THE Ohio State Prevaricator

48 Hrs.

The Prince of Tides.

The Mug Shot.

Nick Nolte is a classic.

I’m not sure where he ranks as an all-timer.

But he’s definitely been in some pretty good.

Some even great, movies.

I’m not sure if Siskel or Ebert called Blue Chips “great”.

But I really enjoyed it.

The year was 1994.

The cast was overstuffed like a Wendy’s baked potato.

Overstuffed with athletes looking to dip their foot in the acting pool.

Shaq.

Penny Hardaway.

Bobby Hurley.

Allan Houston.

Rick Fox.

James Caviezel.

You know Caviezel.

He’s the guy listed on the imdb Blue Chips credits as:

“Basketball Player (uncredited)”.

Or maybe you know him for the role he played ten years later.

JESUS.

Talk about an upgrade.

Well Blue Chips was a very entertaining.

High action.

Sports Movie.

Turned drama.

It basically took you behind the scenes of a major college basketball program. 

And the pressure it takes to succeed.

For all parties.

Especially the head coach.

Played by Nolte.

And how the bad side of college athletics can overtake the good side.

With the snap of a finger.

Or the pen on a checkbook.

Pete Bell, Nolte’s character, didn’t start off as a bad guy.

But when the movie was over.

So was his career.

I’ve never met Jim Tressel.

And other than his vest.

And his win-loss record.

I don’t know much about the man.

But I think it’s pretty fitting that he resigned on Memorial Day.

Because his days as a respected coach.

And a respected man.

Are now just a memory.

I’m sure we will learn plenty more about what he knew.

And what he did.

And what he didn’t do.

But here’s all that matters...

Jim Tressel is no longer the head football coach at THE Ohio State University.

One of the most prestigious and pressure packed jobs in the country.

On the surface the allegations seems pretty weak.

To me.

A couple of his players sold their autographs to get free tattoos.

Come on, who hasn’t done that?

Well that may have been the crime.

But it wasn’t the problem.

The problem was the fact that Tressel knew the NCAA rules.

And he knew that the players had broken the NCAA rules.

And he made a point to not tell anyone.

Tressel knew about his little cheaters (at least) four months before the 2010 season even started.

And he chose to protect his little cheaters.

Instead of protecting his integrity.

It’s all on email.

(Note to self:  delete those eight emails to you know who about you know what.)

Where was I?

Oh yeah.

I think the word is....

LIAR!

CHEATER!

DIRTY RULE-BREAKING PREVARICATOR*!

(*-courtesy thesaurus.com)

Take your pick.

That’s Jim Tressel.

In the world of “win at all costs” major college football.

Tressel tried to win at all costs.

And he lost.

He lost the biggest game of his life.

He lost his credibility.

He lost his reputation.

He lost his job.

And now the flood gates have opened.

Like a tattoo of Niagara Falls.

Sports Illustrated, the iconic magazine that spent the last ten years praising Tressel.

They are now telling the truth.

This week they reported that AT LEAST 28 of Tressel’s Buckeyes have traded their stuff for free perks.

As far back as 2002.

Tressel’s second year with Ohio State.

I think it was Maria Shriver who once said, “once a cheater, always a cheater.”

I’m not sure if she was talking about Tressel.

But all of those great Ohio State teams.

And all of those great Ohio State wins.

You can put a giant red*next to all of them.

Just like Barry Bonds.

And Mark McGwire.

And all of the other prevaricators before them.

There may come a day when the Western University Dolphins would hire Jim Tressel.

And there may come a day when Jim Tressel would be hired by the Western University Dolphins.

But there will never come a day when Jim Tressel gets a clean slate.

And he’s got nobody to blame.

But Jim Tressel.