When listening to the press conference tonight on TV I couldn’t help but think of the movie “D2: The Mighty Ducks”. Why you ask? Was it because both things involve sports? Nope. Was it because Gene Smith looks like Kenan Thompson’s dad? Hardly. Was it because the sight of Jim Tressel makes my heart flutter just like staring at Emilio Estevez and his ravishing good looks or uncontrollable hair? Both are true, but not relevant here.
It was because of the halftime speech Emilio gave for the championship game. Three simple words: Ducks Fly Together. Such a simple phrase, but one that invokes unity and solidarity between individuals who come from all sorts of life for one common belief. Change one of those letters from that phrase and that’s how I felt about tonight…hey, get your head out of the gutter!…no need for profanity, ass…
Bucks Fly Together.
So it turns out Jim Tressel did know about two players from his football team were involved in selling memorabilia in return for tattoos in April and not in December. As a result of not telling anyone about it Tressel commited a major NCAA infraction and had to be punished. Gene Smith, OSU’s athletic director, penalized Tressel by suspending him for the first two games of the season and a $250,000 fine. That would be ok, but the NCAA has yet to finish their investigation and may impose more penalties on Tressel and even go after the football program itself in terms of losing scholarships, banning postseason play or vacating wins from last year (dumbest punishment ever…I still know what games we won…the NCAA doesn’t have a Men In Black mind eraser for what I saw…yet.) Punishment hurts, but I’ll stand by whatever happens because…
Bucks Fly Together.
The press conference itself left me with a greater sense of pride in The Ohio State University. The way Gene Smith and school president E. Gordon Gee praised Tressel and stood by his side 110% was awesome. Never once did either person think about firing Tressel because of the integrity he has built for himself and the program. When Gene came to Tressel’s aid whenever a reporter asked a question that can’t be answered for legal reasons or when President Gee looked at Tressel and told him he was thankful to be able to call Tressel a friend showed me that even though a mistake happened we are a family and that when the times are toughest…
Bucks Fly Together.
Tressel didn’t go to anybody because he wasn’t sure where to go with the information and as a result of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation Tressel couldn’t mention names or dish out any punishment himself because of possibly compromising the investigation. Sure he should have gone to a member of the legal team employed by the university, told them what was in the email and ask about what he should do now, but that’s hindsight. In the moment Tressel was looking out for the safety and well-being of his players. If I were a parent of a high school football player and heard that I would love for my son to play for Tressel because he cares about making my son into a man and showed to me that, indeed…
Bucks Fly Together.
I can’t wait to hear what our opponents have to say. Everyone will have their signs saying that we’re cheaters, throw removable tattoos at the players or go after Tressel himself. All the media members will come out and bad mouth Ohio State. Brent Musburger will mention Tattoo-gate 87 times in the first quarter of the first game he announces for us. Colin Cowherd will cry out that OSU should get hit harder than USC in sanctions because the coach knew of the infractions and didn’t tell anyone while Pete “Sh*t’s Gonna Hit The Fan?…I’m Outta Here!” Carrol didn’t know about Reggie “I’ve Seen Kim’s” Bush’s transgressions. Mark May is going to root for Tressel to be burned at the stake for his punishment and it be forever known Tressel was a witch. And you know what? Bring it all on because…
Bucks Fly Together.
I love THE Ohio State University. I support Jim Tressel 110%. Come at us with both, barrels, America! We can take it. We rally around our own. Kick us when we’re down because we’ll come back harder, stronger and more powerful than before. We will weather this storm. We bleed scarlet and gray. We will never back down because there is one undisputed fact that no one can take away from us…
Bucks Fly Together.
