It was born on Facebook and this story will seemingly continue to live on Facebook.
On Thursday, Rex Elliott, an attorney for Gene Smith, posted on Facebook his feelings on Ohio State’s independent investigation into what his client and Urban Meyer knew regarding Zach Smith’s alleged domestic violence.
“Despite digging deep,” Elliott wrote, “the investigators concluded Urban misspoke and did not lie to anyone. So, why the sanction? Well, isn’t it obvious? The country was lathered into a frenzy based on erroneous information and a long delay and OSU needed to appease the lynch mob that had formed as soon as the unproven allegations were made. As a result, two great men fell on the sword for a University they dearly love.”
The investigation found, among other things, that both Meyer and Gene Smith failed to follow through on all protocols as it related to domestic violence allegations, though they did follow through on most. A Private Investigator Las Vegas may be able help in cases that require in-depth analysis of personal information and additional surveillance.
Meyer was suspended for three games and Gene Smith was suspended from August 31 through September 16.
Elliott later deleted the post and added that he was posting of his own volition and not on behalf of anything that Gene Smith wanted him to impart.
Urban Meyer’s daughter Nicki screenshotted the post and tweeted it out late Thursday evening.
Also present on social media Thursday evening was former Ohio State receivers coach Zach Smith, who tweeted the following.
Can’t wait 2 disclose the 2.5 hr “investigative” interview I gave 2 the people OSU employed 2 find out if Cch Meyer / Gene Smith did anything wrong… Questions were bizarre & VERY clear they weren’t investigating ANYTHING they were supposed to be… Investigating media backlash.
— Zach Smith (@CoachZachSmith) August 24, 2018
IMO this will galvanize this team and put a huge chip on their collective shoulders. That’s the positive. The question that remains unanswered is where the Buck actually stops. If Urby reported up to Gene and Gene reported up, who does Gene report to? Drake? If so, and he did report up, wouldn’t Drake be the guilty party? If not, why not? That would appear to make Gene culpable of a protocol violation, not Meyer. Bottom line: shit rolls downhill and Urby is at the bottom of that little hill. It’s called scapegoat.
In any type of investigation, the general public like everyone here will never truly know all the details. Things are held back or redacted on documents. Think back to the JFK assassination. There are several theories on what actually happened. Roswell, New Mexico, Was it really a weather balloon that fell out of the sky or an alien ship crashed and is hidden somewhere at a military base to this day. We may think we deserve to know everything, but that is not reality and not the world that we have been living in for the past century.
Having read the report submitted by the investigative committee there are still several concerns….why did Coach Meyer give Zac so many chances? If you do this or if you do that or if you do something else you will be fired. I find it amazing that Assistant Coaches knew more about what was really goning on with Zac than his boss. What is also troubling is, (Like Hillery), what did Meyer delete from his phone? Why did he feel it necessary? I said in an earlier response to an article written that when the report came out we would not know everything and I was right. There are certain parts of the report that were kept as a matter of confidentiality….there are also some questionable actions that may have been violations of NCAA rules which could lead to a further investigation by the NCAA. Is this thing really over??? Maybe and Maybe not. I wonder if anyone else say a report suggesting that the other coach who was at the strip club with Smith was Tom Hermon??? That news has the potential to open another can of worms….. now to address this attorney writing and suggesting that these are “two great men”…. I wonder how he defines greatness??? Great in whose eyes? What is the criteria? Mark 10:18 “”Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone.” Lets leave greatness up to God and realize these are men who are fallible!
Why so tolerant Urban?
There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Pro. 18:24
Unlike the world most of us see around us clawing at each other to get ahead there are a few who honor old friendship.
Could it be that Urban didn’t apologize directly to Courtney Smith because there was nothing to apologize for? He got in trouble initially for lying at the Big Ten meetings. Was he supposed to lie again and take a mea culpa if, in fact, the ex-Mrs. Smith was as much culprit as victim?
I remember hanging onto an employee years ago for much longer than I should have, largely because of relationships and the faint hope that one day he’d do better. It never happened, and one day I did have to terminate him. Anyone who’s ever been in the real business world knows this is reality. Everyone makes misjudgments, all of which seem so clear in hindsight.
And don’t forget, I think Urban had/has a little bit more to do than to sit at his desk wondering, “I wonder what Zach Smith has been up to today?”
It’s called litigation avoidance, folks. OSU does not dare say anything negative about Courtney Smith. This may be a reason for apparent discrepancies in the report. Imagine the campus flooded with MeToo lawyers and protestors helping Courtney with her lawsuit against OSU and everybody else they can find with deep pockets. Many lawsuits result in settlements only because the accused, albeit innocent, defendant cannot or chooses not to take on the expense of litigation.
I am fine with the 3 game suspension. What I don’t like is every person in the media, local and national say that this isn’t enough and that Meyer should not have a job anymore. The media didn’t get what they want and now they are throwing a tantrum like a 3 year old. We have a sitting President who has been caught in lie after lie. Should he lose his job?
LOL!! Well said.
“Time to put the women and children (and the circus) to bed and go lookin’ for dinner, boys”
Time for some football…
GO BUCKS!
I hate the beating we are taking (especially Urban) in the media and court of public opinion. Had some ass giving me shit at the Kroger store last night because I was wearing my buckeye tee shirt. Thought it was going to get ugly in the bread aisle!!!! We all knew anything less than firing Urban was going to create a media frenzy. Urban appears to me to be a good father, husband, and family man. Anyone who thinks he condones domestic violence is a complete idiot. Zach Smith needs to STFU and go away forever. Never want to hear either his or his ex wifes name ever again. They had their two minutes of whatever and now time to disappear. Enough of this nonsense. I’m ready for some football. Hopefully the coaches and team will be available to the media again soon so we can get some real updates.
What I have been saying all along. Very interesting, maybe someone could forward it to Tom Orr.
Ladies and gents- its is VERY difficult to summarize such a broad issue in a few keystrokes. The root problem here is not the OSU administration, it is Coach Meyer’s bizarre protection of a subordinate who repeatedly committed discipline-worthy acts, including missing recruiting visits and lying to his boss about attending them!! ( Who here wouldn’t be fired or, at very least, severely punished for doing something similar at their own workplace?) Meyer also engaged in a series of evasions and physical acts (deleting the texts in the midst of the controversy is a BAD look) which served him up to the administrators. Finally, not sure where the Gene Smith love is suddenly coming from. Most folks on this site have lambasted him for years as being, at best, a coattail-riding observer on the success train- at worst, an opportunist who throws others under the bus to serve himself…
Here’s the bottom line. Its safe to say we love our football team- I sure do. The clowns in charge have just made it difficult to love them. Period. Paragraph. I hope the football team (I think they do still play a schedule this year, don’t they?) tears it up and, like some of you have predicted, wouldn’t be surprised to see the AD and/or Head Coach gone afterward.
I agree with Joe! “If I was Urban I would perhaps look at retirement or another school.” According to the university, Urban should have decided on his own what two police departments in two states did not decide. ZM was accused, therefor he is guilty! Off with his head. I retired from the faculty after over 25 years at Ohio State and during that time. I served four years on the Athletic Council. I also hold a BA and MA from tOsu (plus a JD from Yale) so I am quite familiar with the university as I spent much of my adult life there.
@Longtime Fan…..great response to the situation…you “see” what others have turned a blind eye to. Are other fans not bothered by the actions and potential cover-up by Meyer. If there was nothing to hide why delete messages? Why was Zach warned several times about his behavior before being dismissed? How could other coaches (assistants) know about Zach tardinesses, fetishes, and failure to perform his job and Meyer not know? Seems strange. Now a report that came out last night says that the other coach at the strip club was Tom Hermon. Though the investigative team may have completed their research…sounds like this may not really be over. Hopefully the NCAA does not step in with possible violations.
Nope this is ENTIRELY an administrative issue. Of course Urban had misplaced loyalty to Zach Smith. The HYPOTHETICAL DV, and according to police reports, AND statements by Zach AND Courtney’s own mother make this ENTIRE situation a “he said/she said.. 2 police agencies had been contacted in 2 different states and made no arrests, nor charged Zach with anything, until Gene Smith ordered Zach to report to the Powell PD from off of the recruiting trail. The Administration was alerted to potential trouble all the way back to 2013 with Zach…………..they chose to do nothing with those situations either. If nobody higher up was taking it serious, why the heck would Gene Smith and/or Urban Meyer after they HAD sent the information, along with the Powell PD.
Was there potential DV going on? I suspect so but how can you trust either Zach or Courtney to EVER tell the truth. They’re both in deep need of crisis intervention counseling. I’ve listened to everything Courtney has publicly said……….the airhead needs to be institutionalized.
The failure is HR/Compliance. Before people talk about this isn’t a matter for Compliance, that’s way off. According to Title IX, DV violence MUST be reported as a function of the NCAA. It doesn’t matter whether it’s general staff, athletic staff, OR Administrative staff they have a mandate and a certain responsibility AS participating members to investigate any and all DV complaints. The information was reported to those in Compliance and they didn’t act. WHERE are the suspensions for that administrative failure? WHY is Michael Drake not on a suspension for running a negligent Administration?
Don’t blame those who DID do their job and report to the proper levels………..blame those at the proper administrative who failed to do their job. Michael Drake IS the Administration and it’s HIS fault that those who work in those offices failed.
Ultimately the blame for the acts are Zach and Courtney Smith. Seeing that Urban and Gene DID fire Zach, and Courtney has never been hired for anything at Ohio State, the Coach and the AD have no further necessity to doing ANYTHING else. Heads should be rolling in Compliance, HR, PR and perhaps even on the Title IX Board. The problem is that PC nonsense guides politicians. Not a chance in Hades that Drake will go after the administrative arms and there are 2 main reasons why. 1. It would be an admittal that he had failed to properly monitor HIS Administration seeing that they refused to follow up any and all reports that were given to them. That fault is Michael Drakes and his alone. 2. Drake as with all politicians. When you know that have have failed, you target outside your direct area and blame the “expendables.”
The BOT should fire Drake NOW. I remember a time when Compliance and HR once did a complete and thorough job. This situation proves just how useless the Administration has become.
Totally agree with Mr Mills and would add that the $500,000 spent on this fiasco was a waste of money. All because SNOWFLAKE DRAKE did what snowflakes do when the heat is on-MELT. So he called together other snowflakes to make some money on the deal. Just more politics!
I SPENT TIME THIS EVENING POSTING ONTO FACEBOOK (BTN NETWORK) AND “THE ATHLETIC”. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE YELLOW JOURNALISM PRACTICED BY SOME OF THEIR SPORTS WRITERS AND TV TALKING HEADS. I AM AN OLD FEMINIST WHO CAME OF AGE DURING THE 60’D. NOW I VALUE THE TRUTH ABOVE POLEMICS. APPARENTLY, THE POLITICALLY CORRECT MEDIA DO NOT!
……….and so will the Buckeye football team. It will start with the Beavers on opening day, and won’t end until Georgia becomes the final head to come off in the final game that ends the year at the hands of the Buckeye football team.
The media want scalps? They’ll get a bunch of them handed to them by the Buckeyes. A once great musician said……….”I can feel it, coming in the air at night………..hold on, hold on.” Right now I wouldn’t be fool enough to bet against the Buckeyes through 15 games.
This will all be forgotten about in 1 week….let the blowhard Ohio State Haters (ESPN, YAHOO Sports, SEC FANS) foam from their collective mouths, and blow off some steam after their dreams of Urban Meyer getting canned did not come to fruition. ESPN is on fire right now, after discovering that the only threat to their beloved SEC is still going to lead the Buckeyes. And he will be for probably another 10-15 years. Get used to it. Meyer is only 54, Nicky Saban is 66. Let’s make this all clear to all you spittle drooling haters…..NO CHARGERS WERE EVER, I REPEAT, EVER FILED AGAINST ZACH SMITH. LET ME REPEAT…NEVER FILED. URBAN MEYER FOLLOWED TITLE IV NCAA PROTOCOL AND HIS SUPERIORS WERE AWARE OF THE 2015 “ALLEGATIONS” of DOMESTIC ABUSE. AFTER A PROTECTIVE COURT ORDER WAS ISSUES AGAINST ZACH SMITH FOR CRIMINAL TRESPASS, OHIO STATE TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION AND FIRED ZACH SMITH. JUST BECAUSE MEYER MISSPOKE AT THE BIG 10 MEDIA DAYS, WE GOT INTO THIS MESS,,,,,,OHIO STATE SUSPENDED MEYER WITHOUT PAY FOR 3 GAMES…FOR WHAT…..NOTHING!!!!!!!!!! All to appease the media hacks and their agenda to get Ohio State. Sorry things didn’t work out for you ESPN, and Wetzel , and Forde, and Finebaum, and all the rest of you CLOWNS!!!! EAT CROW……..AND YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE MISERABLE WHEN YOU WATCH URBAN MEYER RAISE THAT NATIONAL TITLE TROPHY AT THE SEASONS END. THIS IS THE BEST TEAM URBAM MEYER HAS EVER COACHED, AND A FIRE HAS BEEN LIT…THIS TEAM IS FIRED UP AND ARE GONNA ANNIHILATE EVERYONE THEY PLAY THIS YEAR…….GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!!!! NOW SHUT UP AND GET READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL HATERS.
The Haters are still gonna hate. I forsee a lot of bad calls going against the Buckeyes this Season, Probably causing them a chance at playing in the national championship playoffs.
Yes I do not see either where Urban and Gene did anything wrong. If I was Urban I would perhaps look at retirement or another school. They were both thrown under the bus and honestly I really am not interested in Ohio State football any more.
I remain rock solid in my position. This entire disaster belongs on the desk of the top of the Administrative wing of the Ohio State University. Drake ran his cars onto the track and the railroad train took off. More and more this is becoming the standard practice of ALL Administrations NCAA wide. They bow to political correctness to literally and figuratively deny the truth because it will bunch their tidy whities in uncomfortable places.
Learning that Gene Smith DID actually discuss the issues with higher authorities I apologize to him. Drake and his consortium of progressive garbage dump investigators should just shrivel up and fade away. THEN maybe Ohio State as a whole University can get on with Ohio State business, instead of being the whipping post AND the pacifier of the worthlessness of the NCAA as a group.
Politicians DO NOT CARE whose lives they not only affect, but RUIN.
Spot on bro. That’s what I like about you, you state is as it is.
Yep move on. However the PC mob of the national media wants scalps.