Urban Meyer Steps Down?!?!

but now he hasn’t retired, but instead taken an indefinite leave of absence.

I mean….. holy cow:

Meyer was open with reporters about the health problems he’s faced almost from day one in Gainesville; he told the New York Times he was unconscious for an hour-and-a-half with chest pains after the SEC Championship game, and told the local Gainesville Sun that “When I came to Florida, the chest pains were controlling my life.” As Meyer portrayed it through those reports, he was facing something akin to a life-or-death decision that cut to the core of his priorities, and he chose family over football, as anyone with a healthy bank account and nothing left to prove professionally would without a second thought.

I know people who are driven like that – in my real life, I work with a lot of executive-level people in business. It’s the constant competition that drives them, a desire to succeed, and I don’t think any of them can just turn it off. There are some who can step back and realize where they are, take a break, and realize that they’ve been successful at that point, but they can never really call it quits.

We’ll see what happens to Meyer. Regardless of what does, though, you have to admit, the amount of work and dedication required to reach the level that Meyer has reached may just kill people in his profession. That doesn’t make them dumb, or suicidal.

has got to be crazy! I get chest pains just watching the NU offense. I always say GOD and family come first, but you still have to take care of yourself physically. Look at Favre, the drive and passion he has for the game seems to take over and he plays another year. We all wish we could make a ton of money like these coaches, but never figure in the stress factor that goes along with it.

Lets see, you’re 95-18 career, 5-1 in bowl games, you’ve won 2 national titles, 2 SEC championships (which is no small feat in itself), you’ve coached a Heisman winner who has incidentally been nominated for the award 3 times, taken a non BCS school to an undefeated season and a BCS bowl win, brought the spread offense to D1 college football, and are thought to be the coach of the decade! Really, what else do you have to prove? If there was a time to step down, the time would be now. It’s like… well it’s not like anything. This sort of thing is sort of unprecedented. There’s not much else you can say.

is a very good coach. Having said that, will someone explain how his religion factors in to this? Chest pains and stress are not signs that he has conflict in his faith….it means he’s working extremely hard and has inherent heart issues. I think between Meyer and Tebow, the religious card has been over-played a bit this season. Florida appears to be “Gods” team in the eyes of the media, which is unfair to not only the other Christians in CFB, but to any player/coach who practices any religion. Sports aren’t supposed to be a showcase or sales floor for ones religion. I highly doubt that if either of these guys were Muslim or Jewish, they would have been given so much publicity in regards to their faith.

I just watched a story on Pete Carroll and the Trojans, and how they brought a kid who was going to lose his eyesight into their world for his last few moments with working vision. I’m no USC fan either, but that was appropriate and every bit as heart-warming…without selfishly blasting people with their religious beliefs.

It will be interesting to see how long the leave of absence will last. From reports I have read, he said he would like to be on the sidelines next year. Stepping aside for seven months may be what it takes to allow him the time he needs to gain perspective or determine how he is going to re-prioritize his life so that he does not put himself under the same physical stress that he has over the years. Great article in SI a couple of weeks back gave insight into the physical problems he has encountered as far back as his days at Utah and Bowling Green. I agree that he has nothing left to prove. I wouldn’t be surprised that he walks away, but that will be a tough decision. Some of these guys have a very hard time walking away. Think of Bowden and Paterno. Remember when Earle Bruce was fired! They do not have the ability to see life away from the game. Terry Bowden was chomping at the bit to get back all those years that he was an analyst and finally got the chance at North Alabama. What will Urban Meyer think in three months when Spring practice is knocking at the door?