Yahoo, Tattoos, and tOSU (1-year bowl ban, 82 scholly limit for 3 years)

[MaliBuckeye]

That's what gets me. If we reported these issues back in April I bet they would miss a total of 2 or 3 games tops. Plus the NCAA would have our backs in the appeal process. So TP and the others would miss what Marshall and Miami? Big deal even if you lose to Miami, people would put an asterisk by that loss because we weren't at full strength. Unbelievable situation we are in. In the NCAA's eyes we are worse than USC because they have more proof of a cover up at OSU than they did with the Trojans, can you f-in believe that???

I wonder if there was something significant about this past season for Tressel- maybe he wanted to make a run at a NC and then retire, or maybe there was something else.

It's difficult for me to believe this sudden lapse of judgement without understanding his rationale... although it's getting less and less difficult, unfortunately.

 

[unionfutura]

I wonder if there was something significant about this past season for Tressel- maybe he wanted to make a run at a NC and then retire, or maybe there was something else.

It's difficult for me to believe this sudden lapse of judgement without understanding his rationale... although it's getting less and less difficult, unfortunately.

My gut tells me we shouldn't dig in that question too deep....

 

[Jaxbuck]

Honestly, these are pretty much my thoughts as well. It seems like OSU going on the straight and narrow has resulted in nothing but trouble.

Seriously, all of this fucking hoopla over some players selling THEIR OWN PROPERTY for some goddamn tats. A crime without a victim.

Tress should of just suspended the players for the Eastern Michigan using the nebulous "Violation of Team Rules" to avoid this ridiculous fiasco.

I'm not sure how you come to the conclusion that OSU has been going on the straight and narrow with this deal but I think Jakes post below addresses the second part.

This mess is well beyond the rule the kids broke. Tressel is in deep shit because it is becoming more and more obvious he knew about it, tried to cover it up and has been less than transparent about the attempted cover up since.

Its similar to the government going after Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. The Feds don't give a shit about the steroid use, they have a hard on because those guys lied about it. The NCAA could very well get the same type of hard on for Tressel.

To echo Jake, its a damn shame because it looks like one moment of weakness, one lapse in judgment has spiraled completely out of control and it could have so easily been avoided. Then again the argument could be made that perhaps this wasn't an isolated case of bad judgment, that there was a pattern of this type of behavior and he just finally got caught.

Truth probably lies somewhere in between the two extremes.

I've been a Tressel fan since his days at YSU where I watched his teams play in person several times, but I sincerely think some folks are in denial here.

"I didn't know what to do." - Sorry, that sounds like a lie. He's not stupid.

"I was afraid to disclose the emails because of confidentiality and the investigation." - Sorry, but that sounds like another lie, now.

Added to the compliance statement in September and the lack of disclosure in December it is becoming increasingly difficult to see any other plausible explanation than Tressel/tOSU wanted to keep this violation hidden from the light of day. It looks like the classic case of the attempted cover up being worse than the actual crime. It doesn't matter how silly we think the trinkets-for-tats rule is, it's a rule. He knew it was a violation, if true, and it needed to be investigated ASAP. That either didn't happen, or it did and it was not disclosed to the NCAA. Either way, we're screwed there.

The truly sad part is the punishment for the initial violations would've been the first 4 games of last season for 5 players if everyone had just come clean. It would be water under the bridge by now. Instead, it is 5 games next season, and potentially 12 wins erased last season, and Tressel's/tOSU's reputation at a minimum, his job at a maximum. It may even get to the point where tOSU has to dismiss him, as Tennessee just had to do with Pearl, to avoid major program sanctions.

What a mess. What a shame. :(

 

[unionfutura]

I believe it would have been 4 games, same as A.J. Green got for the start of the 2010 season for a similar situation.

And it would have been very interesting if USC would have been subject to FOIA requests for emails of their AD and coaching staff from 2004 through 2009. But they're a private University.

Maybe so, but with our history with the NCAA I could see us winning an appeal for two games. But your right.

 

[Saw31]

Why would they not just say this at the press conference? What, we got a bunch of admin types slowly pulling off their band-aids, to make it hurt as much as possible? Jesus Christ, TOSU is so huge you can take classes in nose hair pulling and arm pit smelling. We don't have a competent PR person on campus?

 

[unionfutura]

Why would they not just say this at the press conference? What, we got a bunch of admin types slowly pulling off their band-aids, to make it hurt as much as possible? Jesus Christ, TOSU is so huge you can take classes in nose hair pulling and arm pit smelling. We don't have a competent PR person on campus?

don't get me started on that press conference who ever had that brilliant idea to hold it ought to be fired. It was obvious that they didn't have their bearings together.

 

[Mike80]

Why would they not just say this at the press conference? What, we got a bunch of admin types slowly pulling off their band-aids, to make it hurt as much as possible? Jesus Christ, TOSU is so huge you can take classes in nose hair pulling and arm pit smelling. We don't have a competent PR person on campus?

This is death by 1000 cuts but the reason they couldn't release this to the press at the time of the press conference was due to the NCAA investigation. Indeed that's why they aren't commenting on it now.

don't get me started on that press conference who ever had that brilliant idea to hold it ought to be fired. It was obvious that they didn't have their bearings together.

That entire presser was a damned time warp.

 

[jwinslow]

The press conference is what has disillusioned many imo. Lots of us make mistakes and lie or hide it until someone finds out, but when you get caught, come clean, especially if they have the emails to show your new explanation is faulty.

 

[Bill Lucas]

Bill, I wasn't aware I was prohibited from posting elsewhere. Which makes it interesting, as some are unhappy because I talk too much about that subject here, but now it appears some are unhappy because instead of posting here again, I went over to an SEC Board.

I figured waiting a bit to post regarding this new news was perhaps a better choice today, all things considered. Which is why I skipped over the story to comment on the Shaggy Bevo post instead.

But since you and Mike have been so kind to mention me this morning, I will say that it's a damn shame they "broke" this the morning of your Sweet Sixteen Game. You'd think an Ohio paper could have waited a day.

Gator,

I'm just messing with you. You're certainly a great (although overly verbose) poster here.

I'm a regular at Tigerdroppings.com. I find the site hilarious.

 

[BB73]

Why would they not just say this at the press conference? What, we got a bunch of admin types slowly pulling off their band-aids, to make it hurt as much as possible? Jesus Christ, TOSU is so huge you can take classes in nose hair pulling and arm pit smelling. We don't have a competent PR person on campus?

Since the NCAA investigation was ongoing, Gene Smith wouldn't let questions like that get answered at the press conference. It seemed like that was per the wishes of the NCAA.

But it seems there's a leak either within tOSU or the NCAA, which has some motivation to have news stories come out before the process is complete. The leak to Yahoo is why the press conference earlier this month was put together in a day, which is part of why it didn't come off very well.

 

[unionfutura]

This is death by 1000 cuts but the reason they couldn't release this to the press at the time of the press conference was due to the NCAA investigation. Indeed that's why they aren't commenting on it now.



That entire presser was a damned time warp.

To seriously answer your question before, the NCAA really doesn't care about the amount of cash goes to a kid, what really matters did the school facilitate that behavior either through the coaches or through affiliated boosters. Also if the school was aware of such activity what did it do to fix the situation. In our case the head coach was aware of the activity and did nothing, he in fact failed to disclose the violation to compliance, the NCAA, and his AD both in September and in December when the violations came to light.

USC it was only proved that Todd McNair knew of this improper dealings with agents. There was no proof that Pete Carroll was aware of anything (hard to believe but you know), therefore it'll be easier to state that OSU lost institutional control easier than USC.

 

[MaliBuckeye]

USC it was only proved that Todd McNair knew of this improper dealings with agents. There was no proof that Pete Carroll was aware of anything (hard to believe but you know), therefore it'll be easier to state that OSU lost institutional control easier than USC.

In regards to football, perhaps. But it should be remembered that Southern Cal had a lot more going on than just the Bush situation.

 

[alexhortdog95]

FIFY

EVERYBODY is bad in ESPN's eyes cause they've had a love affair with the Trojans for years now.

 

[SmoovP]

I'm going to say something here that's not going to be very popular, but I think the OSU Marketing/PR department has historically done an outstanding job of keeping the lid on things, projecting a positive image and branding the program.

But I think things have gotten beyond marketing and pr's ability to manage.

 

[alexhortdog95]

I'm going to say something here that's not going to be very popular, but I think the OSU Marketing/PR department has historically done an outstanding job of keeping the lid on things, projecting a positive image and branding the program.

But I think things have gotten beyond marketing and pr's ability to manage.

Well, to be fair...it's not like they're defending Lane Kiffin, Pete Carroll, or some other shady individual.

It's Jim Freaking Tressel. This guy is extremely stand up and well respected in the national community among his profession.

They went into this one down two scores already, IMHO.