May 8th there is a fundraising golf outing for former Ohio State
wide receiver Dan Potokar who is now battling cancer, how amazing is the family
atmosphere that exists among the football team?
Bill Smith: OSU grads seem to have a greater affinity for
each other and the school than most other schools. This is a bit of good news in a sad
story. We all will keep Dan in our
prayers.
Pete Quint: You hear players talk about that all the time,
the family atmosphere. Once you're a Buckeye you in it for life and the past
and present players will always be there for you. I'm certain this same thing happens in other
universities but I can't imagine to the extent that Ohio State
does. How many times have you heard a
prospective recruit or a recent commitment mention the family atmosphere as one
of the reasons he was interested in the program?
Eric Geier: One of the big reasons Ohio State
gets so many recruits, the family atmosphere. Coaches and players truly care
for each other and when one is battling something as tough as cancer; the whole
athletic department will join together and rally around that person.
Ryan Leonardo: Extraordinary. That's what set's our program
apart from others. The same with Gentry's situation, too. Woody Hayes' philosophy will always hold true;
PAY FORWARD: "There is a force that
makes us all brothers; none goes his way alone.
All that we send to the lives of others comes back unto our own."
Steve Patterson: The way Jim Tressel keeps injured players
on the roster years after they are unable to play shows how much he cares for
the players. Even the players that break team rules or break laws outside the
university are assisted in finding DII schools in the area that the coaching
staff has connections with.