July has to be the dullest month when it comes to NFL action. Training camps don’t offer the same kind of action that the free agency period does, at least when there are players good enough, not to mention preseason and the actual time of playing football. Aaron Hernandez, in a negative way, puts the light once again on the league despite everything else happening, although trying to put Urban Meyer in the middle of this makes no sense.
And yet, because Meyer coached the alleged murderer while Hernandez was playing for Florida in college, he has been tied in somewhat with Hernandez becoming public enemy number one, or at least until someone else does something terrible.
Suddenly, Meyer stands accused of covering up Hernandez’ drug violations during his time in Gainesville, and the current Ohio State head coach sets out to defend his, and his previous coaching staff’s name
I just received an email from a friend where there is an accusation of multiple failed drug tests by Hernandez covered up by University of Florida or the coaching staff. This is absolutely not true. Hernandez was held to the same drug testing policy as every other player.
He was an athlete at Florida 4-7 yrs ago and there are some comments being made that are not correct. Our staff, myself and our families worked very hard to mentor and guide him. Relating or blaming these serious charges to the University of Florida, myself or our staff is wrong and irresponsible.
Despite his talent, quite a few teams passed on Hernandez in the 2010 NFL draft, eventually picked up by the New England Patriots as the 113th overall pick, sinking to the fourth round. Meyer has reportedly vouched for Hernandez with Bill Belichik, but it wasn’t his football behavior that turned out to be his downfall. It was his behavior and associations off the field.
Now, according to ESPN, Massachusetts authorities have reached out to police in Gainesville, Fla., in hopes of determining whether Hernandez had any role in a 2007 shooting that left two men wounded. At the time of the shooting, Hernandez was a 17-year old Freshman.
And if Tim Tebow doesn’t get enough coverage, a story about him trying to stop Aaron Hernandez from getting into a fight in a Florida Bar back in 2007 also made the news, and probably tells more of how college athletes get away with certain infringements and even crimes if they do it in the right place and have the right people trying to keep them out of jail or legal trouble.