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?

In reply to by boliver46

WWTSD

May 26th, 2015 at 5:11 PM ^

You know damn well that wasn't even close to what I was saying.  I said he reacted to something she did.  As I put very plainly his reaction, even if it was a spur of the moment, emotional refllexive action was something he couldn't do and was wrong.  I also called his suspension right and something he earned.

I called it a shove because that is what it looked like on the video.  Nothing more nothing less.  It is grainy so it is possible it wasnt' a shove but that is what it looked like.

Don't go around passing bullshit just because I say this is not on the level of other examples brought up.  It ain't right but it's not the other stuff either.

In reply to by boliver46

4godkingandwol…

May 27th, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^

... forgot about that one.  I do think York's crime is much worse, though.  Not saying if that happened at OSU to a starter (or at UM to a starter) it would result in the same outcome, but the severity is an order of magnitude worse.

Danwillhor

May 26th, 2015 at 1:29 PM ^

is a great follow. Florida might be the worst state in the union. I call it the "2nd chance state". If you were born in Florida then your parents weren't. It's where you flee when you've worn out your welcome everywhere else. It's basically where hope goes to get raped by demons.

luvmesumblu

May 26th, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^

  "Chairman George McCaskey defended the move, saying that he got all the assurances he needed from McDonald's college coach (at Florida), Urban Meyer."

The Bears messed up.  Period.

 

 

Lawyer12

May 26th, 2015 at 10:38 AM ^

How about we realize that this man has never been convicted of anything. I am an attorney in Santa Clara County and I am familiar with the facts of his case, and the procedures in general. If they had evidence to support her claim he would have been prosecuted.

JMac

May 26th, 2015 at 10:40 AM ^

I have people who have worked under me that come to work do their job well and then go and do bad things.  If someone asks me what can I say about them and I report they came to work on time performed well and were an asset in the work place then am I a bad person for not focusing in on their actions apart from their job?  Most charachter issues bleed over into the work place but when violence is part of your job it is hard to say as a coach "He plays a little too aggressivly."  The Bears knew this guys history.  Urban doesn't need to tell them that.  He probably told them what his experience was with him at Florida.  Hasn't Michigan had players who were great while in college and then transformed into idiots after going pro?

mgobobb

May 26th, 2015 at 11:13 AM ^

we can't say much and I'm not counting the Gator Bowl.

 

Maybe this is the year?  Gotta play a near perfect game like Bo and team did in '69.

Pelini's Cat

May 26th, 2015 at 11:28 AM ^

I mean frank Clark did the same thing so let's slow down here. Is he a slimeball? Yeah probably. Is he the worst person in the world? No. This is the world of athletics that we live in. Anyone who thinks any team is 100% clean is being naive. Now, obviously domestic violence is awful, but you can't always hold the coach accountable for "not seeing it coming". They spend almost no time with these kids out in their everyday lives.




Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

michelin

May 26th, 2015 at 12:47 PM ^

Suspension ultimately comes from them, not the coach, as was the case in college for Urban.  In any case, McDonald's earlier incident was questionable and no charges were ever even filed.  After the November incident, which raised suspicion again, the 49ers did promptly get rid of McDonald--in fact, even before he was arrested.

lilpenny1316

May 26th, 2015 at 12:53 PM ^

I assume Harbaugh could've benched the guy anyway, but do you see that sitting well with the Players Union?  At any rate, he was eventually not charged (not same as innocent) for the offense.  

Also, he was only being investigated for the one offense while he was still playing, which he was not charged for.  The other was in the offseason after he called the police because his girlfriend pulled a gun out on him.  

The team was finally smart to release him after the third offense in December.

michelin

May 26th, 2015 at 12:34 PM ^

At Fla, much evidence of crminal wrongdoing was initially hushed up.  So, the public did not widely learn about the extent of wrongdoing until much later---especially after Urban's former player--the now convicted murderer, Hernandez--was arrested.  It can take a while to realize the true character of Urban's players.  Also, is it so far fetched to believe that  stories of player misconduct are being buried in Columbus as they were in Fla?  As I recall, the RB Dunn was found with drugs in his car, his GF implicated him in a video, but nothing came of it.  Are the Columbus police are any less beholden to the FB team than were the Fla ones?

Also, I wonder if/when the Fla police will finally get around to questioning Hernandez about a yet unsolved (and still being investigated) drive by shooting there many years ago.  It was perpetrated by a man fitting the description of Urban's ex-TE.  I wonder if Urban will be called as a witness---since he was told of the incident.  He did nothing after Hernandez refused to speak with the police.  As Hernandez second trial approaches--the one for a double murder--I am sure we will hear a lot more about his past and possibly the conduct of Urban.  

DomIngerson

May 26th, 2015 at 7:13 PM ^

From ProFootballTalk. Link below.

A witness to the shooting does not identify Hernandez by name, but the witness said the shooter was a “‘Hawaiian’ or ‘Hispanic’ male who had a large muscular build, stood about 6-foot-3 or 6-foot-4, weighed about 230 or 240 pounds and had a lot of tattoos.”

Here’s the relevant portion of the police report: “As they were waiting for the light to change, the Hawaiian football player and Reggie Nelson walked up to their car on the right side. Then without saying a work [sic], the Hawaiian pointed a small handgun in the front right window and fired five quick shots. [Randall] Cason saw [Corey] Smith slump over with blood coming out of the back of the head, at which time the Hawaiian and Nelson took off running towards McDonald’s.”

Cason later explained to police that, earlier in the week, his brother had gotten into an altercation with several Florida football players. Hernandez, Nelson, and Mike and Maurkice Pouncey had been in a Gainesville nightclub on the night of the shooting — even though Hernandez was still only 17 at the time.

According to the police report, Hernandez declined to talk to investigators, invoking his right to have counsel present.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/03/massachusetts-authoriti…

oingoboingo

May 27th, 2015 at 8:55 AM ^

I'm not sure where this falls in the spectrum of "employment" law since college athletes are not technically employees but my guess is that there is a correlation. 

By (company, and subsequently personal) rule I cannot discuss anything other than attendance and verify employment of a current or former employee with any potential new employer. 

The Bears knew what they were getting ...

Meyer's track record at Ohio State has been better than it was at Florida. Will it be perfect, thats an unrealistic expectation on any campus .. we all know that.

Focus on beating him on the field and stop caring for whatever has happened or will happen off of the field. 

buckeyejonross

May 26th, 2015 at 1:26 PM ^

Ray McDonald? The guy Jim Harbaugh said would play all year despite domestic abuse allegations and significant public outcry? The guy Jim Harbaugh coached for three years? That one?

michelin

May 26th, 2015 at 4:02 PM ^

Urban Meyer and Character Witness are in the same category as:

·   Clearly confused

·        Act naturally

·        Deafening silence

·        Pretty ugly

·        Definitely maybe

·        Alone together

·        Random order

·        Original copy

·        Open secret

·        Appear invisible

·        Wake up dead

·        True myth

·        Naturally strange and

·        Noticeable absence

 

All oxymorons.