AKRON, Ohio -- Through it all, Jim Tressel never lost his charm. cheap jerseys from china . As he worked the room the way he did for a decade as Ohio States coach, delighting students and faculty members, school trustees and Akrons president with stories of past successes and plans for the future, Tressel felt like he had come back home. "This," he said, "is a second chance." Tressel is back on campus. Hes starting over where he began. Tressel, forced to resign in disgrace last May amid a cash-for-tattoos scandal at Ohio State that toppled the football powerhouse, was introduced Thursday as Akrons new vice-president of strategic engagement, -- a position created just for him. Tressel, who started his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant for the Zips in 1975, will earn a base salary of US$200,000 per year, more than $3 million less than he made during the last of 10 years guiding the Buckeyes. Tressel will begin his new job on May 1. "I feel fortunate that I got this opportunity," Tressel said following a packed news conference on campus unlike any in the schools history. "Its going to be a fun one." In his new position, Tressel, who said he has no interest in coaching in the NFL, will work with Akrons students, alumni and community organizations on a variety of issues. Although hes not officially on the clock, Tressel met with student leaders before the news conference, telling them he was committed to using his Northeast Ohio connections to build relationships between the school and community. "The first thing Ive got to do is listen and learn," said Tressel, who helped Akron in its search for a new football coach. "Im just on the team." Tressel, 59, is not permitted to have any direct involvement with the schools athletic department, one of the conditions of the five-year, show-cause sanction he was given by the NCAA following its investigation into the Ohio State mess. NCAA spokesperson Stacey Osburn confirmed Tressel will not be allowed to have contact with recruits if he is not a "countable coach." However, Tressels name alone is sure to give Akron, with an enrolment of 29,000 and plans to grow to 40,000 students, a major boost in name recognition and his presence will certainly help in recruiting athletes and other students. "Its exciting," Dan Cooper, a 20-year-old senior from Wadsworth, Ohio said as he browsed his Twitter and Facebook accounts while taking a break in the student union. "Hes a big famous name and I think hes going to bring a lot of positive attention to Akron despite all the negative things that happened the last few months at Ohio State. "Everyone is excited around campus right now." Tressel earned his masters degree at the school in 1977. "Life is about who you are and who you are with," he said. "Its always important where you can come back to the place that gave you your first chance." Akron president Luis M. Proenza said he had no misgiving about his decision to hire Tressel, who remains popular in his home state. "Look at the man. Look at what he has done," Proenza said. "Look at the thousands of lives he has impacted. We knew that was the asset. The opportunity. And we wanted that to be available. There was no question in my mind that for the university, for the community, for Northeast Ohio, for the 30,000 students at Akron, this will make a difference." Proenza said Tressel was very helpful in the schools coaching search, which resulted in the Zips hiring former Auburn coach Terry Bowden. Since then, Tressel and Proenza remained in contact, discussing the possibility of joining forces. "Our vision for student success was exceptionally aligned," Proenza said. Accompanied to the news conference by his wife, Ellen, Tressel wore a navy blue blazer and gold tie -- Akrons colours -- with a logo of Zippy, the schools Kangaroo mascot. Tressel was typically smooth as he answered direct questions regarding his role in Ohio States fall. Tressel said he has no regrets, but he did acknowledge wishing he had handled some things differently. He has admitted to lying to NCAA investigators about his knowledge of Ohio State players receiving improper benefits. The scandal led to the Buckeyes, who are now coached by Urban Meyer, to a one-year bowl ban and a reduction in scholarships. "I think you always go back, whether it was a game you coached or a series of things that occurred and you always go back and say heres what I could have done better," he said. "In this type thing, working with young people, you can use your experience. Just like we did talking about special teams. If the right guard didnt block the guy and we had the punt blocked, we wouldnt have lost the championship. "You always go back and you probably learn more and can teach better from some of your shortcomings." Tressel said since leaving Ohio State that he has finished reading 30 of 100 books he pledged to finish. He also joked that his wife was anxious for him to return to work. "Ellen wanted me to get out of the house," he cracked. "I mean, how often can you cut the grass?" Tressel served as a replay consultant last season for the Indianapolis Colts. He twice met with team owner Jim Irsay about the teams head coaching position but didnt get the job, and added that he has no current plans to coach again. For now, he is committed to Akron. "I dont really have any interest in coaching in the NFL," Tressel said. "The commitment Ive made to any place Ive gone is that I was going to work every day like I was going to be there forever. Ill be coaching students every day. Im an educator. "Im going to work as if this is the last place Im ever going to work. Im excited about being a Zip." nfl jerseys china . 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MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- No matter the changes to the car, the tires, or the weather, Martinsville Speedway is Jimmie Johnsons kind of place. Johnson led a career-best 346 laps Sunday and pulled away on a restart with eight laps to go for his eighth career victory on the shortest track in the Sprint Cup Series, taking over third place on the career victories list on NASCARs oldest track. The only drivers ahead of him? Hall of famers Richard Petty with 15 wins, and Darrell Waltrip with 11. "Probably the most calm, relaxed thought-out weekend that weve ever had as the 48 (team)," Johnson said. From the time he rolled his car onto the track for the first practice Friday until the final restart, Johnson had a dominant car, and knew it. And with his track record here, even when things seemed to take a bad turn, he and his team trusted history. "We stuck to our game plan and knew what we wanted to have in the race and stayed patient, and it was tough to do at times, but it certainly worked out well," the five-time series champion said. "And in the race, we had to adjust on the fly." No team does it better at Martinsville, and while Johnson said the final caution came at an inopportune time because hed built a big lead over Clint Bowyer, he also realized it may have saved him from having to fight off teammate Jeff Gordon. "Jeff on the long run probably had the car to beat," he said. "Jeff has a really good line here on the long run, and he started catching me before the last caution and I was thinking, Man, if this stays green, this could be a Jeff Gordon day." Instead, the caution flew on lap 487. Johnson picked the inside line for the final restart with Bowyer on the outside, Gordon behind him and Kyle Busch to his outside, and Johnson got a clean break for the lead into Turn 1, his top priority to build some separation for the finish. "I felt like if I could get two or tthree corners and maintain the lead on Clint, I could stretch it back out again," he said. cheap jerseys online. . Bowyer slid into second and Busch, who tried to make a move on the outside line, instead got hung up out there as Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kasey Kahne, who restarted fifth, went underneath to take fourth. Nothing changed the rest of the way and the top five finished in those positions. Gordon, too, was thinking he had a chance until Kurt Busch crashed, bringing out the 12th and final caution. "I obviously didnt want to see a short run there at the end," he said. The victory made team owner Rick Hendricks organization the winningest team in Martinsville history with 20, breaking a tie it had with the Petty organization. Gordon, who was tied with Johnson and Rusty Wallace with seven victories on the 0.526-mile oval, said he knew it would be a tough day when Johnson won the pole for the second race in a row here because of the pit road advantage. "You give him that No. 1 pit stall here at Martinsville, its almost impossible," Gordon said. While Johnson dominated, there were times it looked as if the race might go in another direction. Matt Kenseth, who has struggled at Martinsville throughout his career, actually passed Johnson for the lead and led for 96 laps. Mark Martin, driving for the injured Denny Hamlin and equally disdainful of the venue, moved into fourth place after taking a chance and getting just two tires on a pit stop, but then faded quickly. Martin, mindful of Hamlins four career victories at Martinsville, finished a disappointing 10th. "I did not fill Denny Hamlins shoes, I can tell you that much," he said. Tony Stewart, who said earlier in the week he thought it would be funny to watch Danica Patrick try to navigate her way around the track, got passed by his rookie driver with 19 laps to go. Patrick finished 12, Stewart 17th. ' ' '