The "Bourbon & Bobcats" Soap Opera: Why Ohio University Just Fired Its Coach

If you thought the MAC was just for midweek football in snowstorms, think again. Ohio University decided to spice up the offseason by firing head coach Brian Smith this week "for cause," setting off a legal and PR battle that reads less like a sports story and more like a rejected script for Desperate Housewives: Athens, Ohio Edition.

The university dropped the hammer on Smith on Dec. 12, citing a list of grievances that void his buyout. But the details that came out Thursday? Oh, they are messy.

Here is the breakdown of the chaos.

The "Extramarital" Affair (That Maybe Wasn't?)

The university’s headline accusation is that Smith had a romantic relationship with an undergraduate student. Naturally, the school clutched its pearls, claiming this brought "disrepute, scandal, and ridicule" to the program.

Smith’s lawyer, Rex Elliott, fired back with a defense that essentially amounts to: It’s not cheating if you’re already sleeping on the couch.

According to Elliott, Smith and his wife were separated and living apart pending a divorce. He admits Smith had a four-month consensual relationship with a student (which ended in November), but argues that since the student wasn’t an athlete or a subordinate, no actual policy was violated.

To make matters more awkward, Smith was living at the Ohio University Inn (classic transitional housing chic) and apparently ran into a player’s parents while hanging out with a different woman—a 41-year-old—after the student breakup. Nothing says "I'm in control of my life" like bumping into the parents of your starting linebacker while navigating the dating pool in the hotel lobby.

The Bourbon in the Desk Drawer

The second major accusation is that Smith was allegedly intoxicated at a public appearance—a "routine part of his job"—and "smelled of alcohol."

This comes after a reprimand in late November for storing and drinking alcohol in his office. But here is the plot twist that deserves an Emmy:

Smith’s lawyer claims the bourbon in question—the very booze getting him in trouble—was gifted to him by the husband of the University President.

That’s right. The defense is essentially, "Your husband gave me the drink, and now you’re firing me for drinking it?" You cannot write this stuff. Smith claims he only ever had a periodic "single drink" with assistants after hours and was never drunk at a public event.

The Fallout

The university isn't buying it. They fired him the day after receiving his lawyer’s letter, stating they are confident the decision is "best for the future of the football program."

Smith’s camp is promising to "vigorously pursue litigation," calling the firing reckless and damaging to his career. Translation: This is going to court, and it’s going to get expensive.

So, to recap: We have a coach living in a hotel, dating a student, drinking bourbon allegedly supplied by the President’s spouse, and a university desperate to void a contract.

We’ll keep you posted on the lawsuit. In the meantime, maybe stick to beer if you're in Athens—apparently, the bourbon is cursed.