Urban Meyer suspension draws fire from those who think he got off light
On Wednesday, Ohio State announced that it was suspending head football coach Urban Meyer for three games after an independent investigation into what he knew about the alleged serial abuse committed by former assistant coach Zach Smith against his ex-wife Courtney.
The news comes weeks after the Brett McMurphy report that intimated that Meyer was aware of the abuse while Smith worked for him. The report contradicted a statement Meyer made at Big Ten media day the week prior disavowing knowledge of alleged abuse perpetrated by Smith in 2015.
Urban Meyer: Not as ‘accurate as I should have been’
“I did a poor job at media day,” Meyer said on Wednesday. “I was not being as completely accurate as I should have been at media day and afterward. But there was no intent to mislead.”
The McMurphy report led many to believe that Meyer deserved to be fired. When the news dropped that he would instead serve a suspension for less than a quarter of a single season, the reactions came in hot.
He held 'em up for 11 hours over three games https://t.co/m8Y29rH0fv
— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) August 23, 2018
Urban Meyer basically admitted he lied at media day but did not intend to mislead. pic.twitter.com/MYSB401nTM
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) August 23, 2018
Wow, Ohio State Board of Trustees just released their report on Urban Meyer. Gotta admit I didn't expect much, but I did expect more than this: pic.twitter.com/e2Q0mZtkaX
— gmannVOLS (@gmannVOLS) August 22, 2018
Urban Meyer was “not complete and accurate” at media day. Wow. That’s some rhetorical gymnastics. I’m not sure one can do a limbo dance low enough to see Ohio State’s “high standards.” https://t.co/6saFkJe4Pu
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) August 23, 2018
I’m wondering what Urban Meyer learned about domestic violence through all this. “I’m sorry we’re in this situation” doesn’t cut it.
— Eric Adelson (@eric_adelson) August 23, 2018
While the internet roasted the suspension, Smith and his lawyer felt compelled to chime in.
— Zach Smith (@CoachZachSmith) August 23, 2018
Statement from Zach Smith's attorney, Brad Koffel, with Smith's approval. pic.twitter.com/iKGjZw8xWv
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) August 23, 2018
Meanwhile, some pointed to the Ohio State situation as a symptom of a larger problem with college sports.
Ohio State fans need to shut up trying to justify this. College football fans need to shut up and sheath their swords
Everyone who's any good at this sport is corrupt and awful. That's how it goes. Accept it and shut up, or stop watching and save us all the moralizing headache
— Joey Gulino (@JGulinoYahoo) August 23, 2018
Other’s pointed to the fallout from the tattoo scandal of the Jim Tressel era as a sign of hypocrisy.
Ohio State had players who traded memorabilia for tattoos that served a longer suspension than Urban Meyer will. That’s sad
— Trevor Maeder (@TrevMaeder96) August 23, 2018
Remember that time Ohio State forced Tressell out bc he didn't care that players were exchanging their jerseys for tattoos and then they only suspended Urban Meyer for 3 games bc he didn't care that an assistant was abusing and terrorizing his wife? That was crazyyyyyyyy
— Beyonce has an uncle named Larry Beyince. Bruh…. (@DragonflyJonez) August 23, 2018
CBS’ Dennis Dodd stopped just short of calling the ordeal a coverup.
"What I just heard in that press conference was description of a borderline coverup."@dennisdoddcbs joins @TheKostos on https://t.co/JB1AAXRNa2 to break down Urban Meyer's three-game suspension pic.twitter.com/WCy3PyY5Jh
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 23, 2018
Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel questioned the priorities of those involved.
Ah, first mention of "Buckeye Nation" in this news conference, which feels flippant considering the core issue here so serious. College administrators can't help themselves though.
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) August 23, 2018
So far Ohio State administrators have apologized three times to "Buckeye Nation" and zero times to Courtney Smith or her children.
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) August 23, 2018
Bleacher Report’s Matt Hayes concurred.
No one at Ohio State has apologized to the victim. The reason everyone is where they are right now.
— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) August 23, 2018
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, an OSU alum, chose to withhold judgment.
I think I want to see what's in the report, instead of yelling and screaming. https://t.co/Q9ORcw9jt8
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 23, 2018
In the end, this SpongeBob Squarepants bit succinctly summed up the frustrations of people fed up with the scandal-ridden culture of college sports.
Urban Meyer’s suspension be like pic.twitter.com/FMAKQ2ZHfo
— Abdul Memon (@abdulamemon) August 23, 2018
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• Pete Thamel: Day of reckoning looms for Urban Meyer
