O-town Gator
Gator Fan
"For those of you who aren’t aware of a controversy that has been blown up like the Underdog balloon at the Macy’s parade, Meyer was talking to a Gator Club two weeks ago in Orlando. He started to, well, let him tell it.
“Darryl Perry and Jack Youngblood were there and they are two of the most loyal Gators there are,” Meyer said. “I saluted them, told the crowd about how great they were. From the time I put my bags down at Florida Darryl Perry has done everything he can to help with recruiting. Jack Youngblood, as loyal a Gator as you’ll ever find.
“And then I went off on a tangent. It was quick. And it has turned into this.”
Meyer told the club that ex-players who, in his opinion, hurt recruiting are not welcome in the coaches’ offices. Immediately, this became a blogger’s dream because everyone assumed that he was talking about former Gator quarterback Shane Matthews, who co-hosts a radio show in town.
It was a big deal for a week, then died. But on Wednesday, it was resurrected when ESPN.com featured a piece on its front page and ESPN had Matthews on “College Football Live” Wednesday where Matthews said it was all overblown. (I talked to Matthews on Wednesday night and he is just as stunned that this story still has legs. Matthews has been critical of Florida’s offense at times, but insists some of his comments were mis-represented).
Meyer and Matthews have talked and cleared the air. But the Florida coach hasn’t backed down in his principles.
“I love loyalty,” he said.
And nobody has been more loyal to the former players than Meyer. He started the barbecue to bring back former players two weeks before the season, the champions dinner on Homecoming. The $30 million facility that is the new front door for the football program is focused on the players who left their mark on the program.
And any player who comes into the football offices is invited to watch film with the coaches.
But there are exceptions.
“If you go after my family in any way, if you get personal with a player or you hurt recruiting, you’ve crossed the line,” Meyer said. “That’s my whole life — my family, the players and recruiting. I hear things. Things get back to me. I really don’t care if you want to criticize me. If you want to criticize the punting or kicking or dig routes or running up the score, I don’t care. Criticize me as a coach, I don’t care. That’s athletics. That’s journalism. But you go after my family, a player or hurt recruiting, you’re not invited in here.
“Everybody wants to make this out as Meyer vs. Shane. That wasn’t the intent at all. It’s more than just Shane. We’ve talked. He apologized if he offended anyone.”
Link: http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20090513/COLUMNISTS/905139915/1044?Title=Meyer-Matthews-saga-blown-out-of-proportion
(Now my two cents: Dooley is just as guilty as Andrea Adelson and the rest of these media loose-cannons for making a mountain out of a molehill and blowing things out of proportion. This "schlock" journalism, as well as the rumor-mongering about ND and other nonsense, needs to stop. Never mind reliance on these so-called "sources" - report the facts, and most of all TELL THE TRUTH.
Don't misunderstand me - I'm not advocating censorship in any form - just saying that journalists need to be held responsible for the spoken and written word, and to use a sense of tact and respect in what they convey to their audience.
I don't have a paid membership to GC, but one thing Buddy Martin said I agree with in his recent article from a short excerpt posted over there - "One thing you learn as a member of the media, however, is when you fire a shot at somebody, they have the right to fire back." As vindictive as Coach Meyer can be when somebody rubs him the wrong way, don't expect him to let negative or false comments gently roll off his back. Honestly, I wish others would take this approach with the media; it's time for them to simply report the news and stay away from trying to instigate trouble or start unnecessary controversy. Just as we hold other professionals responsible for rendering their services and have the legal right to sue them for malpractice, errors and omissions, so should we hold journalists to the same - as far as I'm concerned they shouldn't regard themselves as inculpable in any way.
Frankly I'm sick and tired of these media types over-hyping situations and castigating those who don't live up to their expectations; some of you here are probably too young to remember the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid when the Heidens (brother Eric and sister Beth) were on our speed-skating team. Eric swept the golds in the men's events, and even though Beth was expected to do the same she did not - she medalled, but didn't win gold. I do credit her for firing a salvo back at the media over negative comments and being brave enough to say to them "to hell with you guys".
Enough is enough.)
“Darryl Perry and Jack Youngblood were there and they are two of the most loyal Gators there are,” Meyer said. “I saluted them, told the crowd about how great they were. From the time I put my bags down at Florida Darryl Perry has done everything he can to help with recruiting. Jack Youngblood, as loyal a Gator as you’ll ever find.
“And then I went off on a tangent. It was quick. And it has turned into this.”
Meyer told the club that ex-players who, in his opinion, hurt recruiting are not welcome in the coaches’ offices. Immediately, this became a blogger’s dream because everyone assumed that he was talking about former Gator quarterback Shane Matthews, who co-hosts a radio show in town.
It was a big deal for a week, then died. But on Wednesday, it was resurrected when ESPN.com featured a piece on its front page and ESPN had Matthews on “College Football Live” Wednesday where Matthews said it was all overblown. (I talked to Matthews on Wednesday night and he is just as stunned that this story still has legs. Matthews has been critical of Florida’s offense at times, but insists some of his comments were mis-represented).
Meyer and Matthews have talked and cleared the air. But the Florida coach hasn’t backed down in his principles.
“I love loyalty,” he said.
And nobody has been more loyal to the former players than Meyer. He started the barbecue to bring back former players two weeks before the season, the champions dinner on Homecoming. The $30 million facility that is the new front door for the football program is focused on the players who left their mark on the program.
And any player who comes into the football offices is invited to watch film with the coaches.
But there are exceptions.
“If you go after my family in any way, if you get personal with a player or you hurt recruiting, you’ve crossed the line,” Meyer said. “That’s my whole life — my family, the players and recruiting. I hear things. Things get back to me. I really don’t care if you want to criticize me. If you want to criticize the punting or kicking or dig routes or running up the score, I don’t care. Criticize me as a coach, I don’t care. That’s athletics. That’s journalism. But you go after my family, a player or hurt recruiting, you’re not invited in here.
“Everybody wants to make this out as Meyer vs. Shane. That wasn’t the intent at all. It’s more than just Shane. We’ve talked. He apologized if he offended anyone.”
Link: http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20090513/COLUMNISTS/905139915/1044?Title=Meyer-Matthews-saga-blown-out-of-proportion
(Now my two cents: Dooley is just as guilty as Andrea Adelson and the rest of these media loose-cannons for making a mountain out of a molehill and blowing things out of proportion. This "schlock" journalism, as well as the rumor-mongering about ND and other nonsense, needs to stop. Never mind reliance on these so-called "sources" - report the facts, and most of all TELL THE TRUTH.
Don't misunderstand me - I'm not advocating censorship in any form - just saying that journalists need to be held responsible for the spoken and written word, and to use a sense of tact and respect in what they convey to their audience.
I don't have a paid membership to GC, but one thing Buddy Martin said I agree with in his recent article from a short excerpt posted over there - "One thing you learn as a member of the media, however, is when you fire a shot at somebody, they have the right to fire back." As vindictive as Coach Meyer can be when somebody rubs him the wrong way, don't expect him to let negative or false comments gently roll off his back. Honestly, I wish others would take this approach with the media; it's time for them to simply report the news and stay away from trying to instigate trouble or start unnecessary controversy. Just as we hold other professionals responsible for rendering their services and have the legal right to sue them for malpractice, errors and omissions, so should we hold journalists to the same - as far as I'm concerned they shouldn't regard themselves as inculpable in any way.
Frankly I'm sick and tired of these media types over-hyping situations and castigating those who don't live up to their expectations; some of you here are probably too young to remember the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid when the Heidens (brother Eric and sister Beth) were on our speed-skating team. Eric swept the golds in the men's events, and even though Beth was expected to do the same she did not - she medalled, but didn't win gold. I do credit her for firing a salvo back at the media over negative comments and being brave enough to say to them "to hell with you guys".
Enough is enough.)
