McMurphy: Urban helped cover racially-charged practice altercation between Zach Smith & former Buckeye Trevon Grimes, OSU admits “interaction” but denies racial slur

Submitted by Bambi on November 13th, 2018 at 9:50 AM

charblue.

November 13th, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^

You act like what this guy did was normal behavior for any coach and was tolerated because there was nothing to see here so long as the team performed to expectations. Coaches leave and are removed all the time for various reasons, both personal and professional.

This wasn't the case of a guy who was so excellent in his job that firing him didn't make sense, no it is something else entirely, and if the previous evidence doesn't change any local perspective of how Meyer operates, it sure raises many questions about his management ability outside the bubble.

The fact is, the school is still protecting Meyer by failing to release documents sought under at least two public records requests that were either ignored or not followed up after suggestions that Meyer himself got advice on how to change phone settings to alter message retention, and it came after questions were being raised in stories that threatened the integrity of the program and university.

The third party investigative unit hired to perform the Meyer massage job never pushed hard to retrieve any documentation, the investigative findings only indicated that certain questions were raised and the information sought was never collected. And why? Because the university had no interest in pursuing that truth. It only wanted to cover itself to show it was doing something.

So, claim whatever solace you wish from that stunted case but don't tell me that nothing was found. Nothing was disclosed that they wanted anyone to find. And so it wasn't pursued. The school didn't really investigate anything. And the reason is that it didn't give the investigators authority to do that kind of investigation.

You Only Live Twice

November 13th, 2018 at 12:14 PM ^

The story is well balanced and presents all the nuances - there are no good guys vs. bad guys.  (Other than the kids).  The parents are not stellar characters (how does someone get hired to be a nurse at Cleveland Clinic after being convicted of systematically stealing from the elderly couple she once cared for?) Dad brushes with the law too, although they are both apparently more settled now.  Urban's part, in order to get this potential PR nightmare buried, not only pulls strings but has the wherewithal to fabricate a diagnosis in order to facilitate the player being able to leave and play at Florida.  That's some power and influence.  Where the story is strong is that McMurphy doesn't state the conclusion 100%, just lays out the facts and lets the reader decide.  They may not have committed fraud with the diagnosis but it is incredibly suspicious.  

WWTSD

November 13th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^

The story is well balanced?  He basically took an accusation by a ne'er-do-well father, one that wasn't in the kids life and used it to character assassinate everyone in the story, including his source all so he can go after Urban.

Players all say it is bogus.  Grimes himself liked Tate Martell's tweet that this is BS.  His mother says it is bupkus.  The principal of the high school where the meeting was at says nothing weird happened at the meeting (he was there).

This is literally a scorched earth attempt to go after Urban and Smith.

charblue.

November 13th, 2018 at 2:16 PM ^

OK, why didn't Grimes go back to Ohio State? That is the only answer not given here by any one connected with the school? Why did Ohio State, who was paying Grimes way there, why did they give up on the kid and allow him to transfer, and help find the means to make that possible?

That is the question unanswered amid all the denials. Why did the school send the head coach, the receivers coach, Grimes roommate midweek on a game week to Florida at the kid's former high school for a meeting with him, and spend $20k in doing so, and then fail to convince him to come back to school, no matter what Grimes likes on Facebook posts today.

The kid sent the story in motion. It is now just being reported. I get all the emotional entanglements which confuse the issue. But the central question still persists, if nothing happened, why didn't Grimes go back to Columbus, and why did they let him do that? That doesn't make any sense given the school's investment in the player and the effort they pursued in reaching out to him. If everything is cool today, why wasn't it that day? And why isn't he still playing for the Buckeyes?

Ask his former teammates that question, along with the staff and the university president. And then see what answers you get. Deny everything that's been reported and you still don't change the basic facts of the case as they are now, that Grimes plays for the University of Florida, not The Ohio State University. Everything else is prologue. And that is what McMurphy is really pursuing.

ijohnb

November 13th, 2018 at 2:56 PM ^

"Why didn't Grimes go back to Ohio State?"

The question could have a million different answers.  And Ohio State cannot really comment on any of them. 

"The kid set the story in motion."

??? The kid is not even quoted in the article.

 

WWTSD

November 14th, 2018 at 3:50 PM ^

Because his mom had/has cancer. She provided oncologists reports to the NCAA in order to qualify for the hardship waiver.

You have heard of kids getting homesick when they go off to college right?  Perhaps he was sensitive to that and then his mother gets sick.

It is just possible they went down there to talk with him about his future and support him in his choice.  The AD of the St. Thomas Aquinas says the meeting was a good meeting and nothing like what McMurphy alleges went down.  But I know, I know, Urban is the devil incarnat3e.

Every player that has responded has said the same thing.  This didn't happen. 

This isn't hard. 

 

core42

November 13th, 2018 at 10:27 AM ^

I wouldn't be surprised if this altercation came out during his previous Zach Smith investigation so he put it aside to finish the wife beating article then picked it back up.

As was said he's a freelance journalist at this point so he has time to cover whatever he wants so I wouldn't be surprised if he has more Zach Smith/Urban stories in the future 

Blau

November 13th, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^

Should Urban be held accountable for all of Zach Smith's actions during Smith's coaching tenure? The answer is yes. But since Urban has distanced himself from Zach Smith and admitted that he should have never had him on staff, nothing will come of things like this from a disciplinary standpoint which is complete crap. 

CalifExile

November 13th, 2018 at 1:46 PM ^

My key take away was this: "Trevon starred at St. Thomas Aquinas, which is among the nation’s top-producing high schools of college talent. Aquinas currently has 16 alumni on active NFL rosters, double more than any other high school in the country, and had 71 players sign with Power 5 programs in the past 10 years, easily the nation’s most of any high school."

It's hard to believe that IMG hasn't had more than 71 players sign with P5 schools over the last 10 years.

mGrowOld

November 13th, 2018 at 9:58 AM ^

Good Lord.  If you saw any of the sideline pics of Meyers this past Saturday it was pretty clear to me anyways that the man is definitely not well.  I've got to believe that between the issues the team is having, Zach's periodic twitter meltdowns, his health (allegedly) and knowing what he knows that I'm sure as hell he hopes nobody else finds out about, he's not sleeping much these days.

You've got to know there is more coming.  A LOT more and my guess is McMurphy will start releasing stuff the week of the game when the media attention is at it's highest.

Can't wait.

ijohnb

November 13th, 2018 at 10:20 AM ^

I actually think such a week would be an unpredictable and unwelcomed variable for the Michigan v. OSU game this year.  I think we are measurably better than OSU for the first time in quite a while and I think that attacks on the OSU program that week could have an "in a bunker" result on their actual players and their resolve.  Frankly, OSU does not seem "that into it" right now and I feel like increasing media attacks against them could spark their interest.

WolverineHistorian

November 13th, 2018 at 10:13 AM ^

Would that just fire up their players even more to help their coach and his "wonderful" character? 

Ugh.  I guess this just comes with being dead inside but every possible scenario in my brain always ends with OSU having everything work perfectly in their favor.  They're a Bond villain that actually kills James Bond, is successful at shifting the blame to someone else and continuing their evil ways. 

mGrowOld

November 13th, 2018 at 10:19 AM ^

Maybe so and I certainly understand why you'd say that but trust me when I tell you that down here things are very different this year.  Last week I listened to an interview with Eddie George on local sports talk radio about the current situation in Columbus and all he could say was "something's wrong".  He said he couldnt put his finger on what it was but there was definitely something going on in the program and it wasnt good.

Nobody down here is very confident about the game this year and that hasnt happened since about 2002.  There is very different vibe in the air with the fans and the program itself IMO.

This IS our year.