Twitter Updates

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Ohio High School Football Coaches to Honor Tressel? Really??

I haven't been paying too much attention recently, but over the weekend, I caught wind of this idea being proposed by the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association.

Basically, the plan is to "honor" former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel by having every Ohio high school football coach (that's right, all 700+ of them) don a white shirt and tie while roaming the sidelines in week 1 of the 2011 season.

My thoughts are mixed, but I think it's a bad idea.

First off, I thought the sweater vest was Tressel's trademark. Where'd this "white shirt and tie" idea come from?

Secondly, it's just stupid. Don't let that be an interpretation of what I think of Jim Tressel the man or Jim Tressel the coach.....but he was basically fired for breaking NCAA rules. Regardless of what you think of the rules, or the NCAA itself, he broke rules, and it cost him his job.

Lastly, I admired Coach Tressel and loved the way he conducted himself as a leader of men. He WAS (and to many, still is) Ohio State football.

Do we really want to place coaches in this position of having to basically honor a guy (by dressing as him no less) who brought sanctions upon his school with his actions (or lack thereof)?

I can't imagine, 30 years ago, coaches being asked to wear thick horn-rimmed glasses resembling Woody Hayes after he was fired back in late 1978.

There's no arguing Tressel's achievements as Ohio State coach, and I truly believe that he's a man of great character, but I can think of a better use all Ohio coaches' time than this misguided gesture.

What if each community took time to honor an alumni who is serving our country in the armed forces? That's a can't miss right there....and I'm sure one that Coach Tressel himself would approve.

I have no idea what Orrville coach Doug Davault thinks of the idea, but I can guess that he's too busy getting ready for the season to even put much thought into it.  I'd love to know what the Wayne Co. coaches, as a whole, think of the idea.

Save the costume party for Halloween. Let the coaches coach and let's not set a poor example for our young people that disgraced athletes & coaches are due some sort of honor.

Your thoughts?

1 comment:

Tom said...

Without a doubt its a horrible idea. The notion that he's Ohio State football is a sad testimony unto itself. The guy knowingly cheated to gain an advantage. Theres no honor in that.