One day after inappropriate comments about Notre Dame, Catholicism, The Southeastern Conference and Louisville first surfaced, Ohio State president Gordon Gee could be in more trouble.
Per Sports Illustrated, Gee made comments at Ohio State’s Athletic Council meeting on Dec 5 about the addition of Rutgers and Maryland, the Big Ten Network being “worth more than God,” Cincinnati being a “Ohio State city,”, Kentucky, Penn State’s abhorrence of Pitt and the B1G 10’s “blocking strategy” on the Atlantic Coast Conference obtained via an audio file.
Gee would also call former Wisconsin Badgers head coach—and new Arkansas Razorbacks head coach—Bret Bielema “a thug”
While no love will be lost among Buckeye Nation over the departure of Bielema, thanks to his comments about head coach Urban Meyer’s recruiting tactics, nor the growing bad blood between the Badgers and Buckeyes in both football and basketball, but in the name of Woodrow Hayes, what is the Ohio State Board Of Trustees waiting for?
An invitation?
While Gee has made some outlandish and blatantly irresponsible comments in the past, these recently discovered gaffes cannot be allowed to remain or stand, nor Gee to be president of such a storied institution of both athletics and educations such as the Ohio State University.
As I stated in my previous column, Ohio State needs to do the right thing and ask for Gee’s resignation or terminate him immediately before he makes another boneheaded remark.
Going forward, while some may see no real harm in his comments, the long-term damage to the name and brand of both the Ohio State University and Buckeyes will extend far beyond the banks of the Olentangy.
And speaking of the Big Ten’s network being worth “more than God”, how much you want to bet that those comments are already on every bulletin board and conference meeting agenda in the bible belt backyard of the nemesis Southeastern Conference?
Once again, what is the Board Of Trustees waiting for?
In choosing to keep Gee—for now—the Board Of Trustees are empowering and enabling Gee to continue like there is no real harm done, and in allowing the status qou to stay unchanged—nor unchallenged, they are helping paint an ugly picture of blind hubris and stodgy arrogance in Columbus.
That being said, while Gee’s remarks are the proverbial bristle, Ohio State’s failure to act responsibly is the controlling hand behind the handle.
Robert D. Cobb is the Founder/CEO/Senior Editor-In-Chief Of The Inscriber : Digital Magazine, for questions, comments and concerns email me at robcobb@theinscriber.com follow me on Twitter @RC_TheInscriber and follow The Inscriber : Digital Magazine on Twitter at @TheInscriber