Urban Meyer: A Prediction
As we saw in Gainesville, when the heat is turned up on Urban he starts to crack. I see him losing four games this autumn and his health will become an issue when he makes a wrong turn on the way to the Horseshoe and winds up confused at a rest stop in Chillicothe. Attributed to a bad reaction to medication. His daughters plead with him to attend to his health.
And on the sidelines for opening day 2019...Matt Campbell.
August 24th, 2018 at 10:42 PM ^
If Urban loses one game a crazy oiho fan will say something bad about him on Twitter. Urban will kill the fan knowing he can get away with it. He then leads oiho state to another national championship
August 24th, 2018 at 10:43 PM ^
What if he really has early onset dementia?
August 24th, 2018 at 10:47 PM ^
No it’d be McMurphy or the Smiths fault at that point.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
I don't know who will ultimately get blamed, but it won't be the university. They did everything possible to look the other way and keep him as coach in spite of the obvious public relations blowback. The rest of the community pretty much expected that and has acted accordingly.
While this case started out as a simple firing for something that was personal --a protection order sought by Courtney Smith against her former husband for alleged trespass violation-- the argument from Buckeye fans is that Zach Smith was never arrested or convicted of any domestic violence-related charge, thus his dismissal was never really warranted. In fact, Smith is now contesting the very order that ended his employment at the school.
But this ignores the fact that in reaching that final stage of corrective action upon which he was finally let go by Meyer --reportedly the first time he ever fired any coach-- that at every prior level of response, family, coaching acquaintances, intervened with Courtney Smith to dissuade her from filing charges against her husband that might have put him jail and gone from Meyer's staff much sooner. .
So, it wasn't the fact that no charges could have been filed in the case, it was for one reason or another efforts were made to keep that from happening, either by happenstance of police incident reporting or deliberate attempts to prevent knowledge of certain details from being acted on and prosecuted.
All along the way, people chose not to report facts in order to enable Zach Smith's career at Ohio State, most especially his boss who was allowed to skip responsibility for his actions despite various excuses that even investigators found skeptical at best, and at worst were outright lies in the face of acknowledging his own poor judgment, something he ultimately could never accept himself.
So in the end, the blame lies with the lying legend himself and his community of enablers. They all belong to the same club.
August 24th, 2018 at 11:00 PM ^
I mean. You’re from Russia, you know how this works. Once you can no longer give to the people, you are sent to Siberia to wither away and die.
August 25th, 2018 at 1:13 AM ^
I thought that, too. My father had early onset dementia. Was living alone and managed to teach law at a prestigious university even as it came on pretty severely. While he forgot to ever get his mail or take the garbage out or even change his clothes on some days, he somehow was able to still teach for a few years until it got really obvious.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:07 AM ^
crap....you just described my father except for the clothes part.
August 24th, 2018 at 11:06 PM ^
I’m cross posting a little essay I wrote on one of the paywall sites because it covers this exact same topic:
****
It may not happen this year, but it wouldn’t shock me if this is the beginning of the end for the OSU dominance they’ve had.
As a general matter, empires—including football empires—often times do not decline at a gradual or incremental rate. That’s because to a large degree, they are often institutions of momentum. But the funny thing about momentum is it can also create some spectacular crashes.
I’m not saying the next few months will see OSU implode. It’s certainly possible if more smoking stuff comes out of course. But at the bare minimum, OSU & Meyer just absorbed a HUGE hit in terms of the their credibility and political capital.
It’s not yet to the point where the whole thing collapses and/or all the recruits start leaving. But OSU ain’t the only program that exists. At minimum it’s going to hurt on the margins. There are other elite programs just as good where uncommitted elite guys can go that are not complete basket cases off the field. And at least the other programs that have moral rot are better at maintaining plausible deniability.
So, puling top ranked guys just got moderately harder for OSU.
As other posters have said, if OSU drops a game or two—especially Michigan—we could see a VERY precipitous decline at OSU.
The goodwill Meyer had could erode quickly. Any toxic cultural problems within the locker room would proliferate rapidly. These kids at OSU have known almost nothing but victory. So too with their delusional and spoiled fan base. How do those react WHEN things eventually turn south?
Hint: NOT WELL.
Finger pointing, lashing out, and sulking will ensue, likely creating more self inflicted wounds. Key people will want to escape the toxic environment rsther than do the hard work of being honest with themselves, doing a thorough moral house cleaning, and beginning the rebuilding process.
I can’t promise you WHEN it will happen, or HOW exactly. But I CAN promise you that it WILL. It is the nature of all things. No tree grows to Heaven.
And in my view, the Ohio State trunk seems just about rotted to the core right now. If it wasn’t clear before that OSU has been sacrificing their roots and trunk for the sake of a few more feet of height, it should be amply clear now.
Hard Times create Strong Men.
Strong Men create Good Times.
Good Times create Weak Men.
Weak Men create Hard Times.
Right now, the men in charge of the Ohio State football and athletic department strike me to be a collection of very Weak Men.
Ann Arbor currently has a collection of Strong Men. Come November, I think it’s high time they go down to Columbus and chop some serious wood.
After all, no tree grows to Heaven.
***
August 25th, 2018 at 3:11 PM ^
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!
No Trees 'Go' to Heaven?????
This is so confusing...
Good thing Joyce Kilmer created his legacy and is now remembered as a man who lost his life in WWI in France representing our country and did not count on his Big Poem "Trees" to become famous. I wonder what he knew and when he knew it.....
BTW/Can anybody tell me what the holdup is on Joyce Kilmer's nomination/election to the BIG TEN POETS HALL-OF-FAME???????
He might be THE most famous Rutgers student of all-time besides Roy Scheider (JAWS) AND Chris Christie....
Bad week for Urban Renewal and Trees.....
August 24th, 2018 at 11:08 PM ^
I want to know what THE_KNOWLEDGE has to say. He is the only one I trust in such situations as he correctly predicted Meyer would become OSU’s coach when Tressel got fired.
Yes.
August 24th, 2018 at 11:12 PM ^
Meyer is not leaving
August 24th, 2018 at 11:12 PM ^
Meyer is not leaving
August 24th, 2018 at 11:21 PM ^
Every time he meets with the press and steps to that podium he is going to be badgered with unanswered questions raised by the report. Reporters are going to keep digging and are likely to find more. It's going to be a distraction. It's not going away, and it's just a matter of how much Meyer and the university can tolerate it.
I think it's enough of a distraction to make them not win the BIG, but I see them having a good year.
August 25th, 2018 at 3:30 AM ^
Sounds just like Izzo and Dantonio....except it went away and they're still there, strong as ever.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:07 AM ^
I'm not sure I'd say Izzo is as strong as ever...
August 25th, 2018 at 9:57 AM ^
True, but OSU gets constant, national media attention. MSU is back to mostly just local coverage.
August 24th, 2018 at 11:24 PM ^
Also, you know Harbaugh is going to have extra motivation to beat them because of this. I can see him having a Pete Carroll moment with Meyer.
August 24th, 2018 at 11:41 PM ^
Dumb thread and not original.
August 24th, 2018 at 11:52 PM ^
I think it would help Michigan if he stayed. He is damaged goods. A few upsets this fall and the house could crumble. Nobody wants to play for a school or a man that everyone in the free world hates. OSU made themselves a pariah.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:10 AM ^
The only bright spot here is that Meyer will never fully escape this cloud (outside of Columbus, that is). The scorn will follow him everywhere. And it will eat away at him - because he's been so determined to sell his bullshit holy-man values and cement his legacy. But his legacy as a mercenary asshole has already been cemented. Plus, he'll continually by dogged by more and more negative reports. He's clearly an angry, tortured dude, and he will eventually implode - just as he did at Florida. Raback it.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:16 AM ^
Karma is never coming for Meyer or Dantini. It is what it is.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:36 AM ^
If karma exists, it is going to have a field day with urban
August 25th, 2018 at 12:45 AM ^
I honestly don’t want him to leave. I want to beat their asses with him. No excuses. Oh lehh dooo ittttt
August 25th, 2018 at 1:56 AM ^
Urban Meyer is one of the great football coaches, and Ohio State players aren't out of control. They aren't going to lose 4 games. But --
Michigan *is* going to beat them! :)
August 25th, 2018 at 5:10 AM ^
I do expect him to retire sooner now. And could see the odds that he returns after 2018 being roughly 50-50. He didn't take negativity well at UF, either.
And my guess on Wednesday was that at least one aspect of the committee meeting's lennnnngthy deliberations had to do with Meyer threatening to quit that day and having to be talked off the edge while also needing to be prepared for a suspension.
August 25th, 2018 at 6:45 AM ^
Oh, he gonna crack. Wait till TCU, Penn St. and U-M jacks his team this fall. By the way, where has Herbie been in all of this? Not heard much lately...
August 25th, 2018 at 10:36 AM ^
Herbie was making excuses for him. Basically saying that he's so myopic and laser-focused on football that he doesn't have any room in his brain for anything else (like, say, human decency). Almost as laughable an excuse as his sudden "memory problems".
August 25th, 2018 at 7:20 AM ^
Instead of sex toys being shipped to the locker room, rumor has it that Ginko Biloba is now the most frequent delivery. Looking for ways to assist Pope Urban with dementia.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:59 AM ^
The world (outside of a few thousand dipship human beings) hates urban meyer today. It is going to be a lot of negativity for him to deal with as he moves forward this year and it will be coming at him every day. More shit will continue to come out as people/reporters, other than McMurphy, will start digging even deeper. I don't see him on the sideline next year either. It is just a matter of time before he steps down.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:08 AM ^
You know....I’d love for Jim to not speak with Meyer on the field prior to their game in November...just a giant middle finger to the domestic violence enabler.
August 25th, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^
Don’t forget Urbz trolled Jim at that coaches clinic earlier this year. Give him the Fuck You Jim Schwartz handshake after beating his ass.
August 27th, 2018 at 10:24 AM ^
Jim has more class than that...I think so.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:33 AM ^
He's already moved on. You all should, too.
August 25th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
If my team's coach had been suspended, investigated and subjected to national sportswriters' ire, I would be very worried about the effect of the very large distraction on my team. Not saying that they are going to tank, but I know I would be worried about it. And unlike Dantonio, I don't think Urban and the Buckeyes know how to play the "chip on the shoulder" card.
August 25th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^
The pressure will build again when Ohio State travels to Jerry's World to play TCU.
It is virtually guaranteed to be a College Game Day pick:
- Two ranked teams
- Playing at night
- On ABC
- And Meyer's first game back on the sidelines
The signs that show up alone should provide Emmy-winning entertainment. And you know the talking heads will find a lot to talk about concerning current events.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^
Meyer isn’t back until Tulane, he’s suspended for TCU.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:15 PM ^
Every time something bad happens at OSU MSU or PSU they seem reach new heights. If karma exists she has been asleep at the wheel for a long time.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:37 AM ^
I don’t think he’s goin to lose 3-4 games, I could see 2, however, I do think he’ll quit at the end of the year.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^
He was having an affair with a 19 year olds student and got caught by his sweet wife when he left Florida. He doesn’t mess with the co-eds anymore. I do see him losing to Michigan this year but I don’t know that that will keep him from the playoff.