Armageddon: A Week Later

Our favorite school is under fire

I have had almost a week to digest the Jim Tressel firing and the disappointment caused by the situation has not subsided one bit. The fall from grace for our former head coach was swift and painful. Only a year ago, the buckeye nation was basking in the glow of a rose bowl championship and the whispers of a national title contending team could be heard from coast to coast last summer. The scarlet and gray were returning a load of starters and many in the national media had pegged these buckeyes to be playing for another shot at a BCS title. Things didn't work out that way, thanks to Wisconsin, but we were still able to get that SEC monkey off our back with a thrilling Sugar bowl win down in New Orleans. By then, we all knew about the discounted tattoos and selling of trinkets but figured that was going to be the end of it. Unfortunately, reporters smelled blood in the water and the incessant digging revealed just how deep this scandal went. 

What I wouldn’t give to be back to that ignorant bliss I enjoyed last summer.

So Long, Farewell

I sit here still in utter disbelief. My coach is not the coach anymore. I knew this day would come, but I thought that was still off in the distance, after another national title and a few more wins over that school up north.

I am hurting for Coach Tressel and his family. I am hurting for the players (expect for a certain 5) that have lost their coach.

I am hurting for the alumni like myself who began their college years at Ohio State with Jim Tressel at the helm. I am hurting for the fans like myself who, although we questioned him at times, loved him.

Someone posted on Twitter yesterday that they were glad the violations involved tattoos because those individuals have permanent reminders of what they did to contribute to Coach Tressel losing his job.

Yesterday, like many times in his life before, and most assuredly after Ohio State, Jim Tressel chose integrity and loyalty over letting someone else take the fall. He could have hung those players out to dry, but he didn't. He could have went to the NCAA before he went to Gene Smith and Gordon Gee, but he didn't. In the coming months, we will see who else falls victim to the media lead lynch mob....I wouldn't be surprised if Gene Smith is next.

My Views of the Tressel Situation

First of all, I am a fan and an alumnus of The Ohio State University. My fall Saturdays are spent watching, cheering, and screaming over Buckeye football. Luckily, I have a very understanding wife and daughter. Because of this love of the Buckeyes, the news regarding the “violations” committed by the players and coach have been disheartening, to say the least. At this point, though, I have, for the most part forgiven the players. They broke a rule and, no matter how bad we the fans think the rule itself is, they should and will pay the price by missing the first five games of the season. However, I am having a more difficult time forgiving Coach Tressel. 

I remember when I first heard the Buckeyes hired a Division 1-AA coach, albeit an extremely successful coach, I wasn’t thrilled. I wanted a big name, an established big time coach. However, my feelings quickly changed. When Tress went to the OSU v Michigan basketball game and announced that we would be proud of the team in the classroom, in the community and in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I was sold! He would bring the pride back to the football team; we WOULD beat Michigan!! He did what he promised and once again made the Buckeyes football royalty. Since Coach Tressel took over, we have dominated Michigan and the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are “beasts.” Outside of a few small infractions - most notably Troy Smith accepting $500 from boosters - our Buckeyes have been a clean program, led by a great and honest coach. Well, at least those are the rosy feelings I used to have. These feelings started to crumble this past winter, when Tattoo-Gate appeared. Players, most notably “superstars” Pryor, Posey, and Herron, traded items for tattoos, resulting in their suspensions. Tressel claimed to know nothing, and we as Buckeye faithfuls believed him. Actually, we believed in him. How wrong we were.