Recordpub.com - Wisconsin's whining about Urban Meyer is pathetic

When I first read that Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema had basically accused new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer of cheating in recruiting, I chalked it up to yet another in an endless string of Internet rumor garbage.

Until I discovered that it was true.

For Bielema to level this kind of accusation at a fellow league coach — he even used the word “illegal” — is appalling, dangerous and pathetic.

It’s appalling because the source of Bielema’s anger stems from Meyer’s uncanny ability to “flip” recruits — that is, snare high school football players who have already issued a verbal commitment to another school.

In this case, that “flip” was offensive lineman Kyle Dodson, who had verballed to the Badgers then flipped to Meyer and Ohio State. Dodson officially signed with the Buckeyes last week as part of Meyer’s star-studded 2012 recruiting class that has been ranked as high as third in the country.

A verbal commitment is non-binding, and recruits flipping from one school to another prior to signing a letter of intent is common. In fact, Bielema himself was able to flip a recruit from the University of Mississippi to Wisconsin this year, but I guess that’s different.

Dodson, by the way, is an Ohio kid. So the fact that, at the end of the day, he chose his in-state school shouldn’t shock anyone. He played high school football at Cleveland Heights, and at 6-foot-6, 330 pounds is a monster of an offensive lineman. Dodson is a major get for Meyer and a major loss for Bielema, which largely explains Bielema’s whining.

Bielema’s reaction is dangerous because it establishes the precedence of in-conference coaches calling each other out in the recruiting wars. No less an authority than Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez — who previously served as the Badgers’ head football coach and built the program into what it is today — was quoted as saying that Meyer did nothing wrong and broke no rules.

Which, obviously, Meyer didn’t.

This all makes Bielema and Wisconsin look small-time, having the unintended consequence of chasing off the very big-time recruits the Badgers are trying to attract.

In other words, Wisconsin is acting a lot like Ohio State’s little brother.

And last but not least, Bielema’s sniveling is pathetic because it shows where Bielema’s mind is at: Not on making the Badgers better, not on thinking of ways to counter Meyer and not on the fact that losing a prized recruit like Dodson was nobody’s fault but Bielema’s. Meyer simply outworked and outrecruited Bielema, and Bielema can’t handle that fact.

No, Bielema’s mind is preoccupied with the Buckeyes. Meyer taking over the OSU program and coming up with a fantastic 2012 recruiting haul has gotten so far into Bielema’s head that the Badgers’ coach has completely lost focus on his own program — which, of course, plays right into Meyer’s hands.

Wisconsin fans should be appalled that their coach has resorted to such juvenile tactics. It displays weakness and makes Bielema appear desperate and feeble. It reeks of poor leadership and only serves to put Meyer in an even greater position of strength than he already possesses.

Bielema’s reaction has done more to harm the Wisconsin football program than Meyer flipping a recruit ever could. While getting Dodson is certainly a gift for the Buckeyes, Bielema’s incessant whining is the gift that keeps on giving.

As Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee said this week in regards to Bielema: “Get a life.”

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KYRIE’S A KEEPER

I’m sure that when the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Duke point guard Kyrie Irving with the first pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, they knew they were getting a great player.

After all, even though Irving played only one injury-marred freshman season with the Blue Devils, he was clearly mature beyond his years both physically and mentally.

But it’s doubtful that anyone in the Cavaliers’ front office — up to and including owner Dan Gilbert — realized just how special Irving truly is.

The rookie’s uncanny ability to get to the basket — especially in crunch time with the game on the line — is flat-out remarkable. Even more remarkable is Irving’s ability to finish near the rim that belies his 6-foot-3 frame.

Irving clearly doesn’t shrink from pressure moments and has no problem stepping up and putting the team on his shoulders when it matters most. He plays with confidence, fearlessness and poise, and he has a basketball IQ more befitting of a grizzled NBA veteran than a 19-year-old still getting acclimated to the pro game.

Without question, Irving is the cornerstone with which the franchise can build upon as it continues its transition into the post-LeBron era.

A transition that could be far quicker than anyone thought possible on the night of July 8, 2010.

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Email: thardesty@recordpub.com