Thread on where #UrbanMeyer story goes from here:
1) As we enter the weekend, there is still no alternative or plausible counter-narrative to support the Meyers anywhere to be found. If one isn't leaked or offered soon via a pro-Meyer media source, that will speak volumes. Like if we're here Monday and still nothing, uh oh.
2) The difficulty here in establishing a pro-Meyer narrative, is the facts are either indisputable or completely fabricated. Leaving no middle ground to muddy the waters. There are photos, texts, etc. A direct link evidence trail that doesn't exist in most of these stories.
3) That means, unless you can prove Courtney Smith fabricated this direct link evidence, the only way to counter is to attack her personally. Something that might've worked in prior eras, but not now. That's verboten in the #MeToo era.
4) Appointing an independent committee, which includes public servants, means we're going to get transparency on what -- if anything -- Ohio State finds. Unlike when Baylor or others hired outside counsel then claimed attorney-client privilege, that won't be an option here.
Even if Ohio State didn't want transparency, they'd be subject to FOIA. I'm guessing they know this, and chose the committee specifically for the purposes of being transparent with their findings.
5) Two other side plots most are missing. One is the ongoing issues Ohio State has with another predator. It's own Nasser situation if you will. Because of the liability its facing there, it simply cannot afford to add to that liability by covering up any malfeasance here.
The last thing the university can afford, therefore, is to reinforce a narrative it was systemically negligent when it comes to predators on campus. For as much money as Meyer is worth, the damages of such a narrative are even greater.
6) The second side plot involves the university president. As a general rule, university presidents are political animals -- even the good ones. His career ambitions could play a role here. Here's how...
...if he views being OSU president as his destination job, he could be vulnerable to internal pressure to protect the program. However, if he has higher (say Ivy League) aspirations, the opposite is true. For no one like that is hiring a guy that covered for something like this.
7) Those that want a quick resolution to this could be disappointed. For the committee is going to have to also find out who else in the administration knew? Why no one from the school contacted Courtney Smith?
Also, Zach Smith's lawyer claims he has evidence to blow Courtney Smith's evidence away. But there's no way he's presenting that, if it exists, until they go to court in September well after the season begins.
Not to mention, what incentive does Zach Smith have to help Ohio State expedite this now, given how they fired him?
8) The rumor mill that Gene Smith will be fired and Meyer suspended is fan fiction. The sort of fantasy narrative partisans choose to believe in order to willfully ignore an inconvenient truth. Here's why...
If the AD is culpable at all, that means this is going to be a house cleaning. Like what we saw at Baylor and Penn State. Gene Smith being culpable is even worse news for Meyer, because that clearly means the administration conspired to cover this up.
Meyer cannot lie 2015 incident was made up, and then claim he reported it and Gene Smith did nothing. Meyer has a bigger platform/salary than Gene Smith. So this would be trying the Penn State buck-passing defense that didn't work there, either.
That dog won't hunt. That is internet fan fiction. For why would Meyer then retained Zach Smith DESPITE reporting him to the AD? You're basically saying Urban Meyer is an even worse person than many suspect he already is with this defense. Good luck with that.
Bottom line: nothing has changed since Tuesday. Either Courtney Smith fabricated the evidence, or Ohio State will be hiring a new football coach (if not more) soon.
PS...just as this was posted, Urban Meyer released a statement admitting he lied -- repeatedly -- last week in Chicago and knew about the 2015 incident involving Zach Smith after all. So at the very least, he is a documented liar.
This obviously calls his credibility into question regarding any potential defense he would launch for himself from here. He now still must answer why Zach Smith was retained despite his knowledge, and did he alert anyone else in the administration?
But again, there is now no doubt #urbanmeyerknew -- and only among the self-deceived there ever was.
