Jim Tressel May Be Buckling Under The Pressure

No matter how good fans have it, they always want more. It’s the nature of the beast. Success gives birth to expectations, expectations breed disappointment. It’s the sports fandom way of the world.

And despite winning four straight Big Ten titles, Jim Tressel seems to be on the hot seat in Columbus.

Ohio State has lost six consecutive games to teams ranked in the top-five. That’s not good for a team that fancies itself a top-one program. After losing to a freshman-led USC at home two weeks ago, Tressel was inundated with angry e-mails from fans who questioned his play-calling and ability to coach at the major college level.

Tressel can’t understand how four straight Big Ten titles, seven wins in eight tries against Michigan and three trips to the national title game have bought him such little equity.

“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 and to make them less happy, I’d feel bad.”

Ohhh, Jimmy. You should know better than to call Ohio State fans miserable. Whether it was in jest or not. Most of Ohio doesn’t even know what the word jest means. And while I’m sure their misery exists because most are already Bengals or Browns fans, don’t bite the hand that feeds you (or pays you your $3.5 million annual salary). Plus, most of Ohio considers Big Boy and Wendy’s fine dining. They’re not exactly the creme de la creme.

Ohio State’s 38-0 win over Toledo on Saturday did little to squelch the Shed The Vest Movement. Buckeyes’ fans wanted 75-0. What’s with this 30s crap? Perhaps Tressel likes to keep the score in the era his offense hails from.

And it didn’t help that USC was upset by Washington.

Fans are readying for their backlash after Ohio State’s Nov. 7 trip to Happy Valley. Don’t look now, but Penn State is ranked No. 5, and I just told you how The Vest has fared recently against the top-five.

On page C3 of Sunday’s Columbus Post Dispatch, the newspaper ran a letter-to-the- editor regarding Tressel’s psychological assessment of Buckeyes fans. My roommate, a die-hard Buckeyes supporter, brought it to my attention and tells me it’s pretty much the summed sentiment of Buckeye Nation.

No rational person is asking for your head yet Jimmy T. But please hire a real offensive coordinator before your record vs. the top 5 becomes John Cooper’s Michigan. Oh and by the way, those miserable fans, the ones who pay your multimillion dollar salary, the 106,033 in The Shoe, we aren’t miserable - we’re angry. It’s your offense that’s miserable. The play-not-to-lose philosophy, the archaic scheme, the predictable play-calling, and the absence of any adjustments whatsoever. Making the fewest mistakes, winning the field position battle and the battle in the trenches can be factors in a victory, but they do not guarantee a victory. Scoring more points than the other guy does. You should try it some time.

- Capt. John J. Moriarty FOB Sykes, Iraq.