Media Feeding Frenzy III

ESPN's Chris Fowler's take on the Miami-FIU Brawl and subsequent Media Frenzy:

I know the topic has been slaughtered in the 24/7 sports media "feeding frenzy." That's the phrase Miami president Donna Shalala used, and it is one of the things she's said this week that I happen to agree with. I've got just a few thoughts, then I'll move on.

I guess that I shouldn't be stunned by the legs this story has grown, given the ingredients: violent video replayed over and over (although apparently not often enough for Shalala to screen it as of Wednesday -- Donna, it's been on YouTube.com a dozen times … not hard to find); a program that polarizes fans with it's checkered past (emphasis on past); and the slow and somewhat feeble response by the "U" to the uglier incidents in the brawl. Throw in some immature, poorly thought-out comments by my pal Lamar Thomas on the small-time cable telecast of the game, and you've got the makings of national moral outrage that just won't quit. At least until the next hot-button, time-filling issue comes along. (T.O., what have you got for us, my friend?)

By the way, it's a shame that more in the national media hasn't shown this level of instant outrage about slightly bigger issues -- like Katrina victims being left to suffer or war casualties, for example.

A guy swinging a football helmet at another guy wearing one is crazy behavior. One game is not a long enough suspension for Anthony Reddick. Miami finally realized that. But banished from football for life? No way. I like and respect many of the people who have expressed outrage, like our columnist, Gene Wojciechowski. But Wojo, kick Reddick and Brandon Meriweather off the team forever and forfeit the win over Florida International? A little strong for me.

And Florida International is being given a relatively free pass by most of the national media because, well, it's Florida International. Most out there didn't know there was a school named FIU. It is one of six winless teams in Division I-A. Miami makes a juicier target, even though an FIU guy ignited the whole thing.

This is a fight on a football field. Sure, it was ugly and embarrassing, but it wasn't the first and hardly will be the last. And for fans of any other team out there, don't think this is a "Miami problem." It could happen to any team. Really. Mix in a frustrating season, a trash-talking opponent and a blatant body slam of a puny holder to start things rolling, and the potential for this kind of ugliness exists at just about every game involving every program.

Michigan, Notre Dame, USC, Florida, any of them. It's a fine line between the barely controlled violence in a game and the sudden outbreak of mob violence on the field. It just takes a spark.

Throw in the fact that the climate in Miami has included much speculation that Larry Coker is a lame duck -- and that all on the team are aware of that and have their own opinions -- and you have the extra ingredient that just might contribute to the loss of rational thought when the brawl ignites.

This is longer than I meant to go on. So I'll wrap it up with a couple of humble suggestions.

• Leaving the bench to get involved in a fight should carry an automatic suspension with it. Every guy who leaves the bench gets suspended, even if that's 50 players. Suspensions could be served in a rolling fashion, to preserve the schedule. But every guy would have to pay, minimum one game, with punishments escalating for criminal stuff like stomping and helmet swinging. No one has explained to me why this wouldn't work. Examine the tape of the brawl, book any number who comes off the sideline to fight. Officials have a chance to manage a brawl involving 22 men. Not 122. Hockey outlawed bench-clearing brawls successfully. If hot-tempered guys from the backwoods of Ontario can learn to fear and respect the rules, it can work in college football.

• Miami and FIU should cancel next season's scheduled meeting. Bag it. They don't need to play anyway. The rematch would just recycle the footage and lead to the one-year anniversary media frenzy. South Florida does not need this matchup.

There, that's more than enough. Back to football.