When is a mistake too big to overcome?
That's the question that Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith, Ohio State President Gordon Gee and each member of the Ohio State board of trustees is actively weighing when it comes to the future of head football coach Jim Tressel.
It's been a few weeks now since the notice of infractions from the NCAA that everyone knew was coming finally did show up on Ohio State's doorstep. Though it really didn't contain anything knew, it provided another round of fodder for those who were looking to knock the Buckeyes down a peg or two anyway. That's not the problem.
The problem is it also gave fodder for those who have been defending Tressel another opportunity to rethink their position and each time that opportunity arises, undoubtedly some will do just that.
For me, I won't be revisiting where I landed on the Tressel situation initially. That said, I do understand those that are beginning to feel differently. If nothing else you just get the sense that Tressel's dishonesty or naïveté or however you want to paint his reaction to emails from a Columbus attorney about his players trading memorabilia for tattoos is starting to spook some of his most ardent backers.
Smith, for example, all but threw Tressel to lions in a recent and somewhat bizarre interview with USA Today. Smith intimated, for example, that Tressel was supposed to apologize at that initial press conference and did not, requiring Smith to remind Tressel of his obligations in that regard. Smith further intimated that Tressel was even somewhat reluctant to apologize because of, essentially, pride.
Jim Tressel was once again in the dock this past week, getting pilloried by respected national commentators and tiresome hack sportswriters alike, after the NCAA issued their formal “notice of allegations” to Ohio State 
It’s a hard process -- losing someone. You share so many experiences over the years, forming a bond that’s broken in a matter of seconds. All it takes is 14 words...
Remember where you heard it first...the Ohio State football program and head coach Jim Tressel are going to end up with the proverbial slap on the wrist. Many are speculating that the man that has come to be known as "The Sweater Vest" in Columbus is in very hot water, and could possibly have coached his last game with the Buckeyes. This is not going to be the case...and the shame of it all is that it should.
The Buckeyes wrapped up spring football with their third straight Saturday scrimmage in Ohio Stadium, and 44,276 fans showed up to watch the finale. Jim Tressel had to alter the traditional OSU Spring Game format because he didn’t have enough offensive linemen to outfit both a Scarlet and a Gray team with enough bodies. Instead of the traditional “drafting” of two full teams from the 103-man spring roster, the offense wore the scarlet jerseys, and in the end they outpointed the gray-shirted defense to score a 59-27 decision in a 90-play situational scrimmage.