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Sunday, October 15, 2006

Orange Bowl Brawl

Video of Saturday's brawl between Miami U. football players and those from Florida International University can be seen here.

It's a disgraceful and pathetic scene, but despite professions of shock from everybody in the sportsworld whom I've seen or heard comment on it, I don't think anyone is really surprised. Big time college sports programs recruit semi-literate, semi-articulate non-students because they have the physical talent to win football and basketball games. No one should be surprised that out of every fifty such athletes a half dozen or so are genuine thugs.

There were at least that many players on the field at the Orange Bowl who should lose their "scholarships" and shouldn't play another game in the NCAA, and the announcer named Lamar, who seemed to warm so much to the action, should have just worked his last game in the braodcast booth as well.

The editor at the link has this comment:

The reaction of the Miami fans and organization might be even more shameful than the actual brawl. You have the announcer claiming he wants to go down the elevator and join the brawl. Quotes from Miami message boards include "I LOVED IT that may be the start of the U returning this will be a HUGE boost for recruiting", "we needed this in the worst way", "The reason we dominated the second half was due to the fight. Finally the players let out the emotion that has been controlled by a reserved Coker", and many more along the same lines. The fans in the Orange Bowl were cheering. The announcer wanted to leave the booth and join the brawl. Is this what Miami stands for? If so, the ACC should be redfaced that they were ever allowed to join the conference. Utterly ridiculous display by the Miami players, fans, staff and anyone associated with the program.

Viewpoint agrees.