Go Jump in a Lake: Urban Meyer vs College Gameday

Anyone who knows me knows that I loathe Urban Meyer. While part of this has to do with beating Alabama at Florida and Ohio State, it also has to do with the things he has said and done. One of the things he has recently said took direct shots at his former employer: ESPN. While I could forgive what Urban Meyer said about College Gameday, I cannot forgive the shots he fired at America’s Sweetheart Pat McAfee.

Urban Meyer’s College Gameday History

After going Florida went 7-5 in 2010, Urban Meyer fled Gainseville retired from coaching, citing heart concerns and wanting to spend time with his family. This meant Urban was out of a job, and ESPN came knocking. While Urban Meyer was never a host of College Gameday, he was employed by ESPN for one year. During that year, he was a college football commentator and analyst. Apparently that one season was all Urban’s heart needed, and after deciding he was sick of his family, his tenure at ESPN came to an end as he took the job at Ohio St… I’m sorry, The Ohio State University.

After a successful tenure with the Buckeyes, Urban retired, once again citing health concerns. Yes, health concerns. Absolutely nothing to do with Zach Smith. After retiring again, Urban was once again jobless, except he did not go to ESPN this time. Rather, Fox Sports contacted him about doing Fox College Football, which made him a competitor of College Gameday.

Urban’s Comments

During an interview with Mike Hall of the Big Ten Network, Urban touched on his time at Fox College Football. While discussing the show, Urban said, “I had fun – turns out folks wanna talk about football, they don’t want to see jumpin’ in lakes or going on rollercoasters.” This was obviously a direct shot at College Gameday and Pat McAfee’s recording in Baylor.

This raises the question: do people want to talk about football, and are Pat McAfee’s antics good for sports?

Urban Meyer is Wrong

While I agree with Urban that people want to talk football, that does not mean they don’t want to see jumping into lakes or rollercoasters. Sports are supposed to be fun, and watching washed up former athletes and coaches talk about their glory days is the most boring part of sports analysis. While Urban wants to see this way of things continue, I don’t. If we are to keep football great, then it needs to adapt. People having fun doing what they do, both on the field and in the booth, is necessary. Otherwise, the sport we love could end up like baseball, and no one wants that.

Not that any of this matters. Urban’s health concerns will be miraculously heal in a year or two and he’ll be back on the sidelines somewhere.

While I defended America’s Sweetheart with a little more hatred aimed at Urban Meyer, McAfee did respond to these comments.

Do you agree with Pat or Urban? Let us know on Twitter @BellyUpCFB.