Without question, I can honestly say that in my 20-plus year career in the journalism profession, this book is the most important project I’ve ever completed and means more to me than anything I’ve ever written.

how the Winner’s Manual has positively influenced them on and off the field. I also informed him that I would also talk to other people close to him that never played for him but individuals who were inspired by being around him. Coach Tressel liked the idea and graciously agreed to allow me to write the book and agreed to write the foreword.

I presented my proposal to him and explained how I would write a book based on stories from former players and coaches from Youngstown State and Ohio State, and even some current Ohio State players, on

What makes it so important is the simple fact of what Coach Tressel means not only to myself, but to all of his former and current players from Youngstown State and Ohio State and anyone else who has had the honor and privilege of getting to know him on a personal level over the years.

My first introduction to Coach Tressel was in 1986, when I was a sophomore at Youngstown State. I never played for Coach Tressel but all my roommates were football players and they did. I walked on at YSU as a baseball player in ’85 and ’86 but immature decisions shortened my career. But because my roommates were football players, I was exposed to Coach Tressel and his coaching philosophies on and off the field.