Jim Tressel: He's Still the Ohio State Buckeyes Head Coach!

I can imagine many of my foes have been anxiously awaiting my "putting pen to paper," especially in the wake of what is going on in Columbus. 

I truly wanted to wait until I had more information.  I didn't want to quickly jump to judgment like so many college football fans and members of the media.

The "feeding frenzy" is on!  It's unbelievable that there are so many "Tressel Eating Piranhas" in the world.  I didn't know there existed such a species of fish so adept at pouncing on a legendary football coach and a good man. 

I admit that my interaction with Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel is somewhat limited, but I truly do not believe he is the man many would paint him to be. 

First of all, he is a man.  Did we somehow forget that?  Men make mistakes.  Men make grievous errors. At least I know I have.  Just ask the two women I was married to.

Seems like I remember Jim Tressel acknowledging in his press conference that he had made a mistake.  I even remember him saying he was sorry. 

What more was he supposed to do?  Maybe he should have pulled out his Swiss Army knife and gutted himself at the podium.  Maybe then there would be some happy people in our world.

I understand fans expressing their displeasure at what he did, but when Buckeye brethren throw him under the bus, I don't quite understand. 

Why would people so readily believe his actions were ill-intended?  Why would we so quickly label him a liar and a hypocrite? 

I'm calling on Buckeye fans to support their coach and athletic department.  They have brought us this far, and we're going even further with or without your loyalty. 

We're still The Ohio State University!  Buckeye Nation is still loud and strong!  One of the leaders of our family made a mistake.  Like the coach from "Cheeseland" said, "Deal with it!"

Coach Tressel's positives so outweigh his negatives that this thing won't even matter five years down the road.  We'll still be the OSU Buckeyes and winning just like we always have.

I viewed the emails sent by the supposed attorney like everyone else.  How many of you realize that university email is available to any and everyone?  Anyone can have access to Coach Jim Tressel.  I have even sent emails to that same email box.  

I sent an email a few years back about how appalled I was at the actions of a young running back who was embroiled in a heated argument with his running back coach on a nationally televised game.  I had never seen an OSU player do that. 

I told the coach: "He should be benched for the rest of the season." 

Coach Tressel replied to that email, and he certainly didn't have to.  He said (and I hope I'm quoting him correctly):

"Reach One. Teach One."  That told me a lot about Jim Tressel.

I feel deeply in my heart he cares about these young men.  How many coaches really care?  He has gone out of his way on numerous occasions and shown that.  His body of work shows that.

If you choose to jump on the bandwagon and condemn him, that's your prerogative.  However, Jim Tressel is still the coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes!  In my mind, he will always be Coach Tressel.