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tel614 said...

As I keep reading all the wish lists, in my opinion, there are really only 2 names on everyone's list that have the credentials for the job: Jon Gruden, because of his NFL pedigree and celebrity status; and Bob Stoops, because of his overall body of work at Oklahoma and Florida. An honest assessment of the other candidates exposes the fact that none of them have done enough for anyone to say that they can recruit and coach a winner in the SEC; that they are a sure thing. And in my opinion, we need a sure thing. Our football program has been turned so upside down by the untimely (and in my opinion, disgraceful) demise of Fulmer, followed by the utter ridiculousness of the whole Kiffin affair and the ineptitude of Dooley (both as a recruiter--am I really the only one who's noticed that our DBs are just plain slow?--and a strategist). And the gap between UT and our competition seems to be widening each year. If we don't hire a sure thing, we run the real risk of being an also-ran for years to come.

The problem with Gruden and Stoops is that each would appear to be a long-shot for UT.

Which raises the question: why not give Jim Tressel a hard look? His credentials are unparalleled: a winning percentage of .810 (not counting the 10 wins taken away for 2010); 6 Big Ten championships (not counting the one taken away for 2010); seven BCS bowl appearances and a 4-3 record; three National Championship games and one Title; great recruiting ties to talent-rich Ohio; and numerous former players drafted in the first round and playing successfully in the NFL.

The obvious, easy answer is that he has baggage because if his NCAA sanctions. But easy answers are not always right answers.

First of all, to be clear, the show cause order doesn't prevent him from being hired; it provides that he is hired by another school, in his first year he can't coach the first 5 games and in a bowl (if the team qualifies). This would not seem to be insurmountable.

Second, there seems to be concern that hiring Tressel would invite NCAA scrutiny on a going-forward basis. So what? My assumption is that since Kiffin's departure, we've been running a clean program and that Tressel has learned his lesson--what price he has already paid to fall as far and as hard as he did. Let the NCAA look; I believe that we have been and will continue to be a clean program.

Third (and perhaps most importantly), lets take a careful look at Tressel's NCAA "sins." As I understand it, he discovered that some of his players had received improper benefits--tattoos exchanged for autographed jerseys--and didn't turn them in, and then tried to cover-up when an inquiry was launched. Is this really unethical and immoral? These kids are forced by NFL rules to play football for free for 3 years; they're surrounded by the wealth and riches of a major college football program and its fans; they are made into celebrities, but aren't allowed to realize the benefits of their status; and lets not forget--they're kids and they are going to screw up (who out there can honestly say that they would have had the strength to live as hermit monks in the middle of all that). I'm not arguing that Tressel didn't break the rules; he obviously did. What I'm saying is I can certainly understand a coach deciding to try to protect his kids and his team from punishment for doing something stupid like getting a tattoo in exchange for a signed jersey.

At the bottom line, given UT's need for a sure thing, and given Tressel's credentials that unquestionably make him the closest thing there is out there to a sure thing, shouldn't he at the very least be given serious consideration? Why not interview him and make decision based on direct personal contact about his ethics, morals and judgment? If we don't, aren't we missing a potentially great opportunity to hire a proven winner and aren't we denying him a shot at a second chance?

The stakes are high.I'm not saying we have to hire him.I'm just saying he should get a careful look and that a decision should be made on the merits.

Let the debate begin...

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tel614 said...

The obvious, easy answer is that he has baggage because of his NCAA sanctions. But easy answers are not always right answers.

First of all, to be clear, the show cause order doesn't prevent him from being hired; it provides that if he is hired by another school, in his first year he can't coach the first 5 games and in a bowl (if the team qualifies). This would not seem to be insurmountable.

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TracyB467 said...

I think Tressel could be a good hire. He is obviously a proven winner. I agree with tel614 in that the issues at OSU weren't that severe. He did address the issues with suspensions when they were discovered, except for the tattoes. I am sure he made life hard for those players when he found out, but what was he suppose to do, tell them to return the free products? I don't blame him for not self-reporting that issue (again the tattoes were already done), but he did show a lack of good judgement in the attempted cover-up. It would be different if it was discovered that he promoted these kinds of things as a perk for attending the school, but that isn't the case. In my opinion he has done his time.

As far as the five game suspension is concerned, small price to pay and realistically next year won't be a championship year anyway. If we don't get Gruden, I say make Tressel the coach and deal with the issue. The program is clean and he would ensure it stayed that way after the OSU incidents. I really believe the future could be great on Rocky Top!