OT: Urban Meyer, Character Witness

Submitted by BursleyHall82 on

As you've probably heard, Ray McDonald of the Bears was arrested over the weekend for what appears to be a despicable domestic-violence incident. The Bears are rightly being criticized for signing McDonald in the first place - knowing his past - but according to this article, "Chairman George McCaskey defended the move, saying that he got all the assurances he needed from McDonald's college coach (at Florida), Urban Meyer."

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/5/26/8659539/chicago-bears-ray-mcdonal…

Way to go, Urban Meyer.

Aaron Hernandez; 31 player arrests at Florida; and on and on. Why would any mother send her son to play for this guy?

IB6UB9

May 26th, 2015 at 10:10 AM ^

Since his time at Ohio State has his team done much more then kick our ass and win a National Championship?  I agree the time at Florida was suspect but it was the time at Florida.  I keep waiting for the stink to follow but my popcorn bowl is almost empty here.

MaximusBlue

May 26th, 2015 at 1:58 PM ^

My main point of in response to the "The Game" as far as since Urb took over is that if we were in a couple nail-biters with the inept coaching of Hoke and Co. at the helm. Harbaugh and this staff can and will beat Urban. Multiple times.

Bodogblog

May 26th, 2015 at 12:12 PM ^

Well there was that time that he gave all that bullshit to the top in-state recruit with a ludicrous story about not knowing his RB coach was leaving.  The kid was on the fence even the night before, reportedly told Harbaugh and his HS  coach he was coming to Michigan, then saw Jimmy took another RB in the morning, and committed to Ohio State.  He mentioned the other RB as something that affected him.  Given that, it's a near certainty that had Meyer (or his RB coach) been honest with the kid that morning, he'd be at Michigan.  But they lied to get what they wanted. 

This is not murders and violence, but it's an indication of Meyer's priorities. 

Prince Lover

May 26th, 2015 at 9:55 AM ^

These guys can't not hit a spouse. Hasn't any of them heard you can punch a wall or two. Hell, throw a lamp against the wall, it's fun to watch it shatter. Anything but hitting another human being.

sadeto

May 26th, 2015 at 10:26 AM ^

Here in NY, that can get you arrested as well, if done in anger in the presence of a spouse or children. Doesn't mean you'll face charges, but the police are under instructions to defuse domestic situations involving any violence at all by arresting the perpetrator and sorting it out later.

Miami Maize

May 26th, 2015 at 6:33 PM ^

We all recall the universal meltdown on this board last fall when Frank Clark was arrested for domestic assault.  That's because it was OUT of the norm, not something this fanbase is used to.  I don't care which recent coach we talk about - even Rich Rod - didn't purposely tilt his head the other way to invite thugs.  Even Demar Dorsey. 

Enter Urbz and stick him in that same scenario at Florida, and Clark's arrest would have been just another day at the office for him.  The only reason this MF hasn't yet been cited and busted at Toilet U is because (1) he is savvier about finding ways to mask Carlos Hyde kind of incidents to make them less "severe" and (2) the AD and admin staff there are just better than their peers at Florida in manipulating the NCAA in seeing things their way.

It's a matter of time before Urbz is exposed for the bottom feeding grime he actually is.  I take nothing away from his abilty to coach and recruit.  He's among the best.  But would I want my kid learning life lessons from him? Fuck no. 

kb

May 26th, 2015 at 10:05 AM ^

what is Urban supposed to do? Talk bad about a former player? I'm sure any coach in America would be positive about their former players, law-breaking or not.

BlueKoj

May 26th, 2015 at 10:30 AM ^

Yours is a very strange view to me. Coaches throw current players under the bus in public. I'm not sure why you think they wouldn't and haven't been critical and not positive in private conversations about former players. JH was allegedly not helpful to a couple at Stanford. I'm sure it happens fairly frequently (perhaps even when not deserved). 

Hill Street Blue

May 26th, 2015 at 10:21 AM ^

at best, or a complete fool at worst.  He's wasted one of his organization's most valuable assets -- a draft pick -- on a known bad actor, apparently based on his college coach's "assurances".  Sure, his coach will give the straight skinny, yep, no problem.  

No wonder the Bears have so many organizational problems.

BlueMan80

May 26th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^

The Bears picked up Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator.  McDonald played for Fangio at SF.  So, Fangio was also a character witness for McDonald and pushed the Bears to give him a chance.  I suspect his recent experience meant more than Urbz college experience.  The Bears are switching to a 3-4 defense and need someone like McDonald on the team.  Football needs may have overruled character from the start.  I bet that's the last time Ryan Pace pleads to give a guy a second chance with the Bears.

Golfandskibum

May 26th, 2015 at 10:28 AM ^

The problems at Florida kept happening long after Meyer left. I'd make a case Florida has a culture problem. Comparatively, meyer has had few incidents at OSU.

WWTSD

May 26th, 2015 at 11:12 AM ^

He said few not none.  None would be impossible for any program.

I can't see what you posted cause my work has filtered it, but assuming its the video of the "incident".  Maybe it' just a link to a news story. Either way my point is the accurate.

EDIT:  took this out as it obfuscated my point which was that this is not an example of Urban coddling felons.

Urban still suspended him for a quarter of the season for not walking away.  Geez, what an asshole.  He must be losing control of his program.

boliver46

May 26th, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^

I cannot disagree as I do not follow the Buckeyes as closely as apparently you do.  However, this is yet another incident involving violence against women in the past of Mr. Urban Meyer.  Suspending him 3 games (creampuffs all) is nothing.  If anything, it saved Mr. Hyde from a few extra hits and punishment and saved him for B1G season.

Sorry - but he should have been dismissed from the program.

buckeyejonross

May 26th, 2015 at 1:33 PM ^

To further my "Wow" because it's so ridiculous. You are suggesting that suspending a player for three games despite no charge or conviction is actually worse than not suspending him, because the player doesn't have to play football and thus is not subjected to the physical toll playing three football games entails. That's your argument, as I understand it?

Wow.

boliver46

May 26th, 2015 at 3:26 PM ^

you criticize Harbaugh for playing McDonald despite the legal process NOT being carrired out.

No - you clearly didn't understand what I'm saying.  He is on FILM striking a WOMAN.  He should have been dismissed.

All of Urban's "punishments" (Dantonio as well) typically are get out of "jail free" cards.  OH NO!  He has to miss spring practice!  Oh no!  He's going to miss playing against Northwesteastsouthern Tech!  His punishments mean they miss nothing meaningful.  Classic Urban.

 

boliver46

May 26th, 2015 at 3:30 PM ^

if you don't think Columbus PD had any sort of "undue influence" on the pursuit of charges, then I don't know how to help you (except finding you a cooler to poop in).

In reply to by boliver46

Golfandskibum

May 26th, 2015 at 5:29 PM ^

Just stop, boliver.  You're embarrassing yourself.  Everybody who watched that hyde video knew 3 games was probably too harsh for what happened.

You act like he Ray Riced her or something.  Suspending someone 3 games when he was never even arrested or charged is more than enough.

In reply to by boliver46

WWTSD

May 26th, 2015 at 3:08 PM ^

As a Buckeye fan I'm sure I follow them closer than you do.  But it sounds to me as if you have no idea what actually happened.  If you did I doubt you'd say that he deserved to be dismissed.

I think Urban got it right even without any charges being filed.  Some crazy chick (who may have dumped a drink on him) takes a swing at you in a club and you respond with an attempted push back (which may not have even connected) does not lend itself to a dismissal.

He shouldn't have even attempted to shove her back and he was dead wrong for it.  It's why he got suspended for 3 games.  You just can't do that even in the heat of the moment as a reflexive reaction.  But to categorize it on the level of a DV assualt ( and we all know we think of battering a woman when that charge is leveled) is wrong.

boliver46

May 26th, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^

was just a few years ago. This same incident in today's climate would have had much greater outcry.

And you seem to be defending his rights to hit her by connotating the victim as "asking for it".  Not sure that is your intent, but if so - shame on you.

WWTSD

May 26th, 2015 at 5:24 PM ^

What part of his actions were wrong (something I said clearly) equate to defending his rights to hit her?

I also never said she asked for it, but that according to the video it looked like he reacted to something she did.  I'm sorry but that observation while true does not equate to asking for it.

Despite your spectacular choice of an Avatar, your take on this is shitty.  I'm saying that while this isn't cool it is definitely not on any sort of level with an actual assualt or domestic violence charge that you seem to be linking it to (ie Greg Hardy, Ray Rice...) by saying he should have been summarily dismissed. 

As for you timing comment.  You are probably right.  Had it come right now there would be more scrutiny and media coverage on it.  I think, though I may be wrong, that with the viewing of the video (and the fact that the allegation stems from what we see on video and not something else later) that this would have ended up going down about how it actually did.

boliver46

May 28th, 2015 at 1:14 PM ^

Some crazy chick (who may have dumped a drink on him) takes a swing at you in a club and you respond with an attempted push back (which may not have even connected) does not lend itself to a dismissal.

 

You have highlighted the "victim" as crazy, and even as a "chick" thus denigrating her status as a person.  You then highlight an alleged trigger (dumping a drink on him) and allegedly taking a swing at him (again circumspect argument).  

You are basically calling her names and then defending with a "well she started it" argument.  We can agree to disagree as I will never ever take the side of someone who tries to hit or physically "push" a woman (outside of a life-threatening situation).

michelin

May 26th, 2015 at 2:36 PM ^

for lack of discipline of Hernandez and concern over multiple recent OSU arrests, Urban was finally prodded to show his "toughness".  He issued a 3 game suspension (and only for cream puff games vs the Buffalo Bulls, SDSt Aztecs, and Cal bears--the last place team in the Pac10).   Also, the suspension was not just because Hyde did not, as you suggest, "walk away" from a spat with a girl but because he was caught on videotape hitting her; and because the media was all over this. 

WWTSD

May 26th, 2015 at 3:12 PM ^

The videotape is very ambiguous.  It looks like more of an attempted shove because SHE SWUNG FIRST.  I'm not even sure the push connected.

Regardless, he shouldn't have done that even as a reflexive reaction.  You just have to walk away in that instant.  He didn't and got what he deserved.  I just can't put this in the Ray McDonald, Ray Rice, Greg Hardy Hall of Shame.