5 players suspended for 5 games in 2011 regular season (Appeal has been denied)

[Bill Lucas]

Well obviously if he didn't know that it was wrong, why would he have a reason to tell anyone?? Especially coaches or compliance officials??

I'd say admitting to it when the facts are first presented to you is coming clean.

It's been stated numerous times that the OSU players got an extra game because they were clearly taught the rules.

He did it prior to THIS season. The rule has been in effect for at least two years and it stems from GEORGIA players selling rings. So, you're saying a player from the team whose abuse created the rule wouldn't KNOW that is was wrong? Give me a freaking break.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

I agree. So pay them a stipend - $100 a month, $1,000 a month, $10,000 a month, whatever. Someone will still break the rules and offer to pay them more, and the kids will take it.

Also consider the 90% of athletic departments, and even football programs, that are in the red and only survive through direct institutional support or a "tax" on the student body in the form of mandatory fees?

Should the history department at Fredo (a university facing $40MM in overall budget cuts) tighten up its belt a little bit more so that football players can be given spending money? Should the Nevada students have their mandatory athletic department "tax" raised so that their athletes can hit the casinos on Friday night?

 

[billmac91]

Thought it was cool that Cowherd read my e mail this afternoon on this topic:

Here is it, I posted a few pages ago

So I have been a Buckeye fan since birth, played college athletics and professional athletics for 14 years. There are clearly two sides to the idea of awards and the value of the actual trophy,ring or award.

First, you work very hard for them and they represent something a very significant accomplishment in your life. They represent team work, success and memories of a great season you had.

Second, however, at the end of the day they are not as valuable as family and relationships. If your family is struggling in some way, and you feel the urgency around helping the needs of those you love, you look for ways to help them. The stuff you have pales in comparison to the needs of your loved ones.

Now if anyone reading this won a great award at work, and were honored with a valuable prize for it. And then lets say your wife or kids becomes sick and needs help, there is not a single person reading this that would not sell everything they had or needed to sell to help the ones you loved. You would not leave a 1,000 watch or award on your shelf while your family struggles to make it through a trial.

Now, realize that these kids are 19 years old, their hands are completely tied to making money, working etc. They had a way to help their families and a way to step into the needs of the people they love. It doesn't seem like they knew they were violating a rule by selling this stuff to help their families. If they did, I would imagine they would not have done it,

These awards mean far more to these players than to you and I. Trust me, I love beating Michigan and winning championships as much as the next guy. But these are the guys that put in the blood and sweat and time to win these things. So none of us should start to assume these things are not valuable to them.

I would just remind you that you and I would sell whatever we had to help our family when they are need. to say otherwise is untruthful

With the exception that you can make 1 + 1 = 2 in many of these cases.

Terrelle Pryor allegedly sold his memorabilia to help his single mom. Sounds nice, right? He also tweeted, "I paid for my tatoos. Go Bucks"

OK, so judging by his arms he has several thousand dollars worth of ink. He also stated he paid for that ink. So he denies free ink and that he paid for the tatoos, yet his mom is struggling financially?

So either Terrelle's priorities are all jacked up and he'd rather walk around covered in ink while his mom struggles, or the memorabilia sales went to his ink and the story of economic crisis was BS to protect the players.

It isn't very hard to figure out.

 

[Bill Lucas]

I think most of us will agree that the story of economic crisis really didn't need to be told. It simply appears to be an excuse. The press conference could have been handled much better. JMHO.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

Taking a turn in a different direction... the thing thats starting to piss me off now is the media is acting like OSU didnt do anything ....they made such a big deal out of the 1 day Cam was ineligible ... they aren't making mention that OSU declared them ineligible for the Sugar Bowl and that it was the NCAA NOT OSU that made these guys eligible (at least thats what I've gathered)....again half assed reporting by the media... no wonder people think that Stewart & Colbert are more trustworthy... atleast they admit to being a farce

 

[scarletmike]

I'll say this and be done.

I am very disappointed in the players involved. If their reasons were altruistic, then so be it. Regardless, I am disappointed in what has transpired. However, I will not immediately call for them to be kicked off the team, be excommunicated as Buckeyes, and pretend like they weren't a part of something special at tOSU with the football team. They have done nothing that has given them a competitive edge, running with NFL agents, accepted/been a part of booster issues such as pay-for-play; the kinds of things that I would consider unforgivable sins against tOSU, the fans, the alumni, and the team. So be disappointed, I sure am. But don't be overwhelmed with emotion, calling for the end of them being considered Buckeyes over this.

And further more, I am appalled by the sheer hypocrisy and inconsistency being displayed by the NCAA here. They should be suspended for the Sugar Bowl, no questions asked. Everyone with half a brain can see through the "unique opportunity to play in a Bowl game" BS, and I want Tressel and Smith to come out and announce these 5 will be sitting out - possibly even not attending - the game. Essentially challenge the NCAA to admit why they were going to allow them to play in the Bowl (hint, it i$n't because it$ a "unique opportunity") and to not lessen the beginning of season game suspensions. Call the NCAA out on their BS, take the high road even above your governing body. I'm seeing a willingness to rail on the NCAA from the media with their coverage on this instance, so use it to your advantage.

I am extremely disappointed in the players, and I am absolutely appalled by the colors the NCAA is showing here. Keep the Sugar Bowl clean, teach them a lesson by keeping them out of a major game, their final chance to showcase their talents this season, a game they know means a lot to a lot of different people, not just themselves. If they can play the Bowl, the regular season suspensions next year might as well not even exist, because those players won't be around. This should not be about punishing the institution, it should be more about punishing the players in this instance.

 

[BigWoof31]

Also consider the 90% of athletic departments, and even football programs, that are in the red and only survive through direct institutional support or a "tax" on the student body in the form of mandatory fees?

Should the history department at Fredo (a university facing $40MM in overall budget cuts) tighten up its belt a little bit more so that football players can be given spending money? Should the Nevada students have their mandatory athletic department "tax" raised so that their athletes can hit the casinos on Friday night?

Better prepare to give the female athletes as much as the males too. If not, prepare for all manner of holy hell to rain down on the campus.

 

[JBaney45]

I think most of us will agree that the story of economic crisis really didn't need to be told. It simply appears to be an excuse. The press conference could have been handled much better. JMHO.

Yeah it seemed kind of cheesy, or perhaps exaggerated.

I think you have to sort of put it into context though. It shouldn't have been made out that their parents were in such dire straights where they needed the money to pay the rent or put food on the table. Is it reasonable to believe that the sale of these items could have been used to help lighten the load perhaps to help pay for their parents to travel to some of the games or to take a little bit of the burden off of their own living expenses so their parents don't have to chip in as much. With the dollar amounts that they received it obviously wasn't enough to support someone..just allows them to have it a little bit easier in a time where they are living from paycheck to paycheck

It's certainly possible that the figures the NCAA mentioned were just the money that they received, and that the tattoos were kind of thrown in there as a bonus ("I'll give you 1,000 for the ring and some free work done") and that that sort of got washed out in the investigation.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Better prepare to give the female athletes as much as the males too. If not, prepare for all manner of holy hell to rain down on the campus.

Good point. Figuring the bare minimum--85 football players and 85 female athletes at $500/month for nine months that is $765,000 in handing out walking around cash for athletes. That, by the way, would pay full (in-state) tuition scholarships for 73 honors students every year.

Anyone want to tell me which is the proper role of a university and which might help stem the "brain drain" that Ohio suffers from and help its economic future?

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

Better prepare to give the female athletes as much as the males too. If not, prepare for all manner of holy hell to rain down on the campus.

this is strictly a response to the argument about paying the players.. Mods move if you see fit

yeah ... everyone forgets about that little Title IX rule.... you can't pay one group without paying all groups.... you wanna watch sports fold.... pay the STUDENT-athletes. .... you'll end up like the MLB or the NBA where there are a few schools in the country that can afford to do that...

If the scholarship isn't enough to cover the basics (i've heard this) then increase it to cover that .. but thats it.... people need to remember college aint cheap, people always forget to include the price of the education when talking about paying the athletes and the last I checked only a handful of guys ever make it in the NFL.... Maybe we never hear about it.. but it always seems to be the guys who have a shot at the NFL that [censored] everything up for everyone else.

There are students in the general population that come from much worse situations that struggle and fight and scrap to make it through college to give themselves and their families a shot at a better life.... end the sense of entitlement that athletes have in general... just because you hit the gene pool lottery doesn't mean you should get anything... unfortunately in American society now it seems that people feel entitled to things even if they don't deserve it and hard work isn't as rewarded as it once was....
/end of the rant

side note (going for humor here): I will be approaching boosters in the coming months about the services of my child who is to be born in June... I'm projecting him (no i wont find out until they are born what the actual sex is) to be about 6'4" and roughly 230 lbs when he is 18.... bidding will start at 250k.. I'm pretty sure at this point he wont know i'm doing this and the statute of limitations for the NCAA can't be anymore than 10 years... so i'm in the clear right ? :)

Merry Christmas to all

 

[Gothmog8]

The whole incident leaves a bad taste in my mouth, (not unlike warm stale beer)

It is what it is.

I hate that they sold their rings and pants.

I hate that it was for tatoos. (What would people say if they had sold them to benefit a charity?)

I hate that the choice is (was?) between playing in the bowl game and 5 games next year. It sucks any way you cut it.

I hate that it happened NOW. Not the gift anyone was expecting this holiday season (except those making money off of it)

I hate that probably in-between every play during the game, the commentators will talk about this Ad nauseam.

I'll still watch the game. I am, after all, a Buckeye and will support my team through stupid crap players do and the [censored] the NCAA does.




Ok, I'm done with the thread, unless there is more breaking news like Tressel plans on not wearing a sweater-vest during the game or something crazy like that.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

The whole incident leaves a bad taste in my mouth, (not unlike warm stale beer)

It is what it is.

I hate that they sold their rings and pants.

I hate that it was for tatoos. (What would people say if they had sold them to benefit a charity?)

I hate that the choice is (was?) between playing in the bowl game and 5 games next year. It sucks any way you cut it.

I hate that it happened NOW. Not the gift anyone was expecting this holiday season (except those making money off of it)

I hate that probably in-between every play during the game, the commentators will talk about this Ad nauseam.

I'll still watch the game. I am, after all, a Buckeye and will support my team through stupid crap players do and the [censored] the NCAA does.




Ok, I'm done with the thread, unless there is more breaking news like Tressel plans on not wearing a sweater-vest during the game or something crazy like that.

 

[Diego-Bucks]

I am absolutely shocked at the number of people on this and other boards who are showing such animosity towards these players. We have Kirk Herbstreit sinking to a new low by excoriating Pryor nationally and amazingly stating that losing these young men from the program would be "addition by subtraction." Others a threatening to never support the university again.

Where is all of this hostility towards these 21 year old kids coming from?

...

Can we make th stkoran's post the BP official stance on the issue. I wouldn't want any of these guys to leave the team for the wrong reasons. I would LOVE for them to come back. Buckeyes. Need more be said?

 

[BuckStruck]

The whole incident leaves a bad taste in my mouth, (not unlike warm stale beer)

It is what it is.

I hate that they sold their rings and pants.

I hate that it was for tatoos. (What would people say if they had sold them to benefit a charity?)

I hate that the choice is (was?) between playing in the bowl game and 5 games next year. It sucks any way you cut it.

I hate that it happened NOW. Not the gift anyone was expecting this holiday season (except those making money off of it)

I hate that probably in-between every play during the game, the commentators will talk about this Ad nauseam.

I'll still watch the game. I am, after all, a Buckeye and will support my team through stupid crap players do and the [censored] the NCAA does.




Ok, I'm done with the thread, unless there is more breaking news like Tressel plans on not wearing a sweater-vest during the game or something crazy like that.

 

[3074326]

Can we make th stkoran's post the BP official stance on the issue. I wouldn't want any of these guys to leave the team for the wrong reasons. I would LOVE for them to come back. Buckeyes. Need more be said?

Yes, the phrase "21 year old kids" doesn't make sense to me. They're men, they know what they did was wrong, and they deserve some criticism. I don't want them to leave either. They are Buckeyes. But people are treating them like children. They knew what they were doing could let their team and coaches down.. and they still did it. That's selfish and not something OSU should stand for. They shouldn't play in the bowl game.