In what may be the perfect summation of college football today, former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel was celebrated Saturday during the Buckeyes' 26-21 victory over Michigan even though it was his breaking of NCAA rules that led to the program's current postseason ban. That sanction cost 12-0 Ohio State a spot in the Big Ten title game and perhaps a shot at a national championship.
If you'd think being responsible for such a mess would keep a person from the stadium, let alone being lifted in the air to the roaring delight of over 100,000 fans in attendance, well, you don't understand college football.
Ex-OSU coach Jim Tressel gathers with members of his '02 national championship team on Saturday . (AP)
Nothing makes sense except this: losing is about the only thing that creates boos and pretty much nothing you can do will make you less popular than the NCAA rulebook.
Tressel was fired in May 2011, the fallout of a scandal in which the chief violation was his failure to report to his own bosses and the NCAA a reliable tip that some of his players were trading memorabilia for tattoos at a local parlor. The NCAA determined that eight players, including star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, were involved, receiving some $14,000 in cash and tattoos. PS - The Walmart foto is a fake.
