Scarbinsky: Despite his two rings, Urban Meyer could learn a thing or two from Gene ChizikPosted by Kevin Scarbinsky -- Birmingham News May 08, 2009 8:45 AMThere are two ways for a college football coach to react to criticism from one of his school's former players. There's the Urban Meyer way and the Gene Chizik way.To put it another way, there's the wrong way and the right way.Skeletons have thicker skin than Meyer. The Florida coach used a recent Gator Club gathering to lecture former Florida players about loyalty."We want former Gators to come back, but loyalty's a two-way street," Meyer said. "If you want to be critical of a player on our team or a coach on our team, you can buy a ticket for seat 37F. You're not welcome back in the football office."You're either a Gator, or you're not a Gator. It's real simple."Meyer didn't name names, but he didn't have to.Shane Matthews, Steve Spurrier's first Florida quarterback, has a radio show in Gainesville. In doing his job, Matthews has failed to genuflect, kiss Meyer's championship rings and recognize Pope Urban as infallible in all things football.Last season alone, especially before and after Florida lost to Ole Miss, Matthews dared to suggest that Meyer's offense didn't attack defenses enough with its wide receivers and that Tim Tebow might not be the most mechanically sound quarterback in the business.The way Meyer reacted, six months later, you might've thought Matthews had started a Web site called FireUrbanMeyer.com."If you're a person who's going to criticize," Meyer said, "we don't need you around."That's funny. Florida sure needed Matthews back in 1990 when the first four quarterbacks on Spurrier's first depth chart couldn't make a throw or take a barb.Meyer may not need Matthews around, but the coach is missing the point. Matthews is going to be around. He was a Gator before Meyer knew who Mr. Two Bits was, and he'll be a Gator long after Meyer has become the next head coach at Notre Dame or Penn State.Besides, since when are former players supposed to open their wallets to their old schools but shut their mouths?Contrast Meyer's reaction to Matthews to Chizik's response to former Auburn place-kicker Al Del Greco.Like Matthews, Del Greco has a radio show, "The Opening Drive" on WJOX in Birmingham. Like Matthews, Del Greco doesn't think his old school or its employees are perfect.The day Auburn hired Chizik, someone from this newspaper asked Del Greco for a comment, and he offered one."No comment."No comment about the hire said more. Del Greco couldn't have spoken any louder at that moment had he said, "Oh, no." How did Chizik react to getting kicked in the groin by the old kicker?Like a man.The new coach has said nothing publicly on the subject.Instead Del Greco manned up on his end and went to see Chizik, and they talked in private. If they had differences, they handled them out of the spotlight.It's just another example, like the quality staff he assembled and the innovative way he dispatched them on the Tiger Prowl, that Chizik so far has outperformed his reputation.And Del Greco, to his credit, has given Chizik credit for the positive things he's done.As for Meyer, he may have driven Florida to two of the last three BCS championships, but he could learn a thing or two from 5-19 Gene.Of course, this isn't the first time Meyer has come up short in comparison with an Auburn coach. Remember, on the field, he was oh-for-Tommy Tuberville.
Scarbinsky suprised me with a great article! I think Urban should ask Sani what he needs in da mouth!
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