First, the good news. In his first appearance since spring practice ended in April, Urban Meyer met with the media and, to his credit, did not go batsh-t crazy and verbally threaten a member of the press.
Obviously, the sabbatical treated the Florida coach well.
As did, apparently, the diagnosis of the condition that led to the sabbatical(s) since stepping down as head coach -- then almost immediately reversing course -- back in December.
Speaking at the SEC’s annual spring meetings, Meyer told the assembled masses that the cause of his chest pains were esophageal spasms. The Orlando Sentinel tweeted that "[t]hose muscle contractions prevent food from traveling properly and causing pain. After the right medication, he hasn’t felt pain since Jan.”
(And I don’t want to hear any comments that his condition is just a fancy way for Meyer to say he choked in the SEC title game. That’s wrong and, frankly, downright rude. And I won’t stand for it. You’ve been warned.)
Meyer, who looked “tanned and healthy” according to the Gainesville Sun, said that he had dealt with the pain for the three years prior to the January diagnosis.
It was reported by multiple sources around the time Meyer’s health issues became public in late December that the coach had issues with his heart. Here’s WebMD’s description of the symptoms for what was reportedly ailing the coach:
Given the medical resources at his disposal, it took three years to diagnose what seems to be a relatively straightforward condition?
Or, as Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post tweeted, “So Urban Meyer quit his job in December because of spasms in his esophagus? Uh huh......”
Regardless, it seems as if Meyer is on track health-wise, which is good news for not only Gator Nation but for college football as well. It’s a better sport with people like Meyer around, and we’re glad to hear he seems to have place the health issues -- whatever they actually were -- behind him.