According to the Orlando Sentinel, Florida head coach Urban Meyer won't likely face a suspension for calling out referees who didn't throw a flag on a hit on Tim Tebow in the Florida-Georgia game.
Citing an unnamed SEC source, the Sentinel reports that Myer is unlikely to draw a suspension for his remarks. Instead, the $4 million-a-year man will probably be hit with some sort of a fine.
Needless to say, this is not going to sit well with a good portion of the country, but, according to the new SEC edict, the conference can suspend OR fine a coach for a first-time offense.
That, though, will do nothing to change the perception that the Gators are a sacred cow and are an unquestioned untouchable.
Who knows, though. Maybe Meyer will follow one of his senior leader's example and sit himself out for the Vanderbilt game this weekend.
Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath either.
exactly what did meyer do that was wrong?
* he didn't bring up this incident in the post-game conference (read: UNLIKE kiffin or mullen)
* he didn't even bring up this incident on wednesday in the press conference; a reporter brought it up and asked him about it (read: he was baited into the discussion, unlike kiffin or mullen).
* meyer sent tape to the SEC office with a formal complaint (this issue was handled privately before it was made public, UNLIKE kiffin or mullen).
* the complaint at hand here is on a no-call, rather than an actual call made in the game. the big difference is meyer wasn't crying about it right after the game either.
* Meyer's comment was "that should have been a penalty in my opinion" - this is much different than the words used by kiffin & mullen.
the bottom line is this entire situation is nothing like what has happened in the weeks prior - despite the alleged double standard the press is trying to paint.
i'm not even a florida fan and i find all this slightly absurd.
I have no idea who John Taylor is but why on earth must he start every day with some shot at the Gators, Tebow, Meyers, etc. Come on. You'd think Charles Manson was the coach and the team was filled with guys who are a cross between the Alien monster, Nazis, and hit men from the Mob. Grow up and provide some diverse, balanced, serious, professional reporting and commenting. Or, just get honest and name your site "Gator-hater central" so everyone will know that's what they are clicking on and the little Gator hater club can have fun talking amongst themselves.
fairminded - i agree.
i'm a Big12 guy and have no affiliation or ties to florida, but i'm sick of hearing about them here - and not in a "i hate them" way, but just tired of john taylor's apparent agenda against them.
taylor - did you go to tennessee or georgia or something? was it FSU?
look, you can report the college football news, but the tone in your articles are very anti-florida, and it's obvious. if your goal is to drive away the few CFT readers you have, you're well on your way to succeeding.
it's not absurd considering he didn't follow the new rule set in place by the commish. yes, the rule in itself is stupid but what's good for the goose (other sec coaches?) is good for the gander (urban?).
so what he sent the tape to the sec, that's not the issue at hand. it was what he said aloud that is the issue. he spoke out in criticism of the officials, that's against the new rule. no, he didn't say anything too detrimental but seems to me the rule was black and white on what's not to be said and he didn't follow the rule, therefore, he should receive some type of punishment.
anyway- whatever- i'm personally fine with a fine.
wouldn't it be delicious if vandy beat them this week after all this and the spikes crap? no, i'm not holding my breath, but it sure would make me cackle.
and i'm not even a gator hater.
A fine wouldn't be absurd. A suspension would absolutely be.
The letter of the memo, at least as it has been reported, pretty much ensures that if this falls under whatever the SEC bylaw deems "criticism of officials" then a fine or suspension is mandatory. Again, I'd love it if someone could actually bother to get the full text of the bylaw or the memo that mentioned the stricter penalties, but the press has the freedom to ignore basic investigation when it gets in the way of a story.
Since Slive has the final say, and since Urban's comments didn't call into question the integrity of the officials (unlike Petrino and Kiffin) or say that they should be immediately fired (howdy, Dan Mullen), I think it'll be a minimal penalty.
Couldn't agree more w/ posts 2&3...well stated, fairminded.
Well guys, I guess you're all going to have to go to every "gator hater" thread you find on here and cry like babies that your team isn't being treated fairly. You'll get lots of sympathy, trust me.
i still don't see what was criticized.
saying it should have been a penalty? how is that a criticism? urban was asked by a reporter point-blank what he thought about the play. what should meyer have said?
i'm still not seeing how this is even remotely similar to the kiffin & mullen issues, where those coaches went on tirades right after their games, and wouldn't let it go.
meyer gets baited (read: asked) into the issue by a reporter first, days after the game. he makes one comment on it, that i'm still trying to understand how that is a criticism, and you guys want his head.
don't get it.... and i'm not a gator fan, big 12 here
per dictionary.com:
crit⋅i⋅cism /ˈkrɪtəˌsɪzəm/
–noun 1. the act of passing judgment as to the merits of anything.
per bleacher report article:
"Obviously, it should have been (a penalty)," Meyer said, responding to a question from a reporter. "You've got to protect quarterbacks. That's the whole purpose. It's right in front of the referee."
i'd say that he was passing judgment that the official was wrong by not calling a penalty and if we're being nit picky- oh what the hell- adding that it happened 'right in front of the referee' is even more a big fat no-no.
again, he doesn't deserve to be hanged but considering he DID CRITICIZE THE REF and that is against the rule, he deserves punishment......
by speaking out pubicly about an officiating error, instead of keeping quite about all such matters, urban meyer directly violated sec commisioner mike slive's decree which states that the next sec coach who speaks out publicly about any officiationg calls that ane sec game or tech review officials got wrong would be subject to immediate economic and suspension sanctions.
of course, since slive and his associates at the sec conference level have already spent the huge bonuses that will come their way by getting undefeated florida and alabama teams into the sec title game, with the winner going to the bcs national championship game and the loser going to another big payout bcs bowl game, slive and the sec conference are not about to do anything about urban meyer or florida to interfere with their pocketing those huge bonuses.
if either florida or alabama(the alabams/lsu game will provide some clear examples) needs any assistance from sec conference game or tech review officials, they will get that asistance to remian undefeated.
if lsu's coach or any other sec coach speaks out publicly about the dishonest officiating, slive will hit each of them with huge economic sanctions and suspensions.
if this all reeks of game outcomes being fixed and the suspense involved in elections in north korea, china, russia, and iran, that is because the sec conference is currently being run just like the elections in those nations.
will slive and his associates be able to escape this season without getting whacked in the civil courts?
no!!!
Fairminded- I love that you brought up John Taylor again. I cringe when I see a Gator news on here because I know he's just trying to push buttons--way to be objective! So since we're throwing out objective journalism here, who do you root for John? Come on, who's your college team? I wouldn't be surprised if it's North Texas or Utah State.
Hate all you want, Gators are the best team in the country with the best coach and QB.
First of all, I must be some wierd kind of football fan. I am a Tennessee fan (blood bleeds orange), and I am a Gator Hater when they are playing my team.....as well as Bama or any other SEC team we maybe facing on any given weekend. But, I am an SEC Football fan too. I have and will cheer for each of these teams under the right circumstances.
I am a Lane Kiffin fan. Do I believe that sometimes he should think before he speaks.....yes, but I also believe he is doing a great job of rebuilding my beloved team, as I think both Florida and Alabama coaches will attest too.
What i get sick of reading about on hear is the crying that goes on about this team or that coach or what should be done. Officials make mistakes like any one else. Every team can complain about a call or calls somewhere along the way. I think I have a solution. Beat the team you are playing. play hard and beat them bad enough that one or two bad calls aren't the difference in the game. How about instead of crying about Urban or Nick Saban, we beat them on the field of play, that way these sights can go back to what they were meant for.....REAL SMACK TALK. I'm looking forward to the day (and it's coming) that I can get on and talk some real smack about beating Florida or Alabama, but until that day comes that my Vols are actually better (once again I say, It's coming) I have to live with the fact that they must still be better. So guess what? When it comes time to watch the Championship Game, I hope to be cheering for either Florida or Alabama, Possibly LSU. They are the SEC teams with the best chance to go, and I will cheer for any SEC team over another conference.
Could not agree more with 1-3, I had to actually click on anything Gator related in this section to see if it was the same writer or not with all the slams.
John Taylor, you have some issues with the Gators, not sure what, but they are deep.
The funny part about this whole episode is the fact that Spikes is a "thug" but Williams was just playing "hard".
People have made a distinction that Spikes hit was criminal but Williams, eventhough it was a late hit and eventhough Richt has now come out and admitted there should have been a flag; that still doesn't stop the flow of anti-gator sentiment from both fans & media. Very transparent.
What is lost in all this is the fact that Williams was away from the play and just stood there and watched BEFORE he hit Tebow. Never mind THE FACT that he was ACTUALLY CLOSE enough to get into the play.
Quite comical & a very telling indictment about the Geogia defense. OF COURSE he was out of the play! That's the problem....over the last 2 years MOST of the Geogia defense has been out out of the play.... that's WHY in 11 out of the last 17 games they've allowed over 30 points a game and why they are 3-17 in the last 20 games vs Florida!!!!
THANK YOU FOR THE BELLYACHING LAUGH:
fairminded says:
November 5, 2009 12:18 PM ET
I have no idea who John Taylor is but why on earth must he start every day with some shot at the Gators, Tebow, Meyers, etc. Come on. You'd think Charles Manson was the coach and the team was filled with guys who are a cross between the Alien monster, Nazis, and hit men from the Mob. Grow up and provide some diverse, balanced, serious, professional reporting and commenting. Or, just get honest and name your site "Gator-hater central" so everyone will know that's what they are clicking on and the little Gator hater club can have fun talking amongst themselves.
A gator fan whining about being picked on!!! BWWWAAAA HAAA HAAA HAAA HAAAA. What freakin planet are you from? Every single channel, every single paper, every single sports site does nothing but suck Tebow, Myers, and the gator ass and yet you're on here crying like a massive wussy. Wow... the poor gator fans, how dare anybody say anything negative about your beloved team. Get a grip dude
THANK YOU FOR THE HUGE BELLYACHING LAUGH:
fairminded says:
November 5, 2009 12:18 PM ET
I have no idea who John Taylor is but why on earth must he start every day with some shot at the Gators, Tebow, Meyers, etc. Come on. You'd think Charles Manson was the coach and the team was filled with guys who are a cross between the Alien monster, Nazis, and hit men from the Mob. Grow up and provide some diverse, balanced, serious, professional reporting and commenting. Or, just get honest and name your site "Gator-hater central" so everyone will know that's what they are clicking on and the little Gator hater club can have fun talking amongst themselves.
I haven't read something so comical in years. A gator fan whining like a wussy about somebody being critical about his team. There isn't a talk show, sports show, newspaper, sports mag, sports site that isn't sucking Tebow, Myers, or gator ass and yet you get on here and cry that you're always getting picked on by everybody. BWWWWAAAA HAAA HAA HAAAAA... You should have your name changed to the Florida Dangerfields... poor poor little gators, little thin skinned and no self-confidence and low self esteem... boo hoo hooo, boo hoo hooo
"Needless to say, this is not going to sit well with a good portion of the country..."
Judging by the vast majority of the comments here, this punishment actually will sit well with the rest of the country. To suggest Meyer should get suspended for a first time offense is more ridiculous than the conspiracy theory that the SEC is forcing it's ref's to protect it's unbeaten's.
(And just to end the beating of this dead horse...the SEC has had 4 national champions this decade, all with at least one loss. They don't need an undefeated team to make the BCS Championship game, they're not the Big 10)
For the most part I find much of the information on CFT very entertaining, but the passive/aggressive attacks against UF are getting a little ridiculous. I've noticed a number of queries in the comment section as to who John Taylor roots for. I'd like to see him disclose where his rooting interests lie and understand this jihad he has against the Gators. But if he's going keep up his smear campaign in relative anonynimity, then I personally see him as nothing more than a petty, jealous little drama queen.
@ everyone: Jihad? Really? I would've gone with "a simpleton who'll take a dig at any and every Div. 1-A program in the country", but yours sounds fancier and more meaningful so we'll go with that.
In all frankness, I have nothing but respect for the UF program in general and Urban Meyer in particular. Unless you're a fan of another SEC team, how could you not? IMHO, Meyer is one of the top five coaches in the country, and probably closer to No. 1 than No. 5 in my book.
But, again, as part of my "jihad", I will take a dig -- or a shot, if you will -- at anyone and everyone. I won't apologize for it, but I will say it's done with zero malice.
I do appreciate all the comments, though, whether they rip me or not. I will say, it's a welcome relief from the rip jobs I get from the occupants of my own home.
Have a good one, one and y'all...
'Judging by the vast majority of the comments here'
the vast majority of
if he doesn't get fined, the commish needs to null and void the rule completely and admit it was an ignorant rule in the 1st place- that's my last comment on the subject.
If the rule states that a coach can't say what coach Meyer said, then suspend the stupid rule. Maybe we should have a rule that says you can't criticize a great coach. Coach Meyer IS a great coach.
No tolerance rules should not be tolerated. Sure coachs need guidelines, but not like this. Lets not go overboard either way.
I salute the SEC, the second toughest conference in college football. GO Ducks--------
I'm a GA fan, weary of being a puching bag by Florida. BUT, it's cylical. In 10 years, we will be griping about TN, Auburn, or whoever is on top. I wish some sportswriter was criticizing UGA every chance he got. In many instances, attention is a very sincere form of flattery. Don't you just love college football!!!!
@Jimm Dogg -- you are exactly right, it's cyclical and I'd rather have our team have the attention, good or bad, than none at all. Well said, even for a UGA fan!
@JT -- also exactly right about the home front! 3 females against one guy in this case -- makes the comments here seem tame!
Oh, I feel your pain tampalawyer. 3 to 1 here as well. 5 to 1 if you count the animals (dog and cat, not children).
JT, I think it is just a longing for Phil Fulmer. Gosh, if we only had Peyton back, how good would we have been if Eli had come........