Amnesty for Thugs!

I'm sure you all saw the fight two weeks ago between the Miami Hurricanes and the Florida International Golden Panthers. I predict that you'll see more of the same if the kind of discipline now in play continues. Coach Coker came to Miami a few years ago, saying that he wanted to remove Miami's image of a thug school. Now, he has chosen to perpetuate that image.
First the facts: it was an extra point attempt by Miami and replays were unclear as to who threw the first punch. Both benches cleared and some players used helmets as clubs in the melee. Florida International has kicked two players off the team and suspended 16 indefinitely. Miami has given thirteen players community service assignments and given twelve of them a - get this - !!1-GAME SUSPENSION!! that they served against Duke last week. All of them are now eligible to play against Georgia Tech. That's not a punishment - it's a day off from a game against a push-over team.
Bear Bryant, who understood discipline and enforcement of rules, once suspended Joe Namath from the National Championship game because he broke a few team rules. Broadway Joe credited that action as the best thing ever to happen to him and went on to a highly successful professional career. Today, the Bear is dead, beyond all stretches of the imagination. The players who brawled against Florida International have suffered no meaningful discipline. They will go on to lives of thuggery and may get arrested for brawling off the field. One of them may go to the NFL and become the next TO - a hopeless Narcissus who has never done a thing wrong or suffered a consequence in his life. Rest in peace, Coach Bryant.