Archive for the ‘Jim Tressel’ Category

Stephen A. Shows His Human Side

Saturday, August 13th, 2011

If there’s anyone who speaks with more conviction than Colin Cowherd, it’s Stephen A. Smith.  Coincidentally, Stephen A was sitting in for The Herd yesterday.  Two topics in particular made up the show.

One was Tiger Woods and his recent struggles on the golf course.  The other was Ohio State’s appointment at NCAA headquarters.  Not surprisingly, SAS was passionate about each.  His takes were nearly diametrically opposed.

Regarding (his friend) Tiger, he basically said the difference between Woods then and Woods now is his . . . sex life.  Smith thinks that Tiger might feel more comfortable walking off the course after his round and having a “hottie” there to give him a kiss.  That now he’s now trying to play the good guy instead of just being himself.  “He’s a man who made mistakes.  Mistakes a 30-year-old who made a billion dollars would make.”

“Say What, Stephen A?”  Have you shared your philosophy on your meaning of marriage vows with Elin?  Or any other  woman?  Or man whose wife makes a bil?  Does it have to be a billion or would someone pulling down a zero or two less also qualify for a little “strange”?  SAS claimed he was only saying what was needed to be said.  As he always does.

He topped that rant off by piling on (non-friend?) Jim Tressel (a guy who certainly deserves everything that has happened and is coming to him).  But, as Stephen A tends to do to make his point crystal clear, he disparaged Tressel by calling him a liar and referring to a him in one of his press conferences as a “paragon of virtue - up there with his vest on.”  How is this different from a guy speaking so glowing of his wife and two kids after winning a tournament - with his Sunday red shirt on?  SAS also commented on Tressel as a guy who made $21.7 million, inferring that was a great deal of money.

Maybe he would have been more compassionate if Tressel had cheated on his wife.  The difference between Smith’s feelings in each situation can be summed up with the following (long) quote:

“Your friends are your friends, not because they have no faults, but because, even though they have faults, you can overlook them.  Your “enemies” are your enemies because they have faults you can’t overlook.  Keep in mind that your friends are someone else’s enemies and your enemies are someone else’s friends.  So don’t deify your friends or crucify your enemies.  Just try to understand everyone.”

Buckeyes’ Small Aptly Named

Saturday, May 28th, 2011

Computer problems kept this blog from being published before now.  The good news is a new computer’s on the way.  The bad news is that I’m going to have to get used to it, not an easy task for someone who’s not exactly from this century.  Your patience is appreciated.

It’s the perfect time to pile on the (or is it “The”) Ohio State football team as more and more information is being discovered that tarnishes one of the NCAA’s heretofore thought model programs.  Apparently Jim Tressel isn’t the professorial type guy the media made him out to be.  Or else he made a mistake and by not owning up to it, the entire situation snowballed out of control.  Either way, his detractors have been having a field day.  But when one of the “whistle blowers” turns out to be a former highly recruited player, one has to pause and take into the account of exactly why that player decided to “cleanse his soul.”

Roy Small, who was a wide receiver at OSU between the years 2006-09, entered Ohio State as another potential NFL player from the Buckeye football factory.  But he turned into just another disgruntled teenager who admitted to academic laziness and was enabled by his father who, together with his talented, but underachieving son went on a tirade against Tressel, accusing the coach of purposely ruining the youngster’s career.

The biggest issue here ought to be the fact that Small waited until Buckeye Nation was vulnerable to come forth with his accusations (selling Big Ten championship rings and taking advantage of special car deals offered because of his status as a football at OSU), saying every player at Ohio State acted like he did.  Our current society, with its any dirt is worthy of print, encourages lowlifes like Small (perfect name) to grab their fifteen minutes of fame.

When all the smoke clears, one factor still remains: Roy Small could have been a big-time talent, known for being a professional wide receiver.  Instead, he’s just another stoolie, the timing of his admissions shedding more light on his lack of character than anything that ever went on at Ohio State.  In other words, he’s living proof that:

“There are more horses asses in the world than there are horses.”