E. Gordon Gee (President West Virginia U.)

[RB07OSU]

Someone's moving to Sudden Valley.

Say goodbye to your Anustart vanity plate.

But seriously, these remarks were never intended to be public and I'm sure plenty of people in his position or higher have made unsavory remarks they thought would be off the record. As a practicing Catholic, I don't appreciate his remarks but everyone is entitled to their own opinion/humor and I am far from offended...I have heard much worse. As someone else has mentioned though, good thing he didn't take shots at a non-Christian group or he would be in SERIOUS trouble.

 

[MaxBuck]

When the butt of said joke isn't offended, then no one should take offense to it.

Let me go on record by saying that even if S-E-C fans, coaches or players are offended by Gee's comments, I don't really care.

And as soon as they learn to read, they'll probably be offended by what I just wrote.

If they can reason out exactly what the words mean, which is a crapshoot.

 

[redguard117]

From some people, but theres two sides to that coin. He could be creating a barrier for Catholics that support OSU.

Targeting religious denominations, even for a joke, is off-limits to most public officials. The President of the third largest public university in the United States should know better. It certainly can't help us when we're recruiting St. Igs or wherever.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Targeting religious denominations, even for a joke, is off-limits to most public officials. The President of the third largest public university in the United States should know better. It certainly can't help us when we're recruiting St. Igs or wherever.

I can't imagine that mattering at all. Even if it did, Urban being catholic would offset that.

 

[redguard117]

I can't imagine that mattering at all. Even if it did, Urban being catholic would offset that.

To you and me it doesn't. The target demographic, unfortunately, is 17 / 18 year olds who often make decisions based on gut instincts, "feelings", and the slightest of distinguishing factors.

Some coach, somewhere, will find a way to use this against us - at the best Gee's comments do nothing. At the worst, they might generate a damaging preconception of Ohio State in an impressionable teenage recruit's mind. Let's be honest, this might affect half a percent of recruits at the most, and probably not even that - but there's no reason to give Alabama, USC, or Michigan something else to add to their pitch against us, especially since all recruits end up splitting hairs at one point or another.

 

[Mike80]

Maybe it's just me (and I have a very large Catholic contingent in my family, most of whom have gone to either scUM or Ohio State and who detest Ntre Ame) - I think it's hilarious and while not intended to be public, we can put to bed the "why isn't Ntre Ame a BIG member" bullshit now. It's clear there isn't any trust of Ntre Ame's "business and leadership structure" on the Big Ten's side.

 

[Mike80]

From some people, but theres two sides to that coin. He could be creating a barrier for Catholics that support OSU.

Doubtful.

And Wexner is Jewish as I remember....

 

[Dryden]

I can't imagine that mattering at all. Even if it did, Urban being catholic would offset that.

Urban being Urban offsets that.

WTF. When I went to private Catholic schools (before I said 'Fuck this shit, I'm outta here' my junior year) the Catholics had great senses of humor and weren't so uptight that they couldn't poke fun at themselves.

And Catholic girls smoked the most dope and were 'easier.' By far.

 

[ShowMeBuck]

Gee comes across to the vast majority of people like a complete tool. Anyone who sees it differently is only doing so through scarlet tinted glasses. Perception is reality whether we like it or not.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Gee comes across to the vast majority of people like a complete tool. Anyone who sees it differently is only doing so through scarlet tinted glasses. Perception is reality whether we like it or not.

Luckily, the folks collectively donating Billions to tOSU wear glasses.

 

[Wham]

:osu:it seems to me the language and the attempt at humor as he mentioned were of the kind you would exchange at a party with very close people over a glass of wine. He should have known his audience. If you make in a year more than some people would save their entire life, i would hope you know your audience. Being the head of an institution, representing thousands of students and hundreds of thousands of alumni, you'd better know your audience.

 

[Coqui]

:osu:it seems to me the language and the attempt at humor as he mentioned were of the kind you would exchange at a party with very close people over a glass of wine. He should have known his audience. If you make in a year more than some people would save their entire life, i would hope you know your audience. Being the head of an institution, representing thousands of students and hundreds of thousands of alumni, you'd better know your audience.

And he does.....and they all laughed

 

[muffler dragon]

Not to speak for anyone but give me a fucking break...."can't be trusted" I know it was a joke and took it as one but you are implying that its true and everyone knows its only Irish Catholics that can't be trusted...I mean Urban, Vrabes and Fick are all practicing Catholics..they can be trusted

am I right guys?

Here's the Yahoo article: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/apnewsbreak-osu-head-jabs-notre-163627789--spt.html

The president of Ohio State University said Notre Dame was never invited to join the Big Ten conference because the university's priests are not good partners, joking that ''those damn Catholics'' can't be trusted, according to a recording of a meeting he attended late last year.

Please note that the usage of "those damn Catholics" is in the context of ND; not the broad swath that some are considering.

I think there's a preponderance of evidence that "those damn [ND] Catholics" can't be trusted on a shit load of things both within and without collegiate athletics.

 

[Coqui]

Here's the Yahoo article: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/apnewsbreak-osu-head-jabs-notre-163627789--spt.html



Please note that the usage of "those damn Catholics" is in the context of ND; not the broad swath that some are considering.

I think there's a preponderance of evidence that "those damn [ND] Catholics" can't be trusted on a [Mark May] load of things both within and without collegiate athletics.

And he was speaking specifically about the Catholics that run the university, not all of the people at the university.

 

[Mike80]

And he was speaking specifically about the Catholics that run the university, not all of the people at the university.

Which is exactly my point. Makes you wonder if they were trying to get Ntre Ame again before Ntre Ame went to the ACC.....

BTW fuck all the hand wringing I'm seeing in this thread. Fuck perceptions too btw.