Tressel resigns at Ohio State

“It’s the cover-up that got Tressel, not that crime itself,” said Brent Musburger, ESPN’s college football expert, on SportsCenter this morning.

On a day that many Americans gather as a family and grill out, kicking off summer and remembering the men and women of our armed forces, Jim Tressel decided to call it a career at Ohio State, resigning amidst a cloud of NCAA investigations.

The University released these statements earlier today:

“In consultation with the senior leadership of the Board of Trustees, I have been actively reviewing matters attendant to our football program, and I have accepted Coach Tressel's resignation,” said President E. Gordon Gee. “The University's enduring public purposes and its tradition of excellence continue to guide our actions.”

Jim Tressel said, “After meeting with University officials, we agreed that it is in the best interest of Ohio State that I resign as head football coach. The appreciation that Ellen and I have for the Buckeye Nation is immeasurable.”

Athletics Director Gene Smith said, “We look forward to refocusing the football program on doing what we do best representing this extraordinary University and its values on the field, in the classroom, and in life. We look forward to supporting Luke Fickell in his role as our football coach. We have full confidence in his ability to lead our football program.”

Ray Ratto of CBSSports.com wrote, “And no, this is not a tragedy. Tragedy is when you don't have it coming. Retribution is when you do. Jim Tressel took care of himself while acting like he would never do so, and shamed himself.”

And of course, after my dad, Ohio State class of 1984, made some pretty scathing comments in late April (http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2011/04/thoughts-on-ohio-state-and-jim-tressel.html) people may want to know what he thinks.

So here you go: “Can we get rid of the cheating players too?”

The Columbus Dispatch’s website still proclaims the amount of days that have passed since Michigan last beat Ohio State. The count sits at 2,746, and in 180 days, that count might re-start. On the last Saturday in November the two schools will meet in what should be a very muted rivalry game, depending on how many Ohio State players are still eligible at that point.

According to the ESPN.com Big Ten blog, “Tressel boasts a 9-1 record against archrival Michigan and is the only Ohio State coach to defeat the Wolverines in seven consecutive games.”

But, as my dad has noted on more than one occasion, it really doesn’t matter if you can beat Michigan if you’re not doing it the right way.

Thoughts on Ohio State and Jim Tressel

It seems that everyone wants to see Jim Tressel ousted at Ohio State. But one OSU graduate had some very, very passionate remarks regarding his alma mater’s head coach.

I really could care less what the school up north of here decides to do with their head coach. It seems that they are in a lose-lose situation. The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Paul Daugherty, “The question The Ohio State University needs to be pondering is this: At what point does its soul matter more than its football coach’s ability to beat Michigan?”

Well, a 1984 graduate of “The” Ohio State University, my dad, Steve recently took to everyone’s favorite quote machine to answer these questions. In response to a question posed to him by my former co-worker Joe Stanek, my dad said, “I say fire the coach and never let the players step foot on the OSU field again. Cleaning house is not a bad thing. OSU will still win games. They fired Woody, and lived through Earle Bruce.”

My dad, Steve (on the right), is a 1984 graduate of Ohio State. He's pictured here with me (left) and my brother Tony (middle) before the 2007 Brickyard 400

Well, they fired Woody Hayes right before my dad got to Ohio State, so he actually lived through the Earle Bruce era, and he always says that he was a part of the only class to go through Ohio State that never beat Michigan.

In fact, Tressel is revered for his record against Ohio State’s biggest rival. There’s even a counter on the Columbus Dispatch’s website counting the days it has been since Michigan last beat Ohio State on the gridiron.

“Tressel has done far worse damage than Woody’s 68-year-old weak right cross that player didn’t even feel. FIRE him,” my dad continued.

It’s always fun to hear my dad talk about Ohio State because he doesn’t necessarily care too much about the Buckeyes anymore. After all, he’s paying for his two sons to attend the University of Cincinnati (and one of them actually works for the UC football program—that’d be me, in case you were wondering). When Ohio State is on, he pays attention, and he wears Buckeye shirts, but he’s by no means a diehard fan of the program.

Which makes his argument stand up even more in my mind. Diehard fans of the OSU program are way too often blinded by their own fandom to see the facts. When I suggested in late 2007 that Ohio State was ducking UC and buying out a portion of the contract because they didn’t want to play against the Bearcats, I was mocked. A few months later, lo and behold, an official announcement was made that Ohio State was buying out UC.

Call me a hater, but I knew the facts before super fans wanted to admit. Not that they’ll ever tell me I was right beforehand.

And what about the five players, who now look like saints up against their head coach and protector. “Also, the players have disgraced the reputation of the school and should never set foot on the field again,” my dad said.

One grad has spoken. Do you agree? I don’t mind the reasoning behind my dad’s argument, but I could care less what Ohio State does. Until they want to play us.