This week, the Columbus Dispatch broke a story that Jim Tressel has resigned as the head coach of Ohio State University football program. Looking through the lines Ohio State decided ‘to save face’ in front of the NCAA to hopefully accomplish a softer punishment instead of protecting their head coach who has produced one National Championship, eight BCS Bowl Games, seven Big Ten conference titles, and a warehouse of great talent that have been excellent in the NFL. The only way I can relate to this is the Kelvin Sampson drama saga and recently reported the Mark Adams’ A-HOPE foundation that some critics have questioned the recruiting of Hanner Perea and Peter Jurkin, which I firmly believe nothing, has been violated. I personally would have more respect for the Ohio State University to keep their coach and stand by him and his family, than pleasing the money driven NCAA.
If you have not been watching ESPN for the past three months or any sports news for that matter Jim Tressel and The Ohio State University have been slammed by truthful violations that Jim Tressel ignored that his players were selling memorabilia of the 2002 national championship game, getting free tattoos from a local tattoo parlor for used game jerseys, and selling other memorabilia for perks. Yes, it was wrong for Tressel to cover for his players when he had ample sources telling him that his players were violating the NCAA rules. This is where the NCAA has to sanction the coach and not the entire program; it is ridiculous that NCAA decides to apply the rule ‘guilty by association’ for certain parties. For example, look at the Kelvin Sampson situation; he put the Hoosier basketball a year back, although Tom Crean probably would not have done anything good if he had that year back. From the reports I have been listening to from the Big Ten Network and ESPN Tressel and the players are in the wrong not the program. If the NCAA wants to bring their hammer down it needs to be on the right people, now let me discuss the wrong doing by Ohio State University.
When an employer decides to hire an employee that employer picks up any baggage that employee might have good or bad. Yes, Jim Tressel made a terrible decision to cover up those players’ wrong doings, but can you blame him for protecting his own. That would be equivalent to a parent protecting his or her child no matter the consequence. He had the right intentions and the right heart just the big bad wolf named , NCAA frowns on this kind of thing. However, I don’t think much would be different if Jim Tressel reported those kids to the NCAA, yes he might have kept his job, but it would be at the price of hurting his football team’s performance. It sounds wrong from what I am saying, but remember the NCAA allowed these same players to play in the 2011 Sugar Bowl even though they had ample evidence to say they can’t play. This tells me the NCAA has one type of agenda and its dollar bills no matter the cost. Jim Tressel has made the Ohio State Football program a power house the right way and for Ohio State University to quote Donald Trump, “YOU’RE FIRED!” is simply out of line! He was the coach that brought back national champion glory to buckeye nation, and has continued to prove he is an excellent coach after that year.
As I was watching an ESPN exclusive interview with a former player, the reason he sold memorabilia was because he could not pay the rent of his house. This tells me that in college like any student money is tight which the NCAA needs to help out in this regard. Yes the NCAA gives full rides for athletes when deserved, but certain student athletes need more because they come from rural areas that cannot provide much. I have been hearing reports that the Big Ten is considering giving money to student athletes which I think needs to happen because not only do athletes have to be full time in the classroom , they have an obligation to dedicate at least 20 hours to their sport, which leaves little room to have a job, let alone this a social social life. I am glad the NCAA and Ohio State have brought the gavel down, however I have a serious problem with the way they did it!
