OSU confiscates the JT bracelets

Did they actually buy these wristbands for $15 each?  The school went around and gave them $15 reimbursements for how many per player?   Each player said they bought 100 wristbands each.

Severed ties remain between Tressel and THE Administration of OSU if for no other reason than everyone who is reasoning realizes Tressel (likely in a panic due in a degree to Sarniak's involvement in nefarious activities JT probably was aware of and unrelated in any direct way to the FBI probe) must have asked Gene Smith about the potential monetary value of keeping the player's NCAA violations secret. And now, JT is covering for his buddy Gene "golden parachute" Smith; whereas, both are in a state of denial. Thus, a conversation between JT and GS would have occurred almost immediately after JT learned of the tatoo-parlor/FBI/drug mess from Cicero. I challenge anyone to provide an alternate scenario rational people would find even a tiny bit credible; even though Tressel through lying teeth still apparently claims he told nobody other than Sarniak. Instead, JT says he lied to Gene Smith (or made a "single mistake" of not telling Gene) - for so JT would have us believe Sarniak was THE person to say all THE "right things" to ONE particular player (i.e TP - and just what are those "right things" in JT's perspective? - as if there were any "right things" to say; and, by the by, my but what an amazingly interesting choice of words from JT - Sarniak as the one to say THE "right things". What were the right things? Anyone able to come up with a script? No takers?).

With this as our premise, most of us have heard how JT says he was on a virtuous but desperate search allegedly for the sole purpose to protect the FBI - a totally ridiculous and unbelievable assertion in view of the above facts. So, now I tend to cringe every time someone says, "Tressel lied to his bosses". This happens to me in part when I cringe because the only reality is the one where JT's boss Gene Smith must have heard about the NCAA violations and the FBI probe from JT early on, and Gene should be asked to take a polygraph test by the NCAA, the FBI, someone with integrity (integrity above Gene's pay grade - does it exist at OSU?). Thus, if ESPN uncovers an e-mail to GS from JT elaborating anything about the FBI subject, then those wrist bands will be very valuable to collectors. (And I doubt such a communication in writing ever existed between JT and GS seeing they are practiced if not adept at keeping unsavory things hushed).

Sane people can grasp the fact it is absolutely inconceivable to come up with the thought Tressel would not have spoken to Gene Smith about the Cicero e-mailed revelations concerning the FBI. For,Tressel knew Gene Smith enforced a programmed lack of discipline and absence of record keeping as if such an out-of-step policy were everywhere on parade. Therefore, Tressel long enjoyed protection from Gene Smith whenever, for example, Tressel's hands were found dirty. This convenience was provided to JT from GS in order for JT to work with the likes of sorry Sarniak who was then known by THE Administration of OSU to be banned by the NCAA from continuing his former style of relationship with even more OSU players; and Tressel could not have trusted with certainty Sarniak not to be found re-establishing such a banned relationship while the FBI was nosing around, let alone to trust Sarniak to control TP's tongue in order to keep everything quiet. No doubt GS gave a stamp of approval to JT to keep Sarniak informed. How can it be, Sarniak was ever regarded as, let alone once again became an individual of whom THE Administration of OSU was well aware? Sarniak's reputation was established before Tressel became coach at OSU, and THE Administration of OSU should have told Tressel in no uncertain terms to keep Sarniak away from any relationship to "THE" university.

As for the players who wore the wristbands; they were acting in a self-serving (but misguided) hope of trying to rescue the reputation of a program deserving of penalties somewhere between the "death penalty" and what USC just received.