Jim Tressel: The column you WON'T read in Sports Illustrated

[HD MM]

Let me be perfectly clear about something. Jim Tressel is a good human being. And he provided the kids he coached guidance and much needed mentoring. The lives he's touched should not be marred by the recent scandal.

Below are a few excerpts from a well written column about the real Jim Tressel....

This is a fact: Tressel ran a program that preached virtue, public service and self-reliance. Most of his players bought into it. Some of his players abused the hell out of it; players that he took a chance on against what should have been his better judgment.

.....This is the guy who just fell on his sword and removed himself from college football.

He put his players in position to make decisions and was willfully ignorant to the likely prospects that some of them would choose poorly.

Ohio State's next head coach will not graduate more players at the same rate that Tressel did. He won't send more two or three-star recruits to the NFL like Tressel did. He won't positively alter the lives of more men than Tressel did. He will not raise more money for more good causes than Tressel did. He won't win more games than Tressel did.

Outside of the tattoo parlors and the car dealerships, there was a lot more going on behind Tressel's back that hadn't been happening enough prior to his arrival. And none of it will make the pages over SI or the documents of any NCAA investigation.

The Man Who Wasn't There | Eleven Warriors

 

[HD MM]

Moral of the story? A man should be judged on his life's work and not the highlights or lowlights.

The man was more than a football coach who won a ton of games and lied to the NCAA. His off the field charitable works, fundraising, and goodwill never made a SI article or the 6 pm Sportscenter but those are the qualities that made him a beloved part of the OSU family and a big part of the reason he will be so missed. All things come to an end; its just too bad it ended like this.

No one person is bigger than a program or institution, but this one, like Woody before, will cast a long shadow and leave awfully big shoes to fill.

Godspeed and thanks for the memories Coach.

 

[salsadancer7]

Let me be perfectly clear about something. Jim Tressel is a good human being. And he provided the kids he coached guidance and much needed mentoring. The lives he's touched should not be marred by the recent scandal.

Below are a few excerpts from a well written column about the real Jim Tressel....

The Man Who Wasnt There | Eleven Warriors

Are we talking about the same coach that would rig raffles of goodies in his football camp so the 5 star recruits would always win most, if not all the prizes??!

Look, I am sure he was a good man, but he is no where near as saintly as the fans wanna make him. History shows that. But in no way this is ALL his fault. The players have to be held accountable as well...and the administration at the university cannot be left off the hook neither. There is plenty of blame to go around. But at the same token, this will never be fixed because it happens at just about every school. In a couple of years, it could be Florida, North Carolina or Arizona State.

This is similar to drugs coming into the US, it could be stopped if the really wanted...but too much money is already involved.

 

[mccoyrj]

...Look, I am sure he was a good man, but he is no where near as saintly as the fans wanna make him...

Jim Rome likened him to the warden in "Shawshank Redemption."

 

[Derwin0]

In the end, he was a coach that made it a habit of looking the other way when his players broke the rules, and also a liar for lying about his knowledge of said rules.

It would be one thing if it was just recent, but it's been a habit of his since he was at Youngstown St. He's a liar that allows his players to break the rules, end of story.

 

[mdonnelly]

Moral of the story: "Don't embarrass the university that employs you!"

Eddie Sutton, Mike White, etc. Yes, even Woody Hayes!

 

[meStevo]

Moral of the story? A man should be judged on his life's work and not the highlights or lowlights.

The man was more than a football coach who won a ton of games and lied to the NCAA. His off the field charitable works, fundraising, and goodwill never made a SI article or the 6 pm Sportscenter but those are the qualities that made him a beloved part of the OSU family and a big part of the reason he will be so missed. All things come to an end; its just too bad it ended like this.

No one person is bigger than a program or institution, but this one, like Woody before, will cast a long shadow and leave awfully big shoes to fill.

Godspeed and thanks for the memories Coach.

He'll be judged by this unless/until a redemption is offered and he's able to complete that path offered and somehow make things like right.

OJ Simpson is probably sitting in his cell right now telling himself that first line over and over again.

 

[SamCdbs]

Sports is about rules.

This guy is a lifetime cheat. Cheated at lowly Youngstown State, hired to cheat at OSU. Cheated at OSU from day one.

It is amazing how people try to spin these deals into something more that the simple truth.

 

[Ramy]

Sports is about rules.

This guy is a lifetime cheat. Cheated at lowly Youngstown State, hired to cheat at OSU. Cheated at OSU from day one.

It is amazing how people try to spin these deals into something more that the simple truth.

I agree. He has cheated everywhere he has been. It isn't like some booster did all these things behind his back. He knew about all that was going on and refused to tell anyone about it and sometimes helped the kids get some of it.

 

[tigerfan33]

To the OP. This reminds me of someone reading a eulogy and they keep saying all of the great things he did in life but we all know for what he will be remembered for most!!

 

[Jimbo]

Nice try HDMM,
You started a Good thread about Tressel, unfortunately it's turned into the same as the OTHER thread.

 

[SamCdbs]

That is because it is about JT. Liar, cheat, and hypocrite.

 

[Jimbo]

That is because it is about JT. Liar, cheat, and hypocrite.

One persons opinion.

How about all the people he has helped along the way ?

So now we have 2 threads those that don't like him continue to rip him in..... GREAT.

Can't wait to see what one of your coaches has done .... oh, thats right, they are perfect.

 

[SamCdbs]

One persons opinion.

No. An "opinion" is something that is less than a fact. "Coke is better than Pepsi" or "Lower taxes will cause economic growth" or "Jim Brown retired too early" are "opinions".

FACT: JT signed his name to a document that said Outlaw State was in compliance with the NCAA rules. That was a lie. People that tell lies are called "liars". JT is a liar. A FACT, not an opinon.

FACT: JT played players he knew to be ineligiable, because violating the rules gave him a better chance of winning. People that violate rules of games and sports are called "cheats". JT is a cheat. A FACT, not an opinon.

FACT: Leaving aside his wearing his religious opinions on his sleave, JT held up national championship trophies at both Youngstown State and Outlaw State, when he knew that he had no honest role in earning them. People that live one lifestyle, and preach another are called "hypocrites". JT is a hypocrite. A FACT, not an opinon.

This is not a contest of "whose coach cheats the most". It is a simple system of a basic set of rules of which the minimum acceptable standard is to simply follow them. Lots of great football coaches have done so through out the sport, and many continue to do so. JT decided, like other cheats, liars, and hypocrites before him, to "achieve" things he really was not good enough to achieve honestly. He got caught. No amount of spin about how he is nice to his mother or gives some small % of his fraudulently obtained income to poor children changes that fact. Nor the fact that Outlaw State hired him from Youngstown State because of his proven record of dishonesty. He was what they were looking for, and they got caught.

Nothing you saw on the field the last 12 years really happened. It is all vacated, because it was all built on a lie.

 

[Jimbo]

No. An "opinion" is something that is less than a fact. "Coke is better than Pepsi" or "Lower taxes will cause economic growth" or "Jim Brown retired too early" are "opinions".

FACT: JT signed his name to a document that said Outlaw State was in compliance with the NCAA rules. That was a lie. People that tell lies are called "liars". JT is a liar. A FACT, not an opinon.

First of all, there is NO OUTLAW STATE, and thats a FACT.

FACT: JT played players he knew to be ineligiable, because violating the rules gave him a better chance of winning. People that violate rules of games and sports are called "cheats". JT is a cheat. A FACT, not an opinon.

FACT: Leaving aside his wearing his religious opinions on his sleave, JT held up national championship trophies at both Youngstown State and Outlaw State, when he knew that he had no honest role in earning them. People that live one lifestyle, and preach another are called "hypocrites". JT is a hypocrite. A FACT, not an opinon.

Actually Jim DID WIN these titles .... FACT

This is not a contest of "whose coach cheats the most". It is a simple system of a basic set of rules of which the minimum acceptable standard is to simply follow them. Lots of great football coaches have done so through out the sport, and many continue to do so. JT decided, like other cheats, liars, and hypocrites before him, to "achieve" things he really was not good enough to achieve honestly. He got caught. No amount of spin about how he is nice to his mother or gives some small % of his fraudulently obtained income to poor children changes that fact. Nor the fact that Outlaw State hired him from Youngstown State because of his proven record of dishonesty. He was what they were looking for, and they got caught.

Nothing you saw on the field the last 12 years really happened. It is all vacated, because it was all built on a lie.


Your SOOOOOOOO lost in degrading him it's impossible for you to see ....

Tell me this.
The players that sold something so they could LIVE week to week ..... (just like many other college kids mind you)

OK, so the players sold a few items, most of them items that they had MULTIPLE OF, why would you hang on to ALL of them ?

Now, the players that played the games were NOT benefited in any way ON THE FIELD from the items that were sold.
It's not like they sold 2 of thier BT rings and were given 14 points in the game for them.

They had NO ADVANTAGE on the field at all due to this STUPID ncaa rule. None at all.

ALL the SEC schools have been cheating all along, signing more scholarship players than allowed, but some how THATS OK.

 

[yaz96]

I am an idiot.

There it is again. Hmmmm.....

 

[SamCdbs]

There most certainly is an Outlaw State. It is cheating school that cannot win when it follows the rules. It is in Columbus Ohio.

JT's actions at YSU have already been vacated. Those at Outlaw State, which hired him for his record of sleeze, will be soon.

This has nothing much to do with the illegal sale of trinkets at massively above value, a form of pay for play. Cars, pot, hookers, etc. A total lack of institutional control.

Fact is, for over 20 years, JT has never followed the rules. He lied, as is his common practice, to play players who were professionals, receiving pay for play from the corrupt Outlaw State system.

Because, at the end of the day, an honest JT is some guy coaching middle school in Canton.

Death.

 

[Jimbo]

There most certainly is an Outlaw State. It is cheating school that cannot win when it follows the rules. It is in Columbus Ohio.

JT's actions at YSU have already been vacated. Those at Outlaw State, which hired him for his record of sleeze, will be soon.

This has nothing much to do with the illegal sale of trinkets at massively above value, a form of pay for play. Cars, pot, hookers, etc. A total lack of institutional control.

Fact is, for over 20 years, JT has never followed the rules. He lied, as is his common practice, to play players who were professionals, receiving pay for play from the corrupt Outlaw State system.

Because, at the end of the day, an honest JT is some guy coaching middle school in Canton.

Death.

And you know all this because you were there, RIGHT ?

You are such an A&&.

 

[SamCdbs]

No, I say it because the YSU stuff is a matter of record with the NCAA, and the Outlaw State stuff is commonly and widely available in reputable local and national news sources. ESPN, Dan Patrick, FS Ohio, Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Fox Sports national, AP, etc.

Notice how this has moved from the simple scheme of selling trinkets for grossly over value as a form of pay for play, to cars (and pot). Note, not that fact matter to those in denial, that the Outlaw State football complex has a dedicated "hard card" parking lot where no less than TWENTY NINE coaches and staff members parked with the players. Yet no one noted a kid, so "poor" that he had to sell his awards, had eight or 10 different high-end cars over 3 years. Now spun that his mother is making payments "directly to the dealer".

Because, of course, they understood that Outlaw State is pay-for-play.

Death.

 

[Jimbo]

No, I say it because the YSU stuff is a matter of record with the NCAA, and the Outlaw State stuff is commonly and widely available in reputable local and national news sources. ESPN, Dan Patrick, FS Ohio, Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Fox Sports national, AP, etc.

Notice how this has moved from the simple scheme of selling trinkets for grossly over value as a form of pay for play, to cars (and pot). Note, not that fact matter to those in denial, that the Outlaw State football complex has a dedicated "hard card" parking lot where no less than TWENTY NINE coaches and staff members parked with the players. Yet no one noted a kid, so "poor" that he had to sell his awards, had eight or 10 different high-end cars over 3 years. Now spun that his mother is making payments "directly to the dealer".

Because, of course, they understood that Outlaw State is pay-for-play.

Death.

Why do you have this fixation about pissing me off, it's getting way out of hand here.