With news the Mark Dantonio & Brett Bielema are both complaining about the recruiting tactics of Urban Meyer, I think it is very apparent there is a lot of fear in the Big Ten.  To my knowledge, Meyer didn't violate any NCAA rules, he just broke the so-called 'gentlemen's agreement' of coaches in the past.  Yeah, Meyer broke this antiquated notion, but he by no means was the first.  

Meyer is only being singled out because of jealousy.  He just blew the doors off the Big Ten with a 2-month recruiting tirade that has never been seen in this conference.  Now the likes of MSU, Wisconsin, Penn State & Nebraska have to asking themselves if they are capable of competing at that level in recruiting and soon enough on the the field.

With the addition of Meyer and the early success of Brady Hoke at UM, the rest of the Big Ten is having flashbacks. 

When the Tressel disaster unfolded, Hoke swept in and took advantage nabbing a former Buckeye commit, Kyle Kalis.  Many others from Ohio committed to UM.  Hoke even went after OSU commit Brionte Dunn.  Did anyone from OSU cry foul?  Not that I remember.  Instead, they hired the best coach available.  Meyer secured Dunn, reclaimed many Ohio recruits that wavered during the uncertainty of sanctions.  Basically, he did his job and did it to a level that no one expected.

Be afraid 'little 10', the 'Big 2' are back.  Let the second '10 year War' begin....Go Bucks!!! 

It comes with the Big 10 cultural identity.

Big 10 teams pride themselves on a romantic notion of principles and work ethic.   They see a 1950's era of hard work fundamental.

Meyer is rolling into the league as a flashy guy with a "checkered" style.  He recruits against the grain.  He has a flashy style.

It goes against the traditional Big 10 mentality and cultural zeitgeist that has lasted a century.

Big 10 coaches always envision themselves as educators and pillars of fundamentals.

Urban Meyer comes across more like the Rock Star coach who is ready to "win at all costs".  Unwritten rules are thrown out the window.

It is definitely some jealousy.

But, there is some concern that this will overflow into the league as a whole.

Whether its true or not....the Big 10 wants to maintain this image of old-fashioned value oriented football that harkens to a simpler time.

THis will be a very interesting Soap Opera.  I imagine the jealousy will boil over into abject hatred by some Big 10 coaches.

Time for the other B1G schools to step their games up.... Hoke pulled a similar stunt and Meyer did his thing. If they want to make gentlemen's agreements, then they can go coach MAC football. Drop this crap, if Meyer starts oversigning and doing real dirty stuff, then complain. Next thing you know he'll be crying because Meyer shook his hand too hard (smh Jim Schwartz)...

Let the second '10 year War' begin.

Agreed. GO BLUE!!!

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I couldn't agree more with this post!  UofM and OSU are gonna be the top teams in the B1G for a long time unless the others can get off their high horses and get competitive.
Speaking of Bret Bielema... Wasn't he the one that, last season, was running up scores and winning games by 30+ points?  That doesn't seem to be very gentlemanly to me...
I'm tired of the conservative play calls, the gentlemen's agreement.  Lets evolve and make these games more exciting.  I have no problem with Bret Bielema running up scores last year because it's the other team's responsibility to stop them.  What I do have an issue with is if he's going to do that, don't go running to the principal if your kids start decommiting and going to OSU instead.  Put your big boy pants on and get ready for another season  At least Urban Meyer doesn't hide who he is.  He had an amazing recruiting period and was ruthless, thus I expect he will run up scores as well and show off the talent OSU has.

They should be upset with themselves for not holding onto their recruits.  Obviously, they got out-recruited because they couldn't sell their school to the players.  I also heard that the PSU and MSU kids Meyer got were originally OSU commits.  So, it's okay for those two schools to do it, but not OSU?

LMAO.....Too funny that Wisky and MSU are only successful in the B10 when Michigan and tOSU are down.    I cant believe Barry Alvarez isnt shutting up Bielema,  what an embarrasssment for Wisky. 

Let us know IF and WHEN tinyOSU EVER gets off probation.  

They are a disgrace to college football.  No morals and/or ethics in Columbus. 

tOSU did the crime and are doing the time.  Not sure what more you want.  Just admit it...Ohio State has great minds and great leadership.  We got knocked down alittle, but get right back up. See you in the 2013 NC game! 

I hate to break it to Bielma and his little "gentleman's rule," but being the HC of a program isn't about making friends and "playing nice," it's about doing your best to represent your school and win championships.  What ever happened to the Schembechler/Hayes kind of rivalries, where you despised your rival and did whatever you could to make their lives miserable?

I'm tired of people acting like the sport should be run like some sort of milquetoast book club. Football is a violent sport, and in it you are suposed to try to destroy the opponent and take what's yours. I think you should do what you can to maintain decorum and class, but when it comes to bettering your program and winning games on the field, you shouldn't have to apologize for trying to do the best for your school even if it hurts another coach's feelings.

Horns - Great post and right on the money.

Bruner - You have a point but letting Philon have a press conference on NSD and then notify him that he has to take a gray-shirt is pretty classless in my opinion.  Saban did not represent the University of Alabama very well this week and the alumni (not the sidewalk ones they are beyond reason) should demand better.

Buckshave7 - Looks like Barry Alvarez is shutting up Bielema from the articles I have read today.

Bruner - You have a point but letting Philon have a press conference on NSD and then notify him that he has to take a gray-shirt is pretty classless in my opinion.  Saban did not represent the University of Alabama very well this week and the alumni (not the sidewalk ones they are beyond reason) should demand better.

WT, I think I actually agree with you on the issue of Philon. It should have been handled better, and it's apparent Saban just hasn't adjusted well to the new scholarship limit and sign-then-greyshirt rules. My point was not about that, however.  I'm not saying the kids should be run over in the process, but if you tick off a rival coach by changing the mind of a kid, you shouldn't have to apologize for it. In fact, I think it's your job to try and get those kids.

BTW, Wild-Turkey, are you still serving an avatar sentence, or have you gotten back to picking them by choice?

WT, I think I actually agree with you on the issue of Philon. It should have been handled better, and it's apparent Saban just hasn't adjusted well to the new scholarship limit and sign-then-greyshirt rules. My point was not about that, however.  I'm not saying the kids should be run over in the process, but if you tick off a rival coach by changing the mind of a kid, you shouldn't have to apologize for it. In fact, I think it's your job to try and get those kids.

Totally agree.

Why would you want OSU to fire Meyer? Is it because he is doing the same thing at Ohio State as the SEC coaches do down south and all of the sudden it is wrong?

Plenty of morals/ethic in the SEC, though, isn't that correct Newton family? And how about all the over-recruiting the SEC does? Sounds moral/ethical to me.

I must say, all of these people that have been on the message boards and complained about Ohio State are getting to be a bit rediculous. Jealousy drives people. Look around the country and tell me OSU is the only college program that has ever done anythin wrong and the only one that has been on probation and banned from bowls. You can't do it because you know there are many more out there. So be ready when "tiny OSU" gets off probation because they will be back, maybe even strong than before. I love the tunnel vision of people. Ohio State shouldn't have won the championship in 2002, but they did. Ohio State should have been in other NC games but they were. I think it is time for you to kiss your sister goodnight and get a life.

Most of the kids Meyer flipped including Pittman and Dodson were Ohio kids who were interested in OSU until the Tressel fallout, once the OSU situation was stabalized with Meyer there was no reason for these kids to not come back to their number one choice in the first place. It's funny to see someone who ran up 80+ points on a B1G team being a crybaby now and his AD not supporting him.

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It's funny to see someone who ran up 80+ points on a B1G team being a crybaby now and his AD not supporting him.

Brutis,

You are right about that Barry does not seem happy I imagine the meeting they will have soon will not be pleasant.