Blog on Jim Tressel gets traction

By Bertram de Souza on 11:09, 10/24/09
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About a week after "Stirfry" had an entry titled "Jim Tressel for Youngstown State president?" a columnist for the Columbus Dispatch, Bob Hunter, had the following piece in Friday's edition:

"A Youngstown State faculty member has nominated Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel for president of the school in a letter to the school's search committee.

How does Tressel feel about being nominated? When he was asked yesterday, the normally eloquent Tressel was momentarily speechless."There's no good answer to that question, is there?" he said.

He eventually said that he was honored by the nomination, but he seemed uncomfortable with the topic, as one might expect.

Tressel, who could help with the school's fundraising even though he might lack academic credentials, said he has received some mail about the nomination. But he seemed to weigh his words carefully when asked whether he had ever thought about being a college president or whether this is a position he would ever consider.

"I love that place," Tressel said. "But I wouldn't want to say anything at all that would indicate that I don't love what I'm doing right now."

Shortly after the letter of nomination was revealed in "Stirfry," there was chatter that Tressel, whose success as head football coach at Youngstown State is still feted by long-time supporters, would be issuing a response that said, in effect, "thanks, but no thanks."

However, based on Hunter's reporting, it appears that Tressel was at least weighing the pros and cons of such a dramatic move.

By the same token, reaction to the Oct. 17 "Stirfry" blog makes it clear that support for the football coach becoming YSU president is by no means unanimous.

Comments

Posted by Swede06 (anonymous) on October 25, 2009 at 8:35 a.m.

I don't care about the "football coach" part of it. I care about the lack of qualification for the job, and the dictatorial practices of the former Director of Athletics.

Posted by valleyred (anonymous) on October 25, 2009 at 10:48 a.m.

He will never become President. And I do question whether it was a faculty member or someone close to Tressel from the 90s that nominated him....

Posted by Nonsocialist (anonymous) on October 25, 2009 at 1:38 p.m.

Would Tressel leave an annual $3.5M salary for ~$240K as YSU President? Would he give up the private jet and a guaranteed teaching position at OSU?
I believe he would. He turned down a lifetime contract at OSU. Head Coaching positions at major universities are all consuming and make a personal and private life impossible. He could finish on a high note with a win over Michigan and a BCS bowl victory.
I would support his candidacy. He would represent the University well, and bring positive national media attention to University and Valley. He is intelligent, organized and articulate.
As his first executive decision, I hope he provides CPR to the punchless football program that soared under his leadership.

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