Interesting interview I listened to with Tim May from the Columbus Dispattch. Pretty fair and balanced guy I have respect for ( who FWIW-has no idea how all of this turns out).
He confirmed what I suspected all along- that when Meyer answered that fateful question about the 2015 incident- at Big Ten Media days, he was specifically referring to the just released info that Smith was arrested for a felony DV.
May said they ( he and at least one other media member) caught Meyer getting off an elevator earlier that day before he spoke to general media. May asked Meyer about he report from McMurphy. He said Meyer openly acknowledged awareness of the incident, and further said he had his people reach out to the Powell police to get more details. Meyer said they gave them nothing. Police basically indicated there was nothing to see here. Meyer wondered why would someone now say otherwise.
So clearly, later during the Big Ten Media gathering-having already acknowledged awareness to several reporters in the room, when he was asked that question he clearly was specifically referring to the new report ( which coincidentally got changed to reflect more accurately the no charges, not felony). He even used the same language. “There was nothing there.”
That’s why, contrary to what is being discussed across the media, his statement on Friday does not say he is sorry for lying..it simply says he did not intend to deceive. In fact, and hate me all you want, I am not sure I could say he did lie.
Furthermore, when he says he was not prepared for those questions, again- he was not prepared for a story that just came out, likely well after he and OSU DID prepare him for what they thought the questions would be.
The more I learn the less I think he did anything wrong. If he has the discretion to hire/ fire to some degree, I can certainly be critical of his judgement.