1.Can something be inevitable and surprising at the same time? As difficult as it was to imagine how Jim Tressel would coach another game at Ohio State, the resignation announcement early on Memorial Day created a sonic boom nonetheless. That is a credit to Tressel's tenure and to the Buckeye tradition. The only comparable news in recent years has been Urban Meyer's resignation and unresignation at Florida in Dec. 2009.
2.The last four Ohio State coaches have held the job 10, 13 (John Cooper), 9 (Earle Bruce) and 28 (Woody Hayes) seasons. That is also a tribute to Buckeye tradition. But in an age of impatience and stress, with a looming scenario of long, painful penalty administered by the NCAA, the next coach will step onto the Ohio Stadium sideline down two touchdowns in the game of career longevity. Don’t be surprised if prominent candidates back away from Columbus.
3.While we’re on the subject of long probations, the death of former Texas Gov. Bill Clements over the weekend at age 94 is worth noting. Clements, as a member of the SMU Board of Governors, approved payments to student-athletes and lied to the NCAA about it. He later explained, “Well, there never was a Bible in the room.” That attitude pretty much summed up why SMU got the death penalty and is just now recovering 25 years later.