Zach Smith (Official Thread)

[BayBuck]

As for Meyer, I don't think I'll ever have a pure black and white feel for what should have happened to him the way I did with Tressel. But after reading the report and watching his performance at the press conference, I am 100% certain that he absolutely shouldn't have been allowed to walk away from this. And after his press conference tantrum, I really don't give two shits if he chooses to leave after the season. There was an Ohio State University before him, and there'll be one after him.

An Ohio State University? AN??? I think it's becoming pretty clear who's wearing a blue tie on this board.

 

[buchtelgrad04]

As long as no harm is done to others whatever we do in our personal lives (sex toys, junk pix) is nobody's business but our own.

Since I was a child I have collected dolphins. Ceramic dolphins, stuffed dolphins, plastic dolphins. Even a dolphin dil...(no, I am not going there).

I shudder at the thought that someone might comb through my life in such detail and find out what I have done to those dolphins - and what I have allowed those dolphins to do to me.

If I knew you in real life, I'd send you the pic of Jim McElwain straddling that dolphin with your face photoshopped on it once a week for the rest of my life. Snail mail.

 

[scarletmike]

And FWIW, the guy shouldn't have resigned. In doing so, he just made a bad situation worse. But I'd rather have a dozen guys like him on the board who are concerned about the entire university rather than Jim Rhodes' tawdry collection of Columbus car dealers who almost destroyed the university but always took care of the foosball.

Ummm...did you miss the part of his statement where he made it clear it wasn't about "the entire university," but rather about his concerns about how the social justice pitchfork and torches mob would view and react to things?

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Ummm...did you miss the part of his statement where he made it clear it wasn't about "the entire university," but rather about his concerns about how the social justice pitchfork and torches mob would view and react to things?

I never said that I agreed with his rationale for firing Meyer. I've specifically said that I disagree with his decision to resign. My point is that I would much rather have people like him on the board who aren't gong to knee-jerk react in favor of protecting the football program over a bunch of local car dealers. As for their deliberation process, that's why it's a board. They had a process to filter through the various perspectives and come up with the proper response. And it seems clear that he wasn't the only one bringing up termination, just that he was the only one who didn't come around to the majority viewpoint by the end of the session. And the public relations hit is something that should have been considered. It shouldn't have been the only thing considered or even the most important thing, but it absolutely should have been on the table. I disagree with his perspective that it should have been paramount in deciding what to do with Meyer.

 

[BayBuck]

I never said that I agreed with either his rationale for firing Meyer. I've specifically said that I disagree with his decision to resign. My point is that I would much rather have people like him on the board who aren't gong to be knee-jerk react in favor of protecting the football program over a bunch of local car dealers. As for their deliberation process, that's why it's a board. They had a process to filter through the various perspectives and come up with the proper response. And it seems clear that he wasn't the only one bringing up termination, just that he was the only one who didn't come around to the majority viewpoint by the end of the session. And the public relations hit is something that should have been considered. It shouldn't have been the only thing considered or even the most important thing, but it absolutely should have been on the table. I disagree with his perspective that it should have been paramount in deciding what to do with Meyer.

All that said, just to be clear, I assume you are also well aware that the remaining board members are not a bunch of car dealers. A bunch of freaking lawyers, sure, but no car dealers.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

One trustee's response from the cleveland.com article comes close to the mark, IMO.

Wait a minute. I think she's a board member of the Plain Dealer's editorial board, not Ohio State.

All that said, just to be clear, I assume you are also well aware that the remaining board members are not a bunch of car dealers. A bunch of freaking lawyers, sure, but no car dealers.

I don't think we've had any car dealers appointed since the 70s thankfully, which is why I think they did their job properly. After reading the report, there's no way that Urban walks away from this fully exonerated and with no punishment. And after watching his press conference performance there's no way you let that man leave the building that day thinking that he's untouchable and runs the entire show.

The trustee's resignation was a stupid, counter-productive act. While his background in running some of the most prestigious federal and private research labs in the world will be missed, Ohio State will survive his departure every bit as easily as it will survive Meyer's one day.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Wait a minute. I think she's a board member of the Plain Dealer's editorial board, not Ohio State.


I don't think we've had any car dealers appointed since the 70s thankfully, which is why I think they did their job properly. After reading the report, there's no way that Urban walks away from this fully exonerated and with no punishment. And after watching his press conference performance there's no way you let that man leave the building that day thinking that he's untouchable and runs the entire show.

The trustee's resignation was a stupid, counter-productive act. While his background in running some of the most prestigious federal and private research labs in the world will be missed, Ohio State will survive his departure every bit as easily as it will survive Meyer's one day.

I’m pretty sure that Ohio State will survive this departure far More easily than Meyer’s departure. To be clear, Ohio State certainly is a very large university with a lot of great programs, research and other things. You may not like this, but it is also a “football factory“. That truly is part of what the university is and it makes an enormous amount of money because of it. Jim Tressel helped grow interest in the University through his leadership of the program. Meyer is doing the same. They play a significant role in what one could ultimately call “outreach”.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

I’m pretty sure that Ohio State will survive this departure far More easily than Meyer’s departure. To be clear, Ohio State certainly is a very large university with a lot of great programs, research and other things. You may not like this, but it is also a “football factory“. That truly is part of what the university is and it makes an enormous amount of money because of it. Jim Tressel helped grow interest in the University through his leadership of the program. Meyer is doing the same. They play a significant role in what one could ultimately call “outreach”.

Disagree. When the university had Jim Rhodes' boot on its neck, the football was humming yet did nothing to change that. When the football consistently under performed under Earl and Cooper, the university at the same time was making great strides and rebuilt its reputation to where it was pre-Rhodes. While there might be a (temporary) "flutie effect" for colleges who come out of nowhere to make a splash in sports, Ohio State has been on top for so long that it really doesn't matter if we win. People just shrug their shoulders. And if things get bad? The reality is that if we go 6-6 this year, we're still going to raise $500M again. The number of 30+ ACT kids is not going to decline. National Academy faculty members are not going to leave. Without the foosball, we become Minnesota, not Kent State. It's nice to have the best of both worlds, but football is just football. It's job is to entertain the masses, pay the bills for the rest of the athletic department and not embarrass the university to which it's attached. That's all I ask of it. Championships are fun and a bonus, but they really won't effect where Ohio State stands in a year, five years or ten years.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Disagree. When the university had Jim Rhodes' boot on its neck, the football was humming yet did nothing to change that. When the football consistently under performed under Earl and Cooper, the university at the same time was making great strides and rebuilt its reputation to where it was pre-Rhodes. While there might be a (temporary) "flutie effect" for colleges who come out of nowhere to make a splash in sports, Ohio State has been on top for so long that it really doesn't matter if we win. People just shrug their shoulders. And if things get bad? The reality is that if we go 6-6 this year, we're still going to raise $500M again. The number of 30+ ACT kids is not going to decline. National Academy faculty members are not going to leave. Without the foosball, we become Minnesota, not Kent State. It's nice to have the best of both worlds, but football is just football. It's job is to entertain the masses, pay the bills for the rest of the athletic department and not embarrass the university to which it's attached. That's all I ask of it. Championships are fun and a bonus, but they really won't effect where Ohio State stands in a year, five years or ten years.

ORD, you are just plain wrong. If you cannot understand the out reach that is performed by athletic programs of this size, and you just don’t understand business as well as you say you do. The brand of that is Ohio State, in some part, exists because of the “football factory“.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

ORD, you are just plain wrong. If you cannot understand the out reach that is performed by athletic programs of this size, and you just don’t understand business as well as you say you do. The brand of that is Ohio State, in some part, exists because of the “football factory“.

What outreach? Are multi-million dollar research grants coming to Ohio State over Illinois because of football? Are 30+ ACT kids choosing to stay in Ohio (or come to Ohio) to attend Ohio State because of football? Does it attract better faculty? Football success might generate athletic donations, but it really doesn't do squat for overall university fundraising. It generates some brand loyalty within the state, but explain to me how that actually improves Ohio State as a university. How does Joe Buckeye in Coshocton rooting for the Buckeyes make Ohio State a better university? And while I'll concede that it's a good way to grease the legislators, so is the 150 years of agriculture extension services that we've provided to practically every single county in the state.

Like I said, without big time football, we're Minnesota.

 

[BB73]

Wait a minute. I think she's a board member of the Plain Dealer's editorial board, not Ohio State.

Good catch. I'll edit my original post to avoid confusion.

 

[OH10]

Essentially, she's saying Meyer screwed up, was dishonest, should have fired ZS a long time ago and that the university could have fired him for his missteps but chose not to. He survived by the grace of Drake and the Trustees. Also interesting that Captain Bucknuts appears to have had his head up his ass when he portrayed it as Drake versus The Board.



As for Meyer, I don't think I'll ever have a pure black and white feel for what should have happened to him the way I did with Tressel. But after reading the report and watching his performance at the press conference, I am 100% certain that he absolutely shouldn't have been allowed to walk away from this. And after his press conference tantrum, I really don't give two shits if he chooses to leave after the season. There was an Ohio State University before him, and there'll be one after him.

If Meyer wants to walk away because he feels like he didn’t do anything wrong... I’m fine with that. Maybe his arrogance and pride is the reason he’s so successful. Life was made for those who aren’t cursed with self awareness.

But Ohio State will live on just fine. The football program doesn’t need Urban Meyer and I doubt he really needs the football program. I’m not gonna be upset if he voluntarily chooses to go in a different direction.

 

[Hstead]

There is a reason why at my daughters orientation two years ago Dr. Drake stood in front of the all of the parents and incoming freshman and bragged about how he was able to keep the tuition from increasing a single nickle from the previous year. I believe his exact quote was "Parents, you can think Urban Meyer for that"

Straight from Dr. Drake's mouth to the incoming class, thank Urban Meyer and the football success for tuition not increasing. So yeah, football has something to do with the overall financial bottom line at OSU and it always will. And you can bet your ass if Urban or any coach for that matter starts too go 8-4 every year they will be out on their asses so fast their head will be spinning while OSU finds a winning football coach. For a reason.

 

[buckeyebri]

I

Essentially, she's saying Meyer screwed up, was dishonest, should have fired ZS a long time ago and that the university could have fired him for his missteps but chose not to. He survived by the grace of Drake and the Trustees. Also interesting that Captain Bucknuts appears to have had his head up his ass when he portrayed it as Drake versus The Board.

As for Meyer, I don't think I'll ever have a pure black and white feel for what should have happened to him the way I did with Tressel. But after reading the report and watching his performance at the press conference, I am 100% certain that he absolutely shouldn't have been allowed to walk away from this. And after his press conference tantrum, I really don't give two shits if he chooses to leave after the season. There was an Ohio State University before him, and there'll be one after him.

So, you're all in on Meyer deserving what he got and caring less about the heat he is taking. I have yet to hear you, and maybe I missed it the numerous places this debate has raged, weigh in on Smith. We have an AD who has quietly slinked away from this situation. He had plenty of knowledge on the circumstances and could have acted on the situation as Urban's boss, yet didn't. Here Gene is with the second FB coach in crisis under his watch, but crickets.

Would love to hear your take on why Gene hasn't been run out of town.....

 

[bucknut502]

I get the feeling that no matter what Urban says or does, some people will find a criticize it.

Urban found the cure for cancer!

“Well fuck him for not finding it 10 years ago! All those people who died, your fault, Urban! Oh, and by the way, he seemed arrogant when announcing that you have the cure. So just for that, I wouldn’t accept it if I were diagnosed!”