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Tebow: Dirty tactics just a part of college football
Updated 11/3/2009 6:28 PM ET
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — If he feels an opponent hit him with a cheap shot, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow says he usually puts up his hand and asks an opponent to help him up.

Asked if he put his hand up much in last Saturday's 41-17 win against Georgia, Tebow smiled and responded: "I probably did that more than once."

While the war of video tapes rages on, Georgia running back Washaun Ealey told the Associated Press on Tuesday that Spikes "shouldn't, I think, get suspended at all."

CAMPUS RIVALRY: Georgia player had a questionable hit on Tebow

The latest tape from CBS's coverage of the game showing Georgia linebacker Nick Williams hitting Tebow late found its way all over the Internet.

Spikes — suspended for the first half of Florida's 7:15 p.m. game against Vanderbilt on Saturday after video of him poking into the face mask of Ealey in the same contest caused a fury — was the first subject of video debates from the game.Now it's Williams and Tebow.

The SEC agreed with Florida coach Urban Meyer's decision to suspend Spikes and accepted the punishment on Monday. But just when the Internet slowed down, the Tebow hit picked up new steam on the worldwide web for a rivalry that has included controversy for three consecutive years now.

In 2007, Bulldog players stormed the field after the opening touchdown of a 42-30 Dawgs victory in Jacksonville. Last year, Meyer responded by calling time out twice late in a 49-10 Florida blowout.Now the two sides are heated over the video tapes.Tebow, who says Georgia players were also guilty of dirty tactics during the game, has shrugged off the controversy. In fact, he said late hits don't bother him at all and something he's actually grown used to.

"That's something that you don't need to talk about," said Tebow, who suffered a concussion on Sept. 26 at Kentucky on a clean hit.

"People, they want to do whatever they can to get an edge and that's happened a lot in college football and it happens more than people think. "It's just something you deal with, and something I've dealt with for four years. It's not something that I feel like I need to talk about or converse about because it's not … I love playing college football."

Tebow smiled and laughed after the statement, not willing to go any farther. Meanwhile, videos were burning up the Internet the last few days as fans from both sides sound off.

"I've never retaliated," Tebow added. "Sometimes I'll make a joke or something or put my hand up (after a dirty hit) and ask them to help me up. And, you know, they're thinking, 'Why would he ask me to help him up?' Then they'll just walk away. Most of time, they never help me up. I actually think it irritates them a lot, too. But I just laugh and walk away.

"I have my teammates help me up and get ready to go play another play. I'll never let that get under my skin. You've got to do a lot more than that to hurt me or dim my spirits. If anything, it will just fuel me a little bit more because I know if you have to do something like that, you're already really, really, really worried."

Posted 11/3/2009 6:24 PM ET
Updated 11/3/2009 6:28 PM ET
Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes reaches inside the helmet of Georgia's Washaun Ealey during Saturday's game. Florida coach Urban Meyer suspended Spikes for the first half of this week's Vanderbilt game for attempting to gouge Ealey in the eyes.
By Stephen Morton, AP
Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes reaches inside the helmet of Georgia's Washaun Ealey during Saturday's game. Florida coach Urban Meyer suspended Spikes for the first half of this week's Vanderbilt game for attempting to gouge Ealey in the eyes.