United Way gets a boost from Tressel’s appearance

The coach had a role in arranging the first OSU-YSU football game, which will take place on Sept. 1 in Ohio Stadium.

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

BOARDMAN — Jim Tressel loves the fact that he can return to the Youngstown area and reach back and help the people who have helped him along the way to becoming one of the most famous collegiate football coaches in America.

The Ohio State coach, who guided the Youngstown State team for 15 years, enjoyed another golden opportunity to return to his roots and benefit a great cause Tuesday. Tressel served as guest speaker for the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way 2007 “Champions Among Us” dinner at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center that drew a packed house.

Tressel, during a press conference, was as congenial, accommodating and focused as ever to make his visit count by contributing positively to the area by helping United Way to raise funds.

“This is a reminder of the great job that United Way is doing in the Valley,” Tressel said. “We come here for great causes like this. If we threw a party just for the sake of it, not too many people would show.

“Pitching in helps and United Way is doing good things,” said Tressel, who found time to greet and talk to everyone who approached him in the huge throng and to sign autographs while renewing many old friendships and relationships.

“This is really a great experience,” Tressel said. “When you spend 15 years and countless hours at a school and at Stambaugh Stadium, you become attached to the place. The YSU program brings back great [feelings].”

Tressel, entering his seventh season at OSU, has a 62-14 record, three Big Ten titles and one national championship.

He is elated and gratified that he had a role in arranging the first Ohio-State Youngstown State football game, which will take place on Sept. 1 in Ohio Stadium.

“There are exactly 100 days until the Ohio State-YSU game,” reminded Tressel, who loves the fact that the Buckeyes will be playing three Ohio colleges (YSU, Akron and Kent State) in 2007.

“When we got the 12th game [from the NCAA] we decided to offer the rest of the games to our in-state brothers,” Tressel said. “They would be home games to support [our] sports programs.

“It pays well and it is within the home state, and there [also] is a little bit of that — helping one another — just like the Mahoning Valley people reaching out and helping one another [with United Way].”

Rotating Ohio schools

YSU also will play at Ohio State in 2008.

“We have seven state schools and we will rotate them in the stadium. [Another OSU-YSU game] probably won’t happen until we get through the rotation of the seven state schools,” said Tressel, who while at YSU led the Penguins to four national championships.

Tressel is looking forward to his Buckeyes meeting the Penguins, and said that “both teams will be inexperienced” entering the season opener.

“I am very comfortable with the talent [on our team] but uncomfortable with the experience,” Tressel said. “We don’t have as many guys who are veterans.”

Tressel and Pavlik

When Tressel saw Kelly Pavlik standing in back of the media group during the press conference, the coach asked the undefeated middleweight boxer and title contender to come up to share the podium with him, and offered his congratulations.

“I know what it means to have the entire Valley behind you,” Tressel said to Pavlik, referring to his seventh-round TKO win over Edison Miranda on Saturday in Memphis.

Tressel said he didn’t see the fight, joking that, “I can’t afford HBO,” and asked Pavlik for a video of the fight.

“I’ll show it to my guys. Maybe it will help them.”

kovach@vindy.com

XTo view our video of the hometown heroes sharing the stage Tuesday night, visit Vindy.com/more.