[LightningRod]

On 1/11/08 the Pittsburgh Post Gazette published an article announcing that Charlie Batch will join him (TP) on his remaining recruiting trips [ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08011/848406-365.stm# ]. The Post Gazette printed the following when describing Batch?s role in TP?s recruitment:
I've known Charlie for a couple years. His brother dates my aunt. Charlie is kind of part of my family now. We talk. I asked him if he would want to go on my visits, and he said sure.
He'll just help me because he's been through this recruiting process before. Just from talking to him, I trust him a lot. When I go on these visits, I think he'll know who's telling the truth just by sitting there and listening.
For some reason TP believes that people he will meet during his recruitment may not be totally honest with him. Wise young man. It?s great that he can bring along a former college and current NFL player with him since his father is confined to a wheelchair and has a difficult time travelling. TP must also remember that his own perceptions of people or institutions potentially lacking credibility should not be ignored. Sometimes the best clues are in plain sight. A case in point is with Michigan and its stadium renovation project.

It?s no secret that Michigan is renovating its stadium to bring it into the 20th century. It?s also no secret that Michigan has rubbed a few people and the federal government the wrong way in the course of this renovation project. Specifically, Michigan Stadium presently has 88 (eighty eight) spaces allocated for wheelchair confined fans and their assistants. Federal law requires this stadium to allocate 1% of the approximate 107,000 seating capacity for disabled patrons. The University?s position is that the work on the stadium amounts only to repairs rather than a renovation, and as such it is not required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act that would require a set aside of 1,070 seats for disabled patrons. A disabled veterans organization based in Michigan sued the University to resolve this issue, and the US Justice Dept. has joined in this lawsuit as a party plaintiff with the disabled veterans. Here is a link from The Detroit News [ Feds join disabled in U-M stadium suit
] to the latest news on this case.

When OSU finished its renovation of the Shoe, there were no problems for the University to meet the ADA?s disabled patron seat set aside. There is also no shortage of disabled patrons who regularly attend games at the Shoe. OSU did not need to be sued to do what the law required it to do. Stadiums across the country have had no trouble complying with ADA disabled seating requirements. Yet here is the University of Michigan that is on the one hand thumbing its nose at its disabled patrons while on the other hand telling the family of a prized recruit whose father is in a wheelchair that the institution will take care of the recruit if he enrolls. This would be funny if it wasn?t so serious. This cuts to the very heart of credibility. Why would I as a parent believe this institution without worrying about the need to sue to enforce promises made? It?s bad enough that the newly hired coach is thumbing his nose at his contract obligations to the University of West Virginia. It?s piling on when the University itself has a similar problem in complying with legal obligations.

Another case in point is comparing the parting words of Rob Schoenhoft to those of Ryan Mallet. Robbie had nothing but praise for Tressel on how Tressel helped him sort through his feelings about transferring and how Tressel helped him transition out of OSU. Mallet on the other hand could not get out of Dodge quick enough. RR amazingly stated that he only cares about athletes who want to play at Michigan when asked by reporters what he thought about Mallet transferring. Nothing further needs to be said on this point. The actions not only speak for themselves but scream for themselves.

So TP wants to know who is credible. Here is a starting point ? go beyond the words, and look very closely at the actions. The actions of a coach and a University who are apparently attempting to avoid legal obligations solely for monetary reasons. All the disabled veteran is asking for is the opportunity to attend the same game that TP?s father could attend IF his or her son was the team QB. Would I trust the word of that coach? Would I trust the word of the people within that institution? A coach who is quoted as saying that ?? he was "not astute to what is 'officially resigned? [ In Rodriguez lawsuit, parties argue over court jurisdiction - U Administration ] while handling his own affairs with $4 million on the line. Credibility is taking a 5?11? rough around the edges Glenville grad and molding him first into a man with a college degree, and then as a Heisman Trophy winning QB who started his NFL team?s last 2 regular season games as a rookie QB. A coach who stood by this young man when everybody wanted Troy?s hide for taking money from a booster. A coach who was endlessly vilified by the press as being a cancer to college athletics but who gave no ground in doing what any loving parent would have done in Troy?s situation. That is credibility ? when Tressel tells the athlete he is part of his family, it has meaning. And he is there for everybody no matter when that athlete played. Compare the coach trying to avoid his own alma mater a $ million contractual obligation with a coach who gave $250K to YSU to help construct a reading room in the student union, $500K to YSU to help with the costs of constructing a practice facility, and a very generous amount for the new OSU library renovation. The same Tressel who has enough self esteem to see to it that former coaches Bruce and Cooper have offices in the WHAC.

Credibility is more than spouting off X?s, O?s, formations, and early playing time. It is walking the talk. After all, 2009 is only around the corner for the next best athlete who will also be promised the same moon and stars. Hopefully the University of Michigan personnel involved in TP?s recruiting weekend had answers to these important questions assuming the questions were asked in the course of the recruiting visit.