Now I know this is a little out of context because he's talking about NCAA violations, but still funny, at least to me.
By Bill Rabinowitz
The Columbus Dispatch
Posted Sep 28, 2017 at 1:59 PMUpdated Sep 28, 2017 at 2:04 PM
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer addressed the burgeoning college basketball scandal in his Wednesday night session with reporters, but he went into much greater detail on his radio call-in show on 97.1 The Fan on Thursday afternoon.
When the subject was first broached, Meyer said he was reluctant to say too much.
“I have plenty of thoughts and opinions, very strong ones,” he said. “I’m not sure I can share them.”
But then he did. Here are his comments (lightly edited for clarity):
“I’ve always been a big proponent of the NCAA. It’s very frustrating to see that things happen and things happen and things happen — some of a very serious nature — and it just disappears because they don’t have subpoena power. You hear the term ‘toothless.’ It’s certainly not because of effort, because we have very good people there.
“I always believed if you willfully and intentionally broke the rule or you lie to the NCAA, you can never coach again. To this day, I still believe that. I’m not talking about mistakes made when you have a rulebook like this (thick). But if you intentionally pay a guy money or willfully have a second cell phone to make illegal phone calls, you’re done. You can never coach again.
“It’s no different than a student-athlete. If a student-athlete lies to the NCAA, they’re finished. So you’re telling me a 50-year-old man has more rights than an 18-year-old student-athlete? Who comes up with that? If you intentionally lie about committing violations, your career is over. You’re not suspended for (only) two games. Some of the silly penalties you have — you can’t talk to a recruit for a week and a half or something like that — no. You’re finished. That will clean up some things.
“I’m in favor of regulation. I’m in favor of strong law enforcement and making people obey the rules in our profession. I don’t know the whole story behind it. I don’t have time. But I know one thing, when you start hearing “federal,” when someone asks you a question and you lie, you’re going to jail. I’m anxious to watch what happens.”
He said the believes the scandal will result in needed reforms.
“Sure. It has to. (Athletic director) Gene Smith and I have spoken about it,” Meyer said.
He added that coaches who use burner phones to evade regulations should be banned. Meyer finished by saying he’d read a story about the possible prison time since involved in the scandal might face.
“I read one article where you’re eating through a slit (in the cell),” he said.
By Bill Rabinowitz
The Columbus Dispatch
Posted Sep 28, 2017 at 1:59 PMUpdated Sep 28, 2017 at 2:04 PM
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer addressed the burgeoning college basketball scandal in his Wednesday night session with reporters, but he went into much greater detail on his radio call-in show on 97.1 The Fan on Thursday afternoon.
When the subject was first broached, Meyer said he was reluctant to say too much.
“I have plenty of thoughts and opinions, very strong ones,” he said. “I’m not sure I can share them.”
But then he did. Here are his comments (lightly edited for clarity):
“I’ve always been a big proponent of the NCAA. It’s very frustrating to see that things happen and things happen and things happen — some of a very serious nature — and it just disappears because they don’t have subpoena power. You hear the term ‘toothless.’ It’s certainly not because of effort, because we have very good people there.
“I always believed if you willfully and intentionally broke the rule or you lie to the NCAA, you can never coach again. To this day, I still believe that. I’m not talking about mistakes made when you have a rulebook like this (thick). But if you intentionally pay a guy money or willfully have a second cell phone to make illegal phone calls, you’re done. You can never coach again.
“It’s no different than a student-athlete. If a student-athlete lies to the NCAA, they’re finished. So you’re telling me a 50-year-old man has more rights than an 18-year-old student-athlete? Who comes up with that? If you intentionally lie about committing violations, your career is over. You’re not suspended for (only) two games. Some of the silly penalties you have — you can’t talk to a recruit for a week and a half or something like that — no. You’re finished. That will clean up some things.
“I’m in favor of regulation. I’m in favor of strong law enforcement and making people obey the rules in our profession. I don’t know the whole story behind it. I don’t have time. But I know one thing, when you start hearing “federal,” when someone asks you a question and you lie, you’re going to jail. I’m anxious to watch what happens.”
He said the believes the scandal will result in needed reforms.
“Sure. It has to. (Athletic director) Gene Smith and I have spoken about it,” Meyer said.
He added that coaches who use burner phones to evade regulations should be banned. Meyer finished by saying he’d read a story about the possible prison time since involved in the scandal might face.
“I read one article where you’re eating through a slit (in the cell),” he said.
