Buckeyes: Tressel Turmoil

This week’s Sports Illustrated cover story was on the Ohio State Buckeyes and the scandal that led to head coach Jim Tressel’s resignation a couple of weeks ago. The cover headline: “How Deep It Went” and the ensuing article paint a picture of Tressel as a devious schemer, a dishonest man who simply got caught.

I have a different perspective. Did he lie? Apparently, he did—and he is being justly punished with his removal. Of course, the university will also bear a considerable amount of pain, as it’s all but a foregone conclusion that heavy sanctions will be coming OSU’s way soon.

Although I have been critical of Jim Tressel the coach in the past, I have never been a detractor of Jim Tressel the man. This incident does little to change that. Below is a tribute video to Tressel and the program he built in Columbus—followed by the letter I sent to Sports Illustrated:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIlhP_GbBBU


To The Editor:

If the NCAA wishes to start a witch hunt for all college football players who have received something of value for free (or a great deal!), they’ll be vacating wins and national championships all the way back to Knute Rockne and the Four Horsemen.

Not to excuse Jim Tressel’s behavior, but the very fact that colleges need to hire an entire staff of full-time employees whose only job is “NCAA compliance” indicates the problem resides with the scope and complexity of the rules themselves.

The stark truth is that major college football programs generate millions by trading on the talents of young and often poor young men. The rationale is this: “Well, we’re giving them a free college education! Besides, they’ll make millions in the NFL after they exit our school!”

The reality is that most of these players won’t make the NFL. Most because of lack of talent and some because of injury. The degree? A B.S. in Physical Education may be just that-B.S. No one has any illusions about the ultimate goal of these athletes. If they choose to sell memorabilia (that supposedly is theirs, no?), why should the college, the NCAA or anyone else have anything to say about it?

Some are trading for tattoos, others for rent money. Meanwhile, over in the college bookstore, they’re selling jerseys with that kid’s name and number for north of $100, with zilch going to the player.

It’s tempting to pile on when the allegations start to roll in, but let’s try to restrain ourselves from turning poor judgment into character assassination. Jim Tressel is a good and decent man. He is an outstanding football coach and leader—and has been a father figure to many of his players. These are facts, borne out by years of demonstrated performance.

These truths shouldn’t be erased by a series of admittedly poor decisions, but ones made by a man whose scope of responsibilities and relentless duties may have rendered such attention to detail to be thought of as trivial at the time.

OK, so it wasn’t trivial, but contrast his entire body of work to the allegations levied against Tressel, ones that imply he should perhaps be following each of his players around like a watch dog in their free time, making sure that nothing they do is “breaking the rules”.

If by now you’ve concluded I’m a Buckeye fan, you’re right. However, my disdain is truly for the NCAA, which seems to have no oversight on itself. Their “investigation” of the Cam Newton situation was a joke—and their sanctions against USC were excessive. As judge and jury, the NCAA has no one to answer to but itself.

A fresh look at the Gestapo of college athletics-the NCAA-may reveal that this organization is guilty itself of breaking the same rules it imposes on others. Namely, preserving their “image” by sweeping things under the rug.


That’s the letter above—since I doubt they’ll publish it, at least YOU get a look!
I know that college sports is big business, but it’s a business built on young men and women who see none of the revenues—and often come from financial situations where there is true need. The landscape is littered with athletes who never made it to the next level—and never really shared in the prosperity that their talent afforded their schools to cash in on.

The system needs an overhaul—and perhaps it should start with the NCAA itself, a body that can vacate one school’s national championship—without awarding it to the other team in the title game. Where’s the fairness in that? Infractions may be liable for HUGE fines (thus making them undesirable), but rarely would the transgressions (in OSU’s case, some exchanged memorabilia and tattoos) have made a difference on the field. Keep the results of games and seasons intact. They are history-and should not be subject to revision based on unrelated “infractions”.

Make the punishment fit the crime. And maybe, just maybe----take a good hard look at what really qualifies as a “crime”.

If you’d like my blog in your box, just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com