Urban Meyer Press Conference Leaves Some Viewers Perplexed.

If this were a physical illness, the press conference would have been much different. What haven't we seen with regard to cancer, heart conditions, renal failure, liver disease, pulmonary conditions and the like that those affected with illness in the past have kept under wraps?

The answer is nothing.

Mickey Mantle's battle with the bottle that ultimately left him with liver failure and then liver cancer was a spectacle of personal failure covered up by a life of success in sports. Prayer vigils were organized and the organ donor list was the most watched list in the country.

Magic Johnson battled AIDS on the national stage, one of the longest term survivors of the '80s-'90s epidemic. How more personal could it get for Magic?

His infidelity was exposed and his wife had concerns of her own regarding exposure to the deadly virus. Other players wanted him off the court due to fear of contact with his bodily fluids.

Jim Valvano battled adenocarcinoma of an unknown primary that eventually metastasized to his bones causing him excruciating pain.

He eventually developed multi-organ failure and the disease took his life. His death due to the illness is immortalized by the Valvano Foundation.

His legacy is an established financial resource organized by his family and others endeared to him that gives researchers the money they need to continue the search for a cure.

The research is ongoing and helps others battle the disease, deal with the fears and pain that result from cancer. There are others currently in the spotlight, as we have recently seen aired on ESPN.

Mark Herzlich of Boston College has battled Ewing's Sarcoma on a national stage and has been heralded on sports stations across the nation as an example of toughness and courage while fighting cancer.

ESPN recently chronicled the plight of Jake Olsen, the 12 year old who has had a lifelong battle with retinoblastoma. Jake lost his left eye at an early age and with chemotherapy and radiation, spared the right eye.

Over the years, Jake has dealt with cancer recurrence eight different times. Over the last few months, Jake lost his right eye and can no longer see. He spent this season with the USC Trojans developing relationships and developing a visual record that will serve Jake for a lifetime.

Lance Armstrong is a survivor of testicular cancer and embodies the word Livestrong and sponsors a foundation named as such. The list is longer, the stories quite moving.

So what medical illness with physical limitations is Urban Meyer holding back from the media? What physical malady would be so personal that he could not share it with the nation and expect an outpouring of support?

There is none. Not one physical illness would distance him from his personal relationships or from the general public. In fact nearly all would endear him to those who would otherwise care less about a sports figure.

If that is the case, then we leave the realm of physical illness and enter the more private sanctuary of mental ailments, or in philosophical terms, the metaphysical.

Anxiety has been mentioned. Generally, anxiety is a symptom rather than an illness. It can be a symptom of a physical ailment or metaphysical disturbance.

Mel Brooks approached this human condition with a rather humorous film chronicling the dysfunction that results when a "High Anxiety" status is achieved and is allowed to go untreated. None of us want to be in that state but many of us end up there because of the insidious nature of the underlying causes.

Meyer has been snared by High Anxiety. But the underlying cause has yet to be divulged. All that has been shared with the media and general public is the physical expression of the mental onslaught regarding his condition.

Headaches, dizziness, panic, chest pains and shortness of breath. These are symptoms of an lurking danger. The body is crying out to the owner, the conscious mind, to "look under the hood." As Hamlet put it, "there is something rotten in the state of Denmark."

If the malady affecting Meyer were a debilitating illness such as ALS, early onset dementia, Huntington's Chorea or Parkinson's, we would know this after yesterdays press conference.

Those close to him would serve and support his needs, the outsiders who want to express their devotion to the head coach would organize events in their respective communities. The outpouring of support would be immense.

But for now, Meyer has chosen to keep the malady closer to home. Whatever it is, it initially caused him to react with a knee-jerk response. He has reconsidered and rejected his first response of early retirement and will stay on to coach the Gators.

Following the Sugar Bowl and after recruiting efforts are brought to a close on National Signing Day, expect Meyer to retreat. And the media should allow him to retreat without harassment.

Meyer himself was initially evasive. Almost too cute for anyone to truly feel his pain and show empathy. But as the press conference moved on, the coach became more transparent.

Jeremy Foley was mature, very business-like and direct. "He's the head coach at the University of Florida, and obviously those details as far as Coach Addizio and those types of things are to be worked out. But the head football coach at the University of Florida is taking a leave of absence, and that's what it is, and that's what it will be, as I said, until he comes back and tells us this is what he wants to do."

His quarterback, Tim Tebow, said it most clearly: "I'm so proud of him because of the decision he's chosen to make. I don't think most coaches would have the guts to make it, to give up everything for his family and faith and to get himself right. I admire that about him and I admire him for the decisions that he's made."

Then Meyer himself gave in a little and shared the real issue at the heart of the matter. But seems by reading the blogs and press releases, most of the media had quit listening at that point and were still wondering what physical illness Meyer was dealing with during this personal trial.

It's not physical. It's a mental ailment.

Meyer has in essence suffered a mental breakdown. He ignored his own rules. It led to a downward spiral that ended in a mental collapse. Mental dysfunction can lead to physical exhaustion.

Meyer stated the following comments at different times during the press conference. These comments are not in order but nothing is taken out of context: 

"The first page of our manual says. "Take care of your health, take care of your family." It's not just a discussion, that's a rule. So that came to my end and I was very concerned."

We got into coaching knowing this was going to be the tempo and that's why I have to admire the Coach Bowden's and Coach Paterno's of this world. Wow, when you put your heart, soul into being a father, husband and coach, there's not much time left. Got to make sure you keep it in that order, father, husband and coach and not flip it.

"I have an obligation. At the end of the day you're going to be judged on what kind of husband and father you are. That's real important."

"I think what I have to learn is you can't just accept you've got to be able to delegate might be the right word, that you have to delegate and you have to function." "I've lived a 30 year coaching career in nine years, and I can't do that. I just have to be smarter. I'm not very smart; that's part of the problem.

"I might call Coach Spurrier because we have a very good relationship. As a matter of fact, I'm going to call him because I admire the way he's done things, and he's done it for a long time."

Urban Meyer has done what all driven working men and working women do to their families. He put them after work. So far back that he developed dysfunctional relationships and it's time for a rescue. He got the order flipped.

More than likely, for a person like Meyer, this is not about infidelity with a soul-mate other than his wife. It is infidelity with an idol. Call it what you will, pride, fame, popularity, ego or extreme arrogance.

Lucky for him, he has identified the real opponent in his life. The opponent is not on the gridiron. It lurks in his mind and does what it can to make him stay focused on himself and not others.

It has caused him to ignore what has been most dear and most valuable to his personal belief system to seek another glory. Me first, then family and others.

Urban Meyer has joined the "Fight Club." He is fighting his alter ego. A personal demon.

The alter ego has self-infatuated, self-inflated importance and must be brought into line. The hubristic nature of the alter ego is so counter productive that it is in fact a disease much like an auto immune illness.

Ed Norton, the carefree, easy going push over was led by the macho, butcher of a man in the form of Brad Pitt in the epic movie. In the end, neither one survived.

It lives inside you, it carries your own DNA yet it fights you and is intent on breaking you down and taking everything else away that doesn't feed "the monster."

That's right, it's your own personal "Little Shop of Horrors." Feed me, Seymour, Feed me. Feed me so much that you are no longer feeding anything else. No matter how much the monster consumes, it will never be enough!

The alter ego will consume everything in sight and allow you to suffer personal tragedy without remorse. It will cause you to destroy everything in your path so that you can provide more nourishment.

It's the metaphor of fire in the most highly regarded film of all time, "Citizen Kane." The all consuming fire grows larger and larger as the movie progresses. First a small flame. If I remember, maybe just a match. In the end, a gargantuan fire place in his mansion. An inferno from which nothing escapes.

Meyer, to his credit, has recognized where he is in this journey of life. He has asked for a chance to step back and pace himself to a different tempo. To his credit, Jeremy Foley has seen his coach every day and understands coach Meyer's needs.

A spiritual man can now see the great wisdom of God in action. The spiritually mature quarterback of the team has had a uncommon opportunity to enlightened his coach. He has succeeded. The Mentor has seen the wisdom of the Lord through a student of the game. This game has eternal consequences.

Tim Tebow has been a beacon of light for his coach and brought him back to the shore. Now it is time for the mentor to be mentored.

Keep coach Meyer your prayers. Know that if he is sincere, which one would have no reason to disbelieve, that he will restore his relationship with his family and dearest friends.

Only one bit of advice: Prioritize the list as husband first, father second and coach third. Godspeed with the recovery. As a fan of the college sport, it's easy to see that men like Urban Meyer belong in the trenches, instructing young men. He is one of the best.

But as a servant of the Lord Most High, first attain the personal success you desire with your faith and family. That, in the end, is what will keep you most satisfied.

John Piper, one of the greatest expositors of our time says it best, "When you are most satisfied in Him, He is most satisfied in you."

Reach that place, Coach Meyer. The fight will be worth it, because it is what brings you the most joy.

Fans can have a greater respect for this man now more than ever. Not necessarily because of his faith, more for his resolve to address the problem and put his wife and family first, again.

He should not fear what the public thinks. Press on to win, it will be the greatest reward.