By now, you’ve seen replays of the brawl between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida International University (FIU) during Saturday’s game in which the ‘Canes won 35-0. It’s unclear how the brawl started and why it escalated so quickly. The two teams and their respective leagues are suspending 31 players who were involved in the melee. Some of the suspensions are for an indefinite period of time. Two FIU players have been dismissed from the team.
I understand that in the heat of battle, things happen. But there comes a point when a player must control his aggression on the field. Celebrating in the end zone is a no-no, and taunting the crowd afterward is an even bigger no-no. So is swinging your helmet at an opponent’s head. So is stomping a player lying on the ground or lifting him and slamming him to the ground. This brawl was an embarrassment, not only for the players but for their universities, their fans and for college sports. Each player should be harshly disciplined. I’d suggest kicking them off their respective football teams, but then I don’t think Miami or FIU would have enough players to play out the rest of the season.
In addition, the coaching staff and players should be required to participate in separate mandatory behavior management sessions covering topics such as anger management and how to respond appropriately to trash talk and trash behavior.
What is sad is that this kind of behavior isn’t confined to the college or amateur ranks. It has also gravitated toward the professional teams, just as it did several weeks ago when defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth from the Tennessee Titans stomped on Dallas Cowboys' center Andre Gurode, who needed 31 stitches on his face.
Yes, football is an aggressive sport. But it doesn’t have to be a violent one.
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