The Miami Felons strike again...

I don't think Florida International will ever have any kind of title! :laugh:

 

It was a shame to see that happen.

FIU has suspended 18 players for their next game and Miami has suspended 13 players for their next game:

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=ap-brawlsuspensions&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

31 suspensions is a good start but this kind of fight cannot end with a one week suspension. I hope we hear about some lost scholarships and expulsions. The players that were stomping on the guys on the ground and the one who was swinging his helmet like a club - those guys need to loose at least a season if not more.

 

For those who didn't see it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JWeE9KqZjQ

 

Orange Brawl

Disclaimer: I didn't attend either school, but have friends and family who have attended and/or teach at both universities.

Background: FIU is a large, public university (30,000+ undergrads), largely a commuter school that is trying to get their programs up and running in Division I sports. They play second fiddle to the cross-town rival of UM (small and private). This is somewhat similar to UCLA and USC -- but even more so.

I did not attend the game, but several friends did, as well as my son. Here is their perspective of the mess.

• Before and during the game, there was a substantial amount of trash talking between the players on both sides.
• Many of these players have known each other and played against each other since childhood.
• Many of the FIU players had wanted to be recruited by UM, but were not. They saw this as a "revenge" game.
• The referees definitely let the game get out of control to reach this point.
• There were a lot of cheap/late shots taken by some of the FIU players during the first half with no penalty flags.
• A UM player pointed to the FIU crowd after scoring a touchdown (and received a penalty flag for this).
• FIU players attacked the placekicker holder after the PAT.
• UM players retaliated.
• All **** broke loose.

At the end of the day, FIU has 18 players suspended and UM has 13. The UM Trustees have an emergency meeting today. My guess is that the susupensions will grow (in number and in length) and the head coach will be fired. I haven't heard about FIU; however, it has been rumored that the coach was to be fired at the end of the season anyway.

 

I would vote for that if the other thugs involved go to jail. No favoritism - just hard cold jail.

 

I believe that Miami and FIU should be forced to forfeit any revenue from the game and Miami should be barred from any bowl appearance (if they get invited to one). There is precedent for this. Clemson and South Carolina had a brawl a couple of years back and both teams voluntarily did not participate in the bowls. I think the Sun Belt and ACC should step up and excercise this kind of discipline if the universities will not.

 

Tom,
Good point, but there is a world of difference between S.C/Clemson and the "U"...basically night and day in a lot of areas.
Nothing short of dismissal from the team for those thugs should be expected. I can see FIU doing that, but i can't really see Miami doing it since they are Miami.

The sad thing is, if these guys aren't playing football...that means they will be out of school and on the streets. That means the rest of us aren't really safe.

 

The most likely casualty is Coker. He seems like a good guy. I've heard he professes to be a Christian.

A bad situation for him probably just went beyond repair.

 

I disagree. They should not be let out on the streets. They should be in prison.

Joseph Botwinick

 

There is a lot of blame to go around on this one. Coker will probably get the worst of it but lets not forget the officials. As a former official I put a big part of the blame on them. They should have never allowed the game to get that far out of control. Trash talk, cheap shots, late hits - the officials could have stopped this in the first quarter if they had simply taken control of the game.

 

I agree the Refs have to shoulder some blame, but aren't they trying to put out an inferno with a water pistol? 22 guys (and more when they come off the bench) vs., what, 8-10 zebras?

 

Update

Correction: Yesterday I stated that there were no personal fouls called. That was incorrect. During the first half, there were three personal fouls -- all called on FIU for late/cheap hits.

Updates:

1. The two FIU players (#22 and #24) that basically started the altercation (jumping on, tackling, hitting and kicking the UM placekicker and UM holder) have been kicked off the FIU team.
2. The one UM player that was swinging his helmet has been suspended indefinitely. Others may follow.
3. FIU suspended the other 16 players indefinitely, and they will be placed on athletic probabtion for the remainder of the academic calendar year.

 

Update

Regarding UM, I understand through the 'vine that there will be other ramifacations as well. Coach Coker (and prior to him, Butch Davis) have worked hard to improve UM football. (Note - all other UM programs have excellent reputations.)

Earlier this year, coach Coker suspended two offensive players (starting running back and starting wide receiver) for the first game against FSU for breaking team rules. He said it was tough, but it was the right thing to do. Of course, this probably helped them lose the game, but I admire him for this.

Coach Coker is a good guy (and professing Christian - he attends a local Baptist church BTW). Due to his record since becoming head coach five years ago (he was an assistant under Davis), he will probably lose his job at the end of the year. Not a bad record, with five bowl appearances in five years.

Regarding the fight, I personally don't blame the UM players on the field for coming to the aid of their placekicker and holder. They were being slammed to ground, hit and kicked in the ribs, neck and head. This is after at least three personal fouls for late hits in the 1st half by FIU.

The big problem was not keeping the players on the sidelines. The most serious offense by any UM player (from what I've read and seen, and from those actually at the game) was the one who came in off the sidelines and started swinging his helmet. He's the one who has been suspended indefinitely.

I'm sure more will come out over the next few days.

 

What I don't understand is why did the network continue filming the entire fight, and not go to commercial? We don't need to see that garbage...our kids don't need to see that. The networks will not show someone run onto the field from the stands and dance...but they will show a gang brawl?