Urban Meyer reminds us there are bigger things than games
Urban Meyer near the end of the SEC championship game. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
The funniest thing Vince Dooley ever said wasn’t funny at the time. It was as serious as a coronary. Because that’s what Dooley thought he was having.
Oct. 17, 1987: Georgia had contrived to fall two touchdowns behind in Nashville, and the head coach began having chest pains. And Dooley said to himself: “I’m having a heart attack, and we’re losing to Vanderbilt.”
The next day he was at Emory, where he would undergo angioplasty. He was back on the sideline the next Saturday, when the Bulldogs — who had rallied to beat the Commodores one week after losing narrowly to Tommy Hodson and LSU — would need a late touchdown to subdue Kentucky. Some life, huh?
“We won one for the ticker,” a merry Loran Smith said afterward, but it must be noted that Vincent Joseph Dooley coached his last game not 15 months later. At age 56. And he’s still alive today.
The best coach in the country is stepping aside not to coach somewhere else but simply not to coach. Urban Meyer is 45. He’s a high-energy guy. Big-name college coaches have to be. A big-name college coach gets home late and leaves early. He recruits and he coaches and he schmoozes with alums and he briefs the media and he answers the 2 a.m. calls that inform him one of his players has done something silly.
Yeah, the big-name coaches make a ton of money, but they live a life of stress beyond measure. As skilled as Urban Meyer is, would we view him quite the same today if his Gators hadn’t blocked that South Carolina field goal back in 2006? (He’d have been 0-2 against Spurrier and the 2006 Gators wouldn’t have won the BCS title and if they don’t win the first one maybe there’s not a second one.)
The point being: Big-name coaches are all control freaks, and yet they exist in a realm where so much cannot be controlled. The wonder isn’t that one of them has been suffering health problems. The wonder is that they all don’t.
Being human, Georgia fans will view Meyer’s leaving as the sound of a window opening. And it well may be. But before we get excited about what might (or might not) happen on the field, we need to pause to consider these sobering circumstances: Here’s a man at the peak of his profession, a man with two BCS titles, a man not yet 50 … and he’s walking away because he felt to keep coaching was to die young.
It was reported that Meyer had checked into a Gainesville hospital the day after Florida lost the SEC title game to Alabama for what was called “dehydration.” We now know that he’d been having chest pains. We now know those chest pains were dire enough to drive him away from the best job in the country, and that’s about as dire as it gets.
All coaches are strivers — striving for the next big win, the next big job, the next big trophy. Urban Meyer had won everything there was to win, but when the doctor shows you the cardiogram, all that striving and winning becomes a secondary concern. Job 1 is to stay alive.
Because this is a sports column, we need pay some attention to sports. Who’ll be next as the head Gator? Well, Charlie Strong just left for Louisville and Dan Mullen is coming off his first year in Starkville. Would they be interested in turning around so soon? Would Bob Stoops’ interest be piqued this time? Would Chris Petersen leave Boise for Gainesville? Is Gary Patterson of TCU an option?
I don’t know the answers. Ninety minutes ago, I didn’t know Florida would be looking for a coach. And to be honest, I’m not really thinking about the next coach just yet. I’m thinking about Urban Meyer.
We’ve had some fun with him in this space over time, but there was never a doubt he was a talent and a force. (His game-planning for Ohio State in the desert in January 2007 was coaching at its finest.) And now he’s leaving the job of jobs at age 45. If that doesn’t make you think, you don’t have a heart.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
657 comments Add your comment
CLEVON LITTLE
December 26th, 2009
11:48 pm
willie martinez
Ah, that’s right …No bowl game to coach. Wait a minute, did you say week???
Paul's Johnson
December 26th, 2009
11:49 pm
This coaching hire has ONE major implication. It will give the perma-tanned coach in Athens the chance to have a career losing record against FOUR Gator coaches! This isn’t an opportunity he can pass up!
Mark Bradley
December 26th, 2009
11:50 pm
Got the week off, huh? I laughed at that one, Coach.
Dave Kindred lives outside of DC — District of Columbia, not defensive coordinator — and writes for Golf Digest. He also writes books.
Ron Zook
December 26th, 2009
11:50 pm
I would LOVE to come back. My texting fingers are ready!
Fishawk
December 26th, 2009
11:51 pm
I hear Charlie Weiss is available.. kidding aside, he must be suffering some serious stress related issues. For someone as competitive as him to step down at this point in his career must have been a grueling decision. Maybe that’s the result of being an assassin. He was. He would run the score up on the Citadel and not blink an eye. As a human being, I wish him well. God bless.
Meanwhile...reduced to spam?
December 26th, 2009
11:54 pm
I know it wasn’t your doing Mark, so no offense taken at you for reporting it, but to be reduced to spam?
How humbling.
Maybe it was the reference to Meineke Car Care Bowl; and that the spam queue simply has no algorithm that can equate the Meineke Car Care Bowl to legitimate sports discourse.
I’m just speculating of course, so my apologies to the fine folks at Meineke and the city of Charlotte.
I notice Mullen has already been on ESPN to say he’s perfectly happy in Starksville. Didn’t sound totally convincing, but he did manage to mumble the right words, as far as the Miss. State faithful are concerned.
Mutley
December 26th, 2009
11:54 pm
For all dawg fans who think UGA is about to reverse the trend it won’t happen. Jeremy Foley is the driving force behind UF and who ever he hires will still beat UGA.
Ron Zook
December 26th, 2009
11:55 pm
Yes Mutley, that’s why I should be back. I was a proven winner!
willie martinez
December 26th, 2009
11:55 pm
hmmm. laughing at me are you?
Ron Zook
December 26th, 2009
11:56 pm
Willie, don’t go anywhere. I want you for my DC at UF.
Santa Claus (not Clausen)
December 26th, 2009
11:56 pm
Get some rest MB. This blog is full of mind numbing dribble at the moment. Don’t lower your I.Q. Just be like Corch Meyers and capital Q (for now) Quit. Don’t really quit. Just post comments tomorrow. Tonight is tarnished.
God bless,
S.C.
Cuz
December 26th, 2009
11:57 pm
Now Boxing day will be known as Urban day.
As a Dawg I am sad to see him go. Why you may ask? And you may ask. It is the age old story. If you want to be the best, you have to play and beat the best. I always felt as long as Urban was at UF, if we beat them, then we were “the best”. I am not an Urban fan, but he was a heck of a head coach. Godspeed Urban.
Ron Zook
December 26th, 2009
11:57 pm
Ray Goff for OC.
willie martinez
December 26th, 2009
11:58 pm
coach zook, thanks for that, but i understand your record aint so good.
Mark Bradley
December 26th, 2009
11:58 pm
Don’t feel bad about going to Spam City. It just happened to Coach Martinez. And sometimes it happens to me.
Mr Charlie
December 26th, 2009
11:59 pm
Best college football players ever:
Bo
Herschel
Tim
In that order
Ron Zook
December 26th, 2009
11:59 pm
I was hired by Jeremy Foley. I am automatically a winner. Mutley says so.
Cuz
December 27th, 2009
12:00 am
Is Spam City outside Ludowici?
Mr Charlie
December 27th, 2009
12:00 am
I am sure Ray Goff is a good person, but he was not a good Div 1A football coach.
Mark Bradley
December 27th, 2009
12:01 am
Spam City is between Stark and Waldo. Gator fans will know them well.
willie martinez
December 27th, 2009
12:01 am
Mark, is “spammed” another word for fired?
Dawg since 1965
December 27th, 2009
12:02 am
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/sports/ncaafootball/27florida.html?_r=1
willie martinez
December 27th, 2009
12:02 am
i thought you were going to sleep.
Santa Claus (not Clausen)
December 27th, 2009
12:02 am
I’m disappointed in you all.
Ray Gump
December 27th, 2009
12:03 am
I may not be the smarted man in the world, but I got a degree from the University of Alabama.
Mark Bradley
December 27th, 2009
12:03 am
I am now. And you don’t have to worry about getting fired on here, Coach. You’ve got a lifetime contract.
King Gator
December 27th, 2009
12:04 am
I guess we had to do something to give UGA a chance at beating us more than once ever 7 or 8 years… Kidding aside, good luck and thank you to Urban and his family. As a member of the Gator Nation, I appreciate the great job you’ve done as our football coach. I’m sure Foley will bring in a top notch coach, not another Zook – Jeremy likes his job too much to think he could make that type of mistake twice. Although, Zook was 2-1 v. the Dawgs… I’m sure that left a scar. Go Gators!
willie martinez
December 27th, 2009
12:04 am
clevon, do you remember singing “thow out the lifeline” with me and the baldwin sisters?
Ray Gump
December 27th, 2009
12:05 am
I thought Ron Zook was an excellent coach.
willie martinez
December 27th, 2009
12:05 am
Mark, I can rest easy now. Best, willie
Va Dawg
December 27th, 2009
12:05 am
Kyle Willingham. Took over from Urban at Utah and beat Saban last year. Foley won’t steal back Mullen or Strong, especially Mullen from another SEC program. If Willingham doesn’t work out I say Bob Stoops would be next since he has won a NC at Oklahoma. Shanahan a looooooong shot based on the number of years since he has coached in college,
Cuz
December 27th, 2009
12:06 am
Just found out the Spam Museum is about an hour and a half from Rochester MN in Austin Mower, MN. I plan to vistit next year.
Cuz
December 27th, 2009
12:09 am
I got Jim Donnan as a dark horse. Vegas gave me 150,000 to 1. If I hit, I am set for life.
AltamahaDawg
December 27th, 2009
12:10 am
Agree 100% with Paul. Credit Meyers for announcing this now. Sooner the better. This is prime resume time for college coaches. And signing day for recruiting is a month or so away. I think he handled it as well as anyone could.
I don’t know if I really buy into this praise for Meyers coming to this decision in the first place though. I know he loved the job and I have no doubt it was difficult to deal with, to accept and admit, but figuring out if you don’t want to DIE doesn’t really seem that magnanomous. He was about to pop a vein from stress, self imposed it sounds like. I’m sure his family appreciates the idea of him spending more time with them, but it sounds like he tried every way possible to NOT do this.
Meanwhile...Mark I'm going to throw this out there
December 27th, 2009
12:12 am
Since Meyer’s resignation speaks to the important things in life, and since this is your last day of the year, perhaps you can answer a question Mark. Yes, to pose this to an intrepid sports reporter is outside the scope of your domain, but with the holidays upon us, I hope you’ll sense my pain at the following and provide some solace.
In order to bring some humor to the holidays, I gave loved ones gift cards to various stores; stores carefully chosen for the common denominator that they had all gone out of business.
It was a combination Christmas and April Fool’s gift, which I was sure would be the hijinks highlight of the season, and thus provide great joy to all involved. But all I got was an attitude of derision, with accusations of being a cheapskate.
In light of this Urban Meyer story, why can’t loved ones just be grateful sometimes?
AltamahaDawg
December 27th, 2009
12:15 am
Is Spam City right beside the Blue Star nursery?
Mark Bradley
December 27th, 2009
12:15 am
Boy, you’ve asked a question I can’t answer. I’m lucky: My family isn’t terribly demanding.
Paul in RDU
December 27th, 2009
12:19 am
Mark,
If this is your last day of the year, does that mean Jeff has to make up for spending Christmas in CA by blogging live from Shreveport on Monday?
Dawg Master
December 27th, 2009
12:19 am
YES!!!! This is great news for UGA!!!! Without Meyer, UGA will beat UF on a regular basis—they’ll hire another ron zook type, and UGA will take over the SEC east for good!!!! Look for a Ga blowout over UF in 2010 and an SEC title!!!!!! YES!!!!!! Florida fans–back to mediocrity!!!!!
Easy there fella'
December 27th, 2009
12:20 am
Did Urban Meyer resign because his cardiologist showed him an electrocardiogram that showed him where he’s at, or did he resign because he showed him BULLDAWG BILL’S electrocardiogram that showed where he was heading?
Meanwhile...Mark Obi Won, you were my only hope
December 27th, 2009
12:26 am
I was so hopeful you could provide something Mark; even a Junior Sample quote. I’m now consign to spend the duration of the holiday in existential angst.
Don’t feel bad though Mark. Enjoy your brief break. It truly wasn’t your cross to bear. And the GMAC, Music City, Humanitarian, etc. bowls will provide a welcome distraction to ease the pain.
UGADawg83
December 27th, 2009
12:29 am
I think Ray Goff would make a wonderful replacement.
Lou Holtz
December 27th, 2009
12:32 am
I’ve still got “the itch.” I did wonders for the Gamecocks and I’ll do wonders for UF.
Lou Holtz
December 27th, 2009
12:33 am
Plus, with my “granny” look I’ll make all the snowbirds fans.
Lou Holtz
December 27th, 2009
12:34 am
I’m ready to go! I’ll do wonders for UF just as I did for the Gamecocks!
Lou Holtz
December 27th, 2009
12:34 am
I’m ready, UF! Bring it on!
Jeff G
December 27th, 2009
12:37 am
Tuberville don’t like no stinkin spread offense, just ask Tony Franklin. My thoughts and prayers are with Meyer and his family.
Pago Flyer
December 27th, 2009
12:37 am
This is the same guy who…during his annual beat down of the DAWGS..called time out during the final seconds of the games? Karma…!
Even Lou Duva couldn't get Lou Holtz ready
December 27th, 2009
12:39 am
Lou Holtz ready for UF is about as plausible as Don Zimmer being ready for Pedro Martinez.
Which is still more plausible than Willie Martinez being ready for UF LOL
Fear The Nerd
December 27th, 2009
12:41 am
We run this blog.
Arf