Everyone is to be excused for believing that the Gators football program existed within the broader UF community. The Tony Joiner incident has demonstrated the reverse: The UF community falls within jurisdiction of the Gators football program. What is good for the program trumps what is good for the greater community.
Meyer's statement that Joiner would not play if felony charges were not dropped or reduced is not a tough position taken by a team coach, but rather a subtle threat issued by the chief executive of the program. "Hey, GPD and Watson's Towing! Joiner won't play this weekend if you don't get with the program. It's on you," he seemed to say.
Nice leadership. By the way, where is the voice of the UF administration? Joiner's actions may have been by more of a moron than a felon, but the lesson for local power politics will certainly not be lost on the 50,000-person class.
