Urban Rights or “Consultants Tell You What You Want to Hear”

About three weeks ago, Ohio State University (“OSU”) Head Football Coach Urban Meyer (“Coach Meyer”) released a statement in which he admitted to speaking “inaccurately” at Big Ten Media Days in July, but was otherwise a model citizen.

You can see my analysis of the positions Coach Meyer took in that statement, as well as his anticipated defenses strategies: HERE.

Last night, Coach Meyer and OSU executed on those defense strategies, taking the path I had suspected: that Coach Meyer was simply too confused by the questions and circumstances of Big Ten Media Days to answer truthfully, and that his actions there and in the past were imperfect, but reflect the (allegedly) muddy facts surrounding Coach Zach Smith (“Coach Smith”) and his wife Courtney.

But now comes the “independent” committee’s report, and given what it shows, it’s somewhat incredible that OSU elected on this path.  (Incredible only if your metric for credulity rests on something other than winning football games, of course.)

Let’s dive in.

Urban Flight – A Lawyer Reads Coach Meyer’s Apology Letter

Today, August 3, at the very tail end of the Friday news cycle, Ohio State University Head Football Coach Urban Meyer, embroiled in a domestic violence controversy that threatens to end his career (and which has already resulted in paid administrative leave), released a statement in which, among other things, he denies wrongdoing, asserts that he acted “appropriately”, and laments the sorrow he feels for “the toll the events of the past week have taken”.

While much remains unclear about Coach Meyer’s actions, the actions of his wide receivers coach Zach Smith, and what will result from Ohio State’s “independent” investigation, what is abundantly clear is that Meyer has taken this course of action under advise of counsel (and one expects, PR crisis management teams) in an effort to retain his job in our modern “zero tolerance” environment.

Since I happen to be a lawyer (and have crafted a crisis communication or two in my time), let’s dive in to what he’s decided to say at this time (on a Friday…after 4 PM).