Taking One For The Team

Jim Tressel took full responsibility for the actions of his
team, resigning as Ohio State football coach. We can only
hope his players learned something about integrity while
the Vest fell on the sword for them.

I hate to be the one who said I told you so, but...

A couple months ago on this very same blog, I railed on Jim Tressel for his involvement in what has become a spring-long scandal in the Ohio State Football program. A once proud program has become tarnished with tattoos and cheap cars.

Earlier this week, Tressel announce his resignation as the Buckeyes' football coach. In doing so, the Vest may have become the sacrificial lamb for the entire university – including Gordon Gee, who was once famously quoted as saying "I hope Tressel doesn't fire me," in regards to the current scandal.

Back in March, I had previously said I lost a lot of respect for the Vest. He admittedly knew what his players were doing and chose to do nothing about it.

Mr. Tressel, you have earned my respect back.

While your players are obviously to blame for the whole situation going from bad to worse, you chose to accept full responsibility for their actions. Whether you truly knew everything they were doing or not, you chose to face the media and the hundreds of questions that were about to arise like a man. You didn't cower from the spotlight, but embraced the scandal for what it was – an opportunity to teach some young men between right and wrong, all the while knowing you weren't going to be on the sidelines of the Horseshoe next season.

Across the country, another football power in Southern Cal is also steeped in scandal. But look at how differently the two schools handled their misdeeds.

Southern Cal did it's best to brush everything under the rug, hoping nobody would notice. Meanwhile, Ohio State came out to the NCAA and said they screwed up – of course this was after the federal government got involved – but at least they admitted to their faults.

It's no secret that college athletes live pretty pampered lives – football and basketball players are the most pampered of the bunch. Even when I was in college, I still remember current Atlanta Falcon and former Missouri safety William Moore driving around campus in his black and gold Pontiac Bonneville, complete with tinted windows, a killer sound system and dazzling 22-inch rims.

Now, you're going to tell me some kid from Hayti, Missouri – an area stricken with poverty since the 1960s Civil Rights Movement – can afford a car that nice. If you believe that some booster wasn't helping make sure Moore looked as sharp off the field as he did on, well, let's just say I've got a couple of guys in Ohio who would love to sell you some new cars.