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发帖数: 764 | 1 The sick feeling growing in Ross Homan’s stomach had nothing to do with the
breakfast he was preparing. The former all-Big Ten linebacker at Ohio State
was in his kitchen early on Memorial Day when his cell phone began going
off.
“I was making breakfast and my phone started blowing up with texts,” Homan
told BSB. “For some reason I had a weird feeling that I knew what it was
so I turned on ESPN and there it was. It’s sad it’s come to this.”
The news was that head coach Jim Tressel had resigned from the program after
a 10-year career following revelations that he had lied about his knowledge
of potential NCAA violations committed by his players. Already facing a
five-game suspension to start the season, Tressel’s decision to step down
was first announced to players still in town during the holiday weekend at a
team meeting at 8:45 this morning.
His address to the assembled players – as well as a few members of the
school’s board of trustees – lasted for about 30 seconds. The
reverberations will be felt for years.
It did not take long for word to spread. Nader Abdallah, an OSU letter
winner from 2007-08, said he was at work when he heard the news. A native of
New Orleans, La., Abdallah and his family suffered through Hurricane
Katrina but were helped by Tressel.
“He was able to talk to the NCAA to put my family in a house for six months
, which was covered by FEMA,” he said. “Just having him be able to be
supportive during that whole time with my family, he was there helping me.”
Although speculation on Tressel’s job security had been rampant since his
role in the scandal involving six current players was made known March 8,
those around the coach noticed no changes in his outward demeanor.
Homan, a sixth-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings who is currently
working out in Columbus, said he has been working out at the Woody Hayes
Athletic Center and would see Tressel each morning going through his usual
routing: time on the treadmill and chitchat with those also working out
before beginning his work day.
Former linebacker Bobby Carpenter, who received the news while in Dallas for
a wedding, said he saw Tressel on Thursday and saw no indications of a
pending resignation.
“I talked to him in person before I left to come down here and he was
really the same guy in May of 2011 as he was in 2001 when he was hired,”
said Carpenter, who lettered for the Buckeyes from 2002-05. “That’s who he
is. I asked him how he was doing and he was fine.”
Former OSU defensive back Donald Washington, now a member of the NFL’s
Kansas City Chiefs, said he was awakened this morning by a phone call from
his girlfriend telling him that Tressel had resigned. Like Homan, Washington
has been working out at the WHAC in recent weeks.
As such, it took a few more phone calls to convince him to get out of bed
and flip on the television.
“I would have never guessed,” he said. “I still can’t really believe it.”
However, Homan pointed out that the recent weeks had him unsure what might
be down the road for his former coach. Last week, former wide receiver Ray
Small told student newspaper The Lantern that he had sold memorabilia while
was a student, adding that everyone was doing it. He later claimed the paper
had not faithfully reported his claims, but it opened the program to a new
round of scrutiny.
“No one really knew what was going on with all the allegations,” Homan
said. “No one knew what it was going to come down to.”
Linebackers coach Luke Fickell will step into Tressel’s shoes for the
season, after which a search will be launched that is expected to include
candidates from both within and outside the program. Fickell had been named
the temporary coach for the first five games of the season.
Abdallah said that although it is a familiar face keeping things warm for
now, it will be a different feeling within the weight room.
“My first reaction was more shock,” he said. “Then it was extremely sad
to me because when I go to the Woody Hayes I like to see Coach Tressel there
and have a warm environment where it’s a good environment. I don’t know
how it’s going to be now when I go over there. It’s extremely shocking to
me – more sad than anything. I didn’t see it coming.”
Abdallah said he had spoken with Doug Worthington, a former team captain and
fellow defensive lineman. Homan said he had heard from his brother Adam
Homan, a fullback on the roster, but no other players.
“I’ve talked to a couple guys,” Washington said. “A lot of guys are
shocked and saddened by the news. I think it was shocking to everybody. It
really hit a place in my heart that he resigned. It really touched me.” |
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