More thoughts about osu scandal
After a day to digest all the crap happening in Columbus, I'm torn between jumping for joy for the frustration that fucking fan base is feeling or do I feel bad for the victim, the cover up of yet another scandal that rocks college football and this conference.
Aside from his personality and the fact he coached (coaches?) that damn school's football team, he is a talented coach. I've tried to have an opinion of whether we beat them any way we can vs. beating them when they (and us) are at our best. I was raised during the Bo/Woody era and I like competition. But then again....fuck 'em. My opinion seems to change once in a while on all that.
But a couple things came to mind during that time where I was caught between sleep and awake...
1. What sort of hit does the reputation of the B1G take, considering many sports writers consider us the strongest top to bottom conference and Meyer is one reason for it? He's raised the game of not only Michigan but other schools as well. Long term, is his dismissal good or bad for the B1G?
2. Who here thinks that there are other potential illegal/controversial/unsavory things going on with the walls of that program? (raises hand) So, there's other shit going on, but THIS thing is the one that trips him up and he gets his due regardless of which scandal takes him down. I say the greater good is served no matter HOW it happens, whether its tolerance of a coach's behavior, a player, a booster or an illegal recruiting practice or his past of questionable roster management.
What say you?
There is ALWAYS “more to the story ... “ as it’s usually just the tip of the proverbial iceberg that is ultimately exposed. Urban Meyer is a classic narcissist whose sanctimonious hypocrisy work because he’s a winner.
The question remains how many of those long submerged stories come to the surface before OSU can stem the ebbed tide?
My hope is that this victim is true to her pledge to that she will continue to forget to expose Meyer for what he really is — because she almost surely knows.
1) I don't think this really has anything to do with the B1G, but some people will say it does. A lot of us (most of us) (ALL of us) easily lump the SEC together with cheating. We also remember the old So What's the Charge conference (the former SWC, for you youngin's). These are situations where a certain few schools tipped the iceberg over, and now everyone is to blame. Some people will go that direction with the B1G. So what...
2) This will hurt OSU temporarily. But whoever they get to replace Meyer will be a top-notch coach that will win from the start. Whoever it is will have an excellent set of players, great facilities, a sold-out ~100K seat stadium with rabid fans (literally), fantastic AD support, and media flocking to prostrate anything positive. Harbaugh took over a crappy 5-7 roster and went 10-3 - don't think that OSU will appoint some schmuck that can't win with the bevy of 5* talent on that roster.
One other thing that bothers the shit out of me... I heard yesterday a bunch of talking heads extolling the virtues of OSU because they fired Tressel for simply 'lying' to the NCAA. The connection is that if they fire Tressel because he just lied to the NCAA, surely they'll cast off Meyer for his much worse actions. The problem with this is that OSU would not have fired Tressel for lying about clear violations of well documented NCAA rules to both the NCAA and his boss (the AD, Gene Smith) except for the little fact that it helped them avoid a show-cause. In fact, that 'virtuous' institution welcomed Tressel back with open arms and carried his cheating ass off the field in triumph.
Fuck OSU.
Zach Smith told his wife that if this ever all came out and he was fired, that he would take OSU down with him.
Perhaps there is a lot more to come still.
Folks, fair or not but Urban will most likely face a short suspension, fine, and official reprimand. The precedence is Colorado football 2016. Similar situation, but a little bit worst since the victim went directly to the head coach. That coach did nothing and still has his job to this day.
August 2nd, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^
"That coach did nothing..."
That's not my understanding of that situation. I read that he informed the AD like he was supposed to. So the situations are quite different.
I am not sure the narrative that this is just another example of Meyer doing anything to win holds up in this case. Zach Smith was just not that important to the success of Ohio State. Firing him in 2015 would have done little (nothing) to harm the prospects of the team. The root of this on Meyer’s part was most likely personal as opposed to professional. Smith’s connection to Meyer through Earle Bruce goes back to when Smith was a kid. It appears that Meyer’s long-term relationship with Smith led him to be way too loyal and provide way too many chances.
Do you think the motivation matters? Protecting Zach Smith to win football games makes him a grade A jerk. Protecting your friend, who is a bad dude, because your relationship clouded your judgement seems below grade A level – though still a pretty significant personal failing. If Meyer came out, apologized, and admitted to the second motivation would he keep his job?
August 2nd, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^
Brett McMurphy@Brett_McMurphy
Weird times: I was on @SportsCenter more today than my previous 5 years at ESPN
August 2nd, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
From Dennis Dodd at CBS Sports....
Urban Meyer's leave may become permanent at Ohio State as ethics must take precedence over football
What this all reminds me of is that literally any program could be next. I know we're all homers here and we like to think Harbaugh wouldn't stand for this shit happening in his program. But we would be fools, absolute complete fools, to think that something like this could never happen at Michigan. All it takes is one bad egg to ruin the whole carton.
As for the hit the conference takes, I don't think a very big one. At least not this year. Even if Meyer is let go, OSU is still top to bottom the best team in the conference, and easily the most talented and proven. They're still playoff contenders (this year) without him. Is it more of a longshot that they make it? Sure. But their talent alone is good enough for them to win 9 or 10 games anyway. I do think long term it could lower the bar in the Big Ten, but if he does indeed get canned, OSU will find someone good to replace him. They always do. I think it lowers the standard in the Big Ten, but not by much.
Urban "just call me Capone" Meyer