For one night, Urban Meyer needed to speak like a human being _ a human being with actual sympathy and regrets.
He couldn't do it.
He fell back into his damn coachspeak, leaving the impression that once his three-game suspension blows over, it will be business as usual at Ohio State.
After failing to utter Courtney Smith's name during the Wednesday night press conference in Columbus, Meyer was asked what his message to the ex-wife of former assistant coach Zach Smith would be.
"For everyone involved in this, I'm just sorry we're in this situation," he replied. "I'm sorry we're in this situation."
I'm sorry we're in this situation.
Yeah, you're sorry you got caught harboring a rogue assistant coach for nearly 10 years, a man who allegedly left bruises and blood on his then-wife.
You're sorry that you lied to the public at Big Ten media days, giving the false impression that there was "nothing" to the reports about years of tumult and abuse in the Smiths' relationship.
"There (was) no intent to mislead," Meyer said Wednesday. "My role is to set a good example and, in this instance, I did not live up to the university's standards."
The university's standards? How about your own?
The word HONESTY is painted on the wall at the Buckeyes' football complex. So is TREAT WOMEN WITH RESPECT.
Shelley Meyer once texted her husband of Zach Smith: "He drinks a lot and I am just not sure how stable he will be. Afraid he will do something dangerous. It's obvious he has anger/rage issues."
And somehow that was not enough to jar Meyer _ to get him to stop thinking about the zone read and start thinking about how he could help Courtney Smith.
And three weeks after the school put him on paid leave, giving him hundreds of hours to consider what he should have done, Meyer expressed no regret for failing to protect her.
Sure, he's sorry about the whole episode because it's a stain on his career.
And here's guessing book publishers won't be asking for a sequel to "Above the line: Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Program."
I actually believe the university chose the right punishment _ a suspension of three games and six weeks without pay. Hopefully that money goes to causes that help the victims of domestic violence.
Meyer is sidelined through Sept. 2, including the season-opener against Oregon State. He cannot coach the team for its Week 2 (Rutgers) or Week 3 (TCU) games but will be permitted to lead practice.
I do not believe that Meyer's negligence and lies amounted to a fireable offense.
I do believe that a coach savvy enough to win three national titles and go 47-3 in Big Ten games still somehow doesn't understand the breadth of his screw-ups.
And that makes what transpired Wednesday night feel empty.
