Meyer's message minimal

Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes made the decision his coach should have made. He took himself out of Saturday's game against Vanderbilt — for both halves.

It's a good decision, and it's the only penalty that needs to take place. What's disappointing is Urban Meyer didn't come to the same decision in the first place.

The half-game suspension for Spikes intentionally placing his hand in the helmet of Georgia's Washaun Ealey was widely criticized in the media as, well, half-hearted.

Whatever the reason or motivation, Spikes made the right call by going to his coaches and suggesting he sit out a whole game. It's the right thing to do, which, interestingly enough, was Meyer's reasoning for accepting Spikes' suggestion, saying, "We're doing it out of respect for our team so we can focus on trying to win our ninth game. We think it's the right thing to do."

The better thing to do would have been a full-game suspension from the start. The matter probably would have quickly gone away, replaced by another video or another situation. Instead, a half-hearted suspension opened the door for full-out criticism and sent thousands more to YouTube searching for the video.

Some believe Meyer was more concerned with having his All-American linebacker available for the next game than handing down an appropriate penalty. Some called for Spikes to be suspended for the remainder of the season, but that penalty would have been too harsh. A one-game penalty would have served its purpose; a half-game penalty served only to draw more attention.

For sure, Spikes' actions were more than wrong, and suggesting, as has been the case by some, it's not a big deal because "it happens all the time in pile-ups" or that "everybody does it" is just as wrong. Ealey could have been seriously injured, and the story would have had a much different slant.

No doubt, TV cameras will offer shots of Spikes standing on the sidelines Saturday more times than would have been the case had a one-game suspension been handed down in the first place. Video of the play will be replayed. Spikes' attempt not to be a distraction to his team will fail because with the extra days of attention the story has received thanks to its added chapters, it will remain a story at least through the end of the Vanderbilt game.

Instead of having the suspension achieve its purpose of getting Spikes' attention and realizing the consequences of his actions, other lessons and consequences have come into play.

Maybe the most important lesson to come from this is that doing the right thing from the outset is the best course of action.

Contact Tommy Hicks at:

thicks@press-register.com

His column appears Mondays and Fridays in the Press-Register.