Urban Meyer and Charlie Strong's "Core Values"

Submitted by Leaders And Best on

QB coach George Whitfield (the guy chasing Gardner with a broom a month ago) was touring Louisville's football facilities today and tweeting out highlights. This one was kind of interesting:

George Whitfield Jr. @georgewhitfield 7h

The best football programs have cultures that build young men... Like Ohio State & others, Louisville spells it out. pic.twitter.com/tPngdIm4qF

 

George Whitfield Jr. @georgewhitfield 7h

Here is Ohio State's "be the best man" doctrine.. #OhioState #CompleteMan pic.twitter.com/XJUXICTYef

I guess I always assumed these things were self-explanatory and not having to be spelled out like this. Seems like a pretty low bar for core values.

GRBluefan

June 17th, 2013 at 8:58 PM ^

Have to tell your team things like that you probably have some issues. Seems like it should be implied.

They might as well add NO MURDERiNG and DON'T RAPE PEOPLE to the wall.

goblue20111

June 18th, 2013 at 9:24 AM ^

Yep.  Not trying to excuse their behavior but a lot of these young men grew up with no fathers or positive role models of any type where values like this were not stressed.  It's all they saw growing up and I imagine college coaches, who most of the time are the first exposure to positive role models in these kids' lives, have a hard time breaking them away from it. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. And to be honest, I can see why people wanna hate on Meyer but Strong seems like a stand up guy.  Making fun of him for trying to mold young men? Comon now.  We should be applauding him for caring about their lives and futures and not just viewing them as another player who can get him a raise or a better job.

Leaders And Best

June 17th, 2013 at 9:45 PM ^

You are always going to have kids who make poor decisions or bad apples. I was making the point that the notion that having it spelled out in supersized font would change that is ridiculous. The type of kids a school recruits and how they deal with discipline probably has a bigger impact on that.

It's a university. Not kindergarten.

Tater

June 18th, 2013 at 11:26 AM ^

"Oyster monkey:" while the "idea that any program is above having kids run afoul of the rules" may, indeed, be "asinine," the real issue is what the coach does afterwards.  

If you are a Tom Izzo, and one player tells the police he sat in the same room and watched while another player sexually assasulted someone, you cover it up.  If you are Urban Meyer or Mark Dantonio, you give a lot of third and fourth "second chances" to "deserving players," for "minor" offenses like assault or domestic abuse.

And if you are anyone who has coached at the University of Michigan during the last fifty years, you give second chances for DUI or possession of pot, and get rid of those who commit criminal acts that put other students on your campus at risk.  

OysterMonkey

June 18th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^

I don't necessarily disagree with any of this. I'm not saying that there aren't coaches and programs that handle discipline better than others. Although I'm not one that thinks you have to have a single rule against which all discipline gets evaluated. I think it's the coach's responsibility to do what's best for the kid. But the kids on the team are from all kinds of backgrounds and what works for one might not work for others. I think coaches have to balance that against being evenhanded, but there won't always be an obvious right way to go.

But nobody here is arguing with me about whether Urbz is practicing what he preaches. They're all saying that none of the things written on the walls at OSU and Louisville should have to be said. Maybe in an ideal world these things shouldn't have to be said, but the prevalence of drugs, guns, date rape, etc. on college campuses tells me they do.

Uncle Rico

June 18th, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^

Love the Heady Topper gif.  

I will also be at the UConn game, where I'm expecting a 3 TD Win.  My only hesitation with that is that it could be a letdown game 1 week after ND in AA.

Cheers.

BlueBarron

June 17th, 2013 at 9:00 PM ^

"I guess I always assumed these things were self-explanatory and not having to be spelled out like this. Seems like a pretty low bar for core values."

Do you say that because you really feel like this is unnecessary, or do you say that because Ohio State said it and you feel the need to put them down for it? Because let's face it, if Michigan had this on a mural somewhere, many of us would praise it. Truth be told, not all young men honor these values, no matter what community you come from.

BlueBarron

June 17th, 2013 at 9:24 PM ^

I see signs that say "shoplifters will be prosecuted." At the zoo where I work there are plenty of "do not feed the animals" signs. Lots of schools have signs that say "no weapons allowed on the property." I mean, yeah, this sounds obvious. But they are rules that need to be established, regardless. Not all players are brought up through the greatest background and not all of them have made wise decisions. I can imagine some coaches bring in troubled students because they want to give them an opportunity to correct their lives.

Yes, a good person would see this wall as their own code and what they believe in. Even a troubled person would want to live by this. But we've seen time and again that not everyone is perfect, even if you want them to be.

Leaders And Best

June 17th, 2013 at 9:09 PM ^

Obviously it is more relevant because it involves Ohio State, but that doesn't change the fact that these are not core values. These are things by which most average human beings abide (the drugs one is a little debatable).

Do you also need one for:

1. Don't do anything stupid

2. Don't assault your fellow classmates

3.  Don't drink and drive

C'mon man.

oriental andrew

June 18th, 2013 at 9:55 AM ^

@BlueBarron: 

These are rules.  To call these things "core values" suggests that these are the things that represent what the organization is all about.  When they think of Louisville football, should the first few things that come to mind be, "no guns, no drugs, and treat women respectfully?"  That'd be like saying the first things that come to mind when you think of Wal-Mart should be "no stealing, no fighting with fellow employees, and no weapons."  

A couple of examples...

Whole Foods' core values are: 

  • Selling the highest quality natural and organic products available
  • Satisfying and delighting our customers
  • Supporting team member excellence and happiness
  • Creating wealth through profits and growth
  • Caring about our communities and environment
  • Creating ongoing win-win partnerships with our suppliers
  • Promoting the health of our stakeholders through healthy eating education

Not "don't do drugs", "don't bring guns to work," and "don't steal from us."  

The Michigan basketball team's core values are more succinct:

  • Unity
  • Passion
  • Appreciation
  • Integrity
  • Diligence

A core value is "Developing healthy minds, bodies, and spirits through discipline and hard work" and a rule supporting that might be "no alcohol, drugs, or smoking."  A core value is "Being respected members of the community" and supporting rules might be "no weapons" and "treat women with respect."  I think the "Integrity" core value covers everything on the Louisville and ohio state lists.  

Strong and Meyer are really missing the boat here.  

Hail-Storm

June 18th, 2013 at 1:57 PM ^

I think another good core value is to only drive in the left hand lane to pass. Otherwise get over. At the pool I go to, the main core value is to not pee in the pool. I think that'd be a good one to add as well

leftrare

June 18th, 2013 at 12:13 PM ^

A perfect summarization of the definitions of values and rules.  It's not just a matter of semantics, either, and there are other examples of thoughtless failure to examine the differences:

  • Good salesmen understand the difference between "features" and "benefits".  If they don't, or think they're synonymous, they really don't understand how to sell.
  • Good marketers understand the difference between "strategy" and "tactic".  If they don't, they fiddle their money away while their customer base disappears.