You might be like that Wooly, but there is a large contingent of ND fans, many of them on this board (and to be honest, probably myself included), that would KILL other teams for letting Floyd 'off the hook'. It's absolutely true...go look at when other teams have off-the-field issues - the immediate joke is "Poor kid will have to site out the first series vs. Northwest Montana State." I'm guilty of it when it happens to FL kids (but they deserve it - Urban turned a blind eye plenty of times).
Now, as far as a one game suspension, we've already argued this point ad nauseum - I disagree with you that it's just a punishment to appease other teams' fanbases; He effed up and if the coach deems a one or two or 5 game suspension, then so be it. Don't drink and drive. But we don't need to go through that again (you can have the last word if you want to say a rebuttal; I won't rehash my argument) - I'm happy as hell that he's back for the whole season (provided he doesn't screw up). I get to go to one game this season, the opener, so hell yeah I'm happy!
I wouldn't call it a "large contingent", I like to call them the "Get off my lawn!" contingent. It's fine if you fall into that contingent, but what this group has never been been to explain to me is what a game, or five accomplishes? I always get the same "because what he did was wrong", "Just Because" or the the doozy of "What will the neighbors think?". None of these are good reason to punish Michael's teammates for his mistake.
I believe that punishment, by nature, needs to involve not only retribution but the person should also learn from it. Punishment for punishment sake is worthless to everyone. Michael is earning his retribution through community service, alcohal abuse classes and the sessions with people who have been hurt by drinking and driving. These aren't arbitrary duties. They are painful and time consuming. He is proactively making changes and trying to learn from the mistake.
Then there is the arbitrary game(s) suspension. He doesn't learn anything from that in which he didn't learn from all of the other things he is currently doing. He isn't being "let off the hook", he is actually doing more than 90% of the people who find themselves in the same situation. So missing game(s), especially at the beginning of the year, is not a punishment for Floyd. It is simply punishing the team for Michael's mistake. He will still finish the year the statistical leader in almost or all recieving categories. He will still be drafted. He will still become a millionare.
So what do you want? Do you want to put on the facade that we are "tough" on our players by making Michael sit? If we lost that game and we missed the national championship game because of it, who did you really punish? Not Michael, he will be a graduate and NFL football player. But you will be able to feel good about yourself and the rest of the team can take Michael's punishment for him.
I have and will never dog another team for dealing with a student athlete in the way that Notre Dame is handling Michael. If a student is not learning his lesson and not doing anything to improve himself and learn from the situation, then I would have a problem with that. The "Get off my lawn" contingent do not want Michael punished for Michael's well being, they want him punished so they dont have to explain these concepts to people who question it. Frankly, you guys care far too much about what others think of Notre Dame instead of simply wanting the University to do right by Michael and his future.