Jim Tressel Suspension: 10 Instant Makeovers to Fix His Reputation
The situation with Jim Tressel at Ohio State has rocked Buckeye Nation as well as the rest of the college football world.
With his suspension came a loss of most of his credibility and reputation.
And for a coach with the reputation of a good guy and an honest person, this is very shocking, to say the least. But in addition to whatever punishments the NCAA will add to the self-imposed sanctions, Tressel also has to do some damage control.
Here are ten potential tactics that could help slowly build his reputation back up.
10. Voluntarily Sit Spring and Summer Practices out
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When the report first surfaced that Tressel had been suspended for the first two games of the season and fined $250,000, there was uncertainty as to whether or not he had also been suspended for spring and summer practices.
One way for him to start building himself up is to separate himself from the program for some time, and take the additional time off in the spring and summer like the school wanted to do.
The extra time away from the program could help him figure out what he did wrong, and make sure he doesn't do it again.
Figuring out his mistake and other things he could do to better the state of the program would be beneficial in the long run.
9. Show More of an Open Personality
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For years, it's seemed like Tressel's personality off the field is very different from his on-field persona.
In contrast, former USC coach Pete Carroll was an open book who wore his emotions on his sleeves and was the same on and off the field.
It might never happen, but if Tressel becomes more of an open person and less guarded, that could help humanize him.
He might receive more sympathy down the road if we see more of Tressel as a person as opposed to coach of the Buckeyes.
8. Match His Fines and Pay That to Charity
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Tressel's fine of $250,000 might be increased depending on the NCAA investigation, interviews and subsequent ruling.
Regardless of whether or not the fine gets bigger, considering his $3.5 million salary what Tressel should do to try to help some of his problems is match the fines and pay that money out of his pocket to local charities.
Tressel is very active in the community, so a large-scale donation seems appropriate not only as damage control but also to show that he wants to give back to the community he has brought so much to.
$250,000 to charities can mean a lot, and Tressel already has shown he is more than willing to give back.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Eliminate the Secrecy Around the Program
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Fans of Ohio State football can attest to the fact that Jim Tressel's program is run under a very thick cloak.
Practices are rarely open to the media, let alone the public, and injuries and other things are very tough to discover.
Something Tressel could look to do soon is unravel some of the mystery and lift some of the curtains around the program.
The whole thing makes it seem like he has something to hide at times, which can be frustrating.
Shedding light on some of what we don't know could make people more likely to believe Tressel is not hiding something sinister behind the scenes.
6. Punish Players More Heavily for Poor Conduct
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It's too late to put more punishment on the Suspended Five because that would only do more to hurt Tressel's reputation.
So what he should do going forward is take player situations more seriously.
In other words, if there are any suspected problems, he needs to take action immediately and punish said player or players accordingly, not to make an example of them, but to do things the right way.
He needs to create a zero-tolerance policy that includes suspensions or other punishments for the types of things players get in trouble for.
5. Make a Full Apology
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Jim Tressel has "apologized" twice since his suspension began, although it may not seem like he apologized for his actions.
He has said he is sorry for what happened, but not necessarily for what he did.
While it's unlikely he will fully apologize for his own actions, all he needs to do is show he is sincerely remorseful for his wrongdoings.
We may never get a full apology, but a good amount of sincerity and honesty might go a long way towards getting one.
4. Stay Active in the Community
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Part of Jim Tressel regaining his reputation may involve getting involved in the community not just in donating money, but putting time in as well.
He will need to take an active role in community service projects, not just with the team but on his own as well.
Community service can help Tressel regain some of his reputation, but he needs to go on his own and not with his team, which would defeat the purpose.
Like some of the other things he can do, he must do it on his own.
3. Create an Atmosphere of Compliance
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This may seem obvious, but Tressel needs to be able to demonstrate to the NCAA that he can create an atmosphere of compliance in the locker room.
It won't be enough to punish. He also must set aside time to make sure players and coaches know the rules and regulations of the NCAA.
Making sure the players know what not to do will help keep them from making poor choices.
If Tressel can emphasize following the rules more often, it's more likely the players won't make bad decisions while on the team.
2. Tell the Truth
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It's always been said that the truth will set you free. Now Jim Tressel needs to step up to the plate.
When the NCAA meets with Tressel in the time to come, he needs to be honest and admit he made a mistake by not determining whether some information was confidential or not.
He appeared to be unsure of whether or not he should disclose information involving a legal case shown to him by an attorney.
The best thing he can do is admit he made a mistake by not seeking counsel about whether or not the emails from the Ohio State law school were confidential or not.
By admitting he was wrong in not investigating the matter further, he might not be able to escape greater punishment, but he may save face in the long run.
1. Just Win, Baby
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One of the common things in sports is that winning forgives all. Such was the case with Kobe Bryant and others who have had problems.
If Jim Tressel keeps doing what he's done in the past, win football games, he will slowly start to be forgiven for this.
Of course, it may still be a long time before we know the ramifications of Tressel's actions as far as adequate punishment is concerned.
But as long as he wins, he may be able to start to regain the support of Buckeye fans, some of whom have turned on the Vest.
He will have to first gain the support of Buckeye Nation before he can reclaim his past legacy in the eyes of the rest of the college football world.
Winning will help Tressel regain some of his lost honor.
For more college football information and updates, visit The BCS Blitz and follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
