Part three of our attempt to process the “Memorial Day Melee“… it should be noted that all of these responses came before yesterday’s news regarding Terelle Pryor; as such, opinions may have changed.
Today’s question: Several groups of people are calling for Smith and Gee to be fired as well- what’s your take on it?
Jim- Gee, as evidenced by many of his quotes, is largely clueless concerning the goings on of the athletic department and he should be above all of this.
Smith is certainly getting a bad rap at the moment with many calling for him to follow Tressel, and it is hard to argue that he didn’t botch his handling of this situation at least a little bit. At the same time, I am willing to give him until the hearing on August 12th before passing final judgment on him and his job status. However, if the compliance department is found to be at fault, that is entirely on him and I think he should be held accountable.
Jay- While Smith leaving would probably be a good move, for perception if nothing else, losing Gee would not be a good thing. While football is a big thing at Ohio State, the strength of the overall university is a bigger issue, and I think that Ohio State with Gee right now is a good match. Firing him seems like it would really be putting football above the rest of the school.
Robby- Initially, I was impressed to see both were going to stand by Tress through the mess he was going through. After hearing about Jim’s resignation, I knew they forced him out with what was to come. That reason alone isn’t enough to fire both Smith and Gee, but how do the Athletic Director and school President not know about what the head football coach is doing behind closed doors? Those two were elected to keep the school and it’s administrators in line and they failed. I think that alone is enough to proof to fire both of them, and Smith’s stupid response over YouTube. If he was a real man, he’d have gone on ESPN or something like that to send out his response to the situation.
JoeD- The man who was once named by Time as one of the top ten college presidents in the country surely has fallen to the wayside of what it takes and means to be a
president of one of the biggest and best colleges in the county. Though he has done a good job in many aspects of the university over the years, I still find it very hypocritical of the man that says he hopes Tressel doesn’t fire him to continue moving forward without acknowledging his transgressions as the head of the university. It is that bow-tie that is the final say when it comes to many things in Columbus. Yet we haven’t heard a peep from him as arguably the best coach in college football is left hanging on the wayside. To me, Gee’s job should be on the line not because of the violations, but because of the weaseling he has done to disconnect the school from a man that has done so much for Buckeye nation. For Gene Smith, maybe it’s also time to move on.
Eric- Gee – absolutely not. He’s the president of the university, not the omniscient god of Ohio State. It’s not his responsibility to keep tabs on what the football players are doing. It is his job to set the path of the university, which I think he’s done a great job of overall.
Smith – I have mixed feelings. I should point out that I’ve never really been a big fan of him on the whole. He has a mentality that the OSU athletic department should be run like a professional sports organization – which, while it’s a good idea from a business perspective, it’s a terrible idea from a college atmosphere perspective.
As for whether he should be fired for this, ultimately I believe he shouldn’t. Neither did he hire Tressel (if Tressel’s past issues at OSU and YSU are legit) nor did he have any direct hand in causing these issues to happen. I do, however, feel that the athletic department as a whole changed upon his arrival, and that maybe he’s indirectly responsible for a change in the mentality of a small number of student athletes. That doesn’t, however, mean that he is responsible for their actions and choices.
Joe– I like both. I think this situation was butchered by the two. It is hard not to bring up the name of Andy Geiger when having this discussion, and what he did vs what Gene has done doesn’t pale in comparison. Gene seems to be in over his head somewhat. He is a great person to represent the university, he is visible to fans and boosters, but no succession plan, No celebration of JT and no introduction of new coach Luke Fickell all make you scratch your head and wonder if he is asleep at the wheel. Gee is who he is. A nerdy bow-tie wearing president that has done great things for the university. Don’t see any reason to let him go.
Mali-I have nothing but the highest respect for President Gee. As someone who works in Higher Education, I’ve been following his career since his decision to abolish the athletic department at Vanderbilt. Unrealistic, especially at OSU? Absolutely- but it did provide an answer to the widening gulf between the educational mission of a University and the growing business aspect of college athletics.
That being said, I’m confident in his ability to think clearly through this and help the University move forward. I think he should stay, with a caveat I’ll address later.
I also have a great deal of respect for Gene Smith; the magnitude of work that he’s called on to do is beyond my ability to fathom. And, even though it seems that it’s gotten beyond his ability to fathom it as well at times, I believe that his willingness to self-report everything and work aggressively with the NCAA is a stance that fits who the University is as well as being perfect for the current situation. His job is also secure in my mind, though somewhat less so pending the answer to the Nixonian question- “What did he know, and when did he know it?”
My caveat for both of these professionals retaining their positions is that the University hire a Press Secretary to handle media relations. What has doomed this process from the start, outside of the decisions in question, has been the bumbling of opportunities to address the public. The famous “I hope the coach doesn’t dismiss me…” press conference, the Youtube announcement following Tressel’s resignation, and including the fact that the head football coach has not been made publicly available to the media all point to an Athletic Department that has not figured out how to shape the narrative regarding this matter. At an institution with the size and influence of Ohio State, this is unacceptable.
While George and Ari are probably not available, I’ve got to wonder if former AD Andy Geiger would assume this role (if he’s not already in the AD’s chair following a transition). While he retired following the last major NCAA investigation, his leadership through that process and his work since are more than qualifications for at least helping the program deal with the current media spotlight.
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