Winning?!?!...Won!

Sorry Charlie, but it's not about winning. How many times have we seen a winning team going into the 4th quarter, 9th inning, or 3rd period only to lose. A boxer dominating a fight only to get knocked out. You either win or lose.

The reason I bring this up is that Jim Tressel, head coach at Ohio State, won. Yes, he won. Let me explain. A few months before the 2010 college football season started Jim was tipped off by a lawyer, who is a former Ohio State Buckeye, that there was a federal investigation of an owner of a tattoo parlor who was known to distribute drugs. The owner was involved with 5 star football players who were selling their personal sports memorabilia for cash, tattoos, and probably other stuff.

Jim had two options. The first was to pass the information to his athletic department, and risk losing the star players, including Terrel Pryor, for a portion of, or maybe, all of the season.

The second option was to say nothing, hope no one found out, or hope that it at least came out after the season was complete. Jim Tressel took the second option. You see, Ohio State was one of the favorites to win the national championship, and their QB, Terrel Pryor, was the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.

The NCAA found out about the violations committed by the 5 star players right before the Sugar Bowl, and allowed them to play in the bowl game if they promised to come back next year and sit out the first 5 games of the season.

In hindsight, Jim made the smart move. He has to sit out the first 2 games next year and was fined $250,000 for not disclosing this information when he first learned of it. I'm sure there is a booster or two that will help Jim find the money. The first 2 games are Akron and Toledo. My pet goldfish can coach those 2 wins. By the way, Ohio State finished with a 12-1 record and won the Sugar Bowl (BCS Bowl), which earned the Big Ten 6 million dollars. They finished as the fifth best team in the country.

As a new Texan I say to you, "this is not Jim's first rodeo." Just go back 8 years with Maurice Clarret. The star running back received thousands of dollars and was loaned cars by a Buckeye booster. He also was involved in an academic scandal. He only played his freshman year, but led Ohio State to the 2002 National Championship.

My advice to you, if you have or know of a kid who is a superstar football player but nothing higher than a 3rd grade education, I would send him to Ohio State. He will probably come home with a cool tattoo.

My advice to Mike Montgomery. Stop with all the extra phone calls to possible recruits. That got Cal 2 years probation in basketball. If you pay them and fix their grades, you may be allowed to win a national championship. According to Jim Tressel, and not Charlie Sheen, that is when you'll become a winner.

"Wise Guy"