(Available on pretty much any local Columbus News Channel, Ohio State Buckeyes dot com and at BT2Go)
5:15 (Gene Smith at the podium) “Our next head football coach, Mr. Urban Meyer” – pretty much the greatest thing Gene Smith has ever said.
5:17 “One of the premier leaders in football”
5:19 “This is the right time for Urban Meyer to lead our football program”
“Let me take this opportunity to thank Luke Fickell… He was the right leader for this program at that time.”
5:20 “Coach Fickell will be our coach for the Bowl Game”
5:23 (Urban Meyer at the podium) “I’m deeply honored to … lead the Ohio State program.”
“If it was but for the coaching position at the Ohio State University, I would not have coached this year (this coming year).”
5:25 “Our goal is to compete and win Big Ten Championships”
“It’s good to be home.”
5:26 “The interest in this program is overwhelming.”
“Health-wise, I feel great … I feel fantastic now.”
5:30 “If you’re the best offensive line coach, I want you here.” (Sorry, Coach Bollman)
5:32 “I did a lot of research” (He’s said that quite a few times. I like that)
5:33 Meeting Braxton Miller was Coach Meyer’s “highlight of the day”. “real excited” (We’re all excited, Urban)
5:36 “Go hard”
5:38 “We need an EMS to the back please.” (Camera shaking and awkward rubber-necking)
5:41 “I understand the significance of that game” (referring to the OSU/Michigan game)
“The one thing I know about that game, there is a lot of respect in that rivalry”
5:43 “I’m putting a lot of pressure on this kid (Miller) already.”
5:46 Speaking of discipline: “If we have one (incident) we’ve had too many.”
5:52 Question: “Do you think you could lead Ohio State to a national championship?” “I’m just trying to make it to tomorrow. Wow, I don’t know.”
5:56 “The players didn’t choose me, I chose them”
Alright, I’m going to eat dinner. I cannot say how excited I am at this moment. I am about to GO HARD on this dinner right now.
I thought this was a really interesting OSU take on Urban Meyer:
http://menofthescarletandgray.com/2008/01/04/good-coach-bad-coach/
Miller is going to be a SUPERSTAR in this offense.
Terrelle Pryor just called and asked if he could use his one year of eligibility back because he would dominate in the spread offense!!!
Smith must go! His intro was embarassing. He called him Irvin Meyer. Smith had nothing to do with this hire. Everthing is “dis” and “dat”. I’m sick of the idiotic Smith. Meyer is class. Smith failed Ohio State and can’t speak English.
@kehnonymous – touche, good sir. But opinions can change, right? That was over three years ago. People change.
@Kade – I’d wager that he’s already a superstar. We lose by 20 to Michigan if he doesn’t play half as well as he did.
@Paul – I didn’t think he called him Irvin. Sounded like Urban to me…
Pretty sure Jim Delany wrote that intro. Heard the word “leader” about 30 times.
@kehnonymous – wow… GREAT memory. Yes, I remember writing that. When I heard the Meyer rumors start about a month ago, I remembered that.
Honestly, I am conflicted about it. No question Meyer is more of a dictator type and less of a “gentle mentor” than people like Lloyd Carr and Jim Tressel were. So I hold no illusions about the reality of how, historically, he views his players.
I justify that by modifying my expectations. Will we ever have another Tressel? No. In fact, it’s unlikely that any coach in FBS will ever develop a reputation like Tressel’s. And I refuse to make Meyer the face of the program – I’ve been burned as a fan because I played a role in Tressel becoming “larger than the program.” I don’t think any self-respecting (humble) OSU fan will make the same mistake again.
But back to expectations – as a winner, Meyer has proven himself. Wins and losses-wise, he’s the best option for OSU right now, and that excites me. Am I disappointed that nobody will ever “gently mentor” the young men in the way that Tressel was respected for doing? Sure. But am I also happy that OSU has hired the best head coach possible to improve upon a 6-6 regular season? Absolutely.
And I have no plans myself to avoid being critical of Meyer whenever and wherever he deserves it.
So regarding that link… I still stand by that opinion. Carr was twice the mentor that Meyer was at the time I wrote that. But I also respect Meyer for what he brings to the table: things like organization, toughness, no nonsense, leadership. Qualities that OSU desperately needs (in the short term, anyway).
I have to fess up – I’m a Michigan fan and hadda bring that up to tweak you guys and be an evil troll. Serious props to you guys for owning up to your previous statement.
And I have to agree. We were hoping you’d hire Ron Zook (he’s available), but OSU made about as good of a hire as you could make in Urban Meyer. He’ll have OSU back in form next season, assuming he doesn’t retain Bollman or hire GERG Robinson to coach the defense.