Zach Smith is done being silent.
On Wednesday, the former Ohio State assistant coach, who was fired after allegations of domestic abuse were reported, went on the offensive in a Twitter rant directed at Brett McMurphy, the reporter who broke the story, and SEC Network's Paul Finebaum.
The allegations - and the way they were handled by the Buckeyes - cost Ohio State coach Urban Meyer a three-game suspension.
Smith spent most of Wednesday going after McMurphy and Finebaum
"Silence = over," he tweeted. "I tried. But I cant watch (clowns) like Brett McMurphy and Paul Finebaum and others at ESPN continue to run their mouths-not only without knowledge but with complete disregard for my children. Their mother had plenty of disregard for them in this. Time for you all to face the damage your causing."
He then tweeted a picture of his kids.
"Hey Brett McMurphy and Paul Finebaum and everyone at ESPN, look at these faces," he tweeted. "You heartless and moral-less clowns. Every LIE or dramatic version of the truth you report, you hurt THESE precious children! Just like their mom has and continues to. Do you have families? Kids?
Smith then had questions of his own for McMurphy.
Before Smith's rant even started, his mother, Lynn Bruce, wrote a lengthy Facebook post, defending her son.
"Zach Smith is my son," she wrote. "I love him unconditionally and always will. HE IS NOT A WIFE-BEATER. He made mistakes and I don't condone his behavior, but I understand it. I understand it because I saw what he was living and going through - even though it was from a distance - because his wife had managed to eliminate all of his family support from his life. Typical abuser behavior. And even before she lied and manipulated to remove us, she told me repeatedly that she would do this to us, to Urban and to the university. This was all very calculated and planned - and the trigger was pulled when Zach had finally moved on with his life."
Bruce also directed her ire at Meyer.
"Most people believe that the university required Urban to say the things he did," she wrote. "I'm just wondering where his mentor was in his thinking. The Earle Bruce I know would be disappointed at best. My father was fiercely loyal - to a fault I will agree - but he would never compromise his integrity by apologizing to someone who has lied and brought so much damage to HER OWN CHILDREN and so many others. He would never bow down to anyone if it meant being dishonest."
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
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