Ellis from the SI article keeps mouth shut

Submitted by Wolverine Incognito on

The local sports radio host in Columbus, the Common Man and the Torg, reported during their show at about 3:30 today that "Mr. Ellis", which, for those who don't remember, is the alias of the whistleblower for the SI article that was the last nail in Tressel's coffin, did not talk with NCAA investigators.  According to them, he sat down with the NCAA investigators, ready to spill the beans, but then the investigators turned on a tape recorder and asked  him to sign forms.  Ellis got up and left without saying anything.  The Columbus radio show hosts speculate that Ellis is afraid of being killed by the tattoo parlor owner, Eddie Rife.  I'm not sure if they were serious about that.

It seems like the Torg knows who Ellis is, and he may even know him personally.  Last week, when it was reported that Ellis was going to sit down with the NCAA, Torg was very worried and was hoping to high heaven that none of the OSU players interviewed by the NCAA.  It's a bummer that Ellis didn't talk, but it is still possible that he may change his tune later.  But hey, even if Ellis doesn't talk, it is still gonna be some nice sanctions for OSU.

justingoblue

June 9th, 2011 at 5:08 PM ^

Torg was very worried and was hoping to high heaven that none of the OSU players interviewed by the NCAA.

I think you're missing a verb here, and I'm curious what it is.

ryebreadboy

June 9th, 2011 at 5:11 PM ^

Hopefully they'll find some way to assure his safety. If e legitimately fears for his life, one would think you could get actual law enforcement involved, use his testimony without his name, etc. If the NCAA thinks they really need his testimony then they'll figure something out. Although I think it's interesting he'd talk to SI but be reluctant to talk to the NCAA, given that the specific nature of what he revealed to the NCAA would most likely be made far less public.

Zone Left

June 9th, 2011 at 6:35 PM ^

His fears are pretty legitimate. He told Dohrmann that he didn't want to go on the record initially because Rife is a violent guy. Dohrmann had a really tough time talking him into cooperating too. The NCAA doesn't have the same legal restraints a court does. The SI article and Dohrmann's background work is fair game.

Tater

June 9th, 2011 at 7:25 PM ^

This is how it always works in Columbus.  The "Olentangy Mafia gets to anyone who threatens to testify against THE Ohio State University.  The NCAA is going to have to compensate for it by just doing the right thing instead of using "lack of evidence" as an excuse to do nothing.  There is plenty of evidence; it just isn't in the format the NCAA prefers.  

They should have used Maurice Clarett's interview as evidence the last time THE Ohio State University was involved in an investigation.  They need to use the interviews they have from trusted media sources as evidence this time.  If not, THE Ohio State University will continue their pattern of cheating, as they have for at least the last ten years and probably the last thirty years.

 

orobs

June 9th, 2011 at 5:16 PM ^

Oh well, his testimony wasn't going to provide any hard evidence anyways.  Plus its not nearly as damning as TP's friend.

yoopergoblue

June 9th, 2011 at 5:18 PM ^

Of course he left when they turned on the recorders and asked him to sign something.  He is probably afraid of one of those crazy bucknuts killing him in his sleep.  His mailbox would be packed with death threats everyday too.

BoBo24

June 9th, 2011 at 5:39 PM ^

Does anyone know if the players named in the SI article have already been questioned by the NCAA? If they were questioned before Ellis, they would not have known he was going to back out at the last minute and, therefore, might have told the truth.

Getting caught accepting a discounted tattoo is not nearly as bad as getting caught lying to the NCAA. Just ask Dez Bryant.

2plankr

June 9th, 2011 at 5:50 PM ^

Big Ten boss Delany, Ohio State have conflicting timelines

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/15216673/big-ten-boss-de…

"The NCAA will definitely want to find out how the institution found out about the allegations," he said. "There could be a possible failure to monitor allegation. If they found out about it because someone else sent in an open records request, then that means [Ohio State] found out about violations from somebody else external to the institution triggering that process. If the institution found out about it through their own way, then that could indicate that the institution did what it needed to do in order to find out about allegations."

rockydude

June 9th, 2011 at 5:54 PM ^

This is just like on "Law & Order" or whatever, where the police arrest the snitch in public so that the bad guys don't think that he is a snitch after all. Come on, rat-boy, squeal! Squeal for all you're worth! Squeal like there's no tomorrow!

Bo_Knows

June 10th, 2011 at 7:41 AM ^

Guy on this investigation? He worked for the iRS and FDA at various points on the investigation into BALCO, Barry, and MLB steroids users. What was his name? Jeff Novitzky?
<br>
<br>HE had a hard-on for cheating ball players. Is he too busy with Lance Armstrong and the Postal Team?
<br>
<br>I'd rather he spent his time on an oSU investigation over Lance but that's just me.
<br>
<br>Here's to hoping the iRS gets involved!

My name ... is Tim

June 10th, 2011 at 9:15 AM ^

And yet Barry Bonds is a free man; the MLB steroids scandal was largely broken by investigative reporters, the Mitchell Report, and MLB itself; Victor Conte got four months for ONE count of conspiracy to distribute steroids and one count of laundering a bad check.

Yeah, I'm not so sure that's the guy I'd pin my hopes on.