Catchafire

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:04 PM ^

I think he is confused.  People want him gone not because he liked but because he employed an individual he knew beat his wife.  Why didn't he fire him in 2015? Why fire Zach now?  What changed?

UofMfanINcolumbus

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:07 PM ^

From 97.1 the fan here in Columbus. Zack Smith will be on sportscenter at 6 p.m. it’s reported that he’s going to say Urban knew everything and is going to bury him. It’s a awesome day to be a Michigan Wolverine. 

Section 1.8

August 3rd, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^

wtf.

Now, Zach Smith has done the interview that so many commenters here expected would ruin Urban Meyer, and he has performed a nearly-comprehensive exoneration of Meyer.

What do you guys have to say for yourselves now?

I'm not claiming that Smith is a choirboy, or that Meyer is beyond reproach.  What I am saying is that message boards for rabid fans are often deserving of ridicule.

Erik_in_Dayton

August 3rd, 2018 at 6:52 PM ^

If your point is that message boards often contain baseless rumors, isn't that beyond question?

If your point is that Smith's statements do in fact exonerate Meyer, remember that he is protecting himself by protecting Meyer.  That doesn't mean he's lying.  But it also would be lazy to take what he says at face value and call it a day.

Section 1.8

August 3rd, 2018 at 8:41 PM ^

I promise you that I will not take what anybody says at face value.

Including Courtney Smith.  And including Matt McMurphy.

And right there, is the difference between me and about 95% of the fanboyz on MGoBlog and 11W alike, for obviously opposing reasons, respectively.

Goggles Paisano

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:08 PM ^

Really Urban.  Are you releasing this "genuine" and "heartfelt" letter at 5pm on Friday?  Seriously dude?  If you really meant it and weren't working this as a negotiating ploy, you would man up and release it Monday morning at 7am.  Everyone knows what it means to issue a press release at 5pm on a Friday.   

Ron Utah

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^

Here’s what I learned:

  • Confirmation that he lied 
  • No mention of or sympathy for the victim
  • Meyer believes that it’s okay to keep a dirtbag on his staff if he tells someone else he has a dirtbag 
  • He really hasn’t changed since Florida and is happy to throw others under the bus
  • His players should understand that abusing women is fine as long as you tell someone about it

Aspyr

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:18 PM ^

Legal/NCAA question: Say that Meyer does remain and the blame goes on OSU Athletic Dept - what kind of NCAA issues would they be facing for not taking action in a case like this?

Aspyr

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:35 PM ^

Zach Smith says he "never committed domestic abuse" in an interview with @1057TheZone.

Zach Smith on how Gene Smith found out about the 2015 incident: “I don't know this for a fact, but I believe the Powell Police Department contacted Ohio State—not Urban, but the university.”

Zach Smith: “I found out about the allegation [in October 2015] because Gene Smith told me. He said I had to be on the next flight home.”

Zach Smith, again on @1057TheZone on why he was terminated: “I don't think it was warranted. The problem was it was going to be unfair for the players, the fans, the whole university, to go through the media uproar.”

“I believe and still believe it was behind closed doors between a husband and a wife. It was not illegal. I never saw a police officer in any of these situations.”

 

theguy49503

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^

Pause. If he reported it like he claims he did in 2015 to his superiors, he wouldn't have waited a week and a half to resoind when the story first hit nor would he have lied at Big Ten media day. This dude is trying desperately to keep his job and sadly Ohio State University is going to do anything they can to help him keep it at the expense of the actual victim.

mackbru

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:25 PM ^

Notice how he tried to deflect the story by blaming the media. Then, in his statement, he admit he lied - but never apologizes for blaming the reporter and essentially accusing him of manufacturing fake news. Sound familiar?

GVSblue

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:25 PM ^

This whole "apology" is disgusting. What Urban Meyer fails to address is the fact that he failed to take action.

If Meyer was Smith's colleague, then it would make sense for him to pass it on to a superior.

Once it reached Meyer, his duty was not to pass it up the chain, it's to take action. Meyer had that authority.

The fact that he had that authority and doesn't seem to understand his obligations or duty is disturbing.

yossarians tree

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:39 PM ^

He seems to want us to believe that he told Gene Smith that he has a serial wife beater on his staff three years ago, and that Smith did nothing? We know why Meyer wanted to protect Zach Smith, but what motive would Gene Smith have to say, in a sense, "Okay, thanks Urban for telling me. Carry on." Okay, don't fire the guy. Just stop trying to find him a plausible cover-up because it insults our intelligence. The whole country already knows OSU is mentally deranged about its football team and sells out all principle to win. You certainly aren't going to convince us now. 

What are they doing now? Mocking up fake documents with 2015 dates on them? This clown show is now MSU-esque. Our rivals may be 5-1 over Harbaugh thus far, but at least we can take comfort in knowing that they are exactly as dumb, incompetent, and blinded by a lust for winning (especially against us) as we thought they were.

Monkey House

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:28 PM ^

I respect women so much i keep their abuser on staff so he can make money for his family. You're welcome. 

 

                                            Urban Meyer

Mongo

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:55 PM ^

Nope. Not under Title IX.  Both the AD and Coach are burnt toast. This OSU president is like the highest ethics guy on the planet and takes Title IX literally.  The independent board was, in hindsight, a shrewd move.  Well done President Drake.  Stanford grad so he is going to fry their ass, just watch. 

M-Dog

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:57 PM ^

It's slimy, but it will cover Meyer and Gene Smith's asses.

They can say "We have no expertise in the area of domestic abuse and are not qualified to make decisions about it, so we did the responsible thing and turned it over the the authorities that do this for a living.  They determined there was nothing there, so there was nothing to follow up on our part after that."

They can wash their hands of it, and walk away.

Meanwhile they knew exactly what was going on and enabled it.  But that's not what will matter.

Ghost of Fritz…

August 3rd, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^

No way.  Other excuses may work but not that one.

Smith is the AD.  He cannot credibly claim that he knows nothing about how to deal with Title IX situations.  That is literally his job.  Would be like a truck driver saying he does not know how to drive.

Meyer is the 2nd highest paid coach in CFB.  These guys get Title IX training/discussions every year.  He can't claim ignorance either.

StraightDave

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:35 PM ^

I never understood why programs like OSU attract the biggest d-bags.  Not just coaches but some of the players as well.  OSU has that douche vibe to it.  

UMinSF

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:36 PM ^

So there it is. Admit lying to media to save your job. OSU can suddenly "discover" he reported in 2015.

I am so sick of powerful people lying through their teeth. C'mon, he was so f'ing pretentious and adamant at the presser - it's impossible that he misspoke. Repeatedly.

And furthermore, he KNEW this would be the first question asked; he had to have prepared his arrogant and snide response.

The sad thing is it will probably work. 4 game suspension, and everything goes away.

I'm disgusted.

Mongo

August 3rd, 2018 at 6:01 PM ^

Not true.  He is the head coach and responsible for Zach Smith’s actions from a moral and ethical standpoint. He will be crucified in social media and beyond. OSU can’t defend the Title IX failures and the #MeToo implications. They are going to fire Urban and Gene Smith for conduct clause violations.  See you in court boys. 

WolverineHistorian

August 3rd, 2018 at 5:37 PM ^

Well, that's that.  I guess reinstatement and a raise are in order.  

The media can now have a few orgasms over Meyer's morals and then get back to the real issues, like Harbaugh's thoughts on chicken.