A Zach Bartlett Column I found it.
I can’t believe it.
After years of searching, and fighting through the Chuck Norris-esque jokes and sycophantic praises, I’ve found the one thing Tim Tebow can’t do: Control his teammates. Sure, on the field he can get them to behave and march in line, but that’s because the only grass around doesn’t get you high, and you can’t batter a woman in front of thousands. It’s obviously Tebow’s responsibility to control the players on the UF roster, because it sure isn’t Urban Meyers’. At least that’s what one can easily infer from analyzing the statistical response the University of Florida Athletic Department released after Orlando Sentinel beat writer Jeremy Fowler posted a breakdown of the 24 UF players arrested under Urban’s watch.
Here’s a taste of their powerful rebuttal:
● 14 of the 24 player arrests have been from players Meyer didn't recruit or were from his first recruiting class
● The 24 arrests involve 19 players
● Only three arrests from the last three recruiting classes (including 2009)
From their analysis, it’s apparent that UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley is doing his best to attribute the nefarious behavior to Ron Zook. He’s trying to portray the 24 arrests of UF players in Meyer’s tenure as an ancillary product of the atmosphere Zook created.
Damn that Zooker! Not only did he underachieve, but he was also so putrid his aura still haunts the swamp and renders a total loss of common sense to any that encounter it.
Really?! Ron Zook?! That’s your scapegoat? How long can you blame the guy? But, more importantly, how do you blame him for this?
I would have bought the excuse if Foley had taken a page from Jamie Fox’s book and blamed it on the Alcohol. It would have been acerbically funny, and probably more factual. I would have even bought it if Foley channeled his inner Millie Vanillie and blamed it on the rain, or his Eric Cartman and blamed Canada. At least that would have been worth a chuckle. Don’t get me wrong, I still laughed out loud at the response, but out of disbelief and befuddlement, not humor.
Despite all their overwhelmingly complex and convincing data, UF fails to really recognize the fact that ALL THE ARRESTS OCCURRED UNDER MEYER. He’s the coach. It’s his responsibility. You can’t get credit for coaching the recruits to a title and then disown them when some of the same recruits get arrested. Blame and praise are closely intertwined. Meyer’s like a step dad that takes credit for everything good his stepson does, and points at the poor parenting of his predecessor when behavior goes awry.
Foley said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel that “No one works harder in this area than Urban. I see it every day. Anyone who can't see his desire to influence young men positively and make them better citizens has no idea who he is as a coach and a human being. It is really easy to focus on negative issues and negative press.”
Allow me to interrupt at his point and say, it’s easy to focus on the negative issues and the negative press because there is so damn much of it. Provide less and we’ll focus on it less.
Lets pretend the Gators weren’t so criminally zealous, stopped at the halfway point and only had 12 players arrested in Meyer’s four years; we’d still be confused and disgusted, but to a lesser degree. Don’t provide an excess of material, and we’ll pay attention to something else. Also, Mr. Foley, it’s not like you’re priority number one. If Tony Romo dumps Jessica Simpson in unison with your 25th arrest, I assure you the transgression doesn’t make SportsCenter. For some reason the rambunctious reptiles get a pass from the mainstream media. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Foley went on to say, “This is part of the world we live in, and we understand this. No one here condones our players stepping out of line, and everyone here wants to get better. However, Urban Meyer and his staff are the best that I have seen in modifying behavior, and at the end of the day, the majority of the players who come through this program will make us all proud and not just because they are good football players."
Again, at this point I would like to politely interject and wonder aloud, if Meyer is the best at modifying behavior, what the hell were the kids like prior to Urban’s unparalleled behavior modification? Did he only scout youth detention facilities and county jails?
I can just see it now, “ Sure officer, he may have broken into the man’s house and caved in his schnozz, but you should have seen him P.M. (pre Meyer).“
At least Foley was correct in saying; “the majority of the players will make us all proud.” Roughly only ten percent of Meyer’s players have been arrested, so for the time being, arrested Gators are the minority. (Thanks to Sentinel Columnist Andrea Adelson for the math).
Many charges were dropped, and the arrest by recruiting class ratio has improved, but having 24 arrests in a 4-year period is nothing to take lightly. Making an excuse this pathetic is unjustifiable. Man up. Own it. Admit you have a problem and are doing you’re best to control it, if you actually are. Don’t, blame it on you’re favorite scapegoat when it doesn’t make a lick of sense. It may satisfy the ignorant that lap up whatever you feed them, but those of us who can add, see through your transparent P.R. cover. It’s not Zook’s fault, it the fault of those in charge of their actions (the players) and those meant to control them (Meyer), not the guy who met six of the 20 players involved in the 24 arrests.
Foley and UF better hope their minor improvements continue, because if they keep carrying on this way, no one will buy the Zook card. And, it’s beyond apparent that they are running out of excuses.
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