Okay, first of all, let me introduce myself.
I am a geek, a sports dork, and a licensed attorney. I have been a lover of the law and sports all of my life. This blog is an attempt for me to be able to speak about both of those. I will be posting a blog at least three to four times a week, hopefully I can do this in an informational and entertaining way.
First of all, I love the fall, I love the fall and I love college football. I love everything about it, I love the tailgating, the food, the alcohol ( to my minister father's chagrin), the families, but I love the game. Now, if you are you one of the poor souls that actually read my intro it states I am a displaced buckeye. Well that is true in a sense. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio; a town known more for crazy fanaticism than intelligent football discourse. I was, as a child, inundated with crazy Ohio State football fans. As a young child, I was of course predisposed to rebel, so it was normal (or at least seemed so) to rebel from what I was surrounded. Therefore, at about the age of ten, I started routing for the University of Florida Gators. Since then I have always loved them, I lived through the Emmit Smith Time, the Danny Wuerrfal Time, and now we are in the Tim Tebow era. Now if someone writes me and tells me how many great players I have missed, that list was not intended to be a fully complete list of great Florida players since 1990.
However, let's just say that I have followed them for almost twenty years, therefore, it gives me some perspective. I mean I remember when Spurrier first came to Florida, and at that time Georgia was the big foe, and Spurrier promised the fandom as well as the administration that he would beat them, that would of course, change, and ultimately Tennessee would become a more legitimate enemy.
However, let's go back to Georgia; the game that occurred this past weekend. Now, I love Brandon Spikes, I think he is passionate, exceptionally gifted, and a good football player. Now I read the column that yahoo and Dan Wetzel wrote about him. First, let me say I have to disagree with him. I don't think fine Mr. Wetzel has ever played a down a football (I might be wrong, but it's a hunch, I'm sure he'll correct me if he has). I have been in the trenches as both a defensive and offensive lineman, and in the trenches it is a nasty place. My understanding is that Brandon Spikes when he was doing the aforementioned eye gouging, was retaliating. What Brandon Spikes did may have been terrible, it may have been reprehensible, but it may not have been. It may have been justified, it may have even been conservative in nature to what was done to him. I guess my point here is to the Dan Wetzel's of the world, let's wait until we know what happened before we disparage the kid. This is a kid, and a good one from what I can tell. From the interviews I have heard, from his coaches, to the other guys he plays with, this is a good kid, and he will certainly be exceptional in the nfl.
However, one thing scares the crap out of me here. The nasty part of college football is what happens in the trenches, and that stuff can hurt a guy, can even end his career or end his life in terrible examples. What happens if eye gouging becomes normal, for both players, and what if there is retaliation? You know. let's look at this in a legal context. If you were provoked or yelled or even tripped, and you as a response gouge someone's eyes, and let's say for the sake of argument, no injuries. That is still at a minimum simple assault, maybe aggravated assault, maybe if something happens, attempted murder, and at least in normal life, the response "he made me do it," well that's just not going to fly.
Ultimately, I think Brandon Spikes is a good kid, I think he was probably defending himself, and he probably did what most of us would have done in that circumstance. But the substance of Wetzel's argument, I have to agree with, gouging of the eyes is a rough thing to do to someone else, the action was bad, but I am convinced the man is good. Maybe Brandon Spikes isn't welcome at Mr. Wetzel's house, but he can come have a beer with me whenever he'd like.
Until next time, keep sports on your mind, and the law on your side.
The Sports Law Blogger
http://www.sportslaw-sportslaw.blogspot.com
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Where did you go to law school? Check your spelling and grammer before you brag about your education. And let's apply your brilliant logic to the law - Wetzel can't pass judgment on this idiots's behavior because he never played football therefore a judge can't sentence a criminal unless he had committed a crime (or would he need to have been a victim?). You are poor example of a person sworn to uphold the constitution, douchebag.
ReplyDeleteA person's ability to pass judgment is not based on their experience, but passing judgment does require knowing the facts, that is what we don't know, but thanks for your comment.
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