Urban decay? Sporting News examines a ‘broken’ Florida
The former Florida head ball coach has been taken to task by Matt Hayes. (AP photo)
The Georgia Bulldogs haven’t had the sunniest of offseasons — and there’s still a whole summer to go! — but Matt Hayes of Sporting News offers a bit of reading guaranteed to warm the Red & Black heart. It’s about Urban Meyer and Florida, and if you happen to hate the Gators this will serve as the feel-good story of the spring.
It commences with a killer anecdotal lead (or lede, as we say in the trade): The Urban Crier, who’s now coaching Ohio State, tells the family of recruit Stephon Diggs he wouldn’t let his son go to Florida because of “character issues in the locker room.”
Writes Hayes: “[Those] character issues … we now know were fueled by a culture Meyer created.”
And then Hayes has at it, detailing — mostly via unnamed sources, we should note — just how the Urbanator created a two-tier system in Gainesville: Either you were a star and a member of his “Circle of Trust,” or you weren’t. (Meyer to Hayes: “I’ve never heard of Circle of Trust before in my life.”)
Hayes reports that Meyer pushed aside an injured player to clear scholarship room and that Florida covered up one-game suspensions for failed drug tests by having stars — Percy Harvin and that Georgia fan favorite Brandon Spikes among them — feign injury. The charming Harvin, Hayes recounts, once threw receivers coach Billy Gonzales to the ground. (Meyer to Hayes: “Something did happen and something was handled. I don’t think it’s fair to Percy Harvin or Billy Gonzales to talk about it.”)
Enough with the teasers. (I’m sorry. Here’s just one more: A former player calls Meyer a “great coach” but “a bad person.”) Just go read the story. It’s a dandy.
By Mark Bradley
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306 comments Add your comment
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
April 10th, 2012
4:00 pm
@green doggie…Bama as 7-6 in 2007. UGA beat a pretty good Bama team in OT as you recall. Due to bookgate Bama lost our only RB and center for about 4 games (back for AU) and that hurt the team but at the time UGA beat them Bama was pretty good so give some credit to UGA for that OT win.
Things are about to get interesting at AU since the trial of the receiver Godwin is about to begin and his defense team has requested drug testing info from AU and Dyer is set to take the stand as will Cheeze and Trooper Taylor. Start the popcorn for ole Karma is coming in the backdoor at the Corrupt School of Banking and Tree Cutting!
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/04/gene_chizik_trooper_taylor_amo/3510/comments.html
pj
April 10th, 2012
4:14 pm
Wow what a read. Eye opening. Thanks Bradley. While our guys have the same bad decision making habits other schools do – at least our program holds players accountable. You don’t hear former players bashing Richt – EVER.
GlenU
April 10th, 2012
4:29 pm
When is a Facts not a fact-
dan
April 10th, 2012
4:55 pm
Florida’s gain, THE Ohio State University’s loss!
pfitz2
April 10th, 2012
5:02 pm
“And Urban Meyer will win and win big at OSU because he will be the only coach in the Big 10 (ther are actually 12 teams in the Big 10?) who will openly, even proudly, not honor the so-called ‘gentleman’s agreement” the other coaches are honoring”
There has never been a gentleman’s agreement in the Big Ten. One whiny coach complained that UM “stole” a recruit. That coach’s AD came out and said there is no such agreement and the Big Ten commish said UM had not violated any NCAA rules. And BTW, there are 10 teams in the Big 12. Like it matters anyway
GreenDawg
April 10th, 2012
5:02 pm
Some of you boys need to wise up. When that trains comin down the line, and you sittin on the track, you want people to yell, and warn you, so you have time to correct the situation. What good would it be to tell me how pretty my car was, if I was sittin on the track, and a train was coming?
Some of you boys are just like that person who says a bunch of sweet nuttins that don’t do nobody no good.
pfitz2
April 10th, 2012
5:10 pm
Mark,
Billy Gonzales has come out and said that the Harvin incident “never happened”
VolsRule
April 10th, 2012
5:10 pm
@ Galen Pell 3:22 pm post
“Florida, like Tennessee, is returning to the station God intended … consistently decent, but nothing special.”
Assuming you are a GEORGIA fan – better understand college football history before you make those type of comments. Most GEORGIA fans have a better respect for the history of the conference. Let me help you out my friend:
ALL TIME WINNING %
Alabama – 7th nationally – .710
Tennessee – 11th nationally – .687
LSU – 13th nationally – .647
Georgia – 14th nationally – .645
Auburn – 15th nationally – .634
Florida – 17th nationally – .630
Arkansas – 29th nationally – .595
SEC TITLES
Alabama – 22 (7-West)
Tennessee – 13 (5-East)
Georgia – 12 (4 – East)
LSU – 11 (5 West)
Florida – 8 (10 East)
Auburn – 7 (4 West)
Comments:
Florida vs Georgia
Overall – a pretty tight series but “streaky”.
Dooley era saw Georgia win it’s share.
However, consider this:
– since 1950 – Florida has a 35-26-1 record vs. Georgia.
Tennessee vs Georgia
Overall – a tight series – like Florida series – teams going on streaks against each other.
Teams played seldom until conference split in 1991
Overall – Tennessee is 21-18-2
since 1980 Tennessee is 13-12 against Georgia
Pretty good developing series I would say – however, we are down right now and I am thinking Georgia will have it’s way with us for the next few seasons.
HEAD TO HEAD
Georgia has a losing record against 4 SEC teams.
However – Georgia is third in all time conference winning % – but remember, the teams do not play against each other an equal number of times – meaning that the winning % would have be more relevant if the SEC played round robin over the years. But, for what it’s worth:
All Time Conference Winning %
Alabama – .678
Tennessee – .622
Georgia – .601
LSU – .576
Florida – .572
Auburn – .570
So you can see – making comments that Tennessee and Florida consistently descent shows your ignorance. Tennessee has the advantage over Georgia in overall conference wins, SEC East Titles, SEC Titles, and NATIONAL Titles. And we are beating UGA in head to head (at least for the next few years).
As for Florida – again my friend – out of 62 games played since 1950 – Georgia has won only 26 of them. Thank God for the Dooley era! Goff, Donnan and Richt have had a hard time of it against the Gators!
Georgia, like ALABAMA, FLORIDA, AUBURN, LSU and TENNESSEE have great football traditions.
I mention these schools because the represent the overal top half of the SEC. No need in bashing.
You can draw your own conclusions with the FACTS regarding Georgia against Florida and Tennessee.
Bob
April 10th, 2012
5:22 pm
This was during McGarity’s watch…what does that say about his character?
CaliDawg
April 10th, 2012
5:29 pm
All you Richt haters…wake up!!! We have a gem and we’re damn lucky to have a coach with such great character for our STUDENT-athletes…and it’s for the duration of their lives, not their eligibility!
Bob
April 10th, 2012
5:38 pm
@CaliDawg…I disagree. We are poor judges of character, and Richt does less with more talent than any coach in the USA.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
April 10th, 2012
5:40 pm
Calidawg…as John McEnroe says”’You can’t be serious”
shankit
April 10th, 2012
6:02 pm
Bill: AJC did not trash Florida. They only revealed what was
written by The Sporting News, article of which was written by
a former Gater player.
Pitbull
April 10th, 2012
6:03 pm
Tech folks hate Mark Richt for the simple fact that he is 11-1 against Tech.
If he was 1-11 then Tech folks would love him and never want him to leave UGA.
shankit
April 10th, 2012
6:06 pm
Bob: This was not during McGarrity’s watch.
This was during the his boss’ watch, Florida AD, Jeremy Foley,
who hired Urban and McGarrity.
Probably the reason McGarrity left Florida to
get back to Georgia. Tired of the corruptness within the Florida program.
LakeDawg
April 10th, 2012
6:07 pm
Unfortunately, college football is at an all time low and the SEC is leading the way. When Spurrior looks like a decent guy next to the other coaches in the conference, something is rotten.
LakeDawg
April 10th, 2012
6:11 pm
I like CMR. He sure looks good next to Saban, Meyer, Petrino, etc. I just wish he could coach.
SSI Dawg
April 10th, 2012
6:11 pm
@ LakeDawg – I understand not liking Spurrier, but he’s completely different than people like Meyer and Petrino. At least he is a straight shooter. You may not like what he has to say, but he says what he means. Meyer and Petrino are weasels. They’ll say or do anything to win.
Alachua Taxidermery Service
April 10th, 2012
6:15 pm
Ya’ll quit gittin on my Gaters. Heck, you should
see the stock of Gaters settin’ in my shop, waitin’
to be mounted so their fans can hav’ one on thar
office floor. No other skool can claim they kill
their mascots just so we can mount them to set
in thar offices.
Rest in peace, UGA,
LakeDawg
April 10th, 2012
6:16 pm
SSI Dawg
April 10th, 2012
6:11 pm
@ LakeDawg – I understand not liking Spurrier, but he’s completely different than people like Meyer and Petrino.At least he is a straight shooter. You may not like what he has to say, but he says what he means. Meyer and Petrino are weasels. They’ll say or do anything to win.
————————————————————————————————————————————–
I can never spell Spurrier’s name correctly. LOL. I agree with your statement. Though I’ve seen some slippage in the past couple of years from Spurrier. It’s the pressure of trying to keep up with the Sabans of the world.
shankit
April 10th, 2012
6:17 pm
Spurrier is a good guy?
Petrino has more character.
My two buddies are still waiting in the locker room
at the VCC for Spurrier to get back from his car
to get the cash to pay off his golf losses. He hauled
arse without paying a golf bet. Lowest of the low.
LakeDawg
April 10th, 2012
6:23 pm
Any golfing bet debts that I have, I pay back with a nine iron upside the head.
shankit
April 10th, 2012
6:27 pm
LakeDawg – My two buddies are waiting in the locker room with their nine irons,
doubt they will ever have an opportunity to pay back, though. That weasel has
a bad reputation at the VCC and probably will never get a game in out little ol’ town.
Buckeyes Net Commitment from California Tight End | Our Honor Defend
April 10th, 2012
6:31 pm
[...] State fans got some surprising news today. Good news, actually. No, it wasn’t Matt Hayes doing Matt Hayes stuff. It was a left field commitment from Marcus Baugh, a tight end prospect from Riverside, [...]
Beast from the East
April 10th, 2012
6:32 pm
I don’t know how much of that article to believe. “Sources” that aren’t identified aren’t much more credible than pure speculation. That said, it has been common knowledge amongst the Gator faithful that we had some serious entitlement issues amongst the incoming freshmen class in 2010.
I think most of us Gators are thankful for the 2 NC’s that Urban brought to Gainesville, but we’re also thakful that his era is over. The man was not much of a disciplinarian and his last couple of years were almost painful to watch…at times.
Muschamp appears to have inherited a bigger challenge than first thought. I think he’s doing things the right way and will have us competing for the SEC in 2013.
Go Gators!
Look In The Mirror
April 10th, 2012
6:42 pm
As long as UGA keeps hiring the “good christian men” as HC, and as long as Arkansas keeps a cheating, disrespectful, crooked coach, and as long as Auburn hires a coach who goes along with what the “money people” tell him what to do, and as long as Les Miles keeps game planning like he does in big games…..life will a great deal easier for others to keep winning those big games…..
Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL)
April 10th, 2012
7:07 pm
Ya’ll quit hatin’ on ma Gatas. Corch Muschamp will have dem Gatas back in the B-C-S Champinship in no time. Go Gata!
Corrine Brown, University of Florida, M.A. 1971, Ed.S. 1974 (no joking)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgbBP9Em00A
Ed
April 10th, 2012
7:16 pm
“Let’s see: Flagship university in the state with the best high school talent with the third largest athletic budget in the country. Yep. I’ll bet that UF is just going to drop off the college football map, never to be heard from again.”
Ray, were they the flagship university from 1932-1990? Because that’s the period Florida laid a big goose egg, championship wise. Almost 60 years, although the did have one conference title stripped for cheating and a few other good years they weren’t eligible for the title. If any school with so much going for it could fall off the football map, it’s UF.
charles s.
April 10th, 2012
7:28 pm
Bama’s got a slimeball head coach also.
Kramer
April 10th, 2012
7:45 pm
Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL)
April 10th, 2012
7:07 pm
Ya’ll quit hatin’ on ma Gatas. Corch Muschamp will have dem Gatas back in the B-C-S Champinship in no time. Go Gata!
Corrine Brown, University of Florida, M.A. 1971, Ed.S. 1974 (no joking
Rep. Brown, you are a credit to democrats and gator fans everywhere. keep up the good work.
Look In The Mirror
April 10th, 2012
8:52 pm
When you said democrat almost EVERYONE tuned you out!
TampaGator
April 10th, 2012
8:55 pm
This is a fact….and I am not sure how factual a lot of this is…..I am very disappointed in one….Urban Meyer. He talked about how much he loved Florida and GatorNation….and then he goes and trashes the school “he loves” to a recruit he is going head to head with Florida to get….Wow!!! At least one good thing came out of that…..Diggs signed with Maryland, not OSU. At least he could see how two faced Meyer is. Good for him. The second good thing is…..Ahamd Fullwood, who is much better than Diggs in a pro style offense…..is coming to Gainesville now. Even better.
P.S……now you all know why so many players “left” the Florida program after Muschamp arrived. They did not fit the NEW and IMPROVED culture Muschamp has already brought to Florida…..if you don’t believe me……read the story tonight about the new culture at Florida and the new Florida Gators on:
http://www.gatorsports.com
TampaGator
April 10th, 2012
9:02 pm
@everyone in Dawg land
visit http://www.gatorsports.com and read for yourself the NEW CULTURE already existing in Gainesville…thanks to Muschamp and company. Florida has benefited from Meyer’s departure. And they have also apparently benefited from the departure of one, Charlie Weiss, and the arrival of Mr. Pease to replace him as OC. And you now know why so many players “left” the program initally. Muschamp cleaned house of most of the poison…and got buy in from those who stayed. Go Gators.
@Look in the Mirror…..
Not everyone that reads the AJC lives in Georgia and votes for Newt!!! We in Florida already know very well…….what the TEA PARTY brings to the table….and it not good for anyone making less than a mil per year, teaches our children, protects our streets from criminals, puts out fires in neighborhoods…..or just cares about the middle class.
TampaGator
April 10th, 2012
9:03 pm
Beast…..
I think Florida will be right there this year in the East…..and will compete for the SEC title in 2013. Muschamp is getting his players….and he is doing things the right way. Go Gators.
TampaGator
April 10th, 2012
9:08 pm
Ed….
You have obviously never visited the U of F campus in Gainesville……looked at the school’s academics…..have any idea who the President of the school is……know anything about the AD…a Mr. Foley……or has a clue what the current head football coach is doing. Florida is a big star on that map….and will remain one for a long, long time…..as long as there is college football, college basketball, college baseball, college swimming, college golf, college track….or whatever. Don’t be so stupid. Spurrier and Foley put Florida on that map in the 90’s….and the star is permanent.
LakeDawg
April 10th, 2012
9:09 pm
Not everyone that reads the AJC lives in Georgia and votes for Newt!!! We in Florida already know very well…….what the TEA PARTY brings to the table….and it not good for anyone making less than a mil per year, teaches our children, protects our streets from criminals, puts out fires in neighborhoods…..or just cares about the middle class.
————————————————————————————————————————————–
Amen, brother.
Ckgator
April 10th, 2012
9:09 pm
Mark you have the maturiity of a 7th grader at times.
The man had 3 consecutive 13-1 seasons and 2 national titles in 6 years, Keep pumping those pre-season UGA national titles Marky boy. Very weak if you think any one from Florida cares…
TampaGator
April 10th, 2012
9:11 pm
Well…..final thought……I guess the responses to this story eliminates….forever…..those who post on “GEORIGA BLOGS” than no one gives a damn about the FLORIDA GATORS. YES YOU DO….and you should. Good night.
P.S. After reading this and hearing a lot more about Meyer……I am truly glad he is the head coach at Ohio State. They deserve each other.
kingdaddy
April 10th, 2012
9:21 pm
Glad I’m not in Arkantucky
GT is a 4th rate High School Team
April 10th, 2012
9:23 pm
Why should one care about how other schools run their programs? Fans/alums should just concern of their teams performance and demand quality play from their coaches, except if the negative story is about the North Avenue High School.
kingdaddy
April 10th, 2012
9:24 pm
I could have gone all night without hearing the old ball coaches name…
kingdaddy
April 10th, 2012
9:29 pm
Blog po-po’s have kicked 2 post out. Didn’t say anything bad about spurrior, just could have gone without hearing his name…
kingdaddy
April 10th, 2012
9:35 pm
Twilight Zone, who’s in chsrge of policing the blog tonight, you got your panties in a bunch?
ga gator
April 10th, 2012
9:35 pm
Can’t wait Mark when the NCAA Hammer comes down on your precious “Big Blue” and Calipari and your Cats have to give back the Basketball crown. What do you do to report, scour other websites? You are a waste for a journalist.
ga gator
April 10th, 2012
9:37 pm
Ed, lets see where was the Flagship of Georgia before and after Hershel? By the way I would not cast stones as I seem to remember a Ms. Jan Kemp at UGA.
kingdaddy
April 10th, 2012
9:40 pm
Your blog is way below average tonight. Censors have lost objectivity…
hahaha
April 10th, 2012
9:40 pm
Meyer, Petrino, Nutt, Kiffin. Previous SEC used car salesman coaches!
kingdaddy
April 10th, 2012
9:42 pm
???????????
kingdaddy
April 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
Whats the deal M. B.
All these negative blogs on here and you kick me? No cursing in any of the 4 or 5 you left out, yet you keep posting other negative comments???
kingdaddy
April 10th, 2012
9:53 pm
There must be a hole in the ozone layer tonight eating my post…