I am not all in

[Meyer]

I love JT. But what's best for the program is most important. Right now, him stepping aside is looking more and more like the best thing to do for Ohio State. Hopefully something positive happens and that changes.

But the program cannot, will not, and should not fall because of one man.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

I love JT. But what's best for the program is most important. Right now, him stepping aside is looking more and more like the best thing to do for Ohio State. Hopefully something positive happens and that changes.

But the program cannot, will not, and should not fall because of one man.

The program survived 2 and 10. I'm pretty sure it'll make it beyond Tressel.

 

[Jaxbuck]

and an Ohio State team that always competes. Who can say that about the Earl Bruce years?

I sure as hell can.

Earl came this close to winning a NC in his first year. 1985 Iowa was one of the greatest games I've ever seen OSU play. The Cotton Bowl vs T A&M, The Game 1987, the two games vs LSU were some of the most memorable games in OSU history.

Earl lost a lot of games he shouldn't have but I think it was more due to letting the overall talent level drop (especially in the defensive front 7) than lacking a competitive spirit.

If you are in search of a past OSU coach with a resume full of inexplicable and often uninspired losses I'm not sure how you made it all the way back to Earl without noticing a certain someone along the way.

 

[DaveyBoy]

reading so many posts on the JT/Tatgate issue I've come to these conclusions:

1. there is a hard core 10% to 20% of the OSU fanbase that would defend Bin Laden if he were 9-1 vs Michigan . They would have defended Woody and called for his not being fired after the '78 Gator Bowl. They only care about on-field success for the most part.....therefore the ends justify the means.

2. >50% of our fanbase has apparently never lived outside of the WBNS reception area and heard the non-homer sportstalk or bantered with non-OSU fans when the OSU and BigTen fans were in the clear minority. They simply don't understand the opinion of others about the B10, OSU, and JT. When the allegations surfaced in March, these fans were not prepared to embrace the fact that JT's reputation was permanently tarnished and possibly even destroyed outside of WBNS. It's truly amazing to see the denial that came from this group.

3. OSU's fanbase is probably not any different than that of 95% of all other teams.

 

[Gatorubet]

reading so many posts on the JT/Tatgate issue I've come to these conclusions:

1. there is a hard core 10% to 20% of the OSU fanbase that would defend Bin Laden if he were 9-1 vs Michigan . They would have defended Woody and called for his not being fired after the '78 Gator Bowl. They only care about on-field success for the most part.....therefore the ends justify the means.

2. >50% of our fanbase has apparently never lived outside of the WBNS reception area and heard the non-homer sportstalk or bantered with non-OSU fans when the OSU and BigTen fans were in the clear minority. They simply don't understand the opinion of others about the B10, OSU, and JT. When the allegations surfaced in March, these fans were not prepared to embrace the fact that JT's reputation was permanently tarnished and possibly even destroyed outside of WBNS. It's truly amazing to see the denial that came from this group.

3. OSU's fanbase is probably not any different than that of 95% of all other teams.

I disagree.

I'd say 100% of all other teams.

 

[DaveyBoy]

one of if not THE best thing about being an old geezer of 45 years, we have the distinct recollection of many things that the young guns don't......

1. the BigTen was very competitive in the 1980s while Earle was coaching
2. Michigan was very very good
3. Earle played a pretty decent OOC schedule....FSU, Stanford, Oregon, Colorado, Alabama, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, Washington, Syracuse
4. Earle didn't recruit the DL well as others have said

If anything, Earle was good for one inexplicable loss per year plus one to two others that were fairly explicable.

Earle definitely left the program in worse shape than he inherited it. But along the way he had some damned good teams stocked with lots of future NFLers. How he lost 3 games in 1982, 1983, and 1984 is beyond me.

I sure as hell can.

Earl came this close to winning a NC in his first year. 1985 Iowa was one of the greatest games I've ever seen OSU play. The Cotton Bowl vs T A&M, The Game 1987, the two games vs LSU were some of the most memorable games in OSU history.

Earl lost a lot of games he shouldn't have but I think it was more due to letting the overall talent level drop (especially in the defensive front 7) than lacking a competitive spirit.

If you are in search of a past OSU coach with a resume full of inexplicable and often uninspired losses I'm not sure how you made it all the way back to Earl without noticing a certain someone along the way.

 

[Gatorubet]

The program survived 2 and 10. I'm pretty sure it'll make it beyond Tressel.

[Mark May] BKB, I was there for UF's 0-10-1 in 1979, so I can testify that you can come back from the dead as a program. An SMU not so much....but then, as opposed to them, look at the number of alumni that tOSU has, the facilities, the tradition, and the leadership from the AD and President, and you will be fine even if a hypocritical and heavy handed NCAA takes out its Auburn embarrassment on y'all....

UF and tOSU have reached a place where a lack of success is a temporary proposition. Neither of us will become Notre Dame. Won't happen.

In fact, Stow made a really insightful statement when he said that Tress and your program's success over the last decade has made an entire generation of recruits - both in Ohio and throughout the nation - equate tOSU with success and high levels of conference, post-season and NFL preparing achievement.

 

[Jaxbuck]

one of if not THE best thing about being an old geezer of 45 years, we have the distinct recollection of many things that the young guns don't......

1. the BigTen was very competitive in the 1980s while Earle was coaching
2. Michigan was very very good
3. Earle played a pretty decent OOC schedule....FSU, Stanford, Oregon, Colorado, Alabama, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, Washington, Syracuse
4. Earle didn't recruit the DL well as others have said

If anything, Earle was good for one inexplicable loss per year plus one to two others that were fairly explicable.

Earle definitely left the program in worse shape than he inherited it. But along the way he had some damned good teams stocked with lots of future NFLers. How he lost 3 games in 1982, 1983, and 1984 is beyond me.

Yep.

As painful as Darkest Day I and II were they were explicable. IU had the best player on the field (Thompson) and they just lined up and rammed it down OSU's throat.

The biggest thing to me about the Earl years was the stark difference between the beginning and end in terms of overall team athletic talent. It was pretty damn bad by the end and a lot of the big slow unathletic stereotype stuff was very much the truth in this period.

Coop took over and of course put his foot in his mouth (because that's what dumbasses do) with his "too many slow white guys" comment but his underlying premise was correct.

One last thing echoing something you brought up; Earl was 5-4 in The Game and it was against Bo in his prime. Anyone who wants to criticize him had better at least acknowledge that part of the story.

 

[MaxBuck]

I love JT. But what's best for the program is most important.

No. What's best for the student-athletes is what's most important. This may or may not be the same thing.

 

[BUCKYLE]

reading so many posts on the JT/Tatgate issue I've come to these conclusions:

1. there is a hard core 10% to 20% of the OSU fanbase that would defend Bin Laden if he were 9-1 vs Michigan . They would have defended Woody and called for his not being fired after the '78 Gator Bowl. They only care about on-field success for the most part.....therefore the ends justify the means.

2. >50% of our fanbase has apparently never lived outside of the WBNS reception area and heard the non-homer sportstalk or bantered with non-OSU fans when the OSU and BigTen fans were in the clear minority. They simply don't understand the opinion of others about the B10, OSU, and JT. When the allegations surfaced in March, these fans were not prepared to embrace the fact that JT's reputation was permanently tarnished and possibly even destroyed outside of WBNS. It's truly amazing to see the denial that came from this group.

3. OSU's fanbase is probably not any different than that of 95% of all other teams.

1. Pretty sure Bin Laden is a TSUN fan, so I don't know what the fuck you're talking about there.
2. I've lived outside of "WBNS"...waaaay outside of "WBNS". I didn't listen to shit sports talk radio then, nor do I now. I don't give a motherfuck what others think about the B10, OSU, or JT. It's not denial. It's a clear lack of give a fuck.
3. As dipshit...I mean...gator...said...probably off by about 5%.

 

[Buckeye86]

Acting like the only reason people are willing to defend Coach Tressel is due to his accomplishment on the football field with a focus against tsun does a disservice to those fans defending him and coach Tressel's accomplishments outside of the realm of football.

An increased focus on academics, community service, a rock solid network with many of the high school coaches and programs in Ohio, as well as a network of support in times of need (see: Ryan Anderson) are just a small fraction of the outstanding work that Coach Tressel has done off the field that has earned him so much support in Buckeye Nation and across the state of Ohio.

Stop pretending like the only reason he has support is due to winning football games. That is not even close to the entire story and pretending like it is is extremely disingenuous and a bogus argument.

 

[roksmith]

I haven't been around as long as some here, but I can tell you one thing for sure.
The three greatest Ohio State coaches I've seen in my lifetime, Woody, Earle, and Jim all have one thing in common. Their belief that the well being of the student athletes in their charge is the most important thing. Above winning.. above everything.
The national media is head hunting right now. Like they do when any successful program shows a chink in their armor. The latest stories on the situation are making like the NCAA allegations are something new. They aren't. All that's happened is what we all knew was coming. It's just official now, but the media is playing ratings whore and taking every chance to take a whack at Tressel. Get a grip folks. We'll find out sometime this year what the NCAA goobers decide.
The same folks that hold coach Hayes up as a pillar of decency seem to forget that he also had issues with the NCAA. He was caught helping out his players when he thought it was the right thing to do and when the NCAA approached him. he basically told them to get bent.

I still believe that Tressel did what he thought was best for his players. Perhaps not for the "program", but for the kids who made stupid mistakes. The latest news that he contacted an FBI agent only confirms (to me) that he was trying to protect the kids. There will be more to come out. And I think that more and more it will be shown exactly why he did what he did.

In the mean while, I still support him and the program 100%.

If we end up with a new coach when all is said and done, I'll be disappointed, but disappointment fades, and nothing will take from the enjoyment of seeing the Buckeyes take the field in the upcoming season.

Sorry for the rant..

GO BUCKS!

 

[Jaxbuck]

The national media is head hunting right now. Like they do when any successful program shows a chink in their armor.

Stay off my armor!

 

[buckeyebri]

Acting like the only reason people are willing to defend Coach Tressel is due to his accomplishment on the football field with a focus against tsun does a disservice to those fans defending him and coach Tressel's accomplishments outside of the realm of football.

An increased focus on academics, community service, a rock solid network with many of the high school coaches and programs in Ohio, as well as a network of support in times of need (see: Ryan Anderson) are just a small fraction of the outstanding work that Coach Tressel has done off the field that has earned him so much support in Buckeye Nation and across the state of Ohio.

Stop pretending like the only reason he has support is due to winning football games. That is not even close to the entire story and pretending like it is is extremely disingenuous and a bogus argument.

I am sure that you meant to send this to one KH.....

 

[OhioExile]

As much as it pains me to say it..Coach Tressel needs to step down soon. The man has taken me to the highest of highs in 2002..one of my top 3 life moments lol, to now the lowest of lowes. With the NFL not doing much because of the labor situation this is going to be the biggest story for the media to cover for the next several months which is bad news for the entire Buckeye nation. How can Coach Tressel go into players parents homes and say he has their kids best interests in mind when he is a known liar? I still dont understand y he didnt just turn these players in when he should have...and by not doing so he has wrecked everything he has worked so hard to build. Unfortuantely for us its time to let Coach Tressel go and start moving foreward as a program again...I dont think we can wait a year or so and see what happens and maintain respectability across the nation.