Liars, cheaters like Jim Tressel deserve to lose their job
Jim Tressel, here with his protector, E. Gordon Gee, resigned under pressure Monday as Ohio State's coach. (AP photo)
(Originally posted: 11:15 a.m. Last update: 1:15 p.m.)
There is no shortage of problems with college athletics.
The NCAA too often seems overwhelmed. School presidents preach academics only when they’re not in meetings with network executives. Athletes make millions for universities but walk through campus bookstores, see replicas of their jerseys for sale and and know they won’t get a nickel for it.
But the biggest problem of all: Coaches who cheat and get away with it.
Jim Tressel has resigned as coach at Ohio State. Finally, somebody pays a price before fleeing for another job (see: Pete Carroll, Lou Holtz, etc.).
Tressel almost certainly beat Ohio State and the NCAA to the punch. He would’ve been fired and humiliated anyway. The NCAA is expected to hammer him and the football program for gross infractions, including knowingly playing illegal players for an entire season, all in the name of winning. Columbus hasn’t been subjected to this kind of embarrassment since Woody Hayes punched a Clemson player.
Jim Tressel is not just a problem. He’s the worst kind of problem.
The next time he works in college football, it should be mowing lawns or lining the fields. Just keep him far from the responsibility of raising young men, preaching values and reaffirming right from wrong., In those areas, he failed miserably.
Tressel released a statement that read in part: “After meeting with university officials, we agreed that it is in the best interest of Ohio State that I resign as head football coach.” Not even a hint of guilt or remorse.
Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee said, “The university’s enduring public purposes and its tradition of excellence continue to guide our actions.” He and Tressel must have the same speech writer.
Some Michigan fans mocked Tressel recently with this billboard.
Gee should follow Tressel out the door. He exuded pomposity at Vanderbilt when he disbanded the athletic department, and more recently downplayed Tressel’s alleged NCAA infractions. Asked whether he considered firing Tressel, he giggled and responded, “I’m just hoping the coach doesn’t dismiss me.”
Further proof that a wall full of diplomas doesn’t ensure a man has integrity.
Tressel learned in April of last year that five of his players, including quarterback Terrelle Pryor, sold memorabilia to the owner of a tattoo parlor (who also has been charged with drug trafficking and money laundering). Rather than report it to the school or the NCAA, he covered it up. He lied it about.
Coming forward with the truth would’ve led to suspensions, similar to the one that cost Georgia’s A.J. Green four games for selling his jersey.
Tressel’s defenders will scream that he merely was protecting his players. In fact, he was protecting himself. Winning games was more important.
The NCAA is expected to slam Tressel and Ohio State. It fired the warning shot two months ago when it wrote in its preliminary report that the coach “failed to deport himself … [with] honesty and integrity.” That’s their way of saying, “You’re guilty. We’re just deciding which penitentiary to send you to.”
Ohio State has long exuded a certain arrogance, and Tressel exemplified that. He wore a sweater vest. He looked senatorial. But there are skeletons from his days at Youngstown State, where his quarterback was given money and loaned used cars by a booster, Mickey Monus, a close friend of Tressel’s. (A thin and belated NCAA investigation led to the school being cited for lack of institutional control).
Three of Tressel’s highest profile players at Ohio State — Maurice Clarett, Troy Smith and Pryor — all have had issues with the NCAA. Former Buckeyes receiver Ray Small admitted recently he sold his championship rings while at the school and added that players there, “don’t even think about [NCAA] rules.” There’s also an investigation into a car dealer who reportedly sold about 50 vehicles to players and their families.
None of this means Tressel is the personification of evil. But it would be naive to believe it’s all coincidence.
Tressel had enormous success (106-22 record, seven Big Ten titles, one BCS title) in his 10 seasons. Ohio State remains probably one of the five best jobs in college football, one reason why Urban Meyer may be drawn out of retirement in a year. Probation won’t scare him away. If anything, the challenge of rebuilding a dented program and the knowledge of low early expectations might be attractions.
For now, there is only humiliation and embarrassment in Columbus. That could have been avoided if Tressel had just been honest. But when there are games to be played, apparently that’s too much to ask.
By Jeff Schultz
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543 comments Add your comment
paul
May 31st, 2011
12:03 pm
Tech Grad – mmmm lets see – when was GT in the top 10. Oh about 10 years ago. So until they have a team that can beat St. Mary’s school of girls you might want to keep your comments to yourself.
OSU Fan
May 31st, 2011
12:10 pm
Gruden would be a interesting fit there. There will be alot of talk over the next 9 months until one is named.
Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
12:19 pm
Paula,
We actually have standards and don’t just let in any bum to play football. Good thing those rocket scientist Troy Smith, Maurice Clarrett, and Tyrell Pryor all have plenty of cars…..they can just ride through campus and have all the diplomas thrown in through the window…….
Buckeye
May 31st, 2011
12:24 pm
tech grad,
I would thing a tech grad would have checked the facts/speliing before opining..
It’s TERRELL, not Tyrell. Get in the game, Nerd.
DawginLex
May 31st, 2011
12:25 pm
Tech grad,
Houston,Hamilton and Mooney kinda trump that theory but don’t let the facts get in the way…………
I know, I know we have Pulpwood Smith, the linebacker from Monticello etc.
Point is, everyone has them.
paul
May 31st, 2011
12:26 pm
Techa – you are just full of facts. When you stop bashing and the insults maybe people will listen to you. Until then please think before you write a blog. Thanks
Buckeye
May 31st, 2011
12:29 pm
DawginLex,
Laughing at your Rich Rod suggestion. 2nd best so far to at least Woody went down fighting!
OSU Fan
May 31st, 2011
12:32 pm
Is Woody back in the running now? LOL
DawginLex
May 31st, 2011
12:41 pm
Can’t see Meyer coaching again and staying married.
Gruden scares me because, well, he is Chucky. No NCAA experience.
Why would Stoops leave Oklahoma?
I’d hire an up and comer. That’s why NW coach came to mind but he might not have the “it” factor needed.
OSU Fan
May 31st, 2011
12:43 pm
They will have all sorts of coaches applying fo rthe job. That is why they won’t hire until next year, they will be carefully looking at each, can the NCAA say anything about the coach they want to hire? Just asking cause of the ax that is coming down.
The Rock
May 31st, 2011
1:01 pm
The Rock say Tressel you’re a jabroni! Mark Richt like him or not has displayed the intestinal fortitude not to cheat! Has he been soft? Yes! But has he covered up anything? No! It’s jabronis like OSU that give College Football a black eye! It’s time the NCAA laid the Smackdown on thier Candy A**es!
Uuugh
May 31st, 2011
1:20 pm
Paul–first of all I believe ‘doesn’t’ works better than ‘don’t’ in your first post. You are right TOSU will be back, I mean USC is still playing, SMU is back after receiving the death penalty…hell if y’all had Auburn’s lawyers, the NCAA would still be chasing their tail!
For as long as I remember, OSU trolls have come on our blogs talking down to us for no real reason. We are not rivals and have played maybe 5 times ever. Why? I don’t know why…
I do know that being condescending to a group of people can really backfire when your school gets in trouble. See also 90% of the UGA fan comments on this blog today.
We reap what we sow…no need to get all huffy about it guy.
King Gator
May 31st, 2011
1:51 pm
Dan Mullen to Ohio State? Go Gators
Buckeye
May 31st, 2011
1:56 pm
Uuuugh,
These are not “our” blogs. This is the freakin ajc.
Is that “our” in uga? Or SEC! SEC!
WIN WITH RICHT
May 31st, 2011
2:09 pm
Buckeye
Ohio State needs Barry Switzer to clean up the program.
DawginLex
May 31st, 2011
2:15 pm
You are right buckeye. This blog belongs to TOSU and to Tressel.
God bless ‘em all.
Coaching staff rumors
Rodriguez
Switzer
Carroll
Holtz
Hayes
Pell
T Bowden
Faust
Cooper(back in ‘12, tanned, rested and ready)
DawginLex
May 31st, 2011
2:17 pm
Danny ford has inquired about the opening as well
Buckeye
May 31st, 2011
2:22 pm
Win With,
Good to see you. Been awhile. Never cared much for Switzer. He was always a “look at me” guy.
Buckeye
May 31st, 2011
2:26 pm
DawginLex,
Funny thing about Cooper, he ends up #2 in wins to Woody and ahead of Tressel. Lower winning percentage but higher in total wins.
Perhaps Bud Wilkinson could make a late run at it!
Buckeye
May 31st, 2011
2:29 pm
Hell,
Let’s just go after Belichick. We’d have plenty of practice tape available and perhaps give usa leg up agsint the SEC! SEC!
paul
May 31st, 2011
2:50 pm
Uuugh – not huffy at all. Just tired of everyone thinking that their college does nothing wrong. Yes Ohio State got caught and will get hammered good. So be it -
afraidquilt23
May 31st, 2011
2:56 pm
I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Toshiba laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, http://GoGetBids.com
Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
2:56 pm
ok….so the spell check was not working…..Not sure it would know to pick up those funky spellings for all those OSU football players…..kind of like Terellllllllll knowing not to drive six different cars that did not belong to him. Where do you pick up those knuckle draggers?
OSU Fan
May 31st, 2011
2:58 pm
Tech Grad that is totally uncalled for.
Realist
May 31st, 2011
3:01 pm
If any of you think for a moment that OSU kids are the only one violating these NCAA rules and Jim Tressel is the only coach covering it up, then please wake up!!! The whole college football empire is like that, its just who is so unlucky to get caught. If Tressel plays by the rule whilst no one else does, guess where will he be and what would have happened to all those players? Not in NFL for sure. Wake up and take off your rosy glasses and SEE THE TRUTH!!! Its all a big stinking corrupted industry and we are all as responsible for feeding the monster as much as any coach and any players. Unfortunately the stinking money making monster will not and can not be stopped due to its dominance and our addiction. So stop being judgemental and do some self searching instead.
1911A1
May 31st, 2011
3:02 pm
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch.
Rot in hell, Suckeyes.
Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
3:05 pm
How about we go with TOFU instead of TOSU? Take a wild guess on the F. Kind of like how the Bucky’s play in the big games…..kind of limp with no flavor and takes on taste of bland little 11………
OSU Fan
May 31st, 2011
3:05 pm
1911A1 – We must have beaten your team for you to be so upset. That explains a lot.
paul
May 31st, 2011
3:07 pm
Tech – Sounds more like Georgia Tech to me.
Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
3:08 pm
OSU Fan:
1911A1’s team must be in the Little 11 or one of the Ohio directional schools if the Browneyes beat them…..those are the only teams they beat.
Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
3:10 pm
Paula:
Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your shift at Skyline Chili? Hold the onions on mine this week, dear.
DawginLex
May 31st, 2011
3:12 pm
Blog rumor mill
Mark Richt to Ohio State
Oh the irony!!!!!!!!!!!!!
An honest version of the vest
OSU Fan
May 31st, 2011
3:15 pm
Tech thanks for your insight on that. But you seem to be very much against OSU so I will just ignore you. Thanks for playing.
paul
May 31st, 2011
3:18 pm
Oh tech thats funny. No Skyline Chili here – again go hate some where else, seeing that is all you can do.
OSU Fan
May 31st, 2011
3:19 pm
Dawgin – LOL – yeah we will also give you a tatoo and car dealer for King.
Homer Herbstreit
May 31st, 2011
3:25 pm
Pay no attention to reality….those others are just jealous of our lofty tradition. And God Bless America
NCAA Hater
May 31st, 2011
3:25 pm
I wonder what the little sisters of the poor are thinking about poor Jimmy
Lanier Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
3:26 pm
I have nothing better to do………..
paul
May 31st, 2011
3:29 pm
Lanier Tech Grad – really oh come on that’s to easy.
paul
May 31st, 2011
3:33 pm
Day’s done I am outa here
Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
3:36 pm
Paula:
Try and get those grease stains out of your uniform before your next shift….and you also have mustard stains on your name tag.
paul
May 31st, 2011
3:37 pm
This coming from a Lanier tech grad – when you go to a big boy school then we can talk. Go have your mom wipe your nose and put you to bed. I am going home so you can say anything you want cause I wont be here, so feel free to bash me all you want. Maybe you need a class in anger management at Lanier Tech. Really Lanier Tech LOL
WIN WITH RICHT
May 31st, 2011
3:40 pm
Buckeye
Maybe some day in the future you will be able to pull that Big O sweater vest back on and wear it with pride.
paul
May 31st, 2011
3:43 pm
Again BLAH BLAH BLAH
Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
3:45 pm
Paula:
Not sure where you got the Lanier Tech facade…..some poser trying to imitate me….Big Boy School, eh…..check the SAT/ACT scores and then come back and run your yapper about Big Boy Schools…….
WIN WITH RICHT
May 31st, 2011
3:47 pm
You will get that warm fuzzy feeling when the band spells out Ohio. Might not want to ask any of the football team to spell it for you, however. They don’t know which cars are theirs much less spell any thing over 3 letters.
Goaltender
May 31st, 2011
3:52 pm
god I hate living in SEC country…
Tech Grad
May 31st, 2011
3:53 pm
Yeah I am a jerk – Sorry paul
Buckeye
May 31st, 2011
3:57 pm
Win With,
I’m keeping my vests and my headcovers on.
Buckeye
May 31st, 2011
3:58 pm
Win With,
Aren’t you referring to Cam….can’t call a play with more than 3 numbers???