Exactly, and recall that there was a 5 star recruit in that class at the linebacker position that was causing all sorts of comotion on BN about possibly commiting to Nebraska over OSU.
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Exactly, and recall that there was a 5 star recruit in that class at the linebacker position that was causing all sorts of comotion on BN about possibly commiting to Nebraska over OSU.
WestEnd
look ma no shoelaces, and I'm down with the KIIING
I love how the internet has turned recruiting into a horse race. This article is just geared up to generate more interest in sites like rivals. As if JT checked rivals, saw that _ichigan's class was ahead of us, and decided, "boy, I've really got to close the deal on some recruits quickly so we can close the gap before the silent period arrives" ... riiiiight. Some kids decide early, some kids decide late. The notion that a coach is better at communicating with recruits in the summer as opposed to january is so ridiculous. Talking about coaches that "can't close" or coaches that are "great closers" is just stupid. It depends way more on the recruits.
Just because Browning and Rose decided to wait till jan to tell rivals where they going ... or guys like Aram Olsen didn't really start looking at colleges till later on in the fall, and bang ... now all of a sudden JT is a great closer??!?! HA!
Some years the recruits that decide now when there is more attention on them will pick the bucks and some years they won't. (PERIOD). The reasons that make kids decide now are different from each recruit to each recruit.
this is just a small excerpt of a much larger rant I have on recruiting websites, but I figured the title of this thread could excuse me.
Anyway, I love this recruiting class too and can't wait to see who impresses in the fall!
Just because Browning and Rose decided to wait till jan to tell rivals where they going ... or guys like Aram Olsen didn't really start looking at colleges till later on in the fall, and bang ... now all of a sudden JT is a great closer??!?! HA!
Some years the recruits that decide now when there is more attention on them will pick the bucks and some years they won't. (PERIOD). The reasons that make kids decide now are different from each recruit to each recruit.
this is just a small excerpt of a much larger rant I have on recruiting websites, but I figured the title of this thread could excuse me.
Anyway, I love this recruiting class too and can't wait to see who impresses in the fall!
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Looks like he's ready to make a late night munchie run to White Castle.
Perhaps that is Tressel's secret to understanding Buckeye tradition? He has accessed the force! Sliders rule!
No, Jim, stay away from the dark side, Domino's money goes to Michigan. That's right. Seek to use the force, leave your money in Columbus!
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HineyBuck
Old newb
Got this today in on-line news from Ohio State. Nice essay written by JT himself.
http://www.ohiostatealumni.org/newscenter/essay.php
WE ARE FAMILY
Football coach Jim Tressel learned early in life that Buckeye passion can be a beautiful thing.
My dad was a Buckeye through and through.
Like me, he was a football coach, and that kept him busy in the fall.
But his season ended before Ohio State and Michigan played, so when I was a kid he always made sure we watched that game together.
Dad had grown up as a fan of Ohio State, and he played for the Buckeyes before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. Later, even as he was guiding his teams at Baldwin-Wallace, he always had one eye on what Woody Hayes was doing down in Columbus.
The passion Dad showed for Ohio State resonated with me. I can’t say I understood at first, but I realized early on that the Buckeyes were something special, something more than a team. They were a rallying point for the entire state and a unifying factor for fans of every generation.
I became a full-fledged Buckeye fan when I was in junior high school. The teams during those years were among the best in Ohio State history. In 1968 they earned the national championship. I recall picking up the Cleveland Plain Dealer the morning after the Buckeyes won the title by beating Southern California in the Rose Bowl. A photo of quarterback Rex Kern was on the front page. He was holding the Rose Bowl MVP football in one hand and a Bible in the other. That really struck me.
Rex was one of my first sports heroes. I liked what he was about. He was the consummate leader, and it was clear he had the respect of his teammates.
In many ways, I think Rex personifies what a Buckeye should be. He played hard and fair on the field and lived a good life off the field.
That’s something I teach my players, and something I hope our fans have learned. If they’re going to be good Buckeyes, they need to be good sports. Like our players, we want our fans to make things tough on the other team, but in a sportsmanlike way that reflects class and dignity.
As a coach, I have a special responsibility for upholding Ohio State’s great traditions, both on and off the field. Believe me, I think about that every day. I know there’s a huge Buckeye family out there watching, and I don’t want to let that family down.
Generation after generation of people root for the Buckeyes with a passion that has been passed down like a valuable family heirloom.
But unlike an heirloom, this passion is a living thing. It lives in the enthusiasm of the tens of thousands of fans who crowd into Ohio Stadium every football Saturday. It lives in the people throughout the world who are dedicated to this great university. It lived in my father as he cheered his team, his Buckeyes, to victory over Michigan.
One of the best parts of my job is that I get to meet Ohio State fans from all walks of life. I’m always amazed at the stories they tell of how their family and friends have been drawn together by their love of the Buckeyes.
Truly, it’s all about family—a family I’m privileged to call my own.
Jim Tressel
This essay appears in the January/February 2006 issue of Ohio State Alumni Magazine. In addition, the issue features a story on fans, fanatics, and our in-your-face culture. The magazine is a benefit of membership in the Alumni Association. Learn more about the benefits of membership and how you can make Ohio State stronger at membership services, or call 1-800-762-JOIN.
http://www.ohiostatealumni.org/newscenter/essay.php
WE ARE FAMILY
Football coach Jim Tressel learned early in life that Buckeye passion can be a beautiful thing.
My dad was a Buckeye through and through.
Like me, he was a football coach, and that kept him busy in the fall.
But his season ended before Ohio State and Michigan played, so when I was a kid he always made sure we watched that game together.
Dad had grown up as a fan of Ohio State, and he played for the Buckeyes before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. Later, even as he was guiding his teams at Baldwin-Wallace, he always had one eye on what Woody Hayes was doing down in Columbus.
The passion Dad showed for Ohio State resonated with me. I can’t say I understood at first, but I realized early on that the Buckeyes were something special, something more than a team. They were a rallying point for the entire state and a unifying factor for fans of every generation.
I became a full-fledged Buckeye fan when I was in junior high school. The teams during those years were among the best in Ohio State history. In 1968 they earned the national championship. I recall picking up the Cleveland Plain Dealer the morning after the Buckeyes won the title by beating Southern California in the Rose Bowl. A photo of quarterback Rex Kern was on the front page. He was holding the Rose Bowl MVP football in one hand and a Bible in the other. That really struck me.
Rex was one of my first sports heroes. I liked what he was about. He was the consummate leader, and it was clear he had the respect of his teammates.
In many ways, I think Rex personifies what a Buckeye should be. He played hard and fair on the field and lived a good life off the field.
That’s something I teach my players, and something I hope our fans have learned. If they’re going to be good Buckeyes, they need to be good sports. Like our players, we want our fans to make things tough on the other team, but in a sportsmanlike way that reflects class and dignity.
As a coach, I have a special responsibility for upholding Ohio State’s great traditions, both on and off the field. Believe me, I think about that every day. I know there’s a huge Buckeye family out there watching, and I don’t want to let that family down.
Generation after generation of people root for the Buckeyes with a passion that has been passed down like a valuable family heirloom.
But unlike an heirloom, this passion is a living thing. It lives in the enthusiasm of the tens of thousands of fans who crowd into Ohio Stadium every football Saturday. It lives in the people throughout the world who are dedicated to this great university. It lived in my father as he cheered his team, his Buckeyes, to victory over Michigan.
One of the best parts of my job is that I get to meet Ohio State fans from all walks of life. I’m always amazed at the stories they tell of how their family and friends have been drawn together by their love of the Buckeyes.
Truly, it’s all about family—a family I’m privileged to call my own.
Jim Tressel
This essay appears in the January/February 2006 issue of Ohio State Alumni Magazine. In addition, the issue features a story on fans, fanatics, and our in-your-face culture. The magazine is a benefit of membership in the Alumni Association. Learn more about the benefits of membership and how you can make Ohio State stronger at membership services, or call 1-800-762-JOIN.
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How lucky are we to have JT?
Just a little historical perspective...the other notable Buckeye coaches, and some coaches of note's first five years....
Francis A. Scmidt tOSU 1934-38
7-1, 7-1, 5-3, 6-2, 4-3-1= 29-10-1 (.744)
Paul Brown tOSU (3 yrs) 1941-43
6-1-1, 9-1, 3-6= 18-8-1 (.692) 1 Nat'l Title
Woody Hayes tOSU 1951-55
4-3-2, 6-3, 6-3, 10-0, 7-2= 33-11-2 (.750) 1 Nat'l Title
Earle Bruce tOSU 1979-83
11-1, 9-3, 9-3, 9-3, 9-3= 47-13 (.783) 1 Near Miss
John Cooper tOSU 1988-1992
4-6-1, 8-4, 7-4-1, 8-4, 8-3-1= 35-21-3 (.625)
Bo Schembechler scUM 1969-73
8-3, 9-1, 11-1, 10-1, 10-0-1= 48-6-1 (.889) 0 Nat'l Titles
LLoyd Carr scUM 1995-99
9-4, 8-4, 12-0, 10-3, 10-2= 49-13 (.790) 1 Shared Nat'l Title(3rd)
Mack Brown Texas 1998-2002
9-3, 9-5, 9-3, 11-2, 11-2= 49-15 (.766) 0 Nat'l Titles til '05(8th)
Bob Stoops OU 1999-2003
7-5, 13-0, 11-2, 11-2, 12-2= 54-11 (.831) 1 Nat'l Title(2nd)
Steve Spurrier Florida 1990-94
9-2, 10-2, 9-4, 11-2, 10-2-1= 49-12-1 (.803) 0 Nat'l Titles til '96(7th)
Bobby Bowden FSU 1976-80
5-6, 10-2, 8-3, 11-1, 10-2= 44-14 (.759) 0 Nat'l Titles til '93(18th)
Tom Osborne Nebraska 1973-77
9-2-1, 9-3, 10-2, 9-3-1, 9-3= 46-13-2 (.779) 0 Nat'l Titles til '94(22nd)
Pete Carroll USC 2001-2006
6-6, 11-2, 12-1, 13-0, 12-1= 54-10 (.844) 1 Nat'l Title (1 Shared, first 3rd year)
Joe Paterno PSU 1966-70
5-5, 8-2-1, 11-0, 11-0, 7-3= 42-10-1 (.808) 0 Nat'l Titles til '82(17th)
Vince Dooley Georgia 1964-68
7-3-1, 6-4, 10-1, 7-4, 8-1-2= 38-13-3 (.745) 0 Nat' Titles til '80(17th)
Paul "Bear" Bryant Alabama 1958-62
5-4-1, 7-2-2, 8-1-2, 11-0, 10-1= 41-8-5 (.837) 1 Nat'l Title in 4th Year
Jim Tressel tOSU 2001-2005
7-5, 14-0, 11-2, 8-4, 10-2= 50-13 (.794) 1 Nat'l Title(2nd)
Just a brief perspective of how JT has done compared to some of the prominent coaches of our time and throughout history. Him and Bobby Stoops both won titles in year two. A great deal of credit to both coaches. Stoops was taking over a moribound OU program that had suffered through a decade of mediocrity, and JT took over our beloved Buckeyes after the Cooper era had bottomed out. JT deserves some special recognition for leading his squad to the only 14-0 record in Division 1 history. Bo's record through his first five years is truly remarkable, but he won zero National titles, and would remain without one after 21 years at _ichigan. Carr won a shared title in his third season with an undeniably fantastic scUM team, but has not been competitive since. Mack Brown developed a rep for losing the big one until this season (his eighth). Spurrier and Bowden both had significant success down there with that "Florida Speed", but Spurrier took seven and Bowden eighteen years to win a national title . Osborne took 22 years to get a ring, and put together a string of 9-3 type seasons to start his career. You can't deny what Pete Carroll has done in LA. He has awakened a sleeping giant. His detractors could argue that "anyone can recruit in LA', and that may be true, but several failed before him. Finally a couple of legends in Georgia's Vince Dooley and 'Bama's "Bear" Bryant. JT compares favoriably to both. Bryant has him in win percentage, but took two additional seasons to win a national title.
The bottom line of this post is that you can see that JT is comparable to some of the greats of all time. Not just at Ohio State, but in all of CFB. He has taken our beloved Buckeyes to new heights, and he does it without shying away from top notch competition. All of these coaches listed above have a place in history, and I can say with confidence that JT will be mentioned with the greats one day. We have witnessed over his five years in Columbus a stoic presence on the sidelines, and a remarkable ability to step up in the big games. I can't wait to see what the next five years hold for Buckeye football, because I have a feeling it just might surpass the past five. Is it September Yet? GO BUCKS! :osu:
Just a little historical perspective...the other notable Buckeye coaches, and some coaches of note's first five years....
Francis A. Scmidt tOSU 1934-38
7-1, 7-1, 5-3, 6-2, 4-3-1= 29-10-1 (.744)
Paul Brown tOSU (3 yrs) 1941-43
6-1-1, 9-1, 3-6= 18-8-1 (.692) 1 Nat'l Title
Woody Hayes tOSU 1951-55
4-3-2, 6-3, 6-3, 10-0, 7-2= 33-11-2 (.750) 1 Nat'l Title
Earle Bruce tOSU 1979-83
11-1, 9-3, 9-3, 9-3, 9-3= 47-13 (.783) 1 Near Miss
John Cooper tOSU 1988-1992
4-6-1, 8-4, 7-4-1, 8-4, 8-3-1= 35-21-3 (.625)
Bo Schembechler scUM 1969-73
8-3, 9-1, 11-1, 10-1, 10-0-1= 48-6-1 (.889) 0 Nat'l Titles
LLoyd Carr scUM 1995-99
9-4, 8-4, 12-0, 10-3, 10-2= 49-13 (.790) 1 Shared Nat'l Title(3rd)
Mack Brown Texas 1998-2002
9-3, 9-5, 9-3, 11-2, 11-2= 49-15 (.766) 0 Nat'l Titles til '05(8th)
Bob Stoops OU 1999-2003
7-5, 13-0, 11-2, 11-2, 12-2= 54-11 (.831) 1 Nat'l Title(2nd)
Steve Spurrier Florida 1990-94
9-2, 10-2, 9-4, 11-2, 10-2-1= 49-12-1 (.803) 0 Nat'l Titles til '96(7th)
Bobby Bowden FSU 1976-80
5-6, 10-2, 8-3, 11-1, 10-2= 44-14 (.759) 0 Nat'l Titles til '93(18th)
Tom Osborne Nebraska 1973-77
9-2-1, 9-3, 10-2, 9-3-1, 9-3= 46-13-2 (.779) 0 Nat'l Titles til '94(22nd)
Pete Carroll USC 2001-2006
6-6, 11-2, 12-1, 13-0, 12-1= 54-10 (.844) 1 Nat'l Title (1 Shared, first 3rd year)
Joe Paterno PSU 1966-70
5-5, 8-2-1, 11-0, 11-0, 7-3= 42-10-1 (.808) 0 Nat'l Titles til '82(17th)
Vince Dooley Georgia 1964-68
7-3-1, 6-4, 10-1, 7-4, 8-1-2= 38-13-3 (.745) 0 Nat' Titles til '80(17th)
Paul "Bear" Bryant Alabama 1958-62
5-4-1, 7-2-2, 8-1-2, 11-0, 10-1= 41-8-5 (.837) 1 Nat'l Title in 4th Year
Jim Tressel tOSU 2001-2005
7-5, 14-0, 11-2, 8-4, 10-2= 50-13 (.794) 1 Nat'l Title(2nd)
Just a brief perspective of how JT has done compared to some of the prominent coaches of our time and throughout history. Him and Bobby Stoops both won titles in year two. A great deal of credit to both coaches. Stoops was taking over a moribound OU program that had suffered through a decade of mediocrity, and JT took over our beloved Buckeyes after the Cooper era had bottomed out. JT deserves some special recognition for leading his squad to the only 14-0 record in Division 1 history. Bo's record through his first five years is truly remarkable, but he won zero National titles, and would remain without one after 21 years at _ichigan. Carr won a shared title in his third season with an undeniably fantastic scUM team, but has not been competitive since. Mack Brown developed a rep for losing the big one until this season (his eighth). Spurrier and Bowden both had significant success down there with that "Florida Speed", but Spurrier took seven and Bowden eighteen years to win a national title . Osborne took 22 years to get a ring, and put together a string of 9-3 type seasons to start his career. You can't deny what Pete Carroll has done in LA. He has awakened a sleeping giant. His detractors could argue that "anyone can recruit in LA', and that may be true, but several failed before him. Finally a couple of legends in Georgia's Vince Dooley and 'Bama's "Bear" Bryant. JT compares favoriably to both. Bryant has him in win percentage, but took two additional seasons to win a national title.
The bottom line of this post is that you can see that JT is comparable to some of the greats of all time. Not just at Ohio State, but in all of CFB. He has taken our beloved Buckeyes to new heights, and he does it without shying away from top notch competition. All of these coaches listed above have a place in history, and I can say with confidence that JT will be mentioned with the greats one day. We have witnessed over his five years in Columbus a stoic presence on the sidelines, and a remarkable ability to step up in the big games. I can't wait to see what the next five years hold for Buckeye football, because I have a feeling it just might surpass the past five. Is it September Yet? GO BUCKS! :osu:
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Captain Hindsight
The Hero of the Modern Age
You give Weis a month to plan out a game, and he will destroy Tressel and the Buckeyes.... It's just common sense. :tongue2:
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Link
2/5
TRESSEL'S GAME PLAN
OSU coach tells local Chamber success isn't just measured in wins
By L.B. WHYDE
Advocate Reporter <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="300"> <tbody><tr> <td class="caption" align="center" valign="top"> <script language="JavaScript"><!-- OAS_AD('x26'); //--> </script> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --> <!--ARTICLE LAYOUT - SIDEBAR--> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="story" bgcolor="#eeeeee" valign="top"> <!--MAIN PHOTO-->
Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel speaks during the Licking County Chamber of Commerce's 50th Annual Groundhog Breakfast on Thursday morning. <!--ADDITIONAL PHOTOS--> <!--MAIN FACTS BOX--> Tressel's tenure as OSU head coach
After five seasons as the head football coach at The Ohio State University, 51-year-old Jim Tressel has an overall record of 50-13, a perfect 14-0 season that included a Big Ten co-championship and the school's first national championship in 34 years, a 19-game winning streak, three victories in as many tries in BCS games, national coach of the year recognition and five bowl appearances.
Source: Ohio State University
<!--ADDITIONAL FACTS AND PHOTOS-->
Coach Tressel in his own words
On tradition:
"Challenge yourself to uphold the proud traditions of those who came before you. ... Make sure what we do from this point is to pay forward."
On battling back from tough losses:
"The media and everyone wanted to think the world had ended. We can't look at things that way. Where does it fit into the big picture?"
On halls of fame:
"The Hall of Fame is only good as long as the time shall be, but keep in mind God's Hall of Fame is eternity. ... God's Hall of Fame is about relationships. It's about serving."
On the 2006 season:
"We don't predict in this business. We let the media do that for us."
<!--RELATED PHOTO GALLERIES-->
Photo Galleries:
Groundhog Breakfast
<!--RELATED MULTIMEDIA ASSETS--> <!--RELATED EXTERNAL LINKS--> <!--RELATED ARTICLES-->
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <!-- ARTICLE TEXT --> <!--ARTICLE TEXT-->
NEWARK -- Young football players entering Ohio State University learn much more than how to block and catch a pass.
Their coach, Jim Tressel, teaches them to appreciate their lives and understand that success can be measured by more than just championships or beating Michigan four times in five years.
Those values and the success he's brought to Ohio State football helped get more than 1,000 people out of bed early Thursday as they squeezed into the pre-dawn 50th annual Licking County Chamber of Commerce Groundhog Breakfast. Just like they would at a football game, Tressel and his trademark sweater vest left to a standing ovation.
"I really believe that if we're grateful and have things in proper perspective and roll up your sleeves, then you can exceed expectations," Tressel said.
The coach works daily to make sure his young players understand Ohio State's traditions and conduct themselves with "an attitude of gratitude."
During a quiet time before 7 a.m. team workouts or practices, he requires players to write down something they're grateful for in their lives.
"Our young people need to understand that we are so fortunate," Tressel said. "You can handle any challenge if you understand you are fortunate. Then we make sure to go back to the fundamentals."
Whether times are good or tough, Tressel recommends sticking to the fundamentals and avoiding the wrong view of success, such as rankings, polls and media predictions.
"It's easy in this world to get caught up with the wrong perspective," he said.
He defined success in the words of legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, who once said "Success is the inner satisfaction of knowing I did the best I could possibly do." Tressel has amended the phrase to "best I could do for the group" in working with his players.
"The opportunity to play at Ohio State. Just start there. The opportunity to play at Ohio Stadium. Are you kidding me? We are so fortunate and we have to make sure our young people understand that."
Tressel, who just finished his sixth recruiting class at OSU Wednesday, described Thursday as his beginning to the fall season. Spring practice will begin in late March, leading up to the critical summer training period he refers to as the "bottom line" for mental and physical preparation.
Tressel admitted that he is not a business expert and not that familiar with GDP (gross domestic products), a key indicator for economic growth. He is more comfortable with GPAs and yards per carry.
But he compared the economic forecast for the upcoming year with his prospects of losing 11 players to the NFL draft.
"That's not super for the coach," Tressel said. "You lose 11 guys to the NFL, try that forecast. But that is also the fun of it, the challenge to replace players like A.J. Hawk, Nick Mangold and Santonio Holmes."
L.B Whyde can be reached at (740)328-8513 or [email protected]
2/5
TRESSEL'S GAME PLAN
OSU coach tells local Chamber success isn't just measured in wins
By L.B. WHYDE
Advocate Reporter <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="300"> <tbody><tr> <td class="caption" align="center" valign="top"> <script language="JavaScript"><!-- OAS_AD('x26'); //--> </script> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --> <!--ARTICLE LAYOUT - SIDEBAR--> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="story" bgcolor="#eeeeee" valign="top"> <!--MAIN PHOTO-->
Michael Lehmkuhle, The Advocate
Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel speaks during the Licking County Chamber of Commerce's 50th Annual Groundhog Breakfast on Thursday morning. <!--ADDITIONAL PHOTOS--> <!--MAIN FACTS BOX--> Tressel's tenure as OSU head coach
After five seasons as the head football coach at The Ohio State University, 51-year-old Jim Tressel has an overall record of 50-13, a perfect 14-0 season that included a Big Ten co-championship and the school's first national championship in 34 years, a 19-game winning streak, three victories in as many tries in BCS games, national coach of the year recognition and five bowl appearances.
Source: Ohio State University
Coach Tressel in his own words
On tradition:
"Challenge yourself to uphold the proud traditions of those who came before you. ... Make sure what we do from this point is to pay forward."
On battling back from tough losses:
"The media and everyone wanted to think the world had ended. We can't look at things that way. Where does it fit into the big picture?"
On halls of fame:
"The Hall of Fame is only good as long as the time shall be, but keep in mind God's Hall of Fame is eternity. ... God's Hall of Fame is about relationships. It's about serving."
On the 2006 season:
"We don't predict in this business. We let the media do that for us."
Photo Galleries:
Groundhog Breakfast
<!--RELATED MULTIMEDIA ASSETS--> <!--RELATED EXTERNAL LINKS--> <!--RELATED ARTICLES-->
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <!-- ARTICLE TEXT --> <!--ARTICLE TEXT-->
NEWARK -- Young football players entering Ohio State University learn much more than how to block and catch a pass.
Their coach, Jim Tressel, teaches them to appreciate their lives and understand that success can be measured by more than just championships or beating Michigan four times in five years.
Those values and the success he's brought to Ohio State football helped get more than 1,000 people out of bed early Thursday as they squeezed into the pre-dawn 50th annual Licking County Chamber of Commerce Groundhog Breakfast. Just like they would at a football game, Tressel and his trademark sweater vest left to a standing ovation.
"I really believe that if we're grateful and have things in proper perspective and roll up your sleeves, then you can exceed expectations," Tressel said.
The coach works daily to make sure his young players understand Ohio State's traditions and conduct themselves with "an attitude of gratitude."
During a quiet time before 7 a.m. team workouts or practices, he requires players to write down something they're grateful for in their lives.
"Our young people need to understand that we are so fortunate," Tressel said. "You can handle any challenge if you understand you are fortunate. Then we make sure to go back to the fundamentals."
Whether times are good or tough, Tressel recommends sticking to the fundamentals and avoiding the wrong view of success, such as rankings, polls and media predictions.
"It's easy in this world to get caught up with the wrong perspective," he said.
He defined success in the words of legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, who once said "Success is the inner satisfaction of knowing I did the best I could possibly do." Tressel has amended the phrase to "best I could do for the group" in working with his players.
"The opportunity to play at Ohio State. Just start there. The opportunity to play at Ohio Stadium. Are you kidding me? We are so fortunate and we have to make sure our young people understand that."
Tressel, who just finished his sixth recruiting class at OSU Wednesday, described Thursday as his beginning to the fall season. Spring practice will begin in late March, leading up to the critical summer training period he refers to as the "bottom line" for mental and physical preparation.
Tressel admitted that he is not a business expert and not that familiar with GDP (gross domestic products), a key indicator for economic growth. He is more comfortable with GPAs and yards per carry.
But he compared the economic forecast for the upcoming year with his prospects of losing 11 players to the NFL draft.
"That's not super for the coach," Tressel said. "You lose 11 guys to the NFL, try that forecast. But that is also the fun of it, the challenge to replace players like A.J. Hawk, Nick Mangold and Santonio Holmes."
L.B Whyde can be reached at (740)328-8513 or [email protected]
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0
Macon Telegraph
2/7
OSU fans turn out for Tressel at Macon Touchdown Club
By Michael A. Lough
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER
<!-- begin body-content --> A gathering of football fans in Macon will usually include a fair amount of red attire and some passion.
That was the case Monday night for the Macon Touchdown Club's year-end jamboree at the Methodist Home for Youth and Children. But in this case, the red was donned by a Buckeyes Nation that was more than adequately represented about 650 miles from its sacred ground of Columbus, Ohio.
It didn't seem like much of a road trip for Ohio State head football coach Jim Tressel, who spent nearly an hour overall signing autographs and talking with Buckeyes fans who turned out for the banquet honoring the club's Super Seven All-State team as well as local players and scholarship recipients.
Of course, another attraction was Peach County quarterback Antonio Henton, the club's State Player of the Year and a Buckeyes' recruit.
He got a nice welcome from his new fans, who quickly gave him a standing ovation when he was introduced.
"That made me feel even better," Henton said. "That shows me I made the right decision."
Nearly 150 Ohio State fans from around the state showed up to bond and listen to the coach they don't get to shake hands with very often.
"Every state we go to, it's just like that," Tressel said. "I don't care if it's Denver, Colorado, or Georgia or Florida. It's neat to get a chance to see the different alums throughout the country."
They were in mid-season, hating-Michigan form.
The father of Carlos Brown accepted his Super Seven plaque because his son couldn't attend. Why? He'd already enrolled at Michigan, the mere mention of which drew an immediate - and amusing - round of hissing and verbal disdain from the Buckeyes crowd.
Atlanta alumni chapter president Bill Gue went through Tressel's resumŽ, which includes NCAA Division I-AA national championships at Youngstown State as well as the I-A trophy at OSU in 2002 and assorted academic accomplishments of his team.
"And most important," Gue said before nearly being drowned out, "he's 4-1 against the Wolverines."
Which earned another roar.
Tressel attended with his wife Ellen and a chunk of his coaching staff: defensive backs coach Paul Haynes, who recruited Henton; passing game/quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels; and defensive grad assistant Paul Nichols, a Marist grad who is leaving OSU for a job at Marshall, which is coached by former Tressel defensive aide Mark Snyder.
Former Buckeyes linebacker Jim Laughlin, who played with the Falcons in the early and late 1980s, and ex-OSU assistant coach Dick Walker also were among those on hand.
Henton will be join on the OSU roster by the Atlanta trio of Michael Mattimoe and Anderson Russell from Marist and Brandon Mitchell from Mays.
Ohio State also has players from Louisiana, Texas and Florida. So how does OSU get into Fort Valley?
"We recruit nationally," Tressel said. "When we hear of the best of the best at a position, we go in and see if we can enter the battle. Sometimes we come in and we're fortunate."
Ohio State finished 10-2 and beat Notre Dame 34-20 in the Fiesta Bowl to finish fourth in the AP and coaches' polls. Tressel said anybody considering the Buckeyes as a national championship contender in 2006 isn't paying much attention.
"We lose seven seniors on defense, all of whom will probably be drafted," he said. "And two went out early, so that's nine. I don't see how you can talk about a national championship when you lose nine defenders."
But OSU has eight offensive starters back, not that Buckeyes fans are paying attention.
"At Ohio State, or at Georgia," he cracked before taking the lecturn, "you're supposed to win it every year."
The only Super Seven players attending was Irwin Co.'s Justin Anderson, donning a tie loaded with the Georgia G, Lovejoy's Mario Fannin and Kiante Tripp of Westlake.
Tressel had plenty of advice for the honorees, reminding them to always be grateful for the skills and talents they've been given. He told the large gathering of nearly 375 that the Buckeyes say a verse of a poem before hitting the field on Saturday.
" 'I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. And that I can do, I ought to do.
"'What I ought to do, by the grace of God, I shall do.'
"Really, what more could we ask of each other?" he said. "In this world, whatever it is we can do, that's what we ought to do. In this club, whatever it is I can do ... On our team, whatever my role is, whatever I'm capable of doing. ...
"That's the beauty of this great game: we depend upon one another, just like we do in life. One guy doing one role as well as I can possibly do it for the group."
2/7
OSU fans turn out for Tressel at Macon Touchdown Club
By Michael A. Lough
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER
<!-- begin body-content --> A gathering of football fans in Macon will usually include a fair amount of red attire and some passion.
That was the case Monday night for the Macon Touchdown Club's year-end jamboree at the Methodist Home for Youth and Children. But in this case, the red was donned by a Buckeyes Nation that was more than adequately represented about 650 miles from its sacred ground of Columbus, Ohio.
It didn't seem like much of a road trip for Ohio State head football coach Jim Tressel, who spent nearly an hour overall signing autographs and talking with Buckeyes fans who turned out for the banquet honoring the club's Super Seven All-State team as well as local players and scholarship recipients.
Of course, another attraction was Peach County quarterback Antonio Henton, the club's State Player of the Year and a Buckeyes' recruit.
He got a nice welcome from his new fans, who quickly gave him a standing ovation when he was introduced.
"That made me feel even better," Henton said. "That shows me I made the right decision."
Nearly 150 Ohio State fans from around the state showed up to bond and listen to the coach they don't get to shake hands with very often.
"Every state we go to, it's just like that," Tressel said. "I don't care if it's Denver, Colorado, or Georgia or Florida. It's neat to get a chance to see the different alums throughout the country."
They were in mid-season, hating-Michigan form.
The father of Carlos Brown accepted his Super Seven plaque because his son couldn't attend. Why? He'd already enrolled at Michigan, the mere mention of which drew an immediate - and amusing - round of hissing and verbal disdain from the Buckeyes crowd.
Atlanta alumni chapter president Bill Gue went through Tressel's resumŽ, which includes NCAA Division I-AA national championships at Youngstown State as well as the I-A trophy at OSU in 2002 and assorted academic accomplishments of his team.
"And most important," Gue said before nearly being drowned out, "he's 4-1 against the Wolverines."
Which earned another roar.
Tressel attended with his wife Ellen and a chunk of his coaching staff: defensive backs coach Paul Haynes, who recruited Henton; passing game/quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels; and defensive grad assistant Paul Nichols, a Marist grad who is leaving OSU for a job at Marshall, which is coached by former Tressel defensive aide Mark Snyder.
Former Buckeyes linebacker Jim Laughlin, who played with the Falcons in the early and late 1980s, and ex-OSU assistant coach Dick Walker also were among those on hand.
Henton will be join on the OSU roster by the Atlanta trio of Michael Mattimoe and Anderson Russell from Marist and Brandon Mitchell from Mays.
Ohio State also has players from Louisiana, Texas and Florida. So how does OSU get into Fort Valley?
"We recruit nationally," Tressel said. "When we hear of the best of the best at a position, we go in and see if we can enter the battle. Sometimes we come in and we're fortunate."
Ohio State finished 10-2 and beat Notre Dame 34-20 in the Fiesta Bowl to finish fourth in the AP and coaches' polls. Tressel said anybody considering the Buckeyes as a national championship contender in 2006 isn't paying much attention.
"We lose seven seniors on defense, all of whom will probably be drafted," he said. "And two went out early, so that's nine. I don't see how you can talk about a national championship when you lose nine defenders."
But OSU has eight offensive starters back, not that Buckeyes fans are paying attention.
"At Ohio State, or at Georgia," he cracked before taking the lecturn, "you're supposed to win it every year."
The only Super Seven players attending was Irwin Co.'s Justin Anderson, donning a tie loaded with the Georgia G, Lovejoy's Mario Fannin and Kiante Tripp of Westlake.
Tressel had plenty of advice for the honorees, reminding them to always be grateful for the skills and talents they've been given. He told the large gathering of nearly 375 that the Buckeyes say a verse of a poem before hitting the field on Saturday.
" 'I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. And that I can do, I ought to do.
"'What I ought to do, by the grace of God, I shall do.'
"Really, what more could we ask of each other?" he said. "In this world, whatever it is we can do, that's what we ought to do. In this club, whatever it is I can do ... On our team, whatever my role is, whatever I'm capable of doing. ...
"That's the beauty of this great game: we depend upon one another, just like we do in life. One guy doing one role as well as I can possibly do it for the group."
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Here...the above article has been up since early this morning. We can stop posting it in the Henton thread now please...3 times is enough.
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Moose
Back on track baby!!!!!!!!
Great info through out the JT thread. Nice job guys. Tressel has quietly been removing the little bit of tarnish that the football program had. I mean, you can see it in the way these athletes are carrying themselves on the field. Attitude has changed as well. I know we've had bumps along the way, but it has been a learning curve. JT has remained pretty steady. Its nice to see that in him. I know he's not perfect, but I like his swagger.
Go Buckeyes!
Go Buckeyes!
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GBW response to the Tressel speech
Looks like it's getting under their skin (their moderator is even taking cheapshots)
Looks like it's getting under their skin (their moderator is even taking cheapshots)
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I think continually being out of the Nat'l Title hunt in September, string of 3+ loss seasons, being dominated by Jim Tressel and string of assistant coaches fleeing like rats from a sinking ship will take care of that.
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I think continually being out of the Nat'l Title hunt in September, string of 3+ loss seasons, being dominated by Jim Tressel and string of assistant coaches fleeing like rats from a sinking ship will take care of that.
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