Tressel bitching starts in Columbus
All I can say is, I hope they are dumb enough to be unhappy with him. Talk about the 24 hour news cycle mentality of America.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/ncaa/09/15/tressel-fans…
September 15th, 2009 at 5:50 PM ^
I have heard a couple of buckeye fans bitch about him this week. It's kind of annoying. You barely lost to USC and, as much as I hate to say it, he has solidified OSU as a powerful program. Sure, maybe he made some bad choices during some games and you lose every big game, but he's not a bad coach. Who are you going to get that's better anyways?
September 15th, 2009 at 11:00 PM ^
would have given him a 10 year extension!
September 16th, 2009 at 12:00 AM ^
I think it's got to be frustrating, though, for the reasons you mentioned. No, he's by no means a bad coach, but he's unable to win when it really counts. Nor is he able to take the talent he has in front of him and use it in the best possible way. It sounds really foolish to talk about firing him, but were we in the same position, I think we'd be griping too.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:54 PM ^
I just love that some of the mouth breathing Ohio State fans have turned their ire inward. They're dumb, because Tressel is clearly a fine coach, but hey, if they want to freak out, let them.
In fact, let's stoke the flames of unrest at every opportunity. The more internal problems OSU has, the better.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:56 PM ^
I am at Ohio State every week and have many friends there. They are screaming. They are pissed.
This from one guy: "Even I could tell that this gameplan was absolute shit, and you've heard me say for the last few Bollman is shit- can't run a Shit Boom Herron up the middle ten times. We're in for bad times ahead while Michigan is only getting better. Worm has finally turned."
Emphasis mine, but how nice is that to read? Still a ways to go, but...
September 15th, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^
Seriously. I was reading the OSU free scout boards (Hineygate) and literally 2/3 of the people want him to be fired or hire a new OC. Talk about wild.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:59 PM ^
This is hardly any different than how our fans reacted in the late Carr years. Very few OSU fans actually want Tressel fired. They just wish he'd change the way he calls plays or simply give up playcalling responsibilities. I don't blame them. Like Carr, Tressel is obviously good at most aspects of his job but doesn't seem to be that good of an offensive strategist, and his program seems to have plateaued as a consequence.
The (traditional) media enjoys mocking the intelligence of fans and reducing their concerns into straw-man arguments. (Maybe that's another reason why it's losing market share.) Michigan fans didn't force Carr out, nor were we wholeheartedly in love with his coaching philosophy, yet journalists continually pump one of those two storylines. Most of us were in between those extremes.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:52 PM ^
I was pissed the last four years of Carr's tenure at UM. The game was so obviously passing him by and the people who signed his paycheck didn't seem to care because the stadium was full every Saturday and the contributions kept coming in.
Tressel is in almost exactly the same position Carr was four years ago, except his teams don't lose as many games per year yet. Carr was losing about 3.5 per year; Tressel seems to be losing about 2.5.
If Tressel stays, he WILL start losing to RR, and that will take his loss average up to 3.5, which will then look remarkably like Carr's. I hope Tressel stays long enough to "even" his record against UM. There is something inside of me that doesn't ever want an ex-OSU head coach to run around saying he had a winning record against UM.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:05 PM ^
in 2006 when they were playing for a spot in the National Championship game? Also, Michigan would have to beat Ohio State 6 straight times for Tressel's record to be "evened." Call me crazy, but if Rodriguez EQUALS Tressel's accomplishments over his first 8 seasons, I will be ecstatic.
And for the record, I fucking hate Tressel. But let's have a little perspective.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:01 PM ^
I (for one) wasn't pissed while they were playing for a spot in the NC. It wasn't until January that year...when I was snapped back into reality watching them, one game removed from a championship, getting waxed yet again in Pasadena by USC.
Watching Dwayne Jarrett hand Willis Barringer the ball after repeatedly catching it right in his face woke me up to the fact that, yes, Lloyd needs to ride off now...
September 15th, 2009 at 10:26 PM ^
Completely agree. Lloyd's time had passed and the whole year of 2007 proved it, from the aforementioned bowl game to the finale against OSU. That year was filled with piss poor execution and effort and seemed directly attributable to LC.
One other memory from the USC game- It was the day that made me never forgive AND despise Morgan Trent. I can't even stand to hear his name to this day.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:12 PM ^
You are one person. Nowhere did I say that no one wanted him gone during that time.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:58 PM ^
He's a great recruiter. He's a reasonably solid gameplanner, especially when he focuses all year on one team, unfortunately.
He is not, however, a good game coach. He makes Lloyd look like Les Miles sometimes.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:02 PM ^
but after reading Smart Football's complete teardown of Tressel
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Deconstruct…
I think OSU fans have a bone to pick with their sweatervested leader. Either Tressel had no idea what was going on schematically or Pryor didn't. Neither of those is a good thing.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:31 PM ^
if Doc Saturday is right, then Tressel remaining at OSU is to our GREAT ADVANTAGE. I can't see the things that Doc Sat does -- but if he's even half right, we are golden!
September 15th, 2009 at 8:13 PM ^
I'm going to say it's more TP than the Vest.
On the early interception by TP vs USC, the commentators talked about how he had decided he was going to throw the ball to Posey. That was all there was to it.
He was going to get Posey the ball.
When the ball was snapped, he dropped back looking to Posey. When Posey ran his route, TP watched him. When Posey was out 15 yards or so, the ball went into the air. Not to take anything away from USC's LB, but it was telegraphed all the way by TP.
It doesn't appear he is able to make any reads or go through his progression. He just picks before the play starts and throws the ball accordingly.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:05 PM ^
I'm all for firing him. Then they might suck.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:11 PM ^
Listening to Rivals Radio on Sirius yesterday on the way home from work they had a few fans calling in to complain about the conservative nature of Tresselball. One fan even mentioned the "F" word. Hilarious. These people really have lost their grip with reality.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:13 PM ^
Tressel doesn't seem to be under any illusions as to who his constituency is:
"You felt like it's been a nine-year honeymoon?" he repeated on Tuesday. "You must not have liked your honeymoon."
AND...
"When I read some of them I feel terrible for them because there's no way they're happy," he said. "They've got to be some of the most unhappy people in the world, and I feel bad because we just made them less happy, and I hate to be a part of making someone less happy. I mean, they're already miserable."
September 15th, 2009 at 6:42 PM ^
...last year for saying roughly the same thing about Michigan fans that Tressel is saying about his?
September 15th, 2009 at 10:36 PM ^
Reading the quotes from Tressel reminded me of something Pitino said during his darkest days as the Boston Celtics HC. Something to the effect of "Larry Bird & Kevin McHale aren't going to come walking back through the door" in response to how angry the fans were with the Celtics performance under his direction. Celtics fans still hate him for saying it. Not that he cares but Tressel's statement will get him more backlash than support. Right or wrong, he will hear plenty of boos if he makes similar calls in other close games this year.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:31 PM ^
Envisioning his season end this way:
Nov 7 @ Penn State (L)
Nov 14 Iowa (L)
Nov 21 @ Michigan (L)
September 15th, 2009 at 6:28 PM ^
if Doc Saturday is right, then Tressel remaining at OSU is to our GREAT ADVANTAGE. I can't see the things that Doc Sat does -- but if he's even half right, we are golden!
September 15th, 2009 at 6:39 PM ^
There isn't a single negative to OSU running Tressel out of town.
Putting the cart in front of the horse. Let's beat him a time or two first...
September 15th, 2009 at 6:39 PM ^
tOSU fans had t-shirts that said "In Tressel We Trust," what a bunch of copiers. Who does that? Wait, nevermind, everybody copies, steals, murders, etc.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:02 AM ^
Also, I guess they missed the part where Rod is one letter off of ...
Oh, never mind, I don't expect them to know what their coins say.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:47 PM ^
The people who are bitching about the OSU program will never be happy about anything. OSU is one of maybe 5 elite programs in the country, and they're not likely to do better than him as a coach.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:05 PM ^
I'm sure that when it comes down to it, the same fans calling for Tressel's head are the same ones who at our program wanted Rodriguez out after one year.
No logic in their statements and they just sound ignorant. They are your casual moronic sports fan who have no reason to say the things they are saying. But lest, this is why they are sports fans and the people in power (over sports) are professionals.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:42 PM ^
would be great if they actually fired him...It will be a happy day for me when I dont have to watch the nasty sweatervest roam those sidelines
September 15th, 2009 at 8:06 PM ^
that we did the same thing with RR wen he was proven at other schools. maybe not on MGoBlog but those Dumbass fans who dont know crap maybe its those same type of fans complaining at OSU. if it is Jimmy is safe if its more than that like the OSU geeks and alum(more than a few that was mentioned in the article) than hes in trouble especially if they dont go perfect in the Big 10 which they should hopefully not tho
September 15th, 2009 at 8:22 PM ^
I was at my bank Monday morning and listened to two buckeye fans talk about TP and how he doesn't look very good. AND THEN, one said to the other did you watch Michigan Norte Dame, that Forcier kid SCARES ME. On the radio driving home buccky radio honk stated that tOSU will lose to Michigan this year. It was a good day to be me.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:09 PM ^
I think it drives OSU fans crazy when they have no one except for themselves to blame for their loss. Usually they can rally behind blaming some outside factor that "wronged them". Now they are going against each other. It couldn't have been set up better for them either. They were playing at home, at night, with crazy, loud fans, against a true freshman QB, without their top returning receiver and most of their defensive starters gone. They aren't going to get another opportunity against a higher ranked opponent with so many things going against them for a long time, if ever. Granted, perhaps no one reloads quite like USC, but the Buckeyes like to claim the best recruiting classes while looking through their scarlet colored glasses.
I think 90% of Buckeye Nation will be on suicide watch if they lose to another true freshman QB this year, especially if its a Meeechigan QB!
September 15th, 2009 at 9:21 PM ^
Let's not forget:
This is the school that was dumb enough to be unhappy with Earle Bruce, who was 81-26-1 (0.750), finished 1st or 2nd in the conference in 6 of 9 years, went 5-4 in bowls, and was just one year removed from a final top ten ranking. His sin? Going 4-4 in 1987. He even won his last game against U-M (after being fired).
This is the school that was dumb enough to be unhappy with John Cooper, who was 111-43-4 (0.702), finished 1st or 2nd in the conference in 7 of 13 years, placed five teams in the final top ten, and coached two Heisman winners. Okay, so he was 3-8 in bowls (many of which were decided by only a TD). Am I leaving anything out?*
To quote Brad Pitt's character in Spy Game, "We have some f.cked up barometer for success, don't we?"
*sarcasm
September 15th, 2009 at 9:32 PM ^
The only thing I would say is that pretty much can be said to all of those Michigan fans who continually bitch about Lloyd Carr. Very similar overall stats: 120-40 over 13 seasons (better than Cooper), coached a Heisman winner, finished 1st or 2nd in the conference 9 of 13 years, six Top 10 finishes, one National Championship.
I'm happy that Lloyd Carr got to retire when he wanted to. What frustrates me is all the Carr bashers who either have too much tunnel vision or just don't recognize that a REALLY big reason why a great coach like Rodriguez wanted to come to Ann Arbor is the 40 seasons that preceded his first. I guess I'm just one of those Michigan fans who is damn proud of the programs coaching lineage, as well as really fucking excited about it's current one.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:02 PM ^
whoever negged you for this post is a puppy-punter. The similarities are outstanding between Tress and Carr. Carr beat up on Cooper along the way on his storied career, having won a NC and coached a Heisman winner. Tress beat up on Carr along the way...well, ditto it.
For both of them, the remedy is/was simple: new blood. Had Carr been more open to innovation (introducing the read option during his own tenure perhaps?), I speculate things would be much different in Ann Arbor right now. Carr needed an innovator at OC and he didn't have it. Now, it looks like Tressel needs an innovator (or at least some competence) at OC...so, let's see where it goes.
There's no room for broadcasting your plays ahead of the snap in today's college football landscape. This happened way too much against USC. OSU had the matchups, but they were simply outmaneuvered.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:22 PM ^
OSU fans are putting Tressel in the same position that Carr was in - you won a national championship once, why can't you do it every year?
Tressel had locked out UM from recruiting in Ohio, beat us - what - 6 times in a row now (granted some games were close, but still he beat us)? So they haven't been able to win some bowl games, geez, they won't be happy unless they go 13-0 every year.
This reminds me of Nebraska pushing Frank Solich out for going 9-3... go head OSU, get rid of Tressel, at your own peril.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:47 PM ^
Bill Callahan is available, if they're interested.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:25 PM ^
but so is Brian Kelly. And Ohio State won't give a FUCK about his history.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:07 PM ^
I don't know if this has been posted already, but:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Deconstruct…
Excellent article on the Ohio State offense this weekend (and to top it off, some nice analysis of the genius of Rich Rod for comparison) on the Dr. Saturday blog.