My reaction is somewhat similar to that of bassbuckeye07 - not how I remember the order of events.
Closer -
here is a contemporary article - focused on the Gruden candidacy. In retrospect it seems he used the interest of Geiger to ensure a better deal from crazy man Davis. (Not a bad idea really).
Perhaps he would have been better off not rebuffing Geiger, but, rebuff him he did.
:: ::
As for the order of events, it is best to start on
page 3 of the article ...
where meanwhile means at minimum a day prior to the article posting which was Wednesday January 17th, 2001.
So, you have Belotti on a visit on Monday Jan 15th, Tressel on his
third meeting with Geiger on Tuesday 16th during the day, implying that Tressel was always very high up on the list of those in whom Geiger had interest. Well what of Gruden's rebuff of Ohio State? It happened on Tuesday January 16th - in the West Coast night.
Where "last night" was Tuesday night -
So in order you have Tressel and/or Belotti possibly tied and in the sweet spot till Belotti opted out, then - in answer to well-heeled booster pressure perhaps - you see Gruden make his appearance.
MrStickball, it was a great story you laid out, a myth even that you wove - but, the available record does not agree with the parallel you draw. Tressel was never the last option of a flailing AD, he may in truth have been the
first to catch Geiger's attention.
(Oh, and as for Mason, he wasn't even in the wheelhouse when Tressel was
past his 3rd face-to-face with Geiger).