Jim Tressel is an icon in my book. I spent many a Saturday afternoon with my father-in-law watching Tressel march up and down the sidelines at the Youngstown State University games. We would marvel at how Tressel built the YSU football program and were genuinely proud of him when he took his rightful place as the head coach of OSU.
No doubt about it, Jim Tressel is a winner! He has consistently preached character to all of his players. His teams win. They don't win with style points as many people squirm at seemingly ridiculous low scoring games... but OSU wins with Tressel at the helm.
This is what makes everything up to now so troublesome. Jim Tressel allegedly knew about the the sale of memorabilia long before it became front and center with the candidness of his star QB Terrell Pryor. Now- before I go and make villains of Tressel and Pryor... we need to look at College Football and examine why it was necessary for Pryor and several others to sell his memorabilia.
College Football is incredibly profitable. The stadiums are shrines built on the backs of the students who play for these institutions of higher learning. Yes, the NCAA does provide scholarships to some of the many players. These scholarships greatly reduce the cost of going to school. BUT... is this equitable? Players such as Terrell Pryor perform at a very high level. The sell out crowds in Columbus come from these players. Trust me- I am a Pitt graduate. Pitt's football teams by and large do not bring great crowds as they do not have the caliber of players as OSU. But- I digress... The point is people are paying a lot of money to OSU to watch great young athletic talent. These players are working for the University, just as much as student painters who paint the dorms in the summer work for the University. What a player does with his own possessions is his own doing. The player earned the awards. Collegiate sports players deserve to be paid for their efforts! I laude Terrell Pryor for taking the lead and being candid about this subject. As far as Jim Tressel goes, I am disappointed as I would have expected him to be more vocal on this point and stand up for what is right... So much for character!
It sickens me to see people treated as a double standard. I mean 2 games suspension over weak mac teams. Give me a break. If that was a coach with a losing record he would be canned.
ReplyDeletethe suspension is now 5 games but it was tressels idea. He did not cheat. He did something dishonest but not a big deal.
ReplyDeletenice write up, but at first tressel didnt stand up for what is right but now then it was his call on the 5 game suspension, he should be commended, not fired.
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