Thoughts From the Morning After: FSU 24 UF 19

Double Standard?

If a Florida State player had done to UF’s quarterback what Gerald Willis did to Jameis Winston on the sideline on Saturday– it would have been the lede on Sportscenter.

As it were, Willis’ indiscretion — one that cost UF 15 yards and saw him ejected from the game — didn’t even make the show.

“If I were still the head coach he would be kicked off the team,” said Will Muschamp after the game.

It was a bush league move, but also serves to highlight another one of the double-standards FSU has dealt with all season. If FSU had done this it would have become yet another piece of evidence in the ongoing case against Florida State. The ‘FSU-as-villain’ narrative would have been bolstered by such a visible — and egregious — example of bad behavior.

Or flip it again. Imagine it’s not even Florida State playing, imagine someone on another team had taken that shot at Tim Tebow. You don’t think ESPN would’ve talked about that? Here’s a player that’s not even in the game taking a shot at the reigning Heisman winner. At the very least, it’s buzz-worthy.

Not if it’s Jameis Winston. Or Florida State.

Apparently you can take your cheap shots at them with impunity from ESPN.

Next: Finally, Gap Control