From Fired To Hired: Some Thoughts On Jim Tressel To The Colts

No Photoshop here. I swear.

Before I get started with today’s rant, let me take my foot out of my mouth and eat some crow. In last week’s article, I un-famously stated that Jim Tressel would never take a job in the NFL and would probably be prowling the sidelines for another college team in the near future. I really just thought he was a college gut for life and was probably just sitting out the year to gauge possible openings throughout the NCAA. Imagine my surprise when just a few short days later our former coach signed on to be the “replay consultant” for the Indianapolis Colts.

First of all, what does the title of “replay consultant” entail? It sounds like a pretty cushy job to me. Do you just watch replays and help determine if you throw a challenge flag during the game? Are there any other duties in the day-to-day operation of an NFL franchise? Is there ANY way a 30 year old BGSU graduate working in a mediocre financial job can apply? Let me know if there is and my resume will be in the mail post-haste.

After accepting the job for the Colts, Tressel immediately decided that he was going to suspend himself for the first 6 games to mirror the fate bestowed on his former quarterback. I wouldn’t expect anything else from the man. You knew he wasn’t going to start cashing paychecks when Pryor was sitting on the bench for free in Oakland. I doubt he is need of the cash due to his lucrative career in Columbus but it’s just the principle of the thing. As my parents used to tell me after receiving some stuffed animal from a distant relative for Christmas, “It’s the thought that counts”.

What really irked me about the situation was the interview I heard this morning on ESPN’s Mike and Mike radio program. When asked what he thought about the Tressel suspension, Goodell stated that “he would have done the same thing” and he “fully supports the decision by the Colt’s to suspend Tressel”. Ummm, nice cop out Mr. Commissioner. If JT and the Colt’s hadn’t come up with this punishment on their own, I highly doubt that anything would have happened to the coach. Punishments for players are far harsher than they are for the people that coach them. That is a given fact. It just seemed that Roger Goodell was trying to piggyback on this good idea. Just another reason to miss Paul Tagliabue I guess.

Even though JT has made the leap from the college ranks to the pros, I believe it will be a short visit. This is not the kind of job that a man of Tressel’s stature would keep for very long. Once the college season is complete there will be job opening galore, and plenty of desperate AD’s in need a of a head coach. After watching this first week of games, I can think of one “powerhouse” that would love to add Tressel to the fold in the coming years.

Notre Dame is struggling to get out of their two-decade funk. I realize that Brian Kelly has only been at the helm for a year and a half but his tenure has been a unmitigated disaster. The team finished a meager 7-5 last season and managed to win a lackluster bowl against a lackluster team (Miami-FL). Unfortunately that kind of season will not appease the lunatic ND fans. Those people still think it is 1989 and expect a title contender every year even though the last 20 years have been horrible. Fast forward to this year and with embarrassing defeat at home to South Florida and the winds of change may be blowing again if Notre Dame can’t turn it around.

JT would be a perfect fit for the Fighting Irish. I don’t necessarily want to see him in Blue and Gold but it would be a match made in heaven. His conservative play calling, stout defense, calm demeanor and recruiting ability would make ND an instant contender again. I am sure it won’t happen anytime soon. Unless Kelly hits one of his players (did you see him blowing up on the sideline). It’s just hard to fathom JT spending too much time up in the booth for Indy games. Time will tell, but somebody is going to get a great coach sometime soon.