The Story of Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor

Written by Bob, and first posted at Inside The Shoe

Where to start? Where to start? What a week for the Buckeyes this has been. A few weeks ago, I wrote right here on Inside The Shoe that it was time for Jim Tressel to go. I was hoping he would do it before any other bad news came out, actually I was really hoping no more bad news would come out. Well he did it, he “resigned” (notice the quotes around resign, everyone knows exactly what happened in that meeting, he was asked to “resign”). Right after Tressel “resigned”, SI came out with an article detailing every bad thing that Tressel has done, known of, or as the head coach should have known. Some people have said that the article was weak, that it didn't present anything relevant or new. 

Well I disagree, it showed a pattern of questionable – to - bad - decisions made by Tressel dating back to his days as an OSU assistant in the 1980s, through his successful career at YSU, up to this recent death blow. Ladies and gentleman, a pattern has been displayed. Jim Tressel did a great job over the last ten years cultivating the image of Senator Tressel. He wrote books, talked about his faith and religion, did a great job appearing shocked and dismayed at the players press conference before the Sugar Bowl. Now we have learned that he knew about the tattoos and probably even Pryor’s cars the entire time. 

Honestly, I have no proof that he knew about the Pryor, however if he is half as smart as he should be, there is no way he couldn't have known about the cars. Jim Tressel was a great coach, and honestly through everything I have said, I do believe he is a good man, who got caught up in coaching at the greatest University in the world, and got caught up in the win at all costs atmosphere. He needed the big players to do this, and once he got these players he apparently turned a blind eye to their transactions. You can look at Troy Smith and Maurice Clarrett all you want, but I believe everything that needs to be said can be found with Terrelle Pryor. I too, like most Buckeye fans was hoping that when Pryor finally picked a school, he would sign with The Ohio State University. It happened right there in Janette, Pa Pryor made the announcement, that he would be signing with……The University of Ohio State. 

Right when he said that, when he got our name wrong, I got an uneasy feeling, but what did I know? Then he got to Columbus, and started winning games for us. He almost lead us to a victory over Texas in the Fiesta Bowl, then the following two years, he actually does lead us to two BCS wins, and continues the streak against Michigan. Yeah, during that time, he did some bone head things, made quotes about how good he could be in another system, or his support of Michael Vick (let’s not get into that one). But hey these were only verbal miscues, nothing more than a kid making what most people thought errors, but I chalked it up to kids being kids. Then finally came the tattoos.

Pryor has caused more problems than helped this program

He along with a group of teammates traded team goods for tattoos. They were caught, they are being punished, but they apologized. I for one, bought into that apology. I looked at one of Pryor’s tattoos, and it was a big scarlet block O. I thought you know what he does love this school, and he apologized, so once again he is just a kid who messed up. Well, now that all of the car information has come out, and if it is true I am done with him!! He has possibly driven 8 new cars in his 3 years at OSU. He even had the gall to drive a sports car with dealer plates to the team meeting this week. That makes me think he does not care anymore. However, I am now reading reports that this car was legally purchased and is being paid for by his mother.  

Even with this report in today’s Dispatch, and on ESPN, I am sufficiently jaded by Mr. Pryor. I have heard the rumors that he is looking for an agent, and may try the supplemental draft, well, if all of this is true, that you have been driving illegal cars, looking for agents and so on, than go, take your talents to the NFL. My goodness, I hope I am wrong, and all of the cars were legal, but I just don’t believe that to be true. Unfortunately, the shine of having you at OSU, apparently was to bright for Jim Tressel. He treated Pryor with kid gloves, he let him get away with anything and everything, and guess what this cost him his job, now Terrelle it needs to cost you your job. In the end, years from now Jim Tressel may be remembered for “owning” Michigan, winning multiple Big Ten Titles, BCS Games, a National Title, and doing great things like visiting our troops in Iraq, but right now his legacy is undeniably connected to Terrelle Pryor and that my friends is not a good thing.