I laughed when I came across the above photo of Geno Hayes in a vulnerable, fetal position during the Noles season opening loss at Clemson. It made me wonder if Hayes did a similar crouch after being Tasered by Tallahassee police last Friday outside Potbelly’s bar.
Seems Hayes and teammate Joe Surratt were out raising a little pre-weekend hell on a Florida State off-week. Surratt was hit with a felony count of battery on an officer and misdemeanor chargers of disorderly conduct and resisting an officer without violence. Hayes took it a step further and faces three misdemeanor chargers of assault on an officer, resisting arrest without violence and disorderly conduct.
According to police reports, Hayes was lurking outside the hell hole dive bar, shirtless and trying to get back inside. He was restrained by quarterback Drew Weatherford and others while “screaming profanities and waving his hands wildly”. A bar employee told police Hayes was involved in an “altercation” inside the bar and his crew was trying to take him home.
As an officer tried to calm Hayes, he allegedly broke free from his friends, running towards the officer with fists clenched and yelling threats. Once down on the ground, Hayes continued his attempts to break free and was shot with the Taser. At this point, Surratt tried to play the role of hero, rushing up on the scene. When he refused the first order to back away, he was physically pushed back and hit the ground.
In an effort to arrest Surratt, the air cast-wearing fullback decided the best play at the time was to punch a cop square in the mouth, splitting his lip.
As of Friday night, both players were suspended indefinitely until a full review of the case. By Monday morning, Bobby Bowden laid down the law by demoting Hayes to second team. Hayes is bar none the Noles most talented linebacker and with #22 Alabama on the docket this week, no way in hell Saint Bobby takes a stand with a season-defining game on the line and it’s hardly the first time we’ve seen such cowardice out of this man who is oft praised for his ethics, morals, faith and what not.
Ironically, it was two different out of control Noles linebackers in the summer of 2005 who decided to raise a little off-season hell. A.J. Nicholson was arrested for DUI the previous February and was arrested and Tasered in June when running from officers outside a Tallahassee bar. A month later Ernie Sims was in hot water over domestic dispute charges against a live in girlfriend. A witness told police Sims “slammed her to the ground”, straggled her and “repeated shoved her back to the ground” when she tried to get up.
Both Sims and Nicholson were immediately suspended at the time of the incident, yet both were on the field Labor Day for a season opening 10-7 win over Miami. Bowden joked off the fact that he doesn’t suspend players for big games and caught no flak from the media in 2005 for his laid back approach. One can assume the same will happen two years later with Hayes and Surratt.
Bowden’s Noles went 7-6 last year, just like Miami – yet starter the season in the top 20 while the Canes started unranked. The old man continues to get the benefit of the doubt, but it’s time to call his ass out. Coach, you’re a Biblical man, right? Ever come across the passage saying, you reap what you sow? Look it up in Galatians if you need a refresher.
Bowden isn’t attempting to please a ‘sinful nature’ here, but turning a blind eye by recruiting talented players who lack character – it’s all starting to come full circle for this lack of a disciplinarian. Florida State has been in a boatload of hot water this decade and conversely, that’s when the wheels started falling off. Five-loss seasons became the norm and local police have been working overtime taking down CrimiNoles since this program started backsliding in 2001.
Many of us Miami folk are considered conspiracy theorists or rather thin-skinned regarding the perceived media bias against the Canes. The U seems to take grief for anything and everything, while other schools get away with murder. Case in point, the lack of discipline up in Tallahassee these days versus the NCAA contacting Miami regarding – of all things – interviewing recruits on the sideline during game day.
Let me get this straight. Florida State catches no flak suiting up a linebacker eight days after being Tasered and arrested on a slew of charges, yet Miami hears from the NCAA when local media members interview recruits at a Thursday night game, because “other” schools complained.
Still, forget Miami for now. This is about Florida State. Bowden and athletic director Dave Hart should be ashamed of themselves for how they’re handling this current situation with some roughneck players. Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.
Bowden has turned a blind eye way too long and I’m praying for some serious redemption. I want the old man to go out with a whimper regarding how he’s run that program with a “win at all costs” mentality – actually “lose at all costs” these past few years. Any respect I had for Bowden is long since gone. I’m tired of the old man’s charade. He’s absolutely full of it and he’s working the media every time he opens his mouth.
I hope the Canes absolutely kick the Noles a new ass on October 20th. Miami is doing things the right way, while Florida State continues to operate by their own code. If there’s any justice, The U prevails in Tallahassee a few games from now.