There seems to be a press conference forming at OSU
Urban Meyer's wife Shelley arrived, and there are a few mentions that the alumni house is gearing up for a press conference today.
Also, I learned that Clark Kellogg is a trustee.
August 22nd, 2018 at 5:58 PM ^
Dr. Michael Drake has a history of firing popular and unpopular people and facing the legal music (UCI controversial firing and re-hiring Law School Dean Chemerinsky in 2007, OSU long-time band director Jon Waters in 2014.
Of coure, firing Urban Meyer is a completely different category of whoa.
But Drake seems to have some integrity, and a pair of testicles even when the knives are out.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:27 PM ^
haha, you said "academic reputation of OSU". Good one.
August 22nd, 2018 at 5:52 PM ^
My only theory on this is that he is connected to Urban Meyer's camp. A guy running their 247Sports site probably has connections to the coaching staff like Sam Webb does. But there are other examples of guys who run pay sites who push unsourced insider trash to feed their subscribers.
I still don't believe his reports considering there is nothing coming from anyone else.
August 22nd, 2018 at 5:54 PM ^
This Bucknuts guy seems like a real piece of work. Predictably.
August 22nd, 2018 at 5:55 PM ^
I think my favorite part about this is the crowd for the Def Leppard show at the Schottenstein Center is starting to show up.
August 22nd, 2018 at 5:58 PM ^
So, the meeting gets out just in time for all the Buck fans to Pour Some Sugar On Urban . . .
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^
Nope, it will be "Bringing on the Heartbreak!" or "Armageddon It!"
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^
What has 7 arms and sucks? Amirite?
trying to think of a better band to perfectly encapsulate the people, the situation, and the timing.....
Nickleback? ICP? A Nickleback tribute band?
nope, Def Leppard wins
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:38 PM ^
Very odd comment, I'm not sticking up for def leppard, but in my opinion - WRONG - you lose, stupid post. "Amirite" I remember "Vegas Vacation" too.
Stick to the football. I rushed home from work to see this post? I'll check back tomorrow on the situation.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:05 PM ^
It’s ok buddy, just trying to get a chuckle. Sorry I failed you. Let me get on that seppuku and see if I can make up for my transgressions.
tl;dr lighten up Francis
August 23rd, 2018 at 4:17 PM ^
No problem, I obviously don't post a lot. Joke went right over my head.
GO BLUE!
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:14 PM ^
Zach Smith is doing Love Bites karaoke as a warm-up
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:20 PM ^
I'm not hopeful. What's coming out on Twitter is that besides this president standing alone on his hill, no one else in the room wants to suspend him for even 1 quarter. Who is going to win here?
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:23 PM ^
If the president is willing to die on that hill, in the end, the football program may win but OSU's education reputation will take a major hit.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:41 PM ^
they have an education reputation?
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:05 PM ^
Yes. They do.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:26 PM ^
Shot of the meeting room with OSU Board of Trustees, etc..
Not sure if that's Meyer in the upper right corner or not.
https://twitter.com/10TV/status/1032392416295145473
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:32 PM ^
I think that photo is from earlier today during the public session before they went into private deliberations.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:43 PM ^
No catering, no beverages, no laptops, no powerpoint, no one's on their phone. What the hell sort of meeting is this?
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:47 PM ^
That is why during on of the breaks Kellogg went to his car so he could get a book to read.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:49 PM ^
It wasn't. I think by law they have to hold a public session covering the meeting agenda before going to deliberate in private. I'm not sure they even stayed in that room after as they may have a separate private meeting area.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:42 PM ^
That one dude from bucknuts that keeps “leaking” insider info seems to think it’s a bad look for drake to be all by himself. I think it’s a worse look for the BoT and Meyer that there is only one person with a moral compass. Also I keep hearing people say that the board has power over drake, so if he truly is the only one holding it up, they can make their decision and he has no say. Most of this info being “leaked” just reeks of bullshit
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:45 PM ^
The people saying that (that the BoT has hiring and firing decisions over and above the president are clueless. Their recourse if they don't like the the president's decisions is to fire him.) FWIW, I don't think they'll have to if what is being reported is true-- he'll leave, shaking his head.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:44 PM ^
Looks as if Urbz is going to be reinstated without any type of suspension punishment. Michigan just needs to go down to the shoe and beat Meyer.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:53 PM ^
When Meyer is reinstated without any punishment I would love to see Drake resign.
August 22nd, 2018 at 6:56 PM ^
So would most of the OSU faithful, but not for the same reasons.
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:02 PM ^
So since I doubt any media outlet is going to talk about this inbreeding, and even though it borders on political...
Governor Kasich appoints members to the OSU board of trustees.
Urban Meyer publicly endorses Kasich over Trump.
Governor Kasich states publicly that Urban Meyer has been treated unfairly.
Board of trustees decides that Meyer has been treated unfairly.
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:06 PM ^
I was going to mention this earlier, but I have my doubts it is a factor. Kasich came out and defended Meyer, but what else was he going to do? Meyer probably has a higher approval rating in his state than him. Bashing the popular football coach is probably not a smart thing to do for a politician even if he thought Meyer deserved to be fired or had Meyer not been a supporter.
The Board of Trustees are pretty high ranking people from a variety of companies and law firms, etc. so I don't think they have to move with or answer to Kasich.
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:08 PM ^
Plus, Kasich isn’t up for election as governor this fall. He’s in his last few months in office so they would have no need to suck up to him or the reverse
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:18 PM ^
Kasich isn't done running for office.
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:24 PM ^
He’s done running for governor of Ohio, which is the only relevant office in this situation
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:35 PM ^
He could have just not said anything and let the process take its course. I'm not sure why he felt the need to jump in.
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:28 PM ^
I would assume that this means a decision hasn’t been made yet or he’s resigned/fired. If he’s clear of everything, I would think if he’s being reinstated tonight, he'd be staying for a press conference.
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:30 PM ^
I have a few John cena gifs locked and loaded in the chamber and wanted to use one
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:31 PM ^
That is interesting. It's still tea leaves, like all the rest, but new. And I have no idea what it means.
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
What a shit show. Hahahahaha. This is awesome.
August 22nd, 2018 at 7:55 PM ^
I have a friend in Columbus who is keeping me posted on local media. The sports guy for TV-10, their CBS affiliate, is Dom Tiberi. He's the leading local TV guy on OSU football coverage.
I've been told he was just on the local news, saying that this whole day has been mismanaged, that it is a media circus, and that it is all as bad as it looks.
Tiberi is of course a profound OSU loyalist; but just the basic handling of all of this makes Drake look terrible. No matter what happens, Drake is going to come out of this in tatters. Drake won't be saved by being lenient with Meyer and Smith. Drake won't be enhanced by punishing or firing them.
You know that old line, "You had just one job; ONE JOB!" Drake's one job, no matter what the outcome, was to conduct a solid, credible process.
And boys, let me tell you; I catch a lot of flak here for taking unpopular positions in which I have been suspicious of university/academic hearing committees and tribunals. I was suspicious of Brendan Gibbons' Title IX dismissal. And Torrance Gibson's Title IX dismissal. I observed the Drew Sterett case in court (which shone an ugly light on non-court proceedings). I linked you all to James Taranto's story on the Auburn student. There was the Duke Lacrosse fiasco.
Universities are some of the worst places in America, for substantive and procedural due process. It's bad, and it seems to be getting worse all the time.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:02 PM ^
Concern trolling, check.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
None of this would be an issue if Meyer left smith off of his staff in 2015...or 2016....or 2017....or for God’s sake not hiring him at all in 2012. Seriously blaming smith for trying to look out for the reputation of the university is pretty low. If Meyer is reinstated, there will be backlash. Public perception is more powerful than most think. Meyer being a horrible judge of character and leader of young men is what caused this.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:04 PM ^
I disagree that Drake comes out looking bad necessarily. If he basically throws the board under the bus and tells what many of us are suspecting based on reports (which is that he is the hold out) then he looks fine. If he is seriously the only one that wants to suspend or fire urban then he can easily come out looking just fine, if not good.
That said, we truly have no idea what’s going on in there. And to be honest, we may never know what’s going on in there. It may very well depend on the integrity of one man.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:15 PM ^
"(which is that he is the hold out) then he looks fine."
Looks fine to who? To you and me? Yes. To his customers and employers, probably not. Not talking about morality, but this does not make him look good except to most of the people that would really matter.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:20 PM ^
It might make Drake look better to future employers -- universities who do not favor the football coach over the university president. He may be looking past his current set of "customers and employers."
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:23 PM ^
Looks fine to literally anyone outside the OSU fan base, which is what is important. His career is much bigger than his current employer and this is very public. If he really is the hold out and does stick to his guns, then he is proven to be a man of integrity and would instantly be extremely marketable whether he keeps his job or not.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:33 PM ^
I get what you are saying, but I think this is a very biased opinion and what we want to hear. "Literally anyone outside the OSU fan base" doesn't feel that way. There are a lot of level headed sports personalities who think a suspension is stupid and, that if he didn't do something that rises to the level of a fireable offense, it would just looks like an appeasement tactic.
From my take, if it's true, I'm glad there is at least someone fighting for what they believe in. However, I think it's naive to believe that he won't be torn apart if he's the only one fighting for it.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:42 PM ^
My own personal bias maybe, because I have had to stand on principle. I was lucky and came out rosy on the other side. Sometimes you have to take a strong look at yourself and ask if you’re willing to take a stand. Personal integrity means a lot, even if there are many that won’t like it and don’t see it that way. I wouldn’t want to be associated with or employed by someone who didn’t see that type of action as positive. Maybe he feels the same way, I don’t know.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:34 PM ^
Drake's professional trajectory clearly indicates his presidency of academically mediocre Ohio State is a stepping stone to a high-level administrative position at an elite academic institution.
If he rolls over on this and lets the BoT not impugn and castigate Meyer then no elite academic institution will consider him for any high-profile administrative job.
If Meyer is on the sidelines for week one, then I doubt Drake will finish off this academic year in Columbus - he'll jump ship simply to avoid the stink of being associated with a university that regressively values football over the safety of women.
August 22nd, 2018 at 8:27 PM ^
I get it; virtue-signaling Michigan fanboyz want Meyer gone, and anyone who pushes that outcome is a hero.
But I am not even going there. I truly don't know what is going on in that conference room, and I don't think anybody here does either.
All that I am saying is that the process looks terrible. It looks chaotic. Like they are making it all up as they go along.
And without regard to the merits of both sides (Fire Meyer, Retain Meyer), Drake's one responsibility was to conduct a sound process. He's failed that, no matter what happens to Meyer.