Business decisions

The Ohio State University, an institution of higher learning and professional football franchise of some repute, has given itself two weeks to decide either to fire the chief architect of that franchise, Urban Meyer, or figure out how to retain him without looking really bad.

This is deeply, deeply cynical, the Blob realizes. But there is little about this sad affair that isn't cynical.

Begin first with Meyer himself, who said one thing at the Big Ten football media day ("I don't know nothin' about Zach Smith hittin' his wife, even though he'd done it several times before on my watch") and then something entirely different on Friday ("Oh, yeah, I knew about Zach Smith and duly sent it up the chain of command, so this ain't on me, brother"). So either he lied at the Big Ten media day or he's lying now to cover his own hindparts. At this point it would be hard to believe him if he declared the sky a fine shade of blue.

And The Ohio State University?

If Meyer was telling the truth the second time, it's hard to fathom what's going to take the investigators two weeks to unravel. If Meyer did go through proper channels, the OSU authorities clearly would already know that. Just as clearly, they had no issue with Meyer keeping Smith on his staff even though he was a multiple offender going back to 2009, and Meyer knew it. So what exactly are they investigating?

This is where the cynicism comes in. This is where, if you understand that college football on OSU's level is a completely corporate enterprise, you also understand that this is about OSU covering its hindparts, too. It no doubt wants to keep the money train rolling, and retaining Meyer would ensure that. But how do you do that and still make people believe you take domestic violence seriously?

Meyer, after all, has indicated by his actions, and some pretty unfortunate words, that he merely talks a good game about it. Add to that the fact he himself has said he should be fired, because he told a radio show last fall that if a coach lies about these sorts of matters he needs to be gone. And we know he's lied about this, because he said so on Friday.

So this is a tough nut indeed for The Ohio State University. No wonder they need up to two weeks to figure it out.

Here's the thing, see: Ultimately, this is all about winning, and putting the best possible face on that naked ambition. It's why the Houston Astros are in full PR blitzkrieg mode after signing top reliever Roberto Osuna, despite the fact he's coming off a 75-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy. It's why Meyer abruptly reversed course on Friday. And it's why Ohio State is taking so long to come up with a strategy that will make it look like something more than just a money-grubbing football factory.

The Blob would suggest that ship has already sailed. But enough cynicism for one day.