For the past year or so, it seems that everything Urban Meyer does, he gets criticized for it by the national media. It will be interesting to see if he takes some heat for apologizing to Orlando Sentinel beat writer Jeremy Fowler after Saturday’s practice. I don’t see how, but I wouldn’t be shocked because, for some reason, there are people out there who seem to find fault in everything Meyer does.
But he should be commended for this. Apologizing for his angry confrontation with Fowler is the right thing to do. In retrospect, I think Meyer realizes he probably should have dressed down Fowler in a more private setting, maybe with a telephone conversation instead of doing it in public and in front of about a dozen members of the media who cover the team on a daily basis.
Meyer said he’s sorry Saturday, Fowler accepted the apology, and now it’s time for everybody to move on. It should die here (even though something tells me there will be some out there who will try to keep it alive for at least another week or so, or longer).
Some are going to wonder now whether someone (maybe Jeremy Foley or Bernie Machen) told Meyer he had to apologize. Does it really matter? The bottom line is if Meyer didn’t feel he needed to apologize, he would not have. Knowing him, I think this was his call.
As for the national story that this became (and the criticism it generated), the positive that comes out of it for Meyer is the message it sends his players (and the parents of those players). Many of the players were talking about that Friday, about how they know Meyer has their back and that they have his.
Meyer offered an olive branch to Fowler on Saturday – and Fowler accepted. Now, it’s time to move on.
Agreed. Let’s move on. Message delivered, message received. Coach ,I’m sure, doesn’t want an adverse relationship with members of the press that covers the Gators so this was good. In a couple of weeks this will all be forgotten except for ultra critics like Finebaum who will want to bring it back up when they think it serves their agenda.
God Robbie are you that big of a homer? Criticized for everything he does? Are you kidding me? ESPN couldn’t be more on his jock. They ignore EVERYTHING including the ridiculous arrest record he’s had on the team since he came to Gainesville. They bow down more to Urban than Shane Matthews ever could. The media will praise him as some sort of diety for apologizing like a man.
The Coach Meyer that apologized is the Coach Meyer that I always knew was there. When you look at the reporter that
Coach Meyer had the dispute with he doesn’t look many years out of high school. He is going to make some immaturity mistakes but he must have some feelings for the Gators or he wouldn’t be Orlando Sentinel’s Gator beat reporter. I know reporters in this situation must live in the college towns they cover so he must have some committment to our area.
Urban is a class guy and I will always have HIS back.
Perhaps all the sports team members should enroll in a JM101 class or two. Basic reporting and fact finding They will learn about fact errors and the need to find two sources for a fact. But, if it is a direct quote and the speaker misspoke or needs to clarify something why not hold a press conference like a real quarterback!!! If a sports figure is going to speak to the press and put themselves in the Public Eye then they should enroll in JM320 Law of mass communications
Hey Don, I guess you missed Robbie’s point. You are exactly like the haters he is referring too. Everything is a story when you are the biggest name in the game. Have fun hating and whining. We’ll just keep winning.
Are you still bummed out that Meyer’s first post-retirement interview was with the NY Times? So dying for access that you’re willing to ignore everything you learned as a reporter in school about protecting the value of an independent press? I hope you are never allowed to step foot in Weimer or Yon Hall again.
The point EVERYONE is missing is this: Meyer had no reason whatsoever to “dress down”, aka, threaten a reporter. This was a complete jackass moment for Meyer. Hope it’s the last.
Media makes a living second hand, let God forgive them not Meyer
Let’s hope everyone — Meyer, the media, the message boards — is overreacting. Otherwise, we’ve got a HBC who’s wound a little too tight, and this coming after a sabbatical. I’ve said it before, Meyer should get completely away from football until August.
It seems like many of us needed some time after the incident to digest it from all angles (i.e. listen to other views on the matter). Maybe we all can (re)learn that none among us is infallable and hopefully approach the next Gator “incident” with a more reasonable and open mind.