tOSU Indiscretions of May (Mega Merge)

[jwinslow]

Can someone find another example of a suspension related to only smoking pot, where the offender does not have a track record?

IMO, this is not a serious offense at all rule wise. However, it demonstrates an extreme lack of respect for his school, his opportunity, and especially for the current situation surrounding skeete.

As such, I think he should only serve a minor suspension consistent with other similar offenses, but he should be in the doghouse for some time. I think he'll get the picture when we bring in Schnittker or a reserve player rather than him. We seriously need him against texas and he has let us down big time. While he seems to have shown a serious lack of intelligence in his behavior, I'm sure it is going to be eating him up all game if he is on the sideline.

Screw everyone else's opinion. All that matters in the short term is that these players get the message. If JT suspends him consistently with the rules, but forces him to work very hard and long to regain his status, I think they will start to understand (*crosses fingers*).

 

[seedubya]

He dropped the cigarette from his left hand as the officer approached, Amweg said Thursday. Two others standing with Haw walked away before the officer could question them, he said.

God, please don't let the "two others standing with Haw..." be football players. Please, God - no....

 

[Misanthrope]

I agree with Alan. Many of you are acting Like Haw just killed someone. Yes it was wrong for him to smoke weed, but suspending him for the season is too harsh. I think a 3 game suspension would be fine.

And this "boys will be boys" stuff is why we keep seeing stupid shit like this over and over again. Sure, all schools have screw-ups, but we're having more than our share, and if the message isn't getting through, apparently the consequences haven't been harsh enough.

I didn't see anyone act like Haw "killed someone". I saw a lot of Buckeye faithful who are fed up with the negative press, far too much of which is - unfortunately - justified. Frankly, I'm proud of them, and I'm getting pretty fucking tired of those of you who rationalize every transgression. I'm beginning to think the only thing that will get your attention is if a Buckeye actually does kill someone.

Maybe you don't mind having a rep the likes of the "Criminoles", as long as we win, but some of us aim a little higher.

Enough of the damn excuses...

 

[Misanthrope]

i think that those of us who want him off the team, are only saying so because he's a backup RB. what would you guys be saying if teddy or santonio or hawk, any one of our star players, was caught for a similar misdeed? i highly doubt you guys would want them kicked off the team.

Psychologists speak of "projection" and we're seeing it right here. Speak for yourself, Trail. I've had it with this bullshit that the punishment be based on the talent of the player. Christ, just yesterday I had a running debate with some dope rationalizing Izzy the convicted thug back on the team - ARE WE REALLY THAT DESPERATE TO WIN FOOTBALL GAMES? Hell, if anything is forgivable (provided your 40 time is under 4.4) then let's just start recruiting juvenile detention centers and prisons. I swear, some of you guys would be just fine with that as long as we won the "NC". This is precisely how schools flush their reputation down the toilet - lower your standards based on the talent level.

Given the multiple transgressions in recent years, for Haw to do this at this time he has to be a fucking idiot - period.

I don't care if it's the 5th string long-snapper or Ted Ginn - I have had it up to here with dumbasses making the press for all the wrong reasons, and the people who continue making excuses for them.

Without reading the Ohio Revised Code I am pretty certain that there is nothing in there anywhere that says the punishment for a crime is more severe if it follows the commission of the same or a similar crime by a family member. Nor are there laws stating you will serve more time if you work for an organization that employs a lot of people who do time. That all makes sense to me.

I agree that makes sense. The problem is, it's irrelevant to setting standards for one's university and its football program.

It's really quite simple: is winning football games more important than your reputation, less important than your reputation, or of the same importance as your reputation?

Seeing the same people respond the same way to every stupid thing one of our players does pretty much answers that question. Obviously, we don't all answer it the same way.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Well, we can argue with each other and piss and moan about this until the cows come home, but what's done is done. I have a feeling that JT will address this quite firmly. Now, whatever he does, it's going to piss off folks for his actions being either too firm or too lenient. The guy's been a head coach for 20 years with five national titles and a ridiculously successful post-season record, so I think he knows a little bit about maintaining a sense of team spirit and cohesiveness.

As for whether or not his punishment should fit the level of the player's status on the team, keep this in mind: Had Ted Ginn or A.J. Hawk been busted for a joint, do you think that it would get the low-level of coverage that both Skeete and Haw are getting? No fucking way. It would be the lead story on SportsCenter and the headline on their web site, as well as CNNSI.com's site. Both of Skeete's and Haw's incidents have been comparative side notes. Coverage of Ginn or Hawk getting busted would dwarf both guys' coverage combined. And I shouldn't need to tell you why. Bellisari got a 2-game suspension and missed Senior Day because of a DUI (no accident or anyone else involved, IIRC, yet the potential for injury and damage in DUIs are significant). Bellisari was a senior and a team captain. And this was after a bigger series of arrests among OSU players than what's happened recently, yet he got a two-game suspension (he did also miss Senior Day and didn't get to start the bowl game). Haw was caught in a totally non-threatening crime, and was totally cooperative with the officer. He's a fricking redshirt freshman who has never played a down, not a senior QB captain. You can't apply the same amount of punishment. True, Tressel will indeed have to be firm, but to me, you don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Steve19]

I am speechless...

Me too.

 

[zincfinger]

True, Tressel will indeed have to be firm, but to me, you don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

I'm not sure that expression really applies in a case like this, but in any case, as I said, I tend to agree with those of you who argue against hardcore measures (like expulsion). It is true that this was a "non-threatening" offense, but it is also true that it was an (unbelievably) flauntingly blatant use of illegal narcotics, and a damage to the program. The question I have is this: if you believe that the number of arrests on the team - ranging from felonious assault to "youthful improprieties" - has been unacceptably high, what needs to be done differently in order to change that?

 

[smackbuck]

haw smoked a mariuana joint oh my goddddddddddddddddd lets shut down ohio state football lets fire this lets kick that meetings chaos......................... are you guys serious or am i too young?


haw smoked a fukin joint big deal, run him hard on practice get in his ear a little bit and get his ass ready for the miami opener nothing more nothing less.

is all of you priests, and are any of you under 50 years old?

 

[nwbuckeye]

haw smoked a mariuana joint oh my goddddddddddddddddd lets shut down ohio state football lets fire this lets kick that meetings chaos......................... are you guys serious or am i too young?


haw smoked a fukin joint big deal, run him hard on practice get in his ear a little bit and get his ass ready for the miami opener nothing more nothing less.

its all about timing and maybe you are too young or i am too old. alcohol is legal as long as you dont get busted for dwi, etc...smoking pot is ILLEGAL no matter what. get the point. here we are about to maybe break out from the yoke of the ncaa investigations and this dumbass gets caught smoking "just a joint". like it or not he is representing OUR university on and off the field and if he is too stupid to realize what his actions can do to his career and the reputation of OUR university then he needs to be kicked off the team for shear stupidity if nothing else. if tressel et al doesnt start coming down hard on these kids they will never stop making stupid choices that effect far more than just their own private idaho.

 

[akronbuck]

great point

what an idiot, he might as well have asked any of the NCAA people if they want to buy something to smoke.

I wonder if he can still run a 4.21 40 time. lol

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

...It is true that this was a "non-threatening" offense, but it is also true that it was an (unbelievably) flauntingly blatant use of illegal narcotics, and a damage to the program...

I wouldn't say it was "flauntingly blatant". They had a lookout, and when the cop showed up Haw tossed the blunt down. It's not like he was standing out in the middle of the street or leaning against the lamp post for all to see, and then kept toking away when the cop showed up. Sure, it was stupid and careless as shit, but not flaunting.

is all of you priests, and are any of you under 50 years old?

I'm 48, and was raised in the "pot boom" era of the late '60s and early '70s, and even toked a few times in high school (and definitely ain't no priest), so I can relate to how today's kids want to chill with a doob. However, the shit is still illegal just like underage drinking is, and if you get caught you have to face the consequences, whether you agree with the law or not.

 

[Brutus1]

is all of you priests, and are any of you under 50 years old?

I don't thinks we all is.

 

[lvbuckeye]

what Haw did was INCREDIBLY stupid, and completely unacceptable... Eric certainly deserves any punishment that he gets... however, since so many people are pointing out the numerous indiscretions of other team members as vindication for tossing Eric off the team, they need to consider this: Since Tressel took over the helm at Ohio State, there have been 16 players arrested... now, i'm not one to justify action by comparisons to the lowest common denominator, but, for reference purposes only, Penn State has had 16 players arrested in the last TEN MONTHS...

basically, i'm not condoning E. Haw's actions, and i think he is an idiot both for smoking so soon after Skeete's arrest, and also for smoking OUTSIDE, but the sky clearly is NOT falling... Haw will be suspended for three games or so, and then, though he will be eligible to play, he will be a scout team member for basically the remainder of the season... Haw will either learn his lesson, and will come back and contribute to the team or he will continue his selfish quest to get high, and wash out... the ball is in his court, now...this is not the end of the world, but it IS the end of fun time for E. Haw...

 

[osugrad21]

is all of you priests, and are any of you under 50 years old?

Yes, I am 29...only 6 years removed from that scene. However, my "scene" was not in a national spotlight of a program already perceived as out of control nor was my "scene" funded by taxpayer dollars.

I agree that in the grand scheme of life, this is a minor incident...but in the pressure cooker of tOSU football, this is a major mistake.

Something needs to change...

For everyone saying throwing kids off is too harsh...when is it not too harsh? If we get an Oklahoma situation of rapes and firearms...can we remove those players or is that still too harsh?

This does not stop until the school or staff decides to stop it.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

This does not stop until the school or staff decides to stop it.

Basically, Tressel holds the sword - eventually, he must either swing it, or fall on it. Pretty soon, he will lose that option.

An example needs to be set. Will Erik Haw be the unlucky one? Well, maybe he should have considered that possibility before lighting up....