Media reacts to Urban Meyer leaving the Gators

By Adam Silverstein
December 9, 2010

Everyone seems to have an opinion on head coach Urban Meyer’s decision to step down from his position with the Florida Gators. Below are a number of commentary pieces posted over the last 24 hours.

Meyer ride at UF fun while it lasted – by Pat Dooley, The Gainesville Sun
“Maybe it’s because he can’t wait to be an assistant coach at Nate’s baseball games or travel to Atlanta and Fort Myers to see his daughters’ volleyball games. And watch football on Saturdays and not feel any pressure. And maybe he’s at peace because he knows this — Florida survived Steve Spurrier’s departure. It will survive Urban Meyer’s. But it was fun while it lasted. Even if it lasted a year too long.”

Urban was a legend at UF – by Pat Dooley, The Gainesville Sun
“Urban Meyer did more than win games and collect crystal trophies at the University of Florida. He changed the culture. From the Gator Walk to the Champions Dinners to the Lettermen’s Luncheons, Meyer reached out to both the past and present of Florida football. Meyer brought new traditions to Florida and restored the swagger the program enjoyed in the 1990s by embracing what Steve Spurrier had built and adding to it. He was a creature of habit and superstition, a complex man with a simple plan.”

If Urban Meyer is indeed done with coaching, his career ranks among the best in history – by Ivan Maisel, ESPN
“Meyer has retired twice in one year. Meyer, aka “The Glare,” didn’t pay heed to the voice. It told him last December to get out to save his health and his peace of mind. He changed his mind the following day. Meyer regained the former. He is retiring again in search of the latter, a search he couldn’t complete while giving football his all.”

Meyer should have left last season by Pat Forde, ESPN
“But let’s be honest: Didn’t he just waste Florida’s time for the past year? Coming back last winter assured the Gators only one thing: They would sign the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. And while that certainly is significant, the program backpedaled through a brutal 2010 season that took its toll on all involved. […] He should have walked off and become a family man last year, because the time since then has only damaged his record and his reputation.”

Even if you’re a Gator hater, there is no joy in Meyer’s departure
– by Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“And so there is no reason to celebrate when the sport burns out a talented coach. You would rather he stay so that when you finally beat him it is all the more sweet.”

Florida Gators coach urban Meyer should make resignation permanent
– by Thayer Evans, FOX Sports
“The strain of coaching was difficult enough when Meyer was winning, let alone losing. He has always put too much pressure on himself in his constant quest for perfection. A workaholic, he struggled with the delicate balance of how to control as many things as possible and not worry about the things that cannot be controlled. Some coaches worry so much about what they can’t control that they eventually lose command of what they actually can control. That can be a lonely feeling, void of family and friends. It’s also one that can become so grueling and tiresome that you just become fed up with it.”

Meyer shouldn’t have returned to Florida after resigning the first time
– by Jon Solomon, The Birmingham News
“Meyer was a workaholic last year crying for help to get out. Instead, he allowed himself to give it one more shot, believing that a leave of absence would help him. You never completely leave football behind as an SEC coach. Florida should thank Meyer for accomplishing so much in so little time. Meyer should thank God that he’s leaving alive.”

Meyer calls a timeout on career, but it’s far from over
– by Bill Bryant, The Huntsville Times
“He’ll certainly look spiffy in his sportcoat on whatever network reels him in, but to think he won’t return in time (three years? five years?) is sheer folly. He’s too good and too driven to sit, rather than stand, on the sidelines.”

6 Comments

  1. Julio says:

    Pat Forde is a douche…you can see that he’s never done anything worthwhile in his life and doesn’t know how difficult it must be to leave something he’s built…in fact, he probably writes most of his articles while on the toilet because there’s no way he actually believes the crap he writes

  2. Aligator says:

    Great Job on all of this Adam

  3. npgator says:

    Adam – I have heard rumors that Bob Stoops may be the new sherriff in town. What do you think?

  4. G8trpls says:

    I really enjoy reading all these doughnut eating, coffee swilling, mostly overweight reporter’s, pass judgment and offer their advice to a great Coach like Urban Meyer. I have some advice for sports reporters, tell us the what happens between the lines, not your shallow self indulgent opinion of what goes on outside the lines.

  5. Will says:

    Tony B is the man.

  6. GG says:

    Adam does STAB stand for “Same Team As Before”?

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