Urban Meyer stepping down as Florida coach

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by paintmered

Meyer apologized to the reporter.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5033522

He'll probably change his mind tomorrow and unapologize.

[Donder]

Originally Posted by MWM

The reporter knew what the kid meant, but didn't care. He had something that would garner attention to himself and didn't care that he was manipulating some kid in the process.

I can't be the only one who finds it ironic that the only reason that 95% of the nation knows about this quote is because of Urban, right? At this point I'm sure he wishes he had a mulligan.

[texasdave]

I was thinking the same thing. Urban Meyer, by acting like a schoolyard bully, is the one who turned the molehill into a mountain. I hadn't heard a thing about the controversy until then. Going back and reading the original article, I really don't see what Meyer was upset about. I didn't find it to be a hatchet job.

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by texasdave

I was thinking the same thing. Urban Meyer, by acting like a schoolyard bully, is the one who turned the molehill into a mountain. I hadn't heard a thing about the controversy until then. Going back and reading the original article, I really don't see what Meyer was upset about. I didn't find it to be a hatchet job.

You didn't because it wasn't. I think some of the other guys are envisioning some sort of in-depth inquisition where the player was grilled until he said something they could run with. No, it was a pretty predictable and straightforward question, asked on the practice field with other reporters present, and he wrote what the player said in response. Nothing more.

I suppose he could have tried to save the kid from himself, but (1) since it wasn't an exclusive interview, someone was going to use the quote, and (2) he works for a newspaper, not the school.

Now, having said that, the reporter has his job and Meyer has his, and if Meyer had said something to the reporter in private along those lines -- you knew what he was trying to say, you didn't have to hang him out to dry, etc. -- that would be perfectly okay. But when someone decides to make a public scene of it, then guess what, it's a public scene. And being a high-profile college football coach is very public.

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by Donder

I can't be the only one who finds it ironic that the only reason that 95% of the nation knows about this quote is because of Urban, right? At this point I'm sure he wishes he had a mulligan.

The quote was getting time PTI and all the other ESPN talking head shows even before Urban blasted the guy.

[Unassisted]

It turned out not to be true before, but it's true now.

End Of An Era: Urban Meyer Steps Down

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by Unassisted

It turned out not to be true before, but it's true now.

End Of An Era: Urban Meyer Steps Down

Good for him. I hope he manages to stay away from coaching for awhile and enjoy the money he's earned.

[MWM]

I'm happy for him and I'm sure there's much rejoicing in the rest of the SEC. For my money, he's the best coach in the country and from what I can tell I good human being. He's they type of coach I'd want my kid to play for.

I hope he finds his way back into coaching at some point, something I suspect will happen.

[MWM]

It's like a funeral here in my office in Jacksonville as the word has now reached pretty much everyone.

The consensus is that Dan Mullen is 99% the new guy. I think that's the pretty easy choice.

[Jack Burton]

Originally Posted by MWM

I'm happy for him and I'm sure there's much rejoicing in the rest of the SEC. For my money, he's the best coach in the country and from what I can tell I good human being. He's they type of coach I'd want my kid to play for.

I hope he finds his way back into coaching at some point, something I suspect will happen.

I disagree 100%.

Very glad he came back for the 2010 season though, was nice to see it get handed to him a few times.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by MWM

I'm happy for him and I'm sure there's much rejoicing in the rest of the SEC. For my money, he's the best coach in the country and from what I can tell I good human being. He's they type of coach I'd want my kid to play for.

I hope he finds his way back into coaching at some point, something I suspect will happen.

I agree 100%.

People haven't met Urban don't realize how great a guy he is. I've met him once and know several people that have been close to him. He's competitive, perhaps overly so at times, but he's a great coach and a good guy. I think the hatred of him is nothing more than jealousy for his program. I was hoping he'd be the next coach at Ohio State, and that seems unlikely for a lot of reasons. But hopefully things get better for him.

[Jack Burton]

Pretty great guy challenging reporters to fights for doing their job. Top shelf.

[Todd Gack]

Originally Posted by Brutus the Pimp

I agree 100%.

People haven't met Urban don't realize how great a guy he is. I've met him once and know several people that have been close to him. He's competitive, perhaps overly so at times, but he's a great coach and a good guy. I think the hatred of him is nothing more than jealousy for his program. I was hoping he'd be the next coach at Ohio State, and that seems unlikely for a lot of reasons. But hopefully things get better for him.

His 'we recruit the top 1% of the top 1% of high character football players' was probably my biggest dislike about him. It turned out to be even funnier after 30 some of his athletes were arrested. The media's obsession with Tebow was also another reason why people disliked him. . . not his fault, but that was also a reason.

But his quote about talking about the Top 1% kinda rubbed me the wrong way. . . . a bit arrogant.

WIth ALL of that said, Florida is better off without him right now. Key word: RIght now. If you paid attention, you could easily tell he just wasn't himself this year on the sidelines. The guy seemed beaten.

[MWM]

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

WIth ALL of that said, Florida is better off without him right now. Key word: RIght now. If you paid attention, you could easily tell he just wasn't himself this year on the sidelines. The guy seemed beaten.

This is verbatim a conversation I overheard just outside my office. i was not aware of this perception, but they basically said he clearly wasn't into it this year.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

His 'we recruit the top 1% of the top 1% of high character football players' was probably my biggest dislike about him. It turned out to be even funnier after 30 some of his athletes were arrested. The media's obsession with Tebow was also another reason why people disliked him. . . not his fault, but that was also a reason.

But his quote about talking about the Top 1% kinda rubbed me the wrong way. . . . a bit arrogant.

WIth ALL of that said, Florida is better off without him right now. Key word: RIght now. If you paid attention, you could easily tell he just wasn't himself this year on the sidelines. The guy seemed beaten.

He's definitely on the arrogant side. I agree with that.

But I've gotten to know a lot of coaches (more basketball than football, but nonetheless plenty) and one thing about them, they almost all have a lot of confidence in themselves and what they do. Some play the PR game better than others, but they're a great deal arrogant.