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Commentary: Tressel fans object to ‘disgraced’ tag

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By Sean McClelland, Staff Writer 9:43 PM Friday, February 10, 2012

Feedback from readers can be fun, and I received plenty last week after having the audacity to describe former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel as “disgraced.”

OK, is there a better word for a coach who used ineligible players and was asked to resign in the wake of a tattoos-for-trinkets scandal that he covered up?

Really, I’m open to suggestions.

I agreed, however, with Dennis Ruble of Sidney who emailed to say that Tressel’s transgressions should not define him as a human being. Ruble wrote about how a dying friend once received a phone call from Tressel, who had nothing to gain from this random act of kindness. No surprise. By all accounts, that’s who the University of Akron’s newest employee is — a compassionate man who generally cares about people. Yes, even his players.

Ruble then insisted that most people would rather have a beer with the deposed coach than with your favorite Dayton Daily News correspondent. He challenged me to put the issue to a vote, but with no expectation of victory, I happily conceded the point. I think even I might rather have a beer with Tressel, although nothing about him exactly screams “beer drinker.”

It’s funny how fans form opinions of sports figures and cling to them no matter what happens. Woody Hayes can punch a player on national TV, but the weight of his accomplishments obscures the image. In Tressel’s case, it helps that his teams won a national championship and played for two others.

But to the extent his legacy is tarnished, that’s on him. While what he did doesn’t make him evil, I still think “disgraced” sums it up pretty well.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2408 or smcclelland@ DaytonDailyNews.com

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