I wonder what homophobic football fans in Ohio will make of this

Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel--the man who gave OSU a national championship, kicks Michigan's ass with regularity, and is a virtual lock for 10 wins every year--spoke with a GLBT publication and said some pretty remarkable things, for a football coach at least, about the merits of acceptance for the gays.

Among the questions Tressel addresses in the Outlook Columbus interview: If an Ohio State football player came out as gay, what advice would Tressel provide and would the team, fans and university be supportive?

“We strive to teach and model appreciation for everyone. One, we are a family. If you haven’t learned from your family at home that people have differences and those strengthen the whole, then you are hopefully going to learn it as part of the Ohio State football family.

"Two, every part of our team is important and every role has value -- no job is too small and no person is irrelevant -- that’s a great lesson that transcends into society. When I think of the diversity we’ve had on our team the past few years, it goes way beyond just a racial, sexual or ethnic mix. We've had players who had different religions, players who came from different economic backgrounds, players who are parents, who are spouses, who are caring for ailing parents, who are wheelchair bound, who are battling cancer, and on and on. Whatever a young man feels called to express, I hope we will help him do it in a supportive environment. Everybody is important, and maturity is learning to find and appreciate those differences in others."

Pretty dang impressive I say. I await the moment next year when Ohio State loses to Michigan and Pat Robertson blames the loss on God's vengeance for these remarks.