Earlier this week, Ohio State legend Chris Spielman was quoted as saying he’d be surprised if Jim Tressel was coaching his beloved Buckeyes in 2011. The reason for that opinion, Spielman said, is that he “think[s] there’s more stuff coming out” in regards to the whole “situation” at the Columbus school.
Given his close ties to, and love for, his former school, Spielman’s opinions carry more weight than most. However, as it stands now, there doesn’t appear to be a change in Tressel’s status, at least from the coach’s side of the equation.
It was reported Friday that Tressel had retained the services of Gene Marsh to represent him in front of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions Aug. 12. Marsh, for those unfamiliar, is the former chairman of that committee (2004-2006) and currently, the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes, specializes in compliance issues as an attorney for the Alabama law firm of Lightfoot, Franklin & White.
In a very brief interview with the Plain Dealer, Marsh told the paper that Tressel has no intention of resigning his post right now. That sentiment falls in line with what others have stated to the paper over the last week, as well as what we’ve consistently heard since the coach’s cover-up surfaced: Tressel has absolutely no intention of leaving the school of his own volition.
In a separate interview with the Birmingham News, Marsh, a ’78 graduate of OSU, said that Tressel’s Senatorial image may help him when he appears in front of the COI.
“Obviously, the track record should matter because some people’s track records are good and some people’s track records are bad,” Marsh said Friday. “I was on the committee for nine years. All I can say is it always mattered to me.”
Add it all up, and the hiring of Marsh, one of the most powerful and connected individuals when it comes to the NCAA, is yet another signal that Tressel remains committed to weathering this off-field storm and being in it for the long haul.
Pending the outcome of the August hearing and the continued support of his employers, of course.
Dez Bryant lied to NCAA suspended almost the whole season. AJ sold his jersey missed 4 games. UNC Players suspended for full season (some from cheating on grades, others going to a party hosted by an agent, and the most ridiculous of all… getting dinner and run around money from a friend who just so happened to be an alumni and current NFL player (Hakim Nicks).
All of those guys got their eligibility cut short. But this is a coach who knew during spring practice that he had players who should have been ineligible for the season. All he did was cover that up so he could make another championship run, and played with illegal players all season long.
This guy should be fired and put on probation also! If he had reported this in a timely fashion, nobody would be calling for his head, but the actions he displayed were those of a snake and someone who can not be trusted going forward.
This school is now looked upon in the same light as the SEC schools where everyone has no doubt they are cheating whether there is proof or not. This is a black eye on OSU and as long as that guy is there they will forever have a the question of whether or not his teams are legit.
Bad taste.
I wonder which OSU alums will pay the attorney’s fees for “the vest”?
‘…the track record should matter…’
but now that we (as in everyone including the committee) know what we know doesn’t that change the way the track record is perceived? i think it should. there is a lot of folks (politicians particularly come to mind and well tress is the ‘senator’) that get perched on a pedestal until dirt starts coming out only for them to take the hard fall.
In this case, the only reason there is a “hard fall” is because he created it. He should have suspended the players 2 or 3 games when he found out what was going on. They miss the “U” game and still have a BCS bowl season. No harm done to his legacy.
That is not what he chose to do. His track record already had spots on it, this just makes those small spots, potholes because this is a recurring theme.
Just keeps getting worse and worse for this “pay for play” school. I have never seen a more crooked tandem than the Lying Vestman and the Bowtied under the desk paymaster.
Any other University head would have fired his coach already if he had nothing to hide himself. You have only seen the tip of the iceberg regarding this shady pair. Add in the “compliance officer” and you have a third crook on the loose.
O verpaying
S tudent athletes
U nder the table
Ok, I’m sure my lil stalker freak will be showing up soon. I know he has been scouring all over for me.
It’s a good move on Tressel’s part to hire someone to help him bring closure to all of this.
The quicker this is resolved, the better his chances of staying on as HC
Does track record include Youngstown State?
iamsuckingd
do the OSU nuts taste good today? You’ve been on them alot recently
LMAO!!!
I knew the freak would follow me to my next post.
What a L O S E R. Must be sad to have no life
This is a sad day for OSU folks.
Did Marsh forget about his track record at Youngstown? Does Ray Isaac ring a bell?
If the Vest had any class, he would resign as to not further tarnish the program that he has stained.
Prestigious colleges & universities that have storied football programs (aka. OSU & others) have the monumental task of maintaining institutional control on all levels in order to maintain its public image and long-time reputation. It’s sad to see to what levels such a school will go to achieve this without fully comprehending the risks and downfalls. It’s even more sad when such an institution doesn’t take the appropriate action(s) necessary to remedy the situation & preserve it’s own image. Tressel is no idiot (although some, if not many, would question that about now). Why would such a smart man go this extent?…for what outcome? It couldn’t be because he actually believed that ‘if you ignore something long enough, it will just go away?’ Holy Cow! Maybe winning the Big 10 title was just too important to everyone @ OSU, as well as getting to that all-important BCS bowl game (and all the $$$ involved). But it all came back to bite him (& them) hard, and now looks like this situation will take another major perverbial ‘chunk off of Tressel’s hiney’ in August…Let’s not overlook what this has done to the image of OSU overall already…and, how this may have effected all the talented football players who had ‘nothing to do with this cover-up.’ These individuals ‘play by the rules,’ while some chose to play ‘with’ the rules. Damn it, Tressel, what were you thinking, man? If you care that much about OSU, just do the right thing once-and-for all…’just go’… & let OSU get back to being OSU again!!!
Yes, a senatorial image is great to have as a defendant, because all of our elected officials are upstanding, honest, non-crook-like people who only act in the best interest of the people, never for themselves or in the pursuit of more money. And as for track record, it has been touched upon plenty with the YSU comments.
Carry on Senator Vest
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1920867
Hate the self proclaimed World Wide Leader(in # of douchebags employed), but remember this article from the Clarett situation. I think the track record displayed by the Vest in this article will do little to soothe the fiery beast that is the NCAA scorned.
all I know, no matter what you say, iamtalkingsoilikedick, is that no matter the post you always talk about OSU
deb doesnt always talk about alabama
edgy doesnt always talk about USC
gatorfan doesnt always talk about florida
but yet you harp on OSU lol
im not saying you are obsessed with OSU, im just asking why you are obsessed with OSU
these are the questions ppl, these are the questions
Jim Tressel for president!
As is the case so often, the cover-up is worse than the crime.
I can’t fault Tressel for trying to keep his job, but how long can OSU go without taking action and pretend to have any integrity. These incident always have roots that extend much deeper than they originally appear.
Tell me this incident doesn’t justify cause for termination from a contractual standpoint.
The OSU better have a plan to fire him if he refuses to resign.
AD knew of this if he didn’t he should have. Tressel knowingly done wrong both should be fired without question.
Do I have this straight?
The Vest doesn’t think he should resign? The Vest hired a lawyer for a non-legal matter. The lawyer he hired says ‘track record matters..’ If that is the case, the Vest is finished in Columbus. Just look at his track record: T Smith, Clarrett, the tattoo scandal, the cars…plus whatever else comes up.
The Big House has a new meaning in Columbus.