by far the best piece of writing I have seen on Coach Meyer’s retirement. Wonderful work

An apt summation of the era, the man, and the eternal struggle between labor and indolence.

Fo the sake of Florida – not that I personally care about Florida – it would be best if Meyer follows through on his Parrothead dream and disappears. The last thing that Stoops/Petersen/Mullen needs is a quietly simmering Urb watching his every move from the AD’s skybox.

Magnificent.

After reading Orson’s description of Meyer after winning the title I’m convinced Jeremy Foley will do the proper thing and hire Dexter Morgan as the new HBC. Bobby Johnson, watch your ass when heading to your car late at night.

Rest up Urban. And stay the fuck out of the SEC when you get back.

What was Larry Cokers record with Ken Dorsey?

“You Only Live Twice” is another song that matches the dream-like nature of your piece. Now Urban has his other life back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDitUVMMzE0

Well-put. Get better coach

Better than fading away.

Sublime. I hope the Urban, the man, heals.

i dont normally expect such good writing here… kudos. well done.

Funny, I thought Meyer’s Bali Hai was susposed to be South Bend, Indiana. Oh well, we’ll see in a year or two.

Remember the Gainesville Sun article about Meyer and his love of Gainesville? Maybe that is his paradise and he kept wondering why he allowed work to fuck it up?
http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20090805/ARTICLES/908059917?Title=Florida-s-Meyer-This-is-it-

Also, #4’s comment about Dexter Morgan being the next hire is fucking brilliant.

I hope his “administrative position” at UF includes a 10 page long non-compete clause with penalties even Bammer couldn’t afford.

I do normally expect such good writing here.

And this post was a shining example of same.

I feel for Urban, I really do…and I respect him greatly. For what he’s decided, and how he’s conducted himself. This Bulldog doesn’t make a habit of admiring Gators, but I admire Urban Meyer the family man today.

The takeaway question that I hope people will be asking in the coming days: has the profession of coaching gotten to be just too much? Is it unreasonable — bordering on inhuman — to expect a man to go through what a big-time college coach goes through these days, even if he doesn’t have a family (or doesn’t care overmuch about them)?

Hard work and dedication are good things. Fierce competition and the tireless pursuit of excellence are good things. Working virtually every waking hour over a large portion of the year is not a good thing for anybody, even if it is done in an effort to support those other good things.

Absolutely stunned.

The selfish, shadier side of me feels the same sort of hope and optimism that was felt when Spurrier left for D.C.; the feeling that this changes everything and the rest of us fans in the East have hope for a fighting chance again.

The better part of me sees this as one of the most uniquely courageous and genuine decisions ever made by an individual in a profession that has become increasingly obsessed with bottom lines, better money, mercenary hiring practices, and cold, calculated decision making. With all due respect to certain other elder statesmen coaches, this choice, to put ego aside for the good of your own well being and that of those that mean the most to you, deserves much attention and admiration. More admirable than those who choose to stick around, at the expense of their own programs, chasing some ultimately unimportant win total or boost to their “legacy.” It seems as there are those who could learn some things about life from this youngish 45 year old.

Be well Coach. Hope you find what you need. Goddamn if you didn’t give the rest of the SEC one hell of a time while you were here. I sure wish the current captain of our ship seemed as good a man as you.

Shocking. But props for finishing on top. Enjoy the life Coach!

That was another fine piece of writing, by far the best summation I have read.I suspect Meyer has some challenges ahead, it will be difficult for him to remain at Florida " in some capacity " and avoid conflict with a successor. In fact, it will be tough to find a successor when , not the ghost, but the corporeal UM remains on the scene.
             In the meantime Gator fans celebrate what Coach M brought to the program and hope that the golden era of Gator football is not about to be referred to in the past tense.

@14:

It’s a very interesting question. Maybe it’s time for the role of a college head football coach to evolve? I don’t know how responsibilities were doled out at UF, but Urban’s jobs could have consisted of everything from talent scout to adolescent psychologist/ sociologist to multi-million dollar CEO to the ultimate salesmen of everything Florida—all at the same time. As college football becomes a bigger and more complex animal, is this going to be sustainable?

Maybe it’s time to follow the NFL model, and start to separate these jobs more. Why not create a GM-like position that focuses solely on the business and personnel side of football, freeing the head coach up more for motivation, team-building, and X’s and O’s?

Here’s hoping you never flame out in your writing Orson – to me that would be a greater tragedy

but then, I am glad to see Meyer go away…before AU has to play FL again

thank you for this entry…magnifico!

Somehow I don’t see Meyer appearing in Shirtless Drifter Magazine. I wouldn’t bet against an “I’ll be back.” reference tomorrow.

But Tebow speed to him, his health, and his family.

PS. There is only one original Lord and Savior. Please let Saint Stephen Orr Spurrier grace us with his presence once again.

A lot of PSU fans complain that Paterno doesn’t do enough in recruiting anymore. The Meyer situation makes me think that maybe, even the most god like 83 men have their limits. If the job of HC at a major college program in this day in age is that stressfull ni ia is that straining it might be best that joe doesnt make the in home visits to every recruit, maybe this is the only sustainable method for coaches these days. IE alot of the work load doled out to trustworthy long term assistants

Wow. Great writing. Thanks.

I’ve been reading this site for years now, and this was probably the most beautiful thing I’ve read. I’m a huge UGA fan, and while I admittedly came here looking for a little schadenfruede, I must say that your words, particularly the first few paragraphs, were about as poignant as anything I have read in quite some time. Completely disarmed me.

Brilliant writing. Goddamned brilliant.

I look forward to reading the book that Urban Meyer will be publishing in the near future. He could call it “How to be Awesome.”

Very, very well put.

Your criticism of Mr. Buffett notwithstanding, I offer up a few lyrics from “The Weather is Here, I Wish You Were Beautiful” that seems appropriate here…

“I gotta fly to St. Somewhere/I’m close to bodily harm.”

Enjoy St. Somewhere, Corch.

sounds like he needs a real vacation. Is this what used to be called a nervous breakdown?
Beautiful essay. Be careful what you wish for.

Kurt, you must be new.

Great piece. I have long feared that the job description of successful college football coach should include as its primary job requirement “not entirely mentally stable.” Coach Meyer appears to have proven me wrong. Have a cold beverage on me Coach. You too, Orson.

@myself: the quoted lyrics are actually from “Boat Drinks.” The sentiment, however, remains the same.

First of all, what’s wrong with Buffet? As a fellow 45 year old, I commend Urb in his taste in music….You sir, are a moron if you think Buffet doesnt’ understand the human condition..He does.

As far as Urban Legend is concerned, God Speed. Hopefully, others will see this as a sane way to end the insanity…

How funny it is to see someone else (Gator Fans) get kicked in the jewels every now and then…Scheudenfreuded has never tasted so good…..

You can’t feel it unless you can spell it.

Maybe it’s a verb now? Don’t remember that one from German class but it’s been a while.

Seriously though… as a UGA fan I have to hope this will give us something (anything) to get the edge back in the WLOCP, but I hate to see Meyer go out this way. It’s hard to imagine anyone being more successful over 5 years anywhere not to mention being as liked by his fans and players while doing it. It’ll be a shame if we never see him coaching again but much respect for doing what he feels is right for his family.

Delurking to say, along with everyone else, that this is, even by your standards, a remarkable piece of writing. If it’s true that this decision was made a while ago, I can’t help but think this was the first “normal” Christmas the Meyer family has experienced since, well, possibly ever (yeah, I realize nobody’s holidays ever resemble a Very Special Episode). Best wishes to the Meyers in the future.

Also, oven-cooked bacon is the way to go. All the atherosclerotic goodness and none of the mess.

Seriously, 1 coach out of 120 in NCAA Division 1 football and people are saying the job is too demanding? I realize he’s one of the best there is, if not the best but to say the job is too much for any man is ridiculous. Some bodies just don’t respond to the stress and the work in any job. Lots of guys in the world today keel over at 45 because they work non stop and have stress. At the same time, there are a lot of guys at 83 who are still out there running around like Joe Pa. It’s not the job, its the body.

Urban is going to be just fine. He will look back and thank his stars for the opportunities he has had, the people he has met and mentored, and the greatness he has accomplished. He has an opportunity that most of this world could only dream of. He can do this. The accountant putting in 100 hours a week, the cop working double shifts so he can feed his family, the doctor who spends hours saving lives….. They all have their own stress. But sadly, in our world a movie quote rings true. You gotta be rich to be insane. Losing your mind is not a luxury of the middle class. If I were him, I’d pick up trash on campus for about 6 hours a week and then hit the golf course.

Bali Hai Tattler reports that island governor found dead with head crushed by safe, retired american football coach named as new chief executive.

I wonder if his Dad called him a quitter when he called home.

I hope I’m wrong, but Meyer doesn’t look like he has the ability to relax — he looks more like a shark that has to swim or die. Jimmy Johnson, when not deep in coachiness, has a look about him that says “Yeah, I like to kick back ever now and then,” which Meyer most certainly does not have.

Cap’n Quint could have been talking about Meyer when he said “he’s got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll’s eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn’t seem to be living… until he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then… ah then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin’.”

The rest of the SEC will back me up on this.

Great post. Incredible run.

I am not a fan of Florida football – my feelings for the program border on active dislike, tempered by a dose of competitive respect. But I can’t help but be a little saddened by the state of college football when one of (if not THE) premier coaching prodigy of this generation is forced to step away from the sidelines at the mere age of 45. Surely the cauldron has become too hot when even the strongest and best can’t survive long.

I agree with the guy below. Truly a magnificient piece of writing. He’s making the right choice and I’m sure it might be a tough one, but health and family always come first.

I stopped by here today to get the reallyreally on the UM story, and because I knew that Orson would nail this post. One quadrillion cocktails to you again, OS, you never fail to disappoint. What a piece of writing. Again. Thank you.

BTW, not a UF fan….. I’m an ND and UC season ticket holder. We’re ready to cancel our Sugar Bowl gamewatch ‘cause I don’t want to clean up after the mass Jim Jones-style suicide after the Gators annihilate the Bearcats as a going-away present to the Urb and Jebus. Good God.

Funny how so many of these “great writing” comments come from NON-Gator fans. I know this is hardly the politically correct attitude-of-the-moment, but a lot of these folks come by their magnanimity basking in the glow of relief that he is gone. Sure, “a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do”, and I am thankful and mindful of what a great coach Urban Meyer has been here at UF, what heights he has brought us to. He will be difficult, perhaps impossible to replace. I wish him nothing but the best in recovering his health and finding peace, if that is truly what this is all about. Still, he DID have certain responsibilities that he took on, responsibilities to PEOPLE; sure, family and health come first, but did it have to go down this way, in terms of timing and presentation? This was a huge blow and, unintentional though it may have been, delivered in just such a way and at just the moment maximizing its stunning short and long term effects on our program. I’m only speaking the truth. There’ll be much more, and much worse, as shock turns to anger in the days and weeks ahead.
Me, I’d rather just acknowledge it, get it out there and then move on. God knows we’ve got a hard road ahead—finding and hiring the right coach and trying to hold onto what we can, pick up the pieces and move forward, that’s what we’ll need to concentrate on. No use fooling ourselves: it won’t be easy, and it will take a while to get back to where we were (or at least THOUGHT we were) just a few weeks ago! And that’s assuming we get the right coach to step in to start with—and that’s a bit of a crap shoot itself…the “safer” we play it, though, the less likely we are to get lucky again, like we did with Urban Meyer. Probably WAY too much to hope for.

How do u not see the master plan? Tebow and Urbs to Jacksonville…book it! With Shades of Spurrier/Wuerffel..

Can we chalk this one up to the Saban Effect? First Fulmer, then Tubbs, now Urbs? Pretty please? Coaching changes in the SEC are annual event…u mean Rich Brooks and Houston Nutt and Les Miles feel stress?

So now it’s a leave of absence. What’s the difference?

Nothing that happened today changes the fact that this is still a great piece of writing. Thanks, Orson.

Your best work, Orson, IMO.

Very shocked to hear this, seems like it came out of nowhere.

Hope he gets his health issues straightened out and returns to coaching.