"Hey Mike, Say Something About...Buckeyes"

I was pretty unimpressed when Jim Tressel was first announced as the replacement for John Cooper as head football coach at Ohio State. I was underwhelmed with the fact that he wasn't a Division I coach and that he wasn't already famous. But this guy has done just about everything right both on and off the field.

Tressel is a teacher in the mold of John Wooden, the former UCLA head basketball coach (whose books, including They Call Me Coach, I highly recommend). He doesn't scream or curse at his players. He doesn't train them to ride emotional highs to victory. He doesn't rely on individual star players to win (although a greater number of different players shine as stars on his teams than on most teams). Instead, he teaches them to practice diligently and improve gradually.

Tressel realizes that in Columbus, football isn't just a sport or just entertainment, but, at its best, a cultural institution. He has immersed himself in our football culture and cultivated an appreciation for that culture in his players. Every word he utters in public is carefully measured. He never speaks ill of opponents or critics. On the other hand, no matter how well the team plays, he can always articulate the areas where the team has room for improvement.

We have a kicker for a captain this year, and he's basically won our last two games. This never would have happened under John Cooper. This would never happen at most other schools. Mike Nugent is a great athlete, but it's because of Jim Tressel that he's allowed to be a star.