Gopher vs. Buckeye Matchup Poses Unusual Problems for Tressel Clan
By John Porentas
There is a bit of chill in a certain household in Columbus these days.
Connie Tressel is the wife of OSU running backs coach Dick Tressel. That is in of itself is not usually a problem for Connie, but this week there is a major complication in her life. Connie is also the mother of Luke Tressel, the wide receiver coach at Minnesota. In case you hadn't heard, the Gophers and the Buckeyes will meet on the football field this Saturday, and that is presenting a bit of a problem for Wife/Mom Connie.
"My son and my husband are not talking this week, but I'm allowed to talk to both of them," Connie said last night in an interview with the-Ozone.
This game week has brought a sudden chill between father and son in the Tressel household, something Connie says is totally out of character.
"It's just fun that we're all in this crazy profession together ...except this week," said Connie.
"We usually can empathize or celebrate with each other, but this week it's sort of... ugh," Connie said.
Dick and Luke are not speaking this week, and have taken the unusual step of not even talking to Connie about the game...lest perhaps the other should wrest some tidbit about the opposing game plan from dear old mom.
"They're both being quite closed-lip about all that. Normally they both do talk to me about that stuff, but this week they're being closed lip about all that. They're both being careful,'" said Connie with a chuckle.
Connie says that the game is very important in the Tressel household, and for more than just the usual reasons.
"They're both so proud of each other. I think Luke is kind of similar to his dad, just like his dad is similar to the way his dad coached, and Luke played for his dad in college. They know a lot about each other," said Connie describing the circumstances that makes this such a competitive situation for father and son.
"I'll tell you, they both want to win very badly," said Connie.
"There are probably some bragging rights involved. Right after the game they probably won't rub it in, but later in the year they might."
The game is making for a tough week for Connie's husband and son, but it's making for an even tougher week for Connie. There is for her, of course, the problem of who, in anyone, to root for on game day.
"It's just going to be crazy. It really is hard. It really is difficult," said Connie.
"It's one of those games I really do wish there were ties, but then both of them would be unhappy, but I would happy," Connie said.
Connie is a Buckeye fan, but as you might suspect, on every other Saturday of the football season she's also Gopher fan.
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Top: [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Connie Tressel glances up at the OSU scoreboard from the sideline where she is shooting photos of the OSU vs. Iowa game.[/FONT]
Bottom: [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Connie reacts when she sees that Minnesota has pulled out a win over Purdue in two overtimes. [/FONT]
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"When Minnesota lost that Wisconsin game I felt just as bad as when Ohio State loses a game like that. It's just like your heart gets ripped out," said Connie of Minnesota's last-minute 38-34 loss two weeks ago in their last outing.
Connie had a much better day on September 24. On that day, the Buckeyes drubbed Iowa 31-6, and on that same day, the Gophers defeated Purdue 42-35 in two overtimes in Minnesota's homecoming game. Two games and two wins made for a happy weekend in the Tressel household.
"Now they're playing each other. It's just terrible," Connie said.
Connie, who is a professional sports photographer, says she is hoping she won't have to chose what side of the stadium to sit on.
"I'm hoping I'm taking pictures. I really am hoping I'm taking pictures and have a sideline pass so I won't have to cheer for one or the other," Connie said.
It will be a problem for Connie, and for other members of the Tressel family as well.
"I don't know what I'm going to do. I do know that my other son Ben who lives in Minnesota, is a h-u-u-u-g-e Ohio State fan.
"He was just here for the Michigan State game.
"We said something to him about having tickets for him and his family, and said 'Mom, Luke gets a whole lot better tickets for this stadium. You'll be sitting way up in the corner,' so he's taking Minnesota seats. He'll be sitting in the Minnesota section, but just because he gets a better view, at least that's what he's telling his mother," Connie said.
Connie says that the game is making for some strange accommodations throughout the entire Tressel clan.
"(Ohio State Head Coach) Jim's (Tressel's) daughter Carlee is coming up for the game from Chicago. I'm not sure, but she may stay at Luke's house...but cheer for her dad. It really is quite a family problem," said Connie.
Connie is taking a bit of a more middle-of-the road approach to accommodations in Minneapolis.
"Actually I'm staying with Ben, my middle son," said said, thereby avoiding some potentially tense family moments prior to the game.
"We were up there 23 years, so our kids grew up in Minnesota.
"We lived in Minnesota so long, we have so many friends coming to the game. They're not committing one way or the other either."
Connie's brother-in-law, Jim Tressel, is not unmindful of Connie's dilemma.
"Actually Jim said to me 'I bet you're hoping for a 50 to 49 game, because my son is the receivers coach and my husband is the running backs coach.
I'm not going to say who I want to have the 50 and who I want to have the 49. I will say that Luke is my baby, my youngest son," said Connie.
Don't take that as a leaning. Connie is still torn as of this date. She wouldn't tell us what color shirt she would be wearing on game day, but she did say it has four colors. We're betting Scarlet, Maroon, Gold and Gray.
"We're so proud of Luke. To be coaching in the Big Ten is so exciting. It's just too bad we have to play each other," she said.
"Luke figures he's outnumbered, because he's got uncle and dad on the other side."
Kickoff and the game that ensues figures to be a tense time for the Tressels, but Connie says once the game is over, no matter who wins, everything will be all right...to some extent.
"We plan on being out together after the game," she said.
Connie's stomach acid level is high this year, but next year, it will go through the roof. Not only do the Buckeyes meet Minnesota again, thereby renewing the week of the chill, but OSU also has Cincinnati on the schedule, and her son Mike is on that staff. That's right, dad will be taking on two of his sons in one season. Mom isn't looking forward to it.
"That just makes me sick. This year is hard enough. Next year I may just crawl into a hole and hibernate for a while," Connie said.
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Top: [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Connie Tressel glances up at the OSU scoreboard from the sideline where she is shooting photos of the OSU vs. Iowa game.[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
