tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Brutus Buckeye Gets Sacked By Jim Tressel

I briefly commented on the Jim Tressel situation on Tuesday.  Needless to say Ohio State was taking a beating in the joke of a press conference that took place and the minimal suspension, 2 games against The Little Sisters of the Poor and Valley Tech and a $250,000 fine, that Tressel received from the school.  Now Tressel asked for and is receiving a five game suspension, similar to what the players received.  However, the NCAA is still investigating.

It needs to be pointed out that similar infractions as the one that Tressel committed resulted in the firing of 11 coaches.  While young athletes need to be held responsible for actions that they take, so do coaches who break the rules.  In fact, Jim Tressel lied.  He lied twice to NCAA  investigators and one would have to believe that he lied because he knew it would impact the Buckeyes 2010 football season.

What Tressel did is the worst example that you can give to any young athlete: win at all cost even if it means lying and cheating.  Have you seen that commercial where the high school basketball player tells his coach that the refs made the wrong call because the ball went out of bounds off of him??  His teammates aren't happy but the coach tells the kid, " good call" and the refs are informed of what happened.  Now if Tressel is the coach in the commercial, what would he say???

This whole incident is a black eye for Ohio State and for the NCAA.  What irritates me even more is that Tressel comes off as Mister Clean and Ohio State portrays itself as a clean athletic program.  Moreover, what kind of example does this send to all of those young Buckeye fans. 

If Ohio State wants to do the right thing, Jim Tressel should be fired before the NCAA starts digging because they may find more things out about the Buckeye football team.  And believe me that could be much more serious than Rufus the Bobcat's hit on Brutus Buckeye.  This hit on Brutus will be from his own sideline.