Coach Jim Tressel won six BigTen Titles with Ohio State University, took his team to three BCS National Championships, and was being considered for the position of NCAA President. In May of 2011, after ten years with the Buckeyes, Tressel resigned. This came after it was made known that he withheld information from the NCAA for the sake of his football team.
Students of OSU wore Tressel wristbands, much like the live strong bracelets, in memory of the coach but the school quickly had them abolished. I guess OSU doesn't want to pay tribute to a great coach who helped make them loads of money. His one mistake was all they needed to see.
This month Coach Tressel was hired by the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL to be a team consultant. This job basically involves Tressel watching the challenge and TD replay's, and giving the team advice on what to do. This is obviously a transition job, considering all the coaching spots are filled, and they don't want to bump some one just to bring Tressel on; wouldn't be a good idea. Next year, Tressel will get his chance to prove to the Colts he can get the job done, and then he'll probably move in to a defensive or offensive coordinator position. The Colts were smart to pick him up before anyone else did.
Now here's where the plot thickens a little. At Tressel's suggestion, the Colts suspended him the first six games of the season. Terrell Pryor, his former player at OSU, and the center of attention in the scandal was suspended four games when he transitioned into the NFL. Now Coach Tressel was supposed to serve a five game suspension along with the players if he stayed with the NCAA, but because he went to the NFL he thought it be right to serve his sentence any way. ESPN's Steve A. Smith said,"I'm happy (NFL commissioner)Robert Goodell suspended Terrel Pryor. If he's bringing baggage into the league, you should have to pay for it." While I understand Smith's anger at the breaking of school rules, the guy accepted a free tattoo, get over it. Steve A Smith went on to say he believes that Tressel's act of self-suspension just wasn't good enough.
It wasn't good enough? You've got to be kidding me! Tressel suspended himself first off; second, his suspension is two games longer than Pryor's is! He not only took it upon himself to do something honorable, but at the same time went the extra mile, as a coach, to punish himself harder than his former players. Steve Smith also believes that Goodell should get involved and make sure there's something else added to Tressel's punishment. Look, I understand Goodell had a right to suspend Pryor, he was in the supplemental draft, so the commissioner has a lot more room to get involved, then he does with the Colts Franchise. And let's not kid ourselves people, it's not far fetched to think the commissioner already did have his hand in this. Either way, Tressel has a new job, a new suspension, and a great opportunity with the Indianapolis Colts.
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