I can't answer those questions kp. Bottom line here's the way I see it, if Meyer gets this under control and is able to continue as our coach that is good for the Gators. I don't expect it to badly hurt our class this year. I also think that the comments he made about being a Gator should put to rest a lot of the speculation about him going elsewhere. On the other hand if it turns out that Meyer cannot continue as our coach then we could have some of the problems you mention above. I think that the vast majority of Gators feel it's worth the risk.
Corey, you can't be serious insinuating that this was all a ploy to get attention. However there are some writers denouncing he way it was handled. It seems to me like it was a natural human reaction to go through the emotions that Meyer has gone through, especially for one who is emotional about what he does like Meyer. But no doubt the critics will have a field day, and Gator fans will continue to be very happy.
I'm sure that Corey was tossing a joke into an otherwise gloomy topic for the Gators. Health issues do cause a run of emotions that can explain the sudden resignation talks followed by the quick "scene 1 take 2" turn around. I hope he is still there in five years. I don't want MCG to have any excuses when Kiffin is beating the Gators with his players within the next two years. :twisted:
I would say that characterizes Corey's posts in this topic quite succinctly. To say Meyer is not sincere in his concerns....that he would pull something like this.....that he would fake unconsciousness and take trips to the hospital for no reason is quite a stretch for a man of his accomplishments. Additionally, I started this topic as sort of a soul baring statement on where I thought the Florida program was heading with Meyer's loss.....not as some kind of a "ploy". I enjoy making predictions if you will on the near future of college football based on my instincts for the game and my analytically drawn conclusions after watching the game so closely for 40 years. Usually I am right on the money about a lot of these predictions and analysis even though it rankles many here on S/B when it does not favor their favorite team or conference in a positive light or it shines the light a little brighter on the Gators. I don't spare any negative assessments about Florida....do not pull punches for the Gators either and this topic is about that. Corey must forget about my loud criticisms of Ron Zook when he was a mistake waiting to happen at times and also of my criticism of Meyer when he failed to acknowledge that Chris Leak's talents did not fit his offensive system and it hurt the team's progress early on in his regime. That said....even with the new development of Meyer returning I think the loss of coach Strong......the uncertainty of Meyer's health and most especially the loss of many defensive stars could lead UF into as many as 4 losses next season and a probable Outback Bowl......which would actually be OK with me for a down season since I live in the Tampa area now..... 8)
Some are saying that Foley convinced Meyer to stay through Nat'l LOI day in Feb and resign sometime after that so as to be able to keep the class together and that he already has a deal in place for Dan Mullen.
I don't read into what I am hearing that way Terry. I think this leave of absence scenario is real but we will see. I should add to my above comments in my last post that while my predictions of a 4 loss season represent the "realist" in me that doesn't mean I won't read all the UF hype in the offseason and be as optimistic and geeked as ever when the Gators take the field next season.....hoping for the best.
Terry, I have not read that particular scenario but am not surprised. Some of the people who kept writing he would go to Notre Dame are now writing very negative articles one way or the other. I will only say this, from my five years of observing Meyer what has happened here is completely consistent with how I have come to see him. He is passionate about his job, his team and his players. He is emotional and has come to tears several times since being a Gator. I believe him. The other thing I will say is that I am willing to take the chance that he can change his approach and take care of his health and hope he does that and stays a Gator. If he can't and his health is in danger then I hope he retires because I don't want him to die or make a wreck of his health for our team. A human life is worth more than some football wins. MCG, I am much more optimistic about next years team than you, that is if Meyer is at the helm. I think we are going to like John Brantley as our QB. He will be different than Tebow but very effective.
While Dave is right that I have tried to lighten an otherwise gloomy subject, I am serious as a heart attack (no pun intended) about the recruiting angle. Bill, To answer your question... Think of it as the old 'guns vs butter' socio/political theory. You only get so many coaches and you only get so many guys who can hit the road to recruit. If you want to waste a position on the staff for a guy who will basically do nothing but recruit, then god bless and good luck with that.. We did that at ND with Polian. The guy could recruit like a mofo but he couldn't teach you how to boil water holding the damn pot over an active volcano... While Urban can certainly recruit... can you see him just stepping back to be a position coach? If he's on the field, he's your HC... period. If you move him into an office job, there's already strict guidelines about who can and cannot contact recruits office campus and within what context they can contact those recruits. To be fair to your kids (if he is stepping back from coaching football) but planning on helping with recruiting, then he'd have to be more of a recruiting coordinator on campus which makes him a nice tourist attraction for kids during their on campus visits. (USC does this A LOT with celebrities and former players) However, it also severely restricts the contact he can have off-campus with the kids, which from all accounts, is where he is one of the top 2 or 3 recruiters in the game.
Bill....have you heard anything about Rainey going pro? If he stays on the offense along with the debut of Andre Debose at WR I don't think UF will be down on offense. It's the defense that is going to get a huge makeover. In 2007 the defense had a similar makeover without great results.
I haven't posted here in a while because I had a very unique Christmas season. We lost power on the 18th due to a heavy snow and did not regain power until Dec. 23rd. Several people I know lost power at the same time and did not regain it until yesterday. It has been quite a different holiday season in these parts. I spent 5 days holed up in a small room that is an addition on my in-law's house (aka my father-in-law's gun room/cabin getaway) because it had a wood stove. My son is 19 months old and actually fared quite well through it all but not the most ideal circumstances regardless. Anyway.... This entire Urban Meyer situation baffles me. I just don't get it. Let me first of all state that I hope he recovers fully from whatever ails him and I wish him no ill will whatsoever. However, I think he caught a little bit of the Brett Favre bug here. Or maybe it's the Lane Kiffin bug. He's taken a bowl season in which his Florida team is not being heavily covered and shone a 100 million candlepower spotlight on the Gators. I'm not quite sure it will work out with good results however as it is being reported that Gator commitments are already looking elsewhere. Obviously, the state of mind of 17 year old kids isn't what's really important here if Meyer is having life-threatening health issues but it all seems a little weird to me. I think this article by Pat Forde sums up the way I feel about it quite nicely... http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4774715
Glad to see you back Aquila. I've read the Pat Forde article. While I will say it's within any writers right to write things the way he sees them, it always amazes me how many people cannot understand, or don't care, how an emotional situation like this affects people, even people that are very focused and wealthy like Urban Meyer. I went though a life threatening situation when I was 35 years old that involved a hospital stay and a lengthy recovery period. It took a while for my mind to allow me to move on and my life was better after I came to grips with things. It's human nature to go back and forth on something like this and I am hopeful Meyer will be able to return. I think that Corey had it right when he said it sounded like Dick Vermile, only he did step away for a number of years. Corey, the Gators will do whatever they have to do this year and I am sure we will not get killed on the recruiting front. I don't have any information as to how Meyer will be listed as a coach while he is on leave, I somehow suspect that if they want him to be able to visit that it can be handled that way.
MCG, the last I heard Rainey was not going to be going pro. The Pouncey twins have said that if they are projected third round or lower they will stay. I believe they even said that if one is projected 1st or 2nd round he goes and the one that isn't stays.
I see your point but how does he go from resignation to planning on coaching the first game of 2010 in a matter of hours? I understand that he was inspired by his team but this is serious stuff. If he is in bad enough health to even consider resignation it would seem to me setting that sort of timetable is, at the very least, irresponsible. Wouldn't you agree?
No I would not agree. There is every possibility of some sort of operation, if so 9 months would be sufficient. If on the other hand it's a break to get a mental and/or physical break then likely 9 months is enough. Regardless there is no timetable. It could likely go the whole 2010 season, and if so that's fine by this Gator. How 2010 came up was a question to Meyer if he had a gut feel that he would or would not be on the sidelines in 2010. He said that his gut feel was yes but there was no guarantee. That's fine by me, but obviously not fine by the people who now that they can't write about Meyer going to Notre Dame need to find something else negative about him to write about. I'm glad they aren't making decisions for our team.