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

[Gatorubet]

I don't know if you're intentionally being an ass or if it's just a coincidence.

If not for tOSU's 27ish service errors they would've won in 3 sets.

Sorry Sloop.

I did not watch the volleyball championship tonight, hence my question.

But my belly-button is now lint free.

Edit: of greater import to me, we're about to be swept by the piggies, and it is 3-2 in the 7th on ESPNU. Again sloop, Congrats.

 

[CleveBucks]

I'm done being naive. This is a story whether we want it to be or not, and especially because of all the other shit that's happened.

The thing about cars is there's a shitload of paperwork involved. No way around it. They'd actually be one of the more difficult things to use for improper benefits. That's why I refuse to believe OSU is going to get nailed on this. Call me myopic if you want, but a bag of cash is much easier to exchange than a $1000 discount on a used car. Could one or two players get away with it? Sure, someone could fly under the radar. I just refuse to believe that 50 players got improper benefits on used cars. Compliance would have to be willfully looking the other way, and OSU's track record is the exact opposite of that.

 

[3074326]

The thing about cars is there's a shitload of paperwork involved. No way around it. They'd actually be one of the more difficult things to use for improper benefits. That's why I refuse to believe OSU is going to get nailed on this. Call me myopic if you want, but a bag of cash is much easier to exchange than a $1000 discount on a used car. Could one or two players get away with it? Sure, someone could fly under the radar. I just refuse to believe that 50 players got improper benefits on used cars. Compliance would have to be willfully looking the other way, and OSU's track record is the exact opposite of that.

I also have a hard time believing that 50ish students/family members were going to the same dealer and not getting deals, while the dealer was going to the title game and Fiesta Bowl, with autographed memorabilia hanging around.

I'm not blaming compliance for this, but I'd even heard rumblings of this around campus for years. Willfully looking the other way might be a good way to put it, unfortunately.

 

[OHSportsFan]

I also have a hard time believing that 50ish students/family members were going to the same dealer and not getting deals, while the dealer was going to the title game and Fiesta Bowl, with autographed memorabilia hanging around.

I'm not blaming compliance for this, but I'd even heard rumblings of this around campus for years. Willfully looking the other way might be a good way to put it, unfortunately.

College athletes and nice cars have been going on for MUCH longer than the last few years you've been on campus [everywhere].

(not arguing with you or anything...just saying)

 

[3074326]

College athletes and nice cars have been going on for MUCH longer than the last few years you've been on campus [everywhere].

(not arguing with you or anything...just saying)

Definitely, which is just another reason I'm expecting them to find something.

 

[MaxBuck]

How preytell do you think the salesmen in question is going to overcome the dealer asking where his car/money are in the case of the one rouge salesman theory? We don't know what, exactly, Kniffin did with respect to the Gibson sale. So we have no idea what questions the dealer might ask Kniffin relative to that sale.

For the same reason the OSU compliance official said he didn't like it, it gives the impression of impropriety at the very least. That's fine to say "we don't like it." Would you care to defend against a restraint-of-trade lawsuit in the event the athletic department told players and their families to stop buying cars from a particular dealership? That would be a much larger impropriety - and it would have nothing to do with "appearance."

Oh I don't know, how about the instant "OSU is the victim of a well conceived scam put on them by these dealers" type of stuff. Who said that? I sure haven't. I do think Kniffin lacks credibility; someone who fails to pay six figures in federal income tax doesn't carry a lot of weight with me.

No actually the compliance guy goes out of his way to say he isn't responsible for checking the prices, isn't a car expert and relies on the integrity of the dealers. Besides if they were actually doing it how do they miss something as glaring as Thad Gibson's freemobile? You're saying this automobile was free; that suggestion doesn't pass any giggle test I can think of. And if you think Doug Archie is lying about vetting these deals, I don't know what to say. Suffice it to say that a suggestion that the Ohio State athletic department is engaged in a massive conspiracy is so absurd as to beggar belief. It's a lot easier for me to believe that a dealership entered a zero for sale price as a scheme to avoid paying sales tax to the State of Ohio. Or that a simple clerical error was made.

I find it massively grotesque that so many Ohio State fans seem willing to believe conspiracy theories involving Jim Tressel, Doug Archie, and Gene Smith.

There's no denying Coach Tressel made a huge error in judgment that will cost him big time. But ascribing to him and the rest of our athletic department the ability to engage in this sort of massive cover-up? Man, that's over the top IMO. Way harder to believe than anything any Ohio State official has said, that's for sure.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I find it massively grotesque that so many Ohio State fans seem willing to believe conspiracy theories involving Jim Tressel, Doug Archie, and Gene Smith.

There's no denying Coach Tressel made a huge error in judgment that will cost him big time. But ascribing to him and the rest of our athletic department the ability to engage in this sort of massive cover-up? Man, that's over the top IMO. Way harder to believe than anything any Ohio State official has said, that's for sure.

You found it grotesque to believe Tressel did anything wrong the first time too so I'll just take it fwiw.

I know with 100% first hand certainty of a dealership that specialized in serving Auburn players should they happen by in Atlanta circa 1995-96. It goes on everywhere so when someone starts screaming they've found something in regards to players/car dealers the safe bet is to put your money on the fact they do indeed have something.

Now from what we see so far you've got a salesman and two dealerships that attract an uncanny concentration of OSU athletes and their families. You have that salesman showing up on the sidelines and enough smoke from that to get the compliance guy to ban him.

Compliance guy then sounds like he's reading a legal disclaimer about not being responsible for knowing what a fair price for the car should be plus you have a public record showing Gibson paid $0 for a car. Even if that's a mistake why didn't anyone notice or care to look before this?

Maybe it's not but right now this sure looks like a system that's been in place for a while to get players benefits while keeping the coaches/athletic department insulated should it ever come under scrutiny.

The theory that there were car dealers in Columbus willing to give, what the NCAA would consider improper benefits, to players and that the athletic department as a whole turned a blind eye(or at the very least had their plausible deniability firewalls in place) requires a lot fewer assumptions than the theory that this is all a completely fabricated story and the OSU athletic leadership would never do such a thing.

 

[3074326]

I don't think there are that many claiming it's a conspiracy. I think there are a lot who think there's a lot more shit going on at OSU than we ever imagined, whether the administration knows about it or not. The fans aren't the "grotesque" part about the situation(s).

 

[SloopyHangOn]

I don't think there are that many claiming it's a conspiracy. I think there are a lot who think there's a lot more shit going on at OSU than we ever imagined, whether the administration knows about it or not. The fans aren't the "grotesque" part about the situation(s).

This.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

Again sloop, Congrats.

Meh, don't mind me. It wasn't meant to be malicious. This whole thread is just depressing to read/watch.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

I find it massively grotesque that so many Ohio State fans seem willing to believe conspiracy theories involving Jim Tressel, Doug Archie, and Gene Smith.

There's no denying Coach Tressel made a huge error in judgment that will cost him big time. But ascribing to him and the rest of our athletic department the ability to engage in this sort of massive cover-up? Man, that's over the top IMO. Way harder to believe than anything any Ohio State official has said, that's for sure.

Lets look back at the selling the stuff for tattoos. People were saying that this would be a minor violation that would get the players a few game suspensions. Why would Coach Tressel risk his job, reputation and millions of dollars (if he is fired) over a minor violation? That does not make sense. This is when the conspiracy theories start. Why risk all of that on something so minor unless there is something bigger in play here. Unless there was something bigger he is trying to hide.

 

[MaxBuck]

You found it grotesque to believe Tressel did anything wrong the first time too so I'll just take it fwiw.

I know with 100% first hand certainty of a dealership that specialized in serving Auburn players should they happen by in Atlanta circa 1995-96. It goes on everywhere so when someone starts screaming they've found something in regards to players/car dealers the safe bet is to put your money on the fact they do indeed have something.

Now from what we see so far you've got a salesman and two dealerships that attract an uncanny concentration of OSU athletes and their families. You have that salesman showing up on the sidelines and enough smoke from that to get the compliance guy to ban him.

Compliance guy then sounds like he's reading a legal disclaimer about not being responsible for knowing what a fair price for the car should be plus you have a public record showing Gibson paid $0 for a car. Even if that's a mistake why didn't anyone notice or care to look before this?

Maybe it's not but right now this sure looks like a system that's been in place for a while to get players benefits while keeping the coaches/athletic department insulated should it ever come under scrutiny.

The theory that there were car dealers in Columbus willing to give, what the NCAA would consider improper benefits, to players and that the athletic department as a whole turned a blind eye(or at the very least had their plausible deniability firewalls in place) requires a lot fewer assumptions than the theory that this is all a completely fabricated story and the OSU athletic leadership would never do such a thing.

1. That there are car dealers in Columbus willing to give Buckeye players "improper benefits" is not a theory; it's a fact. Much as there are dealers in Miami willing to do so for Hurricane players, dealers in Eugene willing to do so for Duck players, and dealers in Morgantown willing to do so for Mountaineer players. There would be dealers in Storrs willing to do so for Husky football players if anyone actually gave a shit about UConn football.

2. There's only so much a compliance department can do to police this situation, given the subjective nature of automobile sale pricing. And as I alluded to above, it's not possible to direct players or their families away from dealerships without having objective reasons for doing so (like, they are documented to have suborned NCAA violations by selling cars to players for less than market value).

3. This is Big Time College Football. I've now resigned myself to the conclusion that Jim Tressel has consciously insulated himself from some shady dealings that he's aware he can't really control. Does that make him a Bad Human Being (or even a Bad College Coach)? You can decide for yourself, but it doesn't in my mind.

4. I've also concluded in my own mind that Jim Tressel has for a long time regarded transgressions of NCAA rules as being much lower on the Moral Scale than such things as protecting one's friends, teammates and players; obeying the laws of the USA and State of Ohio; and giving back to the community. Again, this doesn't diminish Jim Tressel much if at all in my eyes, but others will likely disagree.

5. Finally, I've concluded from this whole brouhaha that, should Coach Tressel be forced to resign or retire as a result of the mess, Ohio State fans will, in the next decade, learn what the on-field consequences are of putting NCAA compliance on the highest pedestal:

 

[Jaxbuck]

I don't think there are that many claiming it's a conspiracy. I think there are a lot who think there's a lot more shit going on at OSU than we ever imagined, whether the administration knows about it or not. The fans aren't the "grotesque" part about the situation(s).

I don't disagree but if you want I'll argue with you for a while anyway so you can get a GPA.

 

[3074326]

I don't disagree but if you want I'll argue with you for a while anyway so you can get a GPA.

I don't want to argue... but I really want a GPA... maybe we can argue about which is bigger: Charlie Weis' ego or his waist.

It's tough. But, it's not a depressing subject at least. :(

 

[Buckeye513]

5. Finally, I've concluded from this whole brouhaha that, should Coach Tressel be forced to resign or retire as a result of the mess, Ohio State fans will, in the next decade, learn what the on-field consequences are of putting NCAA compliance on the highest pedestal:

Our choices are break rules shamelessly "because it happens everywhere" or win 14 games a decade?