Even if you’re a Gator hater, there is no joy in Meyer’s departure
It’s a tough business. I get that. And over the course of six seasons a head football coach in the SEC can rub a lot of people the wrong way, especially the people he beats.
But if you’re a Bulldog or a Volunteer for a Gamecock or a member of the Crimson Tide Nation, you really shouldn’t be celebrating today over the news that Urban Meyer is leaving as the head coach at Florida.
I’ve had my own issues Meyer.
He was flat wrong when he suspended linebacker Brandon Spikes for only one-half game after Spikes clearly tried to hurt Georgia’s Washaun Ealey (sticking his fingers in the facemask). Only after the public outcry did Spikes “suddenly” decide that his suspension should be for one game.
He was wrong when he dressed down a reporter in practice in front of cell phone cameras. If he had an issue with the reporter, then there is a right way–a professional way–to address the concern. He chose the wrong way. I don’t know if Meyer was trying to put on a show for his players but it was unprofessional behavior. You don’t use people as props because you want to win football games.
He was flat wrong when he allowed Chris Rainey to return to the team and I said so. There are certain lines in life that you do not cross and threats against women is one of those lines. The rationalizations about who Rainey was and his background, etc., may have all been true. But all that pales in comparison to a text message that said “Time to die, ——-.”
The more success Meyer and the Florida program had, the more withdrawn and insular it became. They became like rock stars who once basked in the attention that brought them fame and fortune but ultimately found it suffocating and just tried to block it all out.
But instead of managing the media and managing the very high expectations, which successful people do every day, Meyer chose to throw up walls and pull in the ranks and adopt this silly “us agains the world” mentality. Coaches do that because it’s easy and the players will easily buy into it. It’s much easier for a coach to tell a player “they are all out to get us” instead of “dealing with the media–good and bad–is part of growing up. If you want to play at the next level you need to learn how to deal with these people and be smart about it. We will teach you how to do that.” But that takes work and, in some coaches’ narrow view of the world, it has nothing to do with winning and losing and so it should simply be eliminated as a factor. It is short sighted but if you win enough games, being short sighted eventually becomes a virtue.
Having said all that, Meyer is/was a helluva coach and the record certainly proves that. He won two national championships in three seasons (2006, 2008) and was certainly good enough in 2009 to win a third but for Alabama. For five years at Florida his star burned as brightly as any I’ve ever seen. But on Wednesday he announced, in so many words, that he was burned out.
I know you love your school but most of you I hear from also love your conference and college football as a whole. And so there is no reason to celebrate when the sport burns out a talented coach. You would rather he stay so that when you finally beat him it is all the more sweet.
Florida will find another talented coach. Frankly, I’m going to be surprised if its not Dan Mullen. Whoever it is will be very successful. Steve Spurrier forever changed Florida’s football program in his 12 years (1990-2001) at the school. Before Spurrier arrived Florida had never won 10 games in a season and had never won an SEC championship. Spurrier raised the bar and so Florida will never go back for more than a year or two.
And for Urban Meyer? I predict that he will be out of coaching for only one year and will surface again. This year he got caught in the perfect storm of talent losses and coaching losses and the inability to summon up the fire in the belly that had burned white hot for five seasons. We were all guilty of thinking that Florida could just reload after four years of Tim Tebow. The Florida program took a dip as all programs do (see Texas). The Gators will be back sooner rather than later but Urban Meyer will no longer be their coach.
If you love the game, there is no reason to celebrate that.
And one last thing: If Urban Meyer goes to the Denver Broncos in the next two months, I take it all back.
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621 comments Add your comment
hmmm.....
December 9th, 2010
11:07 am
3rdN8,
Ha! I don’t know. He even spelled it out and it was definitely “stab.” He wouldn’t reveal anything else.
Atlanta Gator
December 9th, 2010
11:07 am
BAMA dude—-
Petrino? Seriously? I can’t imagine that. If he couldn’t take the pressure as the Atlanta falcon’s coach, he wouldn’t survive a full season in Gainesville.
Atlanta Gator
December 9th, 2010
11:08 am
Ahem. I meant to type “the Atlanta Falcons’ coach.” I’m apparently typing faster than I’m thinking today.
UGADawg83
December 9th, 2010
11:09 am
One thing for sure…..its gonna cost MSU if they want to keep Mullins than Cecil Newton was going to charge them for Cam. By the way if Cecil asked MSU for money and Cam had already been on the team at Florida………………………..
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 9th, 2010
11:09 am
best clue it would be Petrino is if cowherd said “pusillanimous Richard”
ARdawg
December 9th, 2010
11:10 am
Atlanta Gator
Agreed! (for the most part)
hmmm.....
December 9th, 2010
11:10 am
The first thing that came to mind for me was O.J. Simpson. But obviously that wouldn’t work.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 9th, 2010
11:12 am
hmmm… now you know OJ can’t coach the gators, he is spending 24/7 looking for the real killer, and avoiding mirrors..
3rdN8
December 9th, 2010
11:12 am
hmmm…..
You’re right about Simpson….besides he is still under contract at the moment.
JdawgT
December 9th, 2010
11:14 am
Cammie can rot like the piece of garbage the is !
ARdawg
December 9th, 2010
11:15 am
*BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
10:58 am
If a kid grows up a Georgia fan and he gets heavily recruited by Georgia, it really isn’t going to matter who the HC is unless he is someone the kid despises.
Look at Florida’s list of recruits and tell me how many of them are likely to have grown up as UF fans. They recruit all over the south and even the country.*
What has this got to do with the price of cowsh1+ in Texas?
Do you honestly think UF can recruit every Gator Fan in FL? Or Saban can recruit every Bama fan in Alabama?
BAMA dude you post anything, whether it makes sense or not if you have an inkling it might support your “on the fly” remarks. I’ll end it with this, IN MY OPINION the HC is a factor in the recruiting process but just one factor of many
Jeeze dude. What about that don’t you get?
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:17 am
Here is a Petrino article from Meyer’s last resignation.
Key quote: Petrino, who is paid $2.85 million annually by the Razorbacks, is not permitted to leave Arkansas for another Southeastern Conference Western Division school according to the terms of his contract. But the Gators are in the SEC East. Petrino’s contract includes a $6.75 milion buyout if he were to leave the Razorbacks before Dec. 31. The buyout drops to $4.75 million after Dec. 31.
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:20 am
ARDawg, as you said, agree to disagree. I, and most college football “experts” (no, I’m not counting myself in that category), would tell you that the recruiting staff is the single most important factor. Otherwise, why would some coaches recruit so much better than others at the same school?
3rdN8
December 9th, 2010
11:21 am
Has there been any talk about Gary Patterson to UF? His name seems to be missing from a lot of coaching searches, and this seems to be a bit odd.
I’d think he is a much more proven commodity in the CFB world than a John Gruden.
Georgia Peach
December 9th, 2010
11:22 am
Petrino takes the Florida job, then quits after the BCSCG to take the HC job at Auburn. Jetgate finally completes the circle.
Atlanta Gator
December 9th, 2010
11:23 am
“He was the perfect coach for Florida- arrogance personified!”
Lots of snarky comments today, aren’t there?
Yes, in many ways, Urban Meyer was the perfect coach for Florida. He was a family man who treated his players like they were an extended family, some times to his own detriment. His players went to class, or they rode the pine. There was no pay-for-play hanky-panky. His teams were disciplined on the field, and when a player got in trouble off the field, Meyer imposed appropriately measured punishment (Tony’s comments notwithstanding). His players graduated at the second highest rate in the SEC, following only Vanderbilt. And his teams won a lot of football games, too.
That having been said, no man is irreplaceable and there are things in life that are more important in life than college football. Urban Meyer knows that, and if he didn’t, he seems to have absorbed that along the way. His coaching career burned brightly in Gainesville, but it was already apparent at Bowling Green and Utah that Meyer was going to be a rock-star coach. Now, it’s done; six years, an 81% winning average, three SEC championship games, two SEC championships, six New Year’s bowls, and two BCS championships. Not bad, coach. Not bad.
Yup. Meyer was a the perfect coach for Florida. And if we could find some one just like Urban Meyer ver. 2005, we would take him in a heartbeat.
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:26 am
Arkansas’ SBNation fan site seems concerned about Petrino leaving as well. Sporting News has him at the top of the list per one of their many links.
always a silver lining
December 9th, 2010
11:27 am
Atlanta Gator The comment was aimed more at so many classless Gator fans than at Meyer. It was also aimed at a classlessness that has existed since and including Spurrier’s success. For 20 years the Gators have seldom been accused of having classy fans.
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:27 am
3rdN8, I think Patterson has turned down other jobs already. He seems to be very comfortable there- I have heard it’s a religious thing.
ARdawg
December 9th, 2010
11:28 am
BAMA dude
Many of these kids have grown up without any influence or loyalty to any school. Others have that life long connection to a certain university. To be recruited by that university is the ultimate goal and dream come true for many kids. For these, Qusimoto could be the HC and these kids still go to that school.
Many of these kids do go to the school that recruits them the hardest. I don’t disagree with that. Who does the recruiting? The coaching staff of course. The recruiting process is very subjective. Many time the coaching staff can not over come the other factors. Or, are you saying they can in all instances?
West Coast Bias
December 9th, 2010
11:28 am
Urban Meyer, like a lot of great coaches, always struck me as someone who hated losing more than he enjoyed winning. I think some of his quotes after the win over UGA were very telling about just how miserable he was this season. I think he made the right decision for him and his family, good luck to him.
Sadly, this won’t help the Dawgs at all because Foley is the best at what he does and Florida will be back on track in no time.
West Coast Bias
December 9th, 2010
11:31 am
Every in the SEC East can be thankful that Meyer didn’t stay retired last year because they would have gotten Chip Kelly. Thankfully, Phil Knight now has Chip Kelly firmly in his grip and it’s doubtful he’s going anywhere.
Daddy Newton
December 9th, 2010
11:31 am
I told that man to pay my son but the jerk wouldn’t listen.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 9th, 2010
11:35 am
Maybe kicking the bulldogs tail year in year out just got old and boring to Urban…
The Truth
December 9th, 2010
11:37 am
Florida is not a gimme as it used to be
USF
Miami
UCF (to the Big East soon)
Florida State
It’s going to get tougher to win at UF
3rdN8
December 9th, 2010
11:38 am
BAMA dude
Haven’t heard that one about Patterson….all I know is, we should have hired him instead of his boss.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 9th, 2010
11:38 am
Click Clack..would Ppurrier be interested at all? probably not, but he didn’t seem that delighted in his SC team the second half of the SEC championship game..
Georgia Peach
December 9th, 2010
11:38 am
Who’s Chip Kelly?
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 9th, 2010
11:38 am
Spurrier, rather…
uga_Fan39
December 9th, 2010
11:39 am
Please CMR follow Meyer’s lead and resign with some dignity. You’ve had 10 years to prove yourself. Your program has reached the bottom of the SEC. You’ve had superior talent over the course of the last 10 years with no NC and just 2 SEC championships. 10 years is enough, especially with the decline over the past 3. Horrible coaching in every aspect of the game, lack of descipline, unwillingness to to make changes. The list goes on and on. You’ve had your run, its been decent. Now go pursue your religous studies, spend time with your family, maybe coach your son, but PLEASE let some new fresh young coach in to wake up this mediocre program.
gatorman770
December 9th, 2010
11:39 am
Spoken like a true biased homer. All the curs still convienently forget that both Spikes and Tebow had their eyes gouged, plus Spikes had his helmet ripped off by curdawgs prior to Spike’s unfortunate, lapse in judgement, payback that was caught on video.
You criticize Urban for giving Chris Rainey a second chance for texting “time to die…” while the FCC, TV networks, movie makers, video game makers, rap and hip-hop recorders, trash talkers at every level of collegiate, pro sports, and even pickup games at local city and county facilities like Duluth’s Bunting Park, utter the same phrase. When are the Curs going to withdraw their quarterback scholarship offer to Christian “the sex offender”?
2012
December 9th, 2010
11:39 am
Breaking News: Philip Fulmer to be new Florida coach.
ESPN.com
wxwax
December 9th, 2010
11:40 am
I think Meyer will be out for longer than one year. His daughter’s plaintive “I get my daddy back” from last year’s aborted retirement was really painful.
I applaud Meyer for finally paying more than lip service to his philosophy of “family first.”
Everyone assumes Florida will keep on winning with their next coach.
Has no-one heard of Ron Zook? There are no guarantees when new coaches are hired, none. Previously successful coaches fail in new jobs all the time. Hiring is a crapshoot.
I won’t miss Meyer. His platitudes and hypocrisy were hard to stomach. Frankly, I think the approach he Saban take is bad for college football.
You have to look beyond the scoreboard, Tony.
Georgia Peach
December 9th, 2010
11:41 am
Right wxwax…
Winning ain’t everything.
3rdN8
December 9th, 2010
11:44 am
“Winning ain’t everything”…..??? Show me a fan base ( just one) that’s interested in anything else.
ok…maybe Penn State
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots
December 9th, 2010
11:45 am
wxwax as far as dominating jawja goes, even Ron Zook had a winning record against the humpers.
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:45 am
Many of these kids have grown up without any influence or loyalty to any school. Others have that life long connection to a certain university. To be recruited by that university is the ultimate goal and dream come true for many kids. For these, Qusimoto could be the HC and these kids still go to that school.
This still has some truth but is nowhere nearly as prevalent today as it was years ago thanks to the media internet. Rivals, Scout, and national TV games have changed the recruiting game.
Many of these kids do go to the school that recruits them the hardest. I don’t disagree with that. Who does the recruiting? The coaching staff of course. The recruiting process is very subjective. Many time the coaching staff can not over come the other factors. Or, are you saying they can in all instances?
Nothing works or doesn’t work “all” of the time in most any area of life. But to think that some recruits who have made verbal commitments to Florida won’t be flipped by some other coaches who they also liked as well would be very naive. It almost always happens in this situation.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 9th, 2010
11:45 am
Winning is not everything, but losing flat out sucks..You can take the sportsmanship stuff to a nauseating level..it happened to me in HS, our coach actually sat some of the better batters against lessor competition..sucked.
Serious? Phil Fulmer? Maybe UGA has a chance in Jax now…
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:47 am
2012
December 9th, 2010
11:39 am
Breaking News: Philip Fulmer to be new Florida coach.
ESPN.com
Nice try.
Georgia Peach
December 9th, 2010
11:47 am
@BAMA dude
It sounds to me as if you are both arguing for extreme positions, while the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:48 am
3rdN8, there are some. Vanderbilt? Duke? You’d have to think if some were only interested in winning there wouldn’t be a fan base.
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:49 am
Georgia Peach, I guess so. I never said they would lose all of the recruits but I would fully expect them to lose a few. A few is all it takes for a class to go from top 5 to barely top 25.
BadgerFan
December 9th, 2010
11:50 am
If it’s on an Arkansas’ fan website….it must be true. The guy that wrote the “article” lives in San Francisco.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 9th, 2010
11:51 am
@bama dude, let duke miss the NCAA tournament 2 years straight and see if “coach K” does not become “coach Krap” among the fan base..
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:52 am
BadgerFan
December 9th, 2010
11:50 am
If it’s on an Arkansas’ fan website….it must be true. The guy that wrote the “article” lives in San Francisco.
So? He’s also an Arkansas Grad and one of the mods on that site. Besides, his opinion isn’t as compelling as the links he offers. Oh, and I never said it must be true. I said there were rumors of Petrino being the guy.
Georgia Peach
December 9th, 2010
11:56 am
Coach Krap sounds like a perfect fit for Dook.
BAMA dude
December 9th, 2010
11:57 am
Oh, Dook hoops has a whale of a fan base. I was talking about Duke football.
Georgia Peach
December 9th, 2010
11:59 am
From what I’m hearing, Arky fans would like to trade Petrino for Malzahn.
ARdawg
December 9th, 2010
12:00 pm
BAMA dude
My “estimation” is less than 5 recruits will go to another school because of Meyer’s resignation. What say you? 5?, Less than 5? 10? less than? 20?
Likely we’ll never know the real answer but it is interesting to see how many you think will leave/withdraw
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 9th, 2010
12:01 pm
Everytime I think arkansas, I just picture the west memphis 3 and how that entire town looked inbred..not an accurate description of the whole state I know..but If we get called Barners, all is fair…