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Jim Tressel (National Champion, ex-President, Youngstown State University, CFB HOF)

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TresselOwnsCarr;676669; said:
well, let's hope JT votes florida #2 (if it was me, I'd put UF 2 and scUM #117 just to hurt their chances of a rematch)
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It will be interesting to see if any voters do something like this. Obviously they can't put 'em 117, but some voters could put one of the 2 schools somewhere out of the top 3, which would be significant when thousandths of a point matter. Maybe we'll get the SEC coaches to conspire together to avenge Auburns 2003 season. :sneaky:
 
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Mike Leach of course is on the offensive...no need for defense from him:

Link

Leach critical of vote abstention

By JEFF CAPLAN

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

The fallout from Ohio State coach Jim Tressel's decision to abstain from the final USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll triggered emotional responses among Big 12 coaches on Monday, with calls for a playoff system growing louder.
Tressel, whose team will face Florida in the BCS championship game, said he abstained because he viewed voting for his team's opponent as a conflict of interest.
Texas Tech coach Mike Leach called Tressel's reasoning "a bunch of sanctimonious bunk."
Others, such as Texas coach Mack Brown and Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said they sympathize with Tressel.
"I saw Jim didn't vote," Brown said. "I wish I had done the same."
Brown said he believes Michigan's chances were hurt because the Big 10 doesn't play a championship game, so while Michigan sat idle, Florida helped its cause by beating Arkansas in the SEC title game Saturday.
Brown said he tried to split his second-place vote between Michigan and Florida. Told by poll administrators that he could not split his vote, Brown selected Michigan second and Florida third, same as Leach.
Callahan said he doesn't believe the coaches' ballots should be made public, which would have allowed Tressel to vote without the possibility of facing criticism for his choice.
Prior to 2005, ballots were not made public, so coaches were never faced with making such a decision.
"It's a lose-lose situation for a coach," Callahan said. "I can see where it can cause some conflict, some real controversy that's unneeded and unnecessary for college football."
The debate elicited a response from American Football Coaches Association executive director Grant Teaff, who said the issue will be discussed at the Division I-A head coaches' meetings at the AFCA Convention in January and that "we will have a policy in place for next season."
Some coaches believe the best policy is to institute a playoff system, but that seems like a long shot for now.
"I'm not hearing any talk about it at all [from school presidents]," said Brown, a playoff proponent who called coaches "powerless" to further the playoff movement.
Leach emphatically endorsed a playoff system and provided his own plan: a 10-game regular season followed by a 64-team playoff starting with home games based on seeding and region. The second round would incorporate current bowl sites, leading to a national championship game.
Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione, whose team played 11 consecutive weeks before a bye, said extending the season to a possible 16 games would be a strain on the players. Leach said he doesn't buy that argument.
Florida, plus teams such as Oklahoma and Nebraska that played in conference championship games, will have played 14 games after the bowls.
"Texas high school football manages to be able to play 16 games; Division III manages to be able to play 16 games; I-AA is able to play 16 games; Division II plays 16 games; the NFL is able to play significantly more than that, and somehow, magically, I-A is not? I mean, are you kidding me?" Leach said.
"And there are people that buy that, which is even more disgusting than ever. If people buy that, then obviously nothing's going to be solved at any level because stupid people are making decisions."
Leach believes a playoff structure would create a greater financial windfall than the current system. But, he said, the real issue holding back a playoff system is deciding where the additional revenue would go.
Staff writer Jimmy Burch contributed to this report.
IN THE KNOW
How they voted
A look at how Texas and Big 12 coaches voted in the final USA Today coaches' poll:
Dennis Franchione, Texas A&M
1. Ohio State; 2. Florida; 3. Michigan; 4. USC; 5. Auburn; 6. Wisconsin; 7. Louisville; 8. LSU; 9. Oklahoma; 10. Notre Dame; 11. West Virginia; 12. Virginia Tech; 13. Wake Forest; 14. Arkansas; 15. Rutgers; 16. Boise State; 17. Tennessee; 18. California; 19. BYU; 20. Nebraska; 21. Texas A&M; 22. Texas; 23. Boston College; 24. Georgia Tech; 25. TCU.
Mack Brown, Texas
1. Ohio State; 2. Michigan; 3. Florida; 4. Wisconsin; 5. USC; 6. LSU; 7. Louisville; 8. Oklahoma; 9. Auburn; 10. Notre Dame; 11. Arkansas; 12. Boise State; 13. Virginia Tech; 14. West Virginia; 15. Texas; 16. Wake Forest; 17. Tennessee; 18. Rutgers; 19. California; 20. Nebraska; 21. BYU; 22. Texas A&M; 23. Georgia Tech; 24. Boston College; 25. Clemson.
Gary Patterson, TCU
1. Ohio State; 2. Michigan; 3. Florida; 4. LSU; 5. USC; 6. Louisville; 7. Auburn; 8. Oklahoma; 9. Notre Dame; 10. Boise State; 11. Wisconsin; 12. Arkansas; 13. West Virginia; 14. Rutgers; 15. Texas; 16. Virginia Tech; 17. Wake Forest; 18. California; 19. BYU; 20. Nebraska; 21. Tennessee; 22. Boston College; 23. TCU; 24. Texas A&M; 25. Georgia Tech.
Art Briles, Houston
1. Ohio State; 2. Florida; 3. Michigan; 4. LSU; 5. USC; 6. Wisconsin; 7. Louisville; 8. Boise State; 9. Oklahoma; 10. Auburn; 11. Virginia Tech; 12. Arkansas; 13. Notre Dame; 14. West Virginia; 15. Wake Forest; 16. Texas; 17. Tennessee; 18. Rutgers; 19. Houston; 20. California; 21. BYU; 22. Texas A&M; 23. TCU; 24. Boston College; 25. Oregon State.
Mike Leach, Texas Tech
1. Ohio State; 2. Michigan; 3. Florida; 4. Oklahoma; 5. LSU; 6. Wisconsin; 7. Virginia Tech; 8. Auburn; 9. Louisville; 10. Notre Dame; 11. USC; 12. Boise State; 13. Arkansas; 14. West Virginia; 15. BYU; 16. Wake Forest; 17. Texas; 18. Tennessee; 19. California; 20. Nebraska; 21. TCU; 22. Rutgers; 23. Texas A&M; 24. Boston College; 25. Oregon State.
Darrell Dickey, North Texas
1. Ohio State; 2. Florida; 3. Michigan; 4. Wisconsin; 5. LSU; 6. Louisville; 7. Boise State; 8. Oklahoma; 9. USC; 10. Notre Dame; 11. Arkansas; 12. West Virginia; 13. Wake Forest; 14. Auburn; 15. Texas; 16. Rutgers; 17. Virginia Tech; 18. Tennessee; 19. California; 20. Nebraska; 21. BYU; 22. Boston College; 23. Texas A&M; 24. TCU; 25. Georgia Tech.
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
1. Ohio State; 2. Florida; 3. Michigan; 4. Oklahoma; 5. Wisconsin; 6. LSU; 7. USC; 8. Louisville; 9. Arkansas; 10. Boise State; 11. Auburn; 12. Notre Dame; 13. Virginia Tech; 14. Wake Forest; 15. West Virginia; 16. Texas; 17. Nebraska; 18. Rutgers; 19. California; 20. Tennessee; 21. Texas A&M; 22. BYU; 23. Georgia Tech; 24. Boston College; 25. Houston.
Bill Callahan, Nebraska
1. Ohio State; 2. Florida; 3. Michigan; 4. Wisconsin; 5. Louisville; 6. Boise State; 7. Oklahoma; 8. LSU; 9. USC; 10. Auburn; 11. Notre Dame; 12. West Virginia; 13. Arkansas; 14. Wake Forest; 15. Virginia Tech; 16. Texas; 17. Texas A&M; 18. California; 19. Rutgers; 20. Boston College; 21. BYU; 22. Tennessee; 23. Nebraska; 24. Oregon State; 25. Penn State.
Dan Hawkins, Colorado
1. Ohio State; 2. Florida; 3. Michigan; 4. LSU; 5. Wisconsin; 6. Louisville; 7. Boise State; 8. Oklahoma; 9. USC; 10. Auburn; 11. Notre Dame; 12. Virginia Tech; 13. Arkansas; 14. West Virginia; 15. Wake Forest; 16. Texas A&M; 17. Tennessee; 18. California; 19. Rutgers; 20. Texas; 21. BYU; 22. Nebraska; 23. Oregon State; 24. Boston College; 25. TCU.
Dan McCarney, Iowa State
1. Ohio State; 2. Florida; 3. Michigan; 4. LSU; 5. Wisconsin; 6. USC; 7. Louisville; 8. Oklahoma; 9. Boise State; 10. Auburn; 11. Notre Dame; 12. West Virginia; 13. Arkansas; 14. Virginia Tech; 15. Wake Forest; 16. Texas; 17. Rutgers; 18. Tennessee; 19. California; 20. BYU; 21. Texas A&M; 22. Nebraska; 23. Boston College; 24. TCU; 25. Oregon State.
 
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Dispatch

COMMENTARY
Call him astute, or call him slick: Tressel correct in sidestepping vote
Tuesday, December 05, 2006

ROB OLLER
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Ohio?s unofficial guvna has spoken, and once again Jim Tressel comes off sounding more polished and politically savvy than most elected officials on their best days.
His decision to abstain from voting in the final USA Today coaches poll on Sunday was a shrewd move made by a man perfectly suited for the politics of poll voting. No one spins potential spider webs into cotton candy better than Tress. Show me a mess and I?ll show you a coach who wipes it clean with his words.
The Buckeyes coach cited conflict of interest and respect for Florida and Michigan as reasons why he vetoed his own vote. No doubt Tressel?s genuine integrity played a part in the decision, but only the politically na?ve fail to see the masterful maneuvering of a coach who some dub "The Senator." Others, maybe even Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, might have a new name for Tress: "Slick Jimmy."
"I just didn?t think it was appropriate that Ohio State would cast a ballot one way or the other," Tressel said, making sure to spread the accountability by adding that he consulted with athletic director Gene Smith in making the decision.
The political fallout began immediately from afar and continued into yesterday. Jim Mandich, a former Michigan receiver who now does a sports talk radio show in Miami, went off on Tressel, calling him "a weasel" who "wet his pants."
"Be a man. You signed up for the job. It?s your duty and responsibility (to vote)," Mandich said.
Harsh. Among his own constituency, the OSU coach remains the people?s choice to lead the Buckeyes into the desert and out again with the national title. He may not be able to solve world hunger, but as long as he solves the Gators all will be right in the world of scarlet and gray.
Tressel is not the only coach to play politics. In the race to decide which teams receive BCS bowl bids, including which will be voted No. 2 and earn a spot in the national championship game, scoring points off the field is nearly as important as scoring them off slant routes.
Down in Florida, Gators coach Urban Meyer sparked another campaign controversy involving a hanging Chad. This time, Meyer hung Michigan quarterback Chad Henne and the rest of the Wolverines out to dry a few weeks ago by declaring that "Michigan had its chance" against Ohio State and that "if there?s a (Ohio State-Michigan) rematch, the system needs to be blown up."
Kaboom. Talk about attack ads. At least that?s how Carr saw it. The Wolverines coach turned around and ripped Meyer for the "inappropriate" comments and called his politicking wrong.
Carr, who is iron skillet to Tressel?s Teflon, claimed that he didn?t care who the voters picked as No. 2. That?s funny, because he later appeared on ESPN to say he sure hoped that voters wouldn?t punish Michigan for having not played since the loss to Ohio State.
See, even grumps know how to play the government game.
Whether Tressel?s decision comes back to bite him and the Buckeyes remains to be seen. In the short term, The Vest avoided two missteps at once. If he had voted for Florida, the Wolverines would have remembered the slam into the next century. The Big Ten likely would have frowned upon it, too.
A vote for Michigan, meanwhile, would have given Florida instant bulletin board material. In the long run, it?s possible that USA Today could pull Tressel?s vote, which could cost the Buckeyes down the road. But the future matters little when an election, er, national championship is on the line today.
For what it?s worth, Meyer sympathized with Tressel?s dilemma.
"I can understand why Jim decided not to vote," he said. "I made a decision a year ago, when asked to (become a voter), not to vote, because of this reason."
Carr went the other way, replying "no" when asked if he would have abstained under similar circumstances. He then called Tressel?s handling of the situation "real slick."
It wasn?t meant as a compliment.
Seldom is in politics.

Rob Oller is a sports reporter for The Dispatch .

[email protected]
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Im sure most of you that watched the show noticed, but man you just had to feel the love in that room tonight when listening to Troy and Tress speak about one another, and when Troy was giving out thanks to everyone Tress was shedding some tears. What a moment that was to witness. I especially liked the part of Tress's interview where he said he RE-learned many things from Troy, mainly the LOVE!

:cheers:
here's to witness the best times in Buckeye Football History right before our eyes(well at least in my short lifetime!)
 
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DDN

Give Tressel some credit for Smith's Heisman

By Mickey Zezzo
Contributing Writer

Wednesday, December 13, 2006
How many times have you read stories about star athletes who were street kids?
The definition isn't complicated. It's an athlete who often is referred to as a kid from the wrong side of the tracks.
Exhibit A: Former welterweight and middleweight champion Roberto Duran, who grew up fighting to defend himself on the streets in Panama.
There were many Durans in boxing ? and many more in all aspects of the sports world.
In many cases, the "street mentality" stayed with the athlete but the underlying fact was their super success ? despite dealing with adversity such as tough neighborhoods or school problems.
There are some failures, notably Maurice Clarrett, who could have been one of Ohio State's greatest running backs. He never found the right path. He was a tall and tough psychological challenge for OSU head coach Jim Tressel.
But there are some notable and marked successes.
Exhibit B: Troy Smith.
Tressel sat with moist eyes at last Saturday's Heisman Trophy presentation as Smith was named college football's king for '06. The coach was always aware of the tough background, like family problems and foster homes, that his quarterback encountered and endured.
It was a long, tough haul, but Smith obviously worked out as the Buckeye quarterback.
Sometimes, all a kid from the wrong side of the tracks needs is sincere and strong support.
There should be some kind of a "Heisman" coaching award for Tressel.
 
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Link

Tressel makes SW Florida visit

The coach of top-ranked Ohio State was in Immokalee to meet with the Indians' prized recruit, senior linebacker Brian Rolle
By Jason A. Dixon (Contact)
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
IMMOKALEE ? Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel found himself in a familiar position Tuesday ? in Southwest Florida on a recruiting visit.
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It has become a priority of his to seek out some of the top prospects in the state and bring them back to Columbus.
From 1983-85, when Tressel served as an assistant at Ohio State, he successfully fulfilled his mission. Southwest Florida remained fertile recruiting ground for Tressel during his 15-year head coaching tenure at Youngstown State in Ohio.
After he wanders into a classroom at Immokalee High School, Tressel waits to meet with football coach John Weber and senior linebacker Brian Rolle. And then he begins to speak of the truism of truisms that have stuck with him since 1983.
"We feel as if we're going to get the majority of our players from Ohio, and then Florida might be the next highest state for us to recruit," Tressel said. "When I left to go be the head coach at Youngstown State, I always had at least 10 guys on my team from Florida and all over various places.
"In fact, I got to know Coach (Bill) Kramer (at Naples High) real well, because he sent me a bunch of guys from American High School over in Miami a long time ago. Currently, we have good kids on our team from Florida."
Tressel, now in his sixth season as the head coach at Ohio State, has sent a number of Florida players through his program during that span.
Tressel

The Buckeyes have three players from Florida listed on their 2006 roster.
No. 1 Ohio State will play No. 2 Florida in the 2007 Tostitos BCS National Championship game on Jan. 8 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Tressel could talk in general terms of recruiting, but not specifically about Rolle. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from commenting on recruits until they have signed a letter-of-intent.
National Signing Day for football recruits is Feb. 7.
Weber, who just completed his ninth season as the head coach at Immokalee, said Rolle is one of the most heavily recruited players he's had in 30 years of coaching.
Weber said John Church, a player he coached while at Cypress Lake, went on to play defensive end at Florida.
Church was also being recruited by Florida State and Michigan.
"He was one of the most highly recruited kids coming out of Lee County at that time," Weber said. "It was a lot like this process here and it was a very exciting time. I was a little bit younger then, and I got a little bit more excited about those guys coming in."
Rolle, 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, is also being recruited by Wisconsin, Florida and LSU. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema is scheduled to fly in today and meet with Rolle. Bielema has already received a verbal commitment from Immokalee senior cornerback Aaron Henry.
Weber said Florida coach Urban Meyer is scheduled to visit Rolle on Thursday. Rolle said he is planning to take his last official visit to Florida on Jan. 12.
This past season, Rolle led Immokalee with 125 tackles and also rushed for 902 yards and 17 touchdowns.
He is listed No. 27 on Rivals.com's top outside linebackers in the country and No. 65 in the Florida Top 100 Prospect Rankings.
Weber said the recruiting process hasn't changed much over the years.
"They cut the number of visits that coaches can come, which I think they are happy about," he said, "because they were on the road all the time. I think the process is starting to wear on some of the players now.
"I know Aaron and Brian's cell phones ring constantly and I'm sure there's going to be several kids around who make commitments this week just because they're tired of the process, too."
Weber said he doesn't think it's difficult for schools up north like Ohio State to recruit players from the South. He said that college coaches are realistic, and expect to only get one or two out-of-state players.
Tressel said it hasn't been a tough process trying to recruit players from the South to play at Ohio State.
He feels like Ohio, Florida, California, Texas and Georgia are some of the most heavily recruited states in the country.
"Kids are interested in opportunities," Tressel said, "and they're interested in academics and an opportunity to play. A lot of people who haven't experienced something else really are open to going to us and having a chance to see another part of the world.
"They know that if they're lucky enough to go to the NFL, they won't get to choose what part of the country they go to; they're going to be assigned there. It's not ironic that Ohio State and Florida are meeting in the championship, because we come from a couple of the greatest states for recruiting."
 
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Keith Jackson speaks on Tressel:

On Tressel abstaining from voting:

"I think Tressel did the right thing," he replies.

That would be Ohio State's Jim Tressel, who abstained from voting in the final USA Today poll. Jackson says he will follow that example.
Click to expand...

On who got his #1 vote for Coach of the Year:

My Coach of the Year vote went to Tressel, whose Buckeyes thrived despite losing five first-round draft picks to the NFL.
Click to expand...

Link
 
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