Ding, Dong Comment Count

Brian

So I'm doing the Memorial Day thing and as such am almost completely out of pocket. I'm typing on a phone and therefore can't do various things I otherwise would do. Like link. Sorry in advance.

Preliminaries out of the way: wow. Ding, dong. /brucecampbellvoice. Tressel's dead, Ohio State won't have a new coach until November, when the Buckeye season will end no matter their record, and there's an SI story coming out in the next day or so that will apparently explain the sudden shift from "I hope he doesn't fire me" to dead man. In all likelihood that will contain details that put USC level sanctions on the table. In the interregnum in Columbus, shiny friendly not about to get cratered Brady Hoke will be in ur base stealing ur recruits. Full analysis tomorrow when I've got a computer and the SI story. Someone find a good place to get a Dispatch style count up clock in the meantime.

Comments

In reply to by Ty Butterfield

globalblue

May 30th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^

so I wonder if the resignation of the "vest" isn't just T$IO trying to manipulate the system even more.  is it true that now that the "vest" is no longer an employee of the university, he no longer has to explain to the NCAA what he knew and when he new it? 

Didn't USC and Pete Carroll do something similiar?  I wonder if we will find out soon that the "vest" has a really nice buyout deal that was negotiated by the lawyer that he hired?  It wouldn't surprise me at all to see that this is just another tactic being employed by the T$IO to avoid sanctions and penalities.

How long before we find out that Terrell "aka Reggie Bush" Pryor is not going to play his senior season and asked the NFL for a supplemental draft.....

Blue in Yarmouth

May 30th, 2011 at 12:52 PM ^

If I remember correctly (and I very well may not) I believe the sanctions against USC had a lot more to do with the University and not specifically the coach. It seemed down there the HC was oblivious to what was going on (or at least was able to claim he was without evidence suggesting otherwise). Also, I think Pete leaving had more to do with him wanting out than the university forcing him out which appears to be the case here.

In this instance, it seems to this point that JT was where the buck stopped. He had all sorts of knowledge regarding violations and seemed to sit on it, without passing it up the chain (I say "seemed" because at their first  press conference it looked as though he wanted to say something but was interrupted by the AD before he could get it out).

I don't know that this will change anything, but now that he isn't a coach in the NCAA I don't believe they can do anything to him (or even question him about anything). So if the NCAA finds that the infractions were all down to players and the coach not passing on the information, and the coach is no longer an employee....I am wondering if it will cause them to go lighter on OSU in this case. Probably what OSU is hoping for at any rate. I don't think they push JT to resign without some serious alterior motive.

Zone Left

May 30th, 2011 at 1:06 PM ^

The NCAA can no longer force him to talk, but they will probably give him a very long show cause order if he does not--which may or may not matter to Tressel.

OSU is definitely going to frame this as one guy who was extremely adept at tricking OSU's compliance department, but if there's enough dirt, the NCAA isn't going to buy it. However, a big part of USC's problem with the NCAA was that the USC Athletic Department basically gave the NCAA the finger instead of cooperating fully with the NCAA. OSU won't make that mistake.

mackbru

May 30th, 2011 at 2:30 PM ^

But OSU already did make that mistake. They gave Tress a slap on the hand and said they found no additional infractions, including with the car situation. They swept everything under the rug -- in contrast to what M did, when, on principle, it immediately plead guilty to major violations that weren't so major.

BlueFordSoftTop

May 30th, 2011 at 12:22 PM ^

tOSU announces that Rich Rodriguez has become its new head football coach. "Rich shares our family values and commitment to defeating Michigan."

But seriously. The schadenfreude available for the reaping over at Eleven Criminalz is unparalleled. Their tears are finest vintage.

GoBlueBrooklyn

May 30th, 2011 at 12:32 PM ^

...I could have been a fly on the wall when the galley copy of the Sports Illustrated landed in the ol' inbox at TSIO, with the lawyers on the conference call with the editor and writer at the magazine, who explained beat by beat what they found, what they will be reporting. The crestfallen looks around the conference table, the pale stares, wagons circled, threats of legal action, and a realization that there was no way out this time. 

I have no doubts that, for the past 7 years or so, giving a year here or there when things were on a razor's edge, TSIO has put a better football team on the field than we have. Between the numbers, when it is time to hit and make plays, they have been better than my team, much to my personal frustration and, frankly, anger. But how those players got there has finally been shown to be part of a fraudulent program. Which is, frankly, disappointing to me. I wanted Michigan to step up and beat TSIO on equal terms, to have a Hollywood ending to my pain, to triumph over adversity, where I could smile in the face of my adversaries and say, finally, our program is back on its feet, is on the road to glory again. That has been taken away from me now.

What makes me most upset about this is that the euphoria of finally beating that team will now be tempered by controversy forever, past losses probably abandoned, the greatest rivalry in all of sports now tarnished with unknowns. That is what sucks the most for me here. I am glad TSIO will finally get what they deserve, I hope their fanbase eats a load of shit for a long time from everyone they play; you can point to the scoreboard all day, but you can't erase the stain of being a cheater. But in the end, this is good for no one; cheating destroys the inherent value of competing at all, and without competition, there is no fun here. Just money and cars and winning without any purpose. That sucks for Michigan. We deserve better from our rivals. 

smotheringD

May 30th, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^

Interesting how JT chose today to come clean.

In recent years he's made it a point to honor our men and women in uniform as part of his program.  He's talked about their character, their sacrifice, their courage, their integrity, their commitment to duty...

I wonder if he couldn't bear the thought of putting on that face to celebrate another Memorial Day knowing that he's in the process of being outed as a liar and a cheat.

You know, I'm sure he meant well.  He probably thought he was just covering up a few minor transgressions for his players.

I'm obviously ecstatic that we'll get to play "The Game" on a level playing field again (or slanted in our favor as punishment for prior transgressions).

It's some consolation that our players in recent years that weren't successful beating Ohio now have an asterisk by their record v. tsio, (*The Cheating Years).

But I'm really disappointed that this guy took what many to believe the greatest rivalry in all of sports and defiled it.

It's a great day because justice is served.

It's a sad day because of the damage that was done.

That's life.  The Game will be restored.  That's what's cool about it...it's bigger than liars and cheats.

BlueinLansing

May 30th, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^

this opens the door to Ohio State getting away with all this crap to a certain degree.

 

Tressel should have been FIRED,not allowed to resign, end of story. 

Wolvie3758

May 30th, 2011 at 12:51 PM ^

Cheaters Never prosper..Oh Sure theyll have their moments in the sun BUT in the end it will come crashing down and they will be exiled in shame and scorn....the Tressel years will ALWAYS be referred to as "THE CHEATING YEARS...farewell Jim Tre$$el  Vest in peace...

OysterMonkey

May 30th, 2011 at 8:29 PM ^

"May God bless JimTressel.  I have to say, if ever I need anyone on my side, I would choose Jesus Christ and Jim Tressel.  Two men that have made tremendous sacrifice for human-kind in our day.  We may worship you in different mindsets, but your duty and service for others can never be forgotten.  The media likes to kick both of you without any regard, but we will never forget your contributions.  Thank you for your service and your commitment to us.  We will never forget you."

BILG

May 30th, 2011 at 1:04 PM ^

The levels of apologism and rationalization circulating the OSU blogosphere are nothing short of spectacular.....If these yocals put as much time and creativity into writing a book as they are in creating a positive narrative about thier fallen angel, they could win a pulitzer.  

michfan4borw

May 30th, 2011 at 1:07 PM ^

citing a "lack of family values" at Michigan.  I now wonder what sort of values he associates with family. 

The Barwis Effect

May 30th, 2011 at 2:29 PM ^

Makes a little bit more sense now why all of a sudden Lloyd Carr, a NC winning coach with a handful of B1G titles, couldn't  pull a single worth-while recruit out of Ohio, not even legacy recruits like T.J. Downing, son of former U-M All-American Walt Downing.

BlueFordSoftTop

May 30th, 2011 at 1:16 PM ^

Sporting News is now agitating for the dismissal of Gene Smith and Gordon Gee due to their alleged roles in fostering of a culture of corruption. The SI investigation results have leaked apparently and the situation is snowballing. Look for the NCAA to drop the big hammer.

Hugh Jass

May 30th, 2011 at 1:48 PM ^

disappointed.  I want to see the vest sitting at another nondescript table with a microphone try to explain his behavior.  Now I do not see him doing that.  Wanted to see him explain the hypocrisy of his book compared to his actions.  Explain how he is holding his players to remaining at OSU to make amends for their mistakes while he himself slinks out of town.  bottom line is HE SUCKS!

nyc_wolverines

May 30th, 2011 at 4:02 PM ^

In the spirit of "... and keep your enemies closer" I've reading 11 warriors. Interesting how the Buck fans keep praising Tressel. For what? Using the best players money can buy? That's pro standards, not college ball. 

Stay delusional Buckeyes, 'praising' "JT" when your own vaunted President GiGi asked him to get the hell out. It only reveals your stupidity for the whole nation.

phudco

May 30th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^

Folks, be sure to go online and order your own "In Tressel We Trust" tee shirts while supplies last. They are sure to be collector's items and will make for great stocking stuffers for your Ohio State friends and loved ones. Myself, I'm going to buy an asterisk to put on every one of Ohio State's nine tainted wins over Michigan during the Tressel era. As I've said all along, this is a program permeated by cheating. Tressel's legacy will forever be tainted -- and so will all his ill-gotten wins over the Michigan Wolveries.

And for the record, it has been more than 4,500 days since Ohio State beat Michigan with a coach who wasn't tainted by blatant NCAA rules violations.

turtleboy

May 30th, 2011 at 2:08 PM ^

you can expect to see alot of the same things that happened at u$c. The SI article points to a systemic lack of control and the NCAA might even push its August date back to add more charges on at this point. Once the sanctions are handed down you might see a few senior transfers, but more likely you'll see a ton of juniors go eligible for the draft early and leave them with a thin senior class. With 2 coaching changes looming and both Tressels likely to be gone (and maybe losses of scholarships) the recruiting ability will seriously drop off. If tUOS appeals and drags it out for 2 years maybe they can mitigate that some but these few minor things add up do major damage. It isn't the death penalty, but it could do the same type of damage that was done at SMU. tUOS will recover faster , but maybe at the expense of the other 2 bobbleheads at the top. When the buckeyes start reeling I imagine that Wisco, PSU and Illinois will do their best to keep them down to improve their annual chances at the B1G Championship Game.

yoopergoblue

May 30th, 2011 at 2:15 PM ^

Where has Herbstreit been today?  I haven't heard anything from his mouth about the Vest resigning yet.  His words will probably drive all the Bucknuts to tear the whole city of Columbus down!