-
Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
- Thread starter scarletngrey11
- Start date
Colvinnl
Heisman
I wrote the author and figured I'd cut and paste it here.
From: Starr, Mark <[email protected]>
To:
Sent: Fri Sep 15 15:52:58 2006
Subject: RE: Fact Checking
usc is certainly column worthy--i wrote a little about it last year--with this latest debacle. just fyi, all the a..d said was that ohio state does not recruit convicted felons or have visits from those with pending felonies. which is kind of beside the point. the kid's visit is unofficial--he is paying his own wy--and we will see what happens when he pleads down to misdeneanors. maybe ohio state has been scared off, but i have no doubt they were interested. after all, the kid went into open court, getting a whole lot of bad publicity he really didn't need, just to get the columbus trip that he says was encourage in all the text msgs he got from ohio state coaches. okay, maybe he made it up. but somehow i don't think so. he's a big-time linebacker. thanks for your note. rgds, mark
Mark Starr
Newsweek
National Sports Correspondent
Sir:
It seems that national sports reporters have a good deal of difficulty in fact checking. Your recent column discusses the recruitment of one Pat Lazear. The #1 rule for recruitment of high school athletes is that coaches can't comment on recruits. Because of this, we often take the word of recruits when they say that they have been "offered" a scholarship. In as much, there are dozens of cases of students claiming to have been "offered" a scholarship when in fact, no such offer was made.
This is one of those cases. Had you attempted to make a call to the Athletic Department you would have found a different response as they have some ability to comment. Recently, this is what Gene Smith (the Athletic Director) had to say, ""Ohio State University does not bring in for an official visit or sign any recruit who either has a pending felony charge or who has been convicted of a felony."
It seems that it would be prudent for you to correct the column as your argument (that Ohio State seems to be repeating some past mistakes) is bunk. Perhaps you could write a column about USC instead-of course they aren't as easy of targets as the folks in the fly-over states.
Cheers,
From: Starr, Mark <[email protected]>
To:
Sent: Fri Sep 15 15:52:58 2006
Subject: RE: Fact Checking
usc is certainly column worthy--i wrote a little about it last year--with this latest debacle. just fyi, all the a..d said was that ohio state does not recruit convicted felons or have visits from those with pending felonies. which is kind of beside the point. the kid's visit is unofficial--he is paying his own wy--and we will see what happens when he pleads down to misdeneanors. maybe ohio state has been scared off, but i have no doubt they were interested. after all, the kid went into open court, getting a whole lot of bad publicity he really didn't need, just to get the columbus trip that he says was encourage in all the text msgs he got from ohio state coaches. okay, maybe he made it up. but somehow i don't think so. he's a big-time linebacker. thanks for your note. rgds, mark
Mark Starr
Newsweek
National Sports Correspondent
Sir:
It seems that national sports reporters have a good deal of difficulty in fact checking. Your recent column discusses the recruitment of one Pat Lazear. The #1 rule for recruitment of high school athletes is that coaches can't comment on recruits. Because of this, we often take the word of recruits when they say that they have been "offered" a scholarship. In as much, there are dozens of cases of students claiming to have been "offered" a scholarship when in fact, no such offer was made.
This is one of those cases. Had you attempted to make a call to the Athletic Department you would have found a different response as they have some ability to comment. Recently, this is what Gene Smith (the Athletic Director) had to say, ""Ohio State University does not bring in for an official visit or sign any recruit who either has a pending felony charge or who has been convicted of a felony."
It seems that it would be prudent for you to correct the column as your argument (that Ohio State seems to be repeating some past mistakes) is bunk. Perhaps you could write a column about USC instead-of course they aren't as easy of targets as the folks in the fly-over states.
Cheers,
Upvote
0
ORD_Buckeye
Wrong glass, Sir.
BayBuck;607518; said:
I absolutely care about the perception of the university before the needs or desires of any individual kid who would like to come here and play football.
The university did absolutely the right thing today. I only hope that it was a unanimous decision at all levels of the program.
Upvote
0
Link
Backing off:
Ohio State no longer has interest in recruiting linebacker Pat Lazear, a Maryland high school player facing armed robbery charges.
The Buckeyes declined comment on specific recruits because of NCAA regulations, but in a statement the school said, "We would not sign or bring in for any official visit any recruit who has a pending felony charge or who has been convicted."
Lazear is awaiting trial on Nov. 29, charged by police with driving the getaway car during a robbery of a smoothie shop of $463. Lazear is playing for Wheaton High School while wearing an ankle monitor so authorities can track him.
Lazear, who is 6-0 and 229 pounds, is ranked as the No. 9 inside linebacker by the Internet scouting service Rivals.com. He had 124 tackles and 12 sacks as a junior.
Backing off:
Ohio State no longer has interest in recruiting linebacker Pat Lazear, a Maryland high school player facing armed robbery charges.
The Buckeyes declined comment on specific recruits because of NCAA regulations, but in a statement the school said, "We would not sign or bring in for any official visit any recruit who has a pending felony charge or who has been convicted."
Lazear is awaiting trial on Nov. 29, charged by police with driving the getaway car during a robbery of a smoothie shop of $463. Lazear is playing for Wheaton High School while wearing an ankle monitor so authorities can track him.
Lazear, who is 6-0 and 229 pounds, is ranked as the No. 9 inside linebacker by the Internet scouting service Rivals.com. He had 124 tackles and 12 sacks as a junior.
Upvote
0
akronbuck
Legend
zonabuck;609563; said:
I would love for OSU to give him a chance but, once I found out he was the driver and his car. All I could think about was for him to move to Mexico and go by A NEW NAME like chico.
Cant see him getting out of this at all and I asked a few lawyers about his case.
Upvote
0
darth
Rookie
Pat Lazear
I wonder if Ohio State is still recruiting him. I know it says they won't bring him in for an official visit, but it makes me wonder if they are keeping in touch.
I don't think OSU needs the bad publicity, after everything the program went through for the past few seasons. I hope nothing but the best for Mr. Lazear, but I don't know if OSU can or should get involved with him for the program's sake.
:osu:
I wonder if Ohio State is still recruiting him. I know it says they won't bring him in for an official visit, but it makes me wonder if they are keeping in touch.
I don't think OSU needs the bad publicity, after everything the program went through for the past few seasons. I hope nothing but the best for Mr. Lazear, but I don't know if OSU can or should get involved with him for the program's sake.
:osu:
Upvote
0
holybuckeye
If ya Gotta Go...........GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!
tOSU is not keeping in contact
The bucks are not recruiting him anymore. They will not keep in contact with him. We are limited on schollies anyway and have no real need of LB's, let alone one with charges pending. If we take any linebackers this year it will be Hines, Lindsey, Rolle or Elliott(if he gets his grades in order)We learned our lesson and we will not be perceived as the university that allows recruits like this to come in and give us the black eye im sure a lot of other schools look at us as having. There are no "If's and's or butt's" If charges are dropped we still will not look at him as others will perceive us as still recruiting a thug and that is what we do not want. When you make a mistake unfortunately it carries with you into the future and people will not be able to look past it if we recruit him.......period!!!!!
It's over so stop posting about lazear already.
The bucks are not recruiting him anymore. They will not keep in contact with him. We are limited on schollies anyway and have no real need of LB's, let alone one with charges pending. If we take any linebackers this year it will be Hines, Lindsey, Rolle or Elliott(if he gets his grades in order)We learned our lesson and we will not be perceived as the university that allows recruits like this to come in and give us the black eye im sure a lot of other schools look at us as having. There are no "If's and's or butt's" If charges are dropped we still will not look at him as others will perceive us as still recruiting a thug and that is what we do not want. When you make a mistake unfortunately it carries with you into the future and people will not be able to look past it if we recruit him.......period!!!!!
It's over so stop posting about lazear already.
Upvote
0
holybuckeye;618359; said:
...ironically, you are the one who just bumped it to the front again
Upvote
0
holybuckeye
If ya Gotta Go...........GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!
I just wish we could delete the thread
Forget it. Its kaput.
Forget it. Its kaput.
Upvote
0
Link
Smoothie King suspects await trial by Max Friedman
PUBLISHED 9/28/2006 9:40:31 AM
Four of the five former Whitman students allegedly involved in a March 30 robbery of the Bethesda Smoothie King lost motions to have their cases tried in juvenile court in their hearings Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 14.
Seniors Pat Lazear, Alex Krouskas, Justin Schweiger and Robbert Warren will face armed robbery and conspiracy charges when they go to trial as adults Nov. 29, Jan. 8, Oct. 30, and Jan. 22, respectively.
Senior Tommy Ashley, the other student allegedly involved in the robbery, had his hearing postponed but will appear before Judge Joseph Dugan Jr. later this month to present his motion to have his case heard in juvenile court.
An MCPS hearing examiner ruled that all five students must transfer to different high schools in August of this year. Following this decision, Lazear moved to Wheaton High School, Schweiger to Rockville, Ashley to Richard Montgomery, and Krouskas to Albert Einstein. Warren enrolled at Urbana High School in Frederick County.
Principal Alan Goodwin said he did not have the final say in the mandated transfers. ?The [MCPS] central office makes decisions about these kinds of disciplinary
matters and placement.?
Lazear said the relocation of the boys to different schools lacked reasoning and necessity. ?I thought it was a completely illegitimate transfer. I think it?s all just ridiculous.?
AP Psychology teacher Sheryl Freedman said the five students need to learn from their mistake, but without facing overly severe consequences such as jail time. ?I don?t think their whole future should suffer from this one decision. It?s important to send the correct message, but at what expense??
Players on the Wheaton varsity football team recently elected Lazear as their captain.
Ana Ochoa Cohen, mother of junior Ali Cohen, said she thinks that while Wheaton?s team wrongly elected Lazear captain, the school system should allow him and his indicted peers to play sports. ?Transferring out of their school is punishment enough. I don?t think that taking them away from sports would benefit anybody, but it [the punishment] should have some permanent consequence.?
Senior Lizzy Sawyer said she thinks the county justifiably transferred all five Whitman students to other area schools. ?If someone who gets caught drinking gets zero-tolerance and they can?t go to school events, why should these kids be able to go to school, play football, and have a normal life??
According to The Washington Post, Dugan said he believes Lazear may have led the other members of the recently dubbed ?Whitman Five? in the execution of the crime. ?Everybody agrees you?re a leader, everybody agrees you?re the big man on campus,? Dugan said to Lazear at his hearing Sept. 1. ?Who really needs your approval or acceptance here? Who is the driving force behind this whole thing? I happen to believe it may be you.?
Lazear said community members should not consider Dugan?s statement as factual. ?This is all someone?s opinion. When he sees that I?m a leader, he?s not technically assuming, just looking at the other side of the page.?
According to The Gazette, Dugan said he denied Schweiger?s motion in part because of a previous juvenile credit card theft conviction and a recent argument with a neighbor.
Despite the ongoing trial, Schweiger continues to play varsity football and remains an athlete accepted by players and coaches, said Mark Maradei, the head varsity football coach at Rockville High School. ?We?re real glad to have him aboard. We haven?t looked beyond the fact that he?s a Rockville student now."
Smoothie King suspects await trial by Max Friedman
PUBLISHED 9/28/2006 9:40:31 AM
Four of the five former Whitman students allegedly involved in a March 30 robbery of the Bethesda Smoothie King lost motions to have their cases tried in juvenile court in their hearings Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 14.
Seniors Pat Lazear, Alex Krouskas, Justin Schweiger and Robbert Warren will face armed robbery and conspiracy charges when they go to trial as adults Nov. 29, Jan. 8, Oct. 30, and Jan. 22, respectively.
Senior Tommy Ashley, the other student allegedly involved in the robbery, had his hearing postponed but will appear before Judge Joseph Dugan Jr. later this month to present his motion to have his case heard in juvenile court.
An MCPS hearing examiner ruled that all five students must transfer to different high schools in August of this year. Following this decision, Lazear moved to Wheaton High School, Schweiger to Rockville, Ashley to Richard Montgomery, and Krouskas to Albert Einstein. Warren enrolled at Urbana High School in Frederick County.
Principal Alan Goodwin said he did not have the final say in the mandated transfers. ?The [MCPS] central office makes decisions about these kinds of disciplinary
matters and placement.?
Lazear said the relocation of the boys to different schools lacked reasoning and necessity. ?I thought it was a completely illegitimate transfer. I think it?s all just ridiculous.?
AP Psychology teacher Sheryl Freedman said the five students need to learn from their mistake, but without facing overly severe consequences such as jail time. ?I don?t think their whole future should suffer from this one decision. It?s important to send the correct message, but at what expense??
Players on the Wheaton varsity football team recently elected Lazear as their captain.
Ana Ochoa Cohen, mother of junior Ali Cohen, said she thinks that while Wheaton?s team wrongly elected Lazear captain, the school system should allow him and his indicted peers to play sports. ?Transferring out of their school is punishment enough. I don?t think that taking them away from sports would benefit anybody, but it [the punishment] should have some permanent consequence.?
Senior Lizzy Sawyer said she thinks the county justifiably transferred all five Whitman students to other area schools. ?If someone who gets caught drinking gets zero-tolerance and they can?t go to school events, why should these kids be able to go to school, play football, and have a normal life??
According to The Washington Post, Dugan said he believes Lazear may have led the other members of the recently dubbed ?Whitman Five? in the execution of the crime. ?Everybody agrees you?re a leader, everybody agrees you?re the big man on campus,? Dugan said to Lazear at his hearing Sept. 1. ?Who really needs your approval or acceptance here? Who is the driving force behind this whole thing? I happen to believe it may be you.?
Lazear said community members should not consider Dugan?s statement as factual. ?This is all someone?s opinion. When he sees that I?m a leader, he?s not technically assuming, just looking at the other side of the page.?
According to The Gazette, Dugan said he denied Schweiger?s motion in part because of a previous juvenile credit card theft conviction and a recent argument with a neighbor.
Despite the ongoing trial, Schweiger continues to play varsity football and remains an athlete accepted by players and coaches, said Mark Maradei, the head varsity football coach at Rockville High School. ?We?re real glad to have him aboard. We haven?t looked beyond the fact that he?s a Rockville student now."
Upvote
0
Washington Post
One Whitman Case Is Moved to Juvenile Court
By Josh Barr and Ernesto Londo?o
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, September 30, 2006; Page E12
A Montgomery County Circuit Court judge yesterday transferred to juvenile court the case of one of the five former Whitman High students charged in connection with the robbery of a Bethesda smoothie store.
Judge Joseph A. Dugan Jr., who had previously refused to transfer three of the other defendants' cases to juvenile court, yesterday granted the same request by Tommy Ashley. The fifth defendant had withdrawn his request earlier.
The five, four of whom played football and wrestled at Whitman, were charged with felony armed robbery and conspiracy in connection with the robbery of a Smoothie King on March 30. They subsequently were transferred to other schools on the recommendation of a Montgomery County schools hearing examiner.
Ashley, a football lineman, was sent to Richard Montgomery, where he joined that school's team. He injured his right knee in a game two weeks ago and wore a knee brace to court.
Meantime, Montgomery County prosecutors have outlined to lawyers for the other defendants in the case what the state considers an appropriate resolution. The general terms of the plea arrangement were described to The Post by one of the lawyers involved in the case, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no formal deal has been reached.
Under the discussed resolution, three defendants -- Pat Lazear, Justin Schweiger and Alex Krouskas -- would be offered a chance to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. Robert Warren, who is alleged to have entered the store and committed the robbery, would be offered a chance to plead guilty to a more serious charge such as robbery.
While each charge carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, prosecutors would agree to seek no more than 18 months in jail for each defendant. Assistant State's Attorney Tom DeGonia declined to comment on any plea discussions.
Mariana Cordier, who is representing Krouskas, said she would not accept such an offer. Gary Diamond, who represents Schweiger, said he is planning to go to trial. Warren's attorney, David Driscoll, said he is in "ongoing negotiations with the prosecutor's office." Paul Kemp, Lazear's attorney, said he was unaware of a potential deal.
One Whitman Case Is Moved to Juvenile Court
By Josh Barr and Ernesto Londo?o
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, September 30, 2006; Page E12
A Montgomery County Circuit Court judge yesterday transferred to juvenile court the case of one of the five former Whitman High students charged in connection with the robbery of a Bethesda smoothie store.
Judge Joseph A. Dugan Jr., who had previously refused to transfer three of the other defendants' cases to juvenile court, yesterday granted the same request by Tommy Ashley. The fifth defendant had withdrawn his request earlier.
The five, four of whom played football and wrestled at Whitman, were charged with felony armed robbery and conspiracy in connection with the robbery of a Smoothie King on March 30. They subsequently were transferred to other schools on the recommendation of a Montgomery County schools hearing examiner.
Ashley, a football lineman, was sent to Richard Montgomery, where he joined that school's team. He injured his right knee in a game two weeks ago and wore a knee brace to court.
Meantime, Montgomery County prosecutors have outlined to lawyers for the other defendants in the case what the state considers an appropriate resolution. The general terms of the plea arrangement were described to The Post by one of the lawyers involved in the case, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no formal deal has been reached.
Under the discussed resolution, three defendants -- Pat Lazear, Justin Schweiger and Alex Krouskas -- would be offered a chance to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. Robert Warren, who is alleged to have entered the store and committed the robbery, would be offered a chance to plead guilty to a more serious charge such as robbery.
While each charge carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, prosecutors would agree to seek no more than 18 months in jail for each defendant. Assistant State's Attorney Tom DeGonia declined to comment on any plea discussions.
Mariana Cordier, who is representing Krouskas, said she would not accept such an offer. Gary Diamond, who represents Schweiger, said he is planning to go to trial. Warren's attorney, David Driscoll, said he is in "ongoing negotiations with the prosecutor's office." Paul Kemp, Lazear's attorney, said he was unaware of a potential deal.
Upvote
0