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Meyer Missed Golden Chance

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By ANDY STAPLES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 9, 2007

GAINESVILLE - Urban Meyer missed a golden opportunity this past weekend.

This has nothing to do with any timeout the University of Florida coach didn't call as top-ranked LSU drove for the game-winning touchdown. In fact, it has nothing to do with any decision made during the game.

Meyer had a chance Friday to make his life easier for the next few years, but he thought short-term instead of long term. And what, you ask, does the know-it-all sportswriter think the national title winning coach should have done?

He should have sat senior safety Tony Joiner.

This is not intended to pile on Joiner, who - by the glut of media coverage alone - has suffered plenty since his arrest last week following his attempt to retrieve his girlfriend's car from a towing company impound lot without paying. It also isn't an indictment of the Eighth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office, which sped through an investigation before dropping a burglary charge Friday and reinforced the perception - fair or unfair - that Florida football players get special treatment.

Forget all that. At this point, whether Joiner got away with a crime is a message-board debate between Florida fans and their rivals. And, as State Attorney Bill Cervone said last week, the investigation got fast-tracked because of the aforementioned glut of media coverage.

Meyer should have benched Joiner to save himself more headaches. Think about it. Nine of Meyer's players have been arrested or cited since the Gators won the national title, and each one of those issues has distracted Meyer and the team. If all those impressionable freshman and sophomore Gators had seen Joiner, before his arrest a captain who had started 19 consecutive games, standing on the tarmac waving at them Friday as they took off for Baton Rouge, La., one thought would have raced through their minds.

If Coach made Tony sit for the biggest game of the season, what the heck would he do to me if I screwed up?

The knucklehead quotient would have dropped to almost zero. Players would have gotten the shakes had they moved within 100 feet of anywhere that could later be described as the wrong place at the wrong time. Guys who did keg stands suddenly would have organized Pictionary nights - when they weren't home reading the Bible, of course.

Joiner's backup, Dorian Munroe, is an excellent young player who probably would have performed admirably against the Tigers. But football coaches trust known commodities, and Joiner is a known commodity, so he played Saturday.

Meyer stripped Joiner of his captaincy, which surely wounded the senior's pride. Meyer also said in a statement Friday that Joiner 'will pay a heavy price for his behavior internally for the next four weeks.' That could mean he will get up early and run stairs or wind sprints, which is the type of punishment Florida fans usually expect Florida State coach Bobby Bowden to hand down when his players run afoul of the law.

Wind sprints won't make today's players think twice about their actions. Elite athletes can handle tremendous physical pain. Sitting them against Eastern Michigan State Tech A&M for the Deaf is equally ineffective. Taking away a scholarship - another Meyer tactic - probably helps, but sitting a player for a monster game is the only way to ensure everyone gets the message.

The player will know how much he let his teammates down. He'll also know he missed a chance to wow NFL scouts. His teammates will understand the consequences and make mental notes never to put themselves in a similar situation.

So maybe next time a Gator decides to take something without paying, Meyer will consider sitting him. It probably won't alter the outcome of the next game, but it probably will alter the behavior of every other player in the program.

UF SHORTS

HONOR ROLL: Florida volleyball player Marcie Hampton was named the SEC offensive player of the week. The senior outside hitter averaged 5.5 kills a game last week in wins against Kentucky and Tennessee.

SOUNDBITE CENTRAL: "We just wanted 30 seconds more.' - Florida QB Tim Tebow, describing the final drive of the Gators' 28-24 loss at LSU on Saturday.

LOOK OUT FOR: CBS has exercised its six-day option for the games of Oct. 20. The kickoff time of the Florida-Kentucky game won't be announced until Sunday.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Which of Florida's four remaining SEC games concerns you most? Go to TBO.com, keyword: Gators to vote and monitor results.

BLOG BONUS: Florida football coach Urban Meyer used his open dates effectively his first two seasons in Gainesville. How he uses this one may determine whether the Gators will repeat as SEC Eastern Division champions. To read more, go to TBO.com, keyword: Gators.

Andy Staples

Reporter Andy Staples can be reached at (352) 262-3719 or astaples@tampatrib.com.

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