Predictions re: ohio's Employment Decision for Meyer

Submitted by xtramelanin on

Mates,

I had asked this question weeks ago when very little was known.  A lot more has come out, and I get the feeling there is a lot more still to come out in the near future in terms of how broad ohio's investigation was.  In any case, now that we are further down the road and likely to know the results in a few hours, what is your prediction:

In the words of the immortal Richard Dawson, he of Family Feud fame, "Survey Says........!!!!"

FauxMo

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:21 AM ^

Two game suspension plus time served. He will make some kind of superficial change (made to sound meaningful) to his practices to go along with OSU's new "Really Serious Office for Not Doing Rapey Stuff to Women," and that will be it. 

ijohnb

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^

Suspended for Oregon State and Rutgers for something really vague.  “Failure to have proper personnel protocol in place” or something.  They can’t just reinstate him IMO, they will get killed for it.

MgoHillbilly

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:23 AM ^

I feel like we should just wait and see and stop predicting things. We all know that the powers that be don't care that those sex toys were being used by Zach and Urban with each other on campus. 

AC1997

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:25 AM ^

I think it will be a 2-game suspension for him, the AD will get slapped on the wrist, and some random staffers will be let go.  They don't have the guts to fire him and they know that the PR associated with doing nothing will be brutal.  So two games, he's back for their first meaningful football game.  

I also predict that within 2 hours of whatever announcement comes out that Brett McMurphy will post an interview with the staffer who was reassigned after the encounter with Smith that further adds to the bad PR around this.  

Oregon Wolverine

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^

 

OSU Death by A Thousand Papercuts = McMurphy.   

McMurphy smells blood and is not going to let this thing go.  When Urban insulted McMurphy's integrity at the B1G press conference, he challenged McMurphy to a death march and McMurphy accepted with glee.

The BoT has got to be concerned about what's coming next from him, and if anyone is going to organize to protest wrist slaps.  They know if they terminate Meyer, Meyer is going to air dirty laundry and the fans are going to burn High Street.

The only way to end this one day story (Meyer could have just said "no comment" to McMurphy but his ego wouldn't let him), is a golden handshake, and Meyer to give a speech that this is "the best thing for the school he loves..."  He know he'll be a legend in Columbus if he leaves now with a big pot of $$ and will get carried off the field this November in Columbus, even if he's not on the sideline.  

I predict wrist slaps and OSU Death by a Thousand Papercuts, orchestrated by McMurphy

Bando Calrissian

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:25 AM ^

He'll be reinstated, told to donate some/all of his 2018 salary to a domestic violence charity, and be formally reprimanded.

Ohio State will think this fair and compassionate, while everyone with a brain will see it for what it really is: An excuse to keep this guy on the sidelines because he wins.

Section 1.8

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:37 AM ^

Not sure where to park this comment, so I'll just put it here.

I honestly don't know what to think or predict because I feel certain that I don't know enough.  I am 100% convinced that if all I knew was what Matt McMurphy told me, I would not know enough, and I'd also be misinformed.

I like formal reports, and court hearings.  I don't like adjudications via college football message boards.  (Distinguishing "message boards" from the kind of amazing work that Brian Cook did in the fall of 2009 when the whole world wanted to think that because one reporter said so, Michigan football was guilty of a whole front page's worth of major NCAA violations.)

Can I just say what I am really looking forward to?  Public court hearings, with attorneys doing cross-examinations, and witnesses under oath and on the record, and particularly the September 14 hearing in Delaware County on Zach Smith's misdemeanor charge.

 

Ali G Bomaye

August 22nd, 2018 at 11:55 AM ^

There's a big difference between what is sufficient for a legal conviction, and what is right. That's particularly true in the areas of domestic violence and sexual assault, where in a lot of cases there's just enough he-said-she-said to fall short of guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt."

At this point, it's obvious that (1) Zach Smith abused his wife on multiple occasions, and (2) Urban Meyer knowingly tolerated it and sheltered him. I'm not sure what you're hoping the court would add to our knowledge that would tip the scales in one direction or another.

charblue.

August 22nd, 2018 at 12:00 PM ^

Really, you actually need to hear from Zach Smith in a court setting? About what, actually?

And in some kind of misdemeanor case you expect wide-ranging public testimony and the hearing to elucidate a certain truth about whatever? It's a misdemeanor case. He will plead to the charge and be done with it.

This is a procedural matter in a county courtroom.

What you need to know,about Smith can be easily determined by his behavior in this sordid scandal. He's untrustworthy, he's immoral, and he got lots of help to keep his job and details about his private activities and treatment of his wife from ending his career sooner than now. to ever tell the truth about himself or his actions.

So far, everything reported about his conduct, leads to the conclusion that he was motivated either out of  obligation or self-defense, and even then, he's lied about his behavior or not told the whole truth.

He apparently covered up a police arrest on a drunk driving charge with apparent official help because there is no other way to explain how you manage to keep that from becoming public if not known by those whom you work with. And that action of hiding that charge now serves as a likely key defense argument for his boss, who allegedly didn't know or was never informed.

But then the coach didn't know a lot of things going on in Smith's work and home life, which makes you wonder how he can manage a roster of players and run a program under the claim of having full knowledge of whatever takes place under his watch. It apparently only becomes knowledgeable to him when he has a need to know.

Something I don't much need of in Smith's case. I've heard all I want about him.

 

Section 1.8

August 22nd, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^

I want both of them in open court; and I especially want the accuser to be under oath and under cross-examination.  And she in particular doesn't get to claim any sort of reporter's privilege re: McMurphy, and so she can be asked, under oath, what she gave him and when and what it was and how she got it.

 

mGrowOld

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:26 AM ^

Nothing.  Meyer's position is he followed the terms and conditions in his contract and did nothing wrong.  And keeping Meyer happy is FAR more important in OSUville than any media blowback they might get for the next 48 hours or so.

We might not like it, the rest of the world may not understand it but that's what's going to happen folks.

charblue.

August 22nd, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^

Yes, it matters what others think because others won't forget how this school operates. We certainly won't, Not that this school has ever pursued the moral high ground when it comes to football competition, which explains, by the way,  why it has fired every coach of the program since Woody Hayes.

And today, It's almost laughable that a descendant of Woody's successor, who was fired for not winning enough, came to the rescue of his grandson Zach Smith early in his career under Meyer at Florida, and that Meyer's mentor connection to Earl Bruce is now perhaps the historical link in the chain of coaching dismissal there. You couldn't make that up if you tried.

It is correct to assume that nothing will change local perception of the coach and how the school handled this scandal. They will be glad and look back with disdain that Ohio State even bothered putting the coach on leave in the first place.

But you are wrong if you assume this won't leave a mark, period. You don't walk away from this and claim everything is the same or better without the stink staining your reputation among those you do business with and compete against.

If you take no action, what kind of integrity do you claim going forward? What is the value of posting core values other than what they are: empty platitudes that nicely cover a hallway wall?

Buckeye sentiment about this is mostly pitiless. Reading the commentary at 11W or the reports from the Columbus Dispatch are merely Ohio State pablum and propaganda that soothes their collective desire to kill the messenger and bury the victim. So, there is no lesson here other than winning football is the only game in town.

 

 

harmon40

August 22nd, 2018 at 5:54 PM ^

I'm not saying he ought to be retained. Just that he will be.

From OSU's standpoint, no mark will be left that they care about. Fans will be happy. Team will keep winning.  Stadium will keep filling. Recruits will keep coming.

What specific consequences will they suffer if Urban stays? I can't think of a single one that will matter to them - and neither can PSU.

 

zh2oson

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:27 AM ^

Urban attending the meeting tells you all you need to know.

This is 2018 parenting in a nutshell.

"Tommy, tell me what you did wrong. Ok...what do you think a fair punishment would be?"

ijohnb

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:36 AM ^

See, I think the info coming out about Meyer pressing back against any suspension is a plant.  I think if they suspend Meyer “over his objection” than it has the feel of a “real punishment” and gives them cover because it will appear they were hard on him.  I think that was gamesmanship by OSU and that it will probably work.

Ty Butterfield

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:27 AM ^

Nothing. Meyer has more power than the university president. Drake should start looking for a new job. 

rjc

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:30 AM ^

It's a long shot but I hope / kinda think Drake will do the right thing...  recommend firing him and resign in protest when the board overrules his decision.

 

 

house of pain

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:32 AM ^

He won’t get anything. Never expected him to. 

 

What is really going to bother me about this situation is when OSU fans inevitably chant his name during their first game. So twisted.