by agreeing to the "penalty" which has hurt the league's national image.

Honorable Mention SEC Headlines:

Vols lose another middle linebacker

Auburn’s Etheridge released from hospital