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Sloppy Journalism Strikes Again, Or Why Urban Meyer Probably Doesn't Want the Limos Investigated After All

So think back, all the way to... yesterday. Seems Track 'Em Tigers had a pretty scathing reaction to Urban Meyer's comments about the new Auburn limos needed to be limited by the NCAA. That in turn got picked up in a few places, where it got some pretty serious charges leveled at it.

Circle back now. Where did it all start?

In a quick blurb in a random bits column by the Gainesville Sun's Pat Dooley. Dooley had made the assumption that Auburn was going to have recruits ride around in the limos, whereas AU only plans on having coaches travel in it. For that, Dooley issued a mea culpa today.

What that also means, as the Orlando Sentinel's Andrea Adelson points out, is that Meyer got bad info on what the purpose of the limos. Given that Meyer's a busy guy, it's unlikely he follows the minutae of other programs and probably hadn't heard about Auburn's new rides until Dooley gave him the erroneous information.

In that light, it makes more sense why Meyer might want the NCAA to look into them. Given all the other restrictions on what you can and can't do for recruits, it's a plausible complaint. He clearly thinks coaches riding in limos is poor taste, but as a necessary target of NCAA discipline, it's not so clear anymore.

Even so I still think it's a bit of an overreaction, but let's face it, the man is a bit prone to hyperbole. He called Tim Tebow the greatest player of our era long before his whole career was done. He said in spring practice this year that he was concerned 2009 would be like the middle of the 2005 season when injuries left the Gators with no offensive playmakers (after spring practice: he loves the team and doesn't see many holes). It's par for the course with the guy, really.

Note to Tennessee fans: he still did take an unprovoked swipe at your program. You may continue the "we're under his skin" talk as regularly scheduled.