Miami-FIU brawl

[gueman]

I just watched the brawl on YouTube. It was the Miami "home" broadcast. My question: Who was the guy they called "Lamar" -- apparently a color commentator -- who was cheering UM on during the fight?

"That's what I'm talkin' about! You come into our house, you should get your behind kicked!"

"Why don't they just meet outside in the tunnel, after the ballgame, and get it on some more?"

Wow. Who IS this guy?

Former Hurricane Lamar Thomas. Apparently the guy thought he was only on locally. He wasn't...

People have lost jobs in broadcasting over far less then what he did, I expect he'll be looking for work soon.

Found this on espn.com today....

Comments made by TV analyst and former Miami player Lamar Thomas during a sideline-clearing brawl involving the Hurricanes and Florida International will be edited out before the game is replayed later this week.Bruce Feldman's blog

Thomas may also lose his job with Comcast Sports SouthEast, a regional cable network available in 5.5 million homes.

"We will take appropriate disciplinary action," CSS general manager Mark Fuhrman said Monday. The network will replay the game Wednesday.

Thomas made his comments as dozens of Miami and FIU players stormed the Orange Bowl field and fought during the third quarter of their teams' game Saturday night, an incident that led to the suspension of at least 31 players and forced officials from both schools to publicly apologize for the melee.

"Now, that's what I'm talking about," Thomas said as the brawl raged out of control. "You come into our house, you should get your behind kicked. You don't come into the OB playing that stuff. You're across the ocean over there. You're across the city. You can't come over to our place talking noise like that. You'll get your butt beat. I was about to go down the elevator to get in that thing."

Monday, on the Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio, Thomas said he got caught up in the moment as a former Miami player.

"Anybody who knows me knows I played the game of football with my heart on my sleeve," Thomas said. "Unfortunately for me during the fight I got a little hyped up. In no way do I condone fighting."

Miami and Florida International have campuses 9 miles apart in Miami-Dade County. It was the first meeting between the two programs, and the Hurricanes went on to win 35-0.

As the fight slowed, Thomas' comments continued.

"I say, why don't they just meet outside in the tunnel after the ball game and get it on some more? You don't come into the OB, baby," Thomas said. "We've had a down couple years but you don't come in here talking smack. Not in our house."

A tape of the fight, including Thomas' comments, was available on the Internet on Sunday and Monday. The game was available for viewing Saturday night on a pay-per-view basis.

"We do not support or condone any of the comments that were made by Lamar," Fuhrman said.

Thomas was a third-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1993 and spent six seasons in the NFL, three with the Bucs and three with the Miami Dolphins.

He has a Gainesville address, but there was no listed telephone number for him in that area. He could not be reached Monday.

Fuhrman said CSS will consult with Miami officials before determining what action should be taken.

"The university recommends talent for the broadcast, but we ultimately will make the decision," Fuhrman said.

Hell it's a wonder they don't edit out the fight.

[bterreson]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JWeE9KqZjQ

its about 1:45 in or so..

[HedleyLamarr]

Whoever #26 is for Miami needs to be kicked off the team permanently. You should never be using your helmet as a weapon.

Add Miami's #19. Stomping on a player when he's down is a low blow.

Stomping isn't as bad as using your equipment as a weapon. But still, these players should get at least a couple games suspended.

If I heard correctly, Miami's Reddick (#26) has been suspended indefinitely. That's a decent start.

[Fred T. Jane]

The classiest school in Miami (Not that that's a hard title to obtain or anything considering the competition)...

http://www.fiusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?...p;ATCLID=652978

FIU Announces Disciplinary Actions Following Football Incident

Courtesy: FIUSports.com

Release: 10/16/2006

Miami, Fla... As a result of the altercation during Saturday’s football game versus the University of Miami, Florida International University has elected to suspend 16 football players indefinitely and dismiss two from the team, announced FIU Director of Athletics Pete Garcia on his first day at the helm of the Golden Panthers’ athletics program.

Garcia and FIU head football coach Don Strock elevated the punishment leveled by the Sun Belt Conference and commissioner Wright Waters following a meeting and thorough review of available video footage. The additional sanctions were announced during a press conference Monday afternoon.

The conference initially handed down a one-game suspension to 18 players due to their involvement in the incident, to have been served during FIU’s game at Alabama on October 28, following the current bye week.

The 16 FIU players to serve an indefinite suspension are: Michael Alls, Scott Bryant, Roland Clark, Michael Dominquez, John Ellis, Cory Fleming, Reginald Jones, Robert Mitchell, Quintin Newman, Luis Pena, Jarvis Penerton, Julian Reams, Lionell Singleton, Samuel Smith, Mannie Wellington and Chandler Williams.

These student-athletes will be continuously evaluated and monitored on their conduct in the classroom, on campus and in the community. Any reinstatement will have to be earned by each student-athlete on an individual basis. Reinstatements will have to be approved by Garcia and Strock.

Two football players have been immediately dismissed from the team, however they will still retain their full scholarships as students at FIU and will be provided full services of the FIU Student-Athlete Academic Center, including advising, tutoring and academic progress reports.

In addition to the aforementioned penalties, all 18 students cases will be referred to FIU’s Student Judicial Affairs and all 18 students will be required to:

· Complete 10 hours of anger management counseling,

· Be placed on athletic probation for the remainder of the academic calendar year,

· And fulfill 50 hours of community service intended to educate South Florida youth on appropriate behavior at athletic competitions.

FIU’s entire football coaching staff and team will also be required to complete community service projects to be determined.

[HedleyLamarr]

Hell it's a wonder they don't edit out the fight.

Thomas has been fired.

[Jimmy!]

Whoever #26 is for Miami needs to be kicked off the team permanently. You should never be using your helmet as a weapon.

Add Miami's #19. Stomping on a player when he's down is a low blow.

Stomping isn't as bad as using your equipment as a weapon. But still, these players should get at least a couple games suspended.

If I heard correctly, Miami's Reddick (#26) has been suspended indefinitely. That's a decent start.

I think in this case, it's tomatoes/tomatos. Using a helmet as a weapon and stomping a guy with your cleats when he's down is malicious no matter how you slice it.

[HedleyLamarr]

That's true. There was a whole host of problems in this brawl.

But in the grand scheme of things, swinging your helmet (or a bat, or a stick, etc.) during a brawl should receive the stiffest of the penalties, while those that are at least using their own bodies shouldn't be as severely penalized. Though, in both cases, stiff consequences are in order.

[EatSleepJeep]

Thomas has been fired.

Good.

[lambertjr]

Both teams are at fault. The players who are on video and can be identified fighting should be suspended for the rest of the season. if not longer.

It was bad for both schools,but worse for UM because of their national following.

I do believe the coaching staff at Miami is on it's way out. I hope they will bring back butch davis.

FIU should be commended for the way the have made the punishments more harsh.

[NJTank]

Both teams are at fault. The players who are on video and can be identified fighting should be suspended for the rest of the season. if not longer.

It was bad for both schools,but worse for UM because of their national following.

I do believe the coaching staff at Miami is on it's way out. I hope they will bring back butch davis.

FIU should be commended for the way the have made the punishments more harsh.

FIU has done everything correctly here with punnishments Miami should take a lesson, Coker still has to go at the end of the year too. THese are happening all the time with this team plus incidents with guns in the offseason.

[jkrdevil]

Ok I just watched the video for the first time here are some thoughts.

First off, now I really can't wait until Miami comes to College Park in November. That's going to be a fun game to go to.

2nd: Is there any thing more than to run in there swinging your helmet and the stomp and kick someone when they are on the ground? If you are going fight at least "man up" and fight someone your own size and is ready and willing to fight you. And don't use a weapon like your helmet.

3rd: As far as the commentator goes my question is based on his linguistic skills how did he get the job in the first place? I would think if you are going to hire someone to speak on television you might hire someone that can say a complete sentence. I'm obviously am not a big grammar person but if you are on TV you should speak in a more professional way, it's different than having a casual conversation with a friend. It shouldn't surprise me though FOX has employed Tony Siragusa for a few years now and he is the same way.

Also as a color commentator aren't you supposed to try to be remove and act as a third party? Of course I could be wrong and he could still be an active member of the Miami and the ?our house comment? would be correct in that context. I doubt it though. Finally he shouldn't promote and cheer on players rushing the field swinging their helmets and stomping other players. I would think that would be pretty obvious. I guess not. It's a good thing he got fired.

As for players involved heavy suspensions and the players who went around stomping people and swinging helmets should have their scholarships revoked.

The Miami program has been fostering players with huge egos and behavioral problems for years

It not just Miami it's all the Florida schools. It seems like every year a bunch of Florida State players get arrested before the bowl game.

[-Helix-]

Ok I just watched the video for the first time here are some thoughts.

First off, now I really can't wait until Miami comes to College Park in November. That's going to be a fun game to go to.

2nd: Is there any thing more than to run in there swinging your helmet and the stomp and kick someone when they are on the ground? If you are going fight at least "man up" and fight someone your own size and is ready and willing to fight you. And don't use a weapon like your helmet.

3rd: As far as the commentator goes my question is based on his linguistic skills how did he get the job in the first place? I would think if you are going to hire someone to speak on television you might hire someone that can say a complete sentence. I'm obviously am not a big grammar person but if you are on TV you should speak in a more professional way, it's different than having a casual conversation with a friend. It shouldn't surprise me though FOX has employed Tony Siragusa for a few years now and he is the same way.

Also as a color commentator aren't you supposed to try to be remove and act as a third party? Of course I could be wrong and he could still be an active member of the Miami and the ?our house comment? would be correct in that context. I doubt it though. Finally he shouldn't promote and cheer on players rushing the field swinging their helmets and stomping other players. I would think that would be pretty obvious. I guess not. It's a good thing he got fired.

As for players involved heavy suspensions and the players who went around stomping people and swinging helmets should have their scholarships revoked.

The Miami program has been fostering players with huge egos and behavioral problems for years

It not just Miami it's all the Florida schools. It seems like every year a bunch of Florida State players get arrested before the bowl game.

Two schools constitute "all the Florida schools"? It's usually just the Criminoles and the Canes.

The biggest suprise to me is that it looks like there were more than 10 people at a Miami game.

[jkrdevil]

No I just used Florida State because they are by far the worst. Certaintly the other Florida schools have had their share of problems.

It also isn't something that is confined to Florida schools, it just seems they have a lot of problems. Personally I think the NCAA should adopt a policy that if you get arrested your scholarship is revoked. Take it out of the coaches hands who are under pressure from some of the most pathetic people on earth, err boosters.

[Fred T. Jane]

If you're to believe the WWL, Florida International has done nothing in response to the incident, as it's all Miami all the time. Not shocked or anything, but just pointing that out.

[agentrygraphics]

What I found slightly humorous is that if you watch the bottom of the screen during the brawl...some FIU players walk down to the bottom of the screen and start talking and shaking hands with some Miami players. You have to completely ignore the brawl, but on the wideshots when you can see the most of the field...it appears some players are using the brawl as an opportunity to talk with friends on the other team.