The SoapBoxers

It all started in the Rocky Mountains with the phrase. “I have no plans to leave Utah”

But somehow this honest man forgot that statement that was made and ended up moving to Gainesville Florida where he coached the Florida Tebow’s to a National Title.

He indicated there were health issues. He indicated he was leaving coaching for good to take care of his health and spend time with his family.

“I have given my heart and soul to coaching college football and mentoring young men for the last 24-plus years and I have dedicated most of my waking moments the last five years to the Gator football program, I haven’t even thought about anything after that, other than I’m a Gator and I’ll always be a Gator.”

Yep, always a Gator, huh??? I wonder what the Buckeye fans think of that comment.

And then from just weeks ago…November 11th of this year…. “I am very happy with my role at ESPN. I have no plans to return to coaching at this time.”

Yeah Urb, we get you loud and clear. No plans to return to coaching. Evidently you found four million reasons to change your mind in the next 3 weeks.

Like many other coaches in the game today, Meyer is smooth, he is polished, but he is a big fat liar.

You can name a host of others in the seats right next to him. Mack Brown – of the infamous, our own network does not give us a recruiting edge fame. Nick Saban who was never leaving LSU and then never leaving the Miami Dolphins. Bobby Petrino could fill up a book on stories he has told. Goodness knows what we might find out about Joe Paterno in the next few months in what he knew and possible covered up. Urb’s predecessor even got shown the door since he could not tell the truth at Ohio State.

Why do we, the fans and the general public, not hold these sports figures accountable for their blatant out and out lies to the media and fan bases? What the heck are these coaches telling potential recruits and the parents and families of these recruits when they are in their homes wooing them to come to the colleges that they represent. I mean it is a proven commodity that they openly lie all the time in the public forum. Do you think they instantly become honest behind the closed doors of that 4 or 5 star recruits home?

The fact is cheating is rampant in sports. There is too much money on the line. Too much fame, too many television deals and too many fans who simply don’t care about the cheating and lying as long as it helps their team win.

As for me, give me the controversial coach Bo Pelini of my beloved Huskers. He too often gets in hot water from the local and national media for being too honest – for speaking his mind too freely – for being too animated on the sidelines and he needs to be more calm, more cool, more in control. Or…do these same folks who constantly criticize him mean he just needs to lie to them more?

Wonder how long Mr Meyer will be at thuh ohio state. According to him it is one of his three dream jobs.

We will see how long it takes for that story to change.

Until Next time, stay classy Stillwater, Oklahoma!

By now all of you are well aware of the situation at Penn State. Paterno has been fired, Spanier canned, replacements – – albeit likely temporarily named.

By all accounts there is still a football game to play this weekend.

Nebraska Athletic director has called for increased security to protect Nebraska fans who are travelling there.

According to remarks from NU Regent Tim Clare “Happy Valley is a pretty interesting place on a normal football Saturday,” Clare said. “Given what’s developed the last several days, particularly last night, we have a duty to ensure that our football student-athletes, staff, coaches and our fans are safe.”

And…while that game may pale in comparison to the bigger story going on at State College. ESPN has their announcing team in place for the game this weekend.

This was the topic of lunchroom conversation at work this week. Who would ABC/ESPN bring in to cover this game? Who would WANT to cover this game. There could be many moments of awkwardness. I would even venture to say that this is the most bizarre setting for a football game since the Army vs. Navy game played a mere week after the assassination of President John F Kennedy.

Well the choice of the crew to do the game day coverage is interesting to say the least.

Don’t envy this job for these guys. The setting is strange, emotions are high, there could be countless things (or absolutely nothing) happen this weekend. I think it is anyone’s best guess as to what side stories will develop during, and after the matchup between the Huskers and Nittany Lions.

Not surprisingly Tom Rinaldi is going to be at the game. He has been covering most of the story for ESPN all week so it would seem natural that he would remain “in house” and likely add some bit stories during the telecast. I just hope that ESPN does not do what ESPN often does…..try to create some sort of Emmy award winning documentary situation with every little side story that gets talked about. My only concern with Rinaldi being there is that ESPN will want to be the story, the off- field stuff will continue to get top billing and the game coverage will be a complete afterthought.

Chris Spielman will be the color analyst for the game. Spielman is one of my favorites as he has straight-forward comments, mainly stemming from his status as a great player in college (he was a two time All American at Ohio State) and his time in the NFL. I always enjoy his commentary and his presence is normally good for any telecast. Interestingly ( and not surprisingly, Jerry Sandusky recruited Speilman to play college football at Penn State. I always enjoy his commentary and his presence is normally good for any telecast.

Dave Pasch will be the play by play person covering the game for ESPN. Pasch is most noted in the broadcasting world as being the voice of the Arizona Cardinals. Pasch has reportedly reached out to some fellow broadcasters such as Bob Costas, Mike Tirico and Sean McDonogh about preparing for the strange setting at Beaver Stadium this weekend. I think Pasch may have more trouble juggling the fact that he has not one, but two colors guys in the booth this week. The other being former Florida Coach, Urban Meyer.

The only reason I can explain that Meyer is at this game is that it is a “interview” process for taking over the head coaching job at Penn State. It has long been speculated that “Urb” was the heir apparent to Paterno – if and when Joe decided to hang up the black Riddel coaching cleats. Well the time frame just got moved up….. Meyer will have the chance to be at the pulse of the situation, doing a broadcast of the most unusual of circumstances, and if all goes well, it would be a huge Public Relations boon for Meyer if he looks to move into the spot as Top Lion.

Shame on ESPN for putting Meyer on this game. But it just proves to all of the conspiracy theorists out there that when it comes to football in particular, and it does not matter if it is NFL or College, ESPN has a far reaching spread of influence that borderlines on monopolistic.

My bet is Meyer will get “ a blank check” at the end of the year to coach at Penn St. This will be his first opportunity to shine in the midst of the current maelstrom.

Let’s all hope for a safe and good game this weekend in light of all that has gone on this week.

Until next time, stay classy Gainesville, Florida

The coaching carousel is in full swing. Dave Wannstedt figured out what Nebraska Cornhusker fans figured out a long time ago … Steve Pederson is not the guy you want to work for … and he left Pittsburgh. Smiley Jones, the Athletic Director at Pitt, now may go after another former Husker Coach, Jay Norvell, to come and save his day in Pittsburgh.

Miami fired their head coach, Randy Shannon, and are bringing in new blood to coach the hurrigangsters, although the fair weather fans at “the U” want a more thuggish image for the program, a return to the glory days if you will.

Urb hangs it up at Florida. Once again citing health issues. This guy is turning into the Brett Favre of coaches. I am retiring….wait I am not retiring, no – – really now I am retiring. We will see how long this one lasts. I predict 2-3 years at the most.

A number of other coaches are on the hot seat. Rich Rodriguez at Michigan, where they can find guys that remind fans of Appalachian State type of players that beat the Wolverines in the big house just a few years ago. Michigan however, has seemingly forgotten that you also have to play defense when your offense is on the field. It will be interesting to see what happens if Big Blue loses the bowl game.

Ron Zook at Illinois seems to be on the watch list every year for coaches that are on the way out the door. Truth is at Illinois you are going to have a bunch of around .500 seasons and that is likely as good as it is going to get. Zook got run out of Florida and then Urb won with what was essentially his recruited talent. Illinois is young again, so we will see how this plays out.

Texas … oh my beloved Longhorns. From National Title game to TV watching this December and January. First your offensive coordinator conveniently resigns … hmmmmmm … Then the defensive coordinator that your school has been seriously overpaying to keep him on staff as the heir apparent “coach in waiting” leaves to take over for Urb at Florida. Mack must be spiraling into a pit of despair. The only National title this guy has won was with arguably the best dual threat quarterback in the history of college football, and even he could not screw that up, make you wonder how such high recruiting classes every year have lead to exactly one national title, and now everyone leaving. I smell more big problems in Austin and the eventual collapse of what remains of the Texas…..errrrr….Big XII Conference.

Up next will be the Johnny Goodman bowl game spectacular. Stay tuned.