Why Meyer will Fail at Ohio
My friends,
I come not to question Urban Meyer's credentials as a football coach. At any other university I think he'd take the team right back to the top. But not at Ohio, and here's why.
Meyer has been followed by professional and ethical controversies (33 players arrested at Florida, quitting-coming back-and-quitting again, rampant rumors of an affair with a 23 year-old grad student, suspending Brandon Spikes one half for an eye gouge, etc.). Do you think Ohio will stand for that? Not a chance.
If we know one thing about that university and its fans, it's that winning is nice, but it's meaningless if you don't win the right way. Jim Tressel won games, but remember how hard the fans came down on him after they learned Maurice Clarrett was given illegal benefits? Tressel was lucky to keep his job, and Ohio fans are still reluctant to talk about the 2002 championship, ashamed that they won by cheating.
Who can forget Gordon Gee's response when Tressel's latest scandal broke? When asked if Tressel could be fired, Gee famously responded, "It's definitely possible. Winning football games will always come second to integrity at Ohio State." A maxim that administrators and fans have lived by for years, and one that will not be welcoming to Meyer.
Ohio further solidified their commitment to winning the right way in their complete and total cooperation with the resulting NCAA investigation. "If we did anything wrong, we will suffer the consequences that are justly coming to us," Gee said, and fans agreed. At no point did they try to coverup transgressions or skirt their responsibilites. And while it's true they lead the NCAA in infractions, that just means they have a great compliance program, somehow.
Ohio fans have long been known as the most humble, classiest fans in sports and I think we can all agree the title is well-deserved. We've all heard stories of Michigan fans being greeted with a warm welcome in Columbus, Ohio fans offering their finest microbrews to their guests from the north. These fans are in no way dead-eyed, slack-jawed, mouth-breathing sub-morons, equally proud of their GEDs and Truck Nutz. But I don't have to tell you that.
Woody Hayes once punched a kid in the throat, but it's not like they continue to deify the guy.
In conclusion, Meyer's shady tactics would play well at a lot of schools over the country, but not Ohio, my friends... not Ohio. With an athletic department that stresses honesty, integrity, and accountability, and a fanbase who would rather lose every game than sell out their principles, Meyer will not last long.
Eh... Maybe he'll be fine.
November 25th, 2011 at 12:42 PM ^
This is the same school that duped the BCS and Big Ten last year by getting their players to play in the Sugar Bowl.
Also, do we know for sure Meyer is the OSU coach?
November 25th, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^
If there were a button that indicated that I were rolling my eyes at your absolute inability to detect sarcasm, I would be using it right now.
November 25th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
Probably be locked out like all my other posts....
November 25th, 2011 at 12:44 PM ^
at sarcasm?
November 25th, 2011 at 1:01 PM ^
I was wondering the same thing. Pretty much take what he said, and make it an opposite. Come on people!
November 25th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^
I agree. Just unbelievable that people don't get it. Very good post Bobby. Loved it.
BEAT OHIO!
November 25th, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
...up to The Game. I hope he is as successful as Cooper! I want to stroll in to their dumpy stadium and beat an undefeated team. Sweet Buckeye tears!
November 25th, 2011 at 4:36 PM ^
Oooooooohhhhhhh, I can taste their inconsolable sadness!
November 28th, 2011 at 10:28 AM ^
Introducing Urban Meyer as the new Cooper 2.0! Now with upgraded features including RELIGION, ETHICS, MORALS, and TIM TEBOW!
November 25th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
Gordon Gee is also the one who said, "Let me be very clear. I'm just hoping the coach doesn't dismiss me." Gee is an idiot.
"Ohio fans have long been known as the most humble, classiest fans in sports and I think we can all agree the title is well-deserved."
I really have nothing to say to this....
November 25th, 2011 at 1:03 PM ^
Don't you think everyone who posts on this board knows what Gee actually said? Jokes on you.
November 26th, 2011 at 4:31 PM ^
Absoloutely everybody at this blog knows what Gee said. I think Mary Sue would say the same thing. Wouldn't any President ? After all didn't an MSU coach get his President fired for not allowing him to be Atheletic director as well as Head Coach ? That was BD ( before Dantonio ), of course. That would never happen now.
November 25th, 2011 at 12:52 PM ^
Do we need to post the definition of sarcasm?
November 25th, 2011 at 3:44 PM ^
...read on>
November 25th, 2011 at 12:58 PM ^
November 25th, 2011 at 1:24 PM ^
... because you destroyed my Sarcasm Meter. Now the needle is permanently welded down from the force at which it slammed to the right.
It was a damn fine sarcasm meter. Now it is ruined.
November 25th, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^
Well that's a shame.
November 25th, 2011 at 1:34 PM ^
I'm embarrassed by the majority of people on this blog who don't have a sense of humor.
November 25th, 2011 at 1:51 PM ^
But what could be funnier than the responses from those who thought he was serious?
November 25th, 2011 at 3:22 PM ^
agree more about the lack of a sense of humor.
November 25th, 2011 at 2:04 PM ^
"In conclusion, Meyer's shady tactics would play well at a lot of schools over the country, but not Ohio, my friends... not Ohio. With an athletic department that stresses honesty, integrity, and accountability, and a fanbase who would rather lose every game than sell out their principles, Meyer will not last long." - From The OP
This had me laughing hardest of all. Deadpan satire. Nice.
(It was satire, right?)
November 25th, 2011 at 2:26 PM ^
Well played, sir. Well played.
It's called SARCASM folks.
November 25th, 2011 at 3:00 PM ^
OSU stands for Obfuscating, Stonewalling, and Undermining NCAA investigations. They only fire people whey they make convenient scapegoats to possibly lessen the likelihood of the NCAA giving them the punishment they richly deserve.
Ohio's "committment to winning the right way" reminds me of that of one of my childhood friends' parents, who said "do whatever you want, but don't get caught."
November 25th, 2011 at 3:04 PM ^
As for why Meyer will fail, he may or may not. If he is the same coach who won two National Championships at Florida, he will do great. If he is the same guy who walked out on them twice, he might not.
Meyer got a lot of alumni pressure to build his offense around a certain dual-legacy QB while at Florida, but alumni pressure and attempts at nepotism are part of the job description of any major college football coach. I would imagine that the Columbus Cesspool is one of the most rigorous obstacle courses in the coaching profession.
Can Meyer take it this time, or will his head implode like a grape again? I guess we are about to find out.
November 25th, 2011 at 3:55 PM ^
Cough....see above comments...cough
November 25th, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
Next thing you know, people will be claiming they don't want their daughters to end up in porn.
November 25th, 2011 at 4:33 PM ^
I think we need a sarcasm/satire tag for posts.
November 25th, 2011 at 5:31 PM ^
I immediately got it, especially when he equated OSU fans and microbrews.
November 25th, 2011 at 9:31 PM ^
He won't get Greg Mattison back.
DEFENSE wins championships. Greg is a builder of championship defenses.
November 25th, 2011 at 10:04 PM ^
November 25th, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
and lol to the people who don't see sarcasm when it's dripping off the page. Go Blue!
November 26th, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
People seriously didn't get that this was satire? Many minus ones to them. May they be offset by plus ones to the OP.
November 26th, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^
I for one noticed the sarcasm oozing from this post. And I for one also fully expect tsiO to become a pillar of academic and athletic integrity once St. Urban gets there. They will become the example of how hooodlum schools like Northwestern and Michigan should behave. I also fully expect the school in East Lansing to continue exemplifying sportmanship both on and off the football field.
November 30th, 2011 at 11:33 AM ^
Put a smile on my face, well said, BD.
November 30th, 2011 at 10:25 PM ^
Hilarious. You forgot to mention how Ohio, in sticking to its principles of integrity and righteousness, gave itself the harshest self-imposed penalties available at every juncture.
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