Atlanta Journal Constitution

eyer gave a proportional response. It's a two-bit punishment for a two-bit offense, and that's just as it should be. Given the same situation, no coach in America would have been any tougher. I understand not everyone will agree with that.

For those who want to take this as the latest evidence that Meyer is soft on crime, though, consider this: If you suspend every player who gouged, pulled, poked or otherwise did things they aren't supposed to during pileups, there would be no games played. We'd all have to spend Saturdays raking leaves.

That doesn't make what Spikes did right, but it's also the way the game is played.