OSU Conspiracy Theory
Ok, I know there is already another forum about the press conference, but I think this is an important thing to note:
Jim Tressel made it clear that the first e-mail was about a federal investigation, involving drug trafficking no less. This is a very serious issue. An e-mail seems like a very informal way of introducing this issue to a head coach. Hell, it would be informal to tell the athletic director and the president of a university about such a thing.
But wait, neither Gene Smith or G. Gordon Gee were aware of this incident? Wouldn't a federal investigation be something both the head of athletics and university as a whole would need to know? OSU would have to at least be notified about the investigation by the feds investigating it since it involves students that attend their university. I know at my school, whenever any criminal act on or off campus occurs, the entire student body and faculty are notified of it. I can't imagine OSU is any different.
This would mean that this same issue would be known by at least 2 other people, if not more in the compliance and legal departments of the university.
I have no reason to believe Tressel lied at his press conference. I have too much respect for the man. However, there has to be a cover-up somewhere down in Columbus. The next couple of months should be very interesting to see when more and more information about this trafficking issue arise.
He may not have lied in this press conference (i'm skeptical), but there's 0 doubt he lied when he signed forms in September saying that he had disclosed all possible violations.
I don't see how OSU could possibly get out of an NCAA investigation without some pretty serious penalties going forward.
I believe osu is going to get dinged pretty hard.
It sounds like the NCAA is already involved. I highly doubt they'll add to the punishment. They were probably consulted about it before hand.
If you think an athletic department calls up the Committee on Infractions and asks what a good self imposed sanctin would be, then the conversation would go something like this:
OSO AD: Hello, Committe on Infractions?
COI: Yes, how may we help you?
OSU AD: I have this, uh, friend, who may not have disclosed a potential violation when he first learned of it, and lied about his knowledge later on. If you were punishing this friend, what sounds good to you?
COI: Maybe a game or two and a quarter mil? Can your friend afford that?
OSU AD: Oh, yeah. I mean, his employer probably could find some way to award him a bonus or something if doesn't have the cash. I'll tell my friend. Thanks for your help.
COI: No problem - that's what were here for. Anything else?
OSU Ad: Well, there is this other guy I know who seems to have a car that breaks down a lot and gets a Mercedes as a loaner...
You can't be serious. Just look at the time line.
Wetzel comes out with a report.
Gee runs back to Columbus.
Hastily called press converence occurs.
Tressel starts babbling.
This is not how anyone halfway competently handles a thin like this if they're given any time at all to get ahead of the story.
It wouldn't surprise me if it's a month before OSU gets a notice of inquiry.
If you look at OSU's report to the NCAA, it mentions that the NCAA interviewed Tressel on February 8th. I believe this was all about to come out soon, but the Yahoo story sped up the timeline.
https://www.nmnathletics.com/pdf8/745702.pdf?ATCLID=205112065&SPSID=87743&SPID=10408&DB_OEM_ID=17300
You missed a big part of this story...OSU was already investigating this violation by Tressel. In fact, they submitted a report about it to the NCAA today. The only reason they had this press conference tonight is because of the leak of the story to Yahoo!/Dan Wetzel. Obviously the NCAA is going to look into this further, and I would assume there will be additional punishment.
My apologies. Yes, you're both right. I just watched the press conference. And watching it, it does appear that Smith is more of control too. Gee is a clown, and Tressel is a piece of work. But yeah, it looks like the AD's office is doing what it should. That said, the 2-game suspension is weak, and despite Smith's insistence that the two are separate, my recommendation would be that MSU not bother simulating Pryor in practice.
John Cooper wants his job back
We can only hope.
Agree 100% How does the coach have the gall to believe that he is so important to a federal investigation that he must conceal any knowledge from both the AD and president? Can anyone think of another profession where you can hide information like this from your superiors and not get fired on the spot?
pretty much this. if a cop came into my office and said one of my drivers I manage was involved in something illeagle and I didn't let my boss know. and it later came to light that I sat on it I'm pretty sure I would be fired.
You may not be fired if your ill eagle is still alive.
meh us walmart wolverines can't spell when he had a few celelbratory drinks :P
What company do you manage drivers for if you dont mind me asking?
I think the drug trafficking connection was tied to the tattoo parlor that was raided. The owner of the shop was connected with the it and the players happened to get their tats there and obviously there was plenty of memorabilia laying around the shop as well to possibly further connect certain players to being in business with Rife. Once the shop was raided they talk about how the players weren't on the list of people actually being tied to the drug ring.
I recently got in trouble at work. But since I rock so much, my district manager actually worried that I would fire him, so nothing happened. I just got an extra extended weekend over Labor Day as punishment.
O$U is what it is and always will be.
I firmly believe Tressel lied his ass off.He was a lying piece of crap at Youngstown State and he still is one. He helped cover up Clarrett's gang and drug activities, did the same for Troy Smith, and it appears Pryor is getting the Clarret treatment with gang activities. Ohio state = thug u with big daddy Jim Tressel.
It's not necessarily on Tressell; it's equally as plausible that the university knew and did not report, hoping nobody would find out. I seriously doubt that THE osu would punish Tressell so swiftly after the Yahoo report--less than 24 hours--had they not already known what had happened. Otherwise, we're talking about pretty swift justice here: what type of investigation could THE osu have possibly done in less than 24 hours?
I agree. However, the boosters, drugs, cars, and gangs occured under Tressel's watch at YSU. Tressel left YSU under probation. tO$U knew what they were getting under Tressel. They knew they would get a Bobby Collins like coach that would stand silent as boosters ran the program.
and don't forget the drug sniffing dogs
He lied about that too.
I'm wondering why if those emails were supposedly so confidential how come they gave copies to all the reporters at the press conference? Or do I have that part wrong?
Because they were declassified after the raid took place on the tattoo parlor.
For not paying close enough attention.
It wasn't actually stated but instead implied because after the raid takes place (which is what the emails were leading up to) they become kind of a moot point.
So who was this lawyer that sent the e-mails? If I heard correctly, the lawyer wasn't part of the federal investigation but requested confidentiality anyway. The part I find disengenous (besides lying to the NCAA) is that he could have investigated himself and held the guilty parties out of the season, and not told anyone why. Thus not breaking rules by playing ineligable players, and confidentiality from unknown source is upheld as well.
I liked the part when someone asked if he forwarded the e-mails and he nodded yes, then the AD stepped in and said no. Ahh...what a farce.
If the emailed information was so confidential then why did Tressel get it in the first place? What did the emailer expect him to do with the information? One of two things, either protect the integrity of the university or use his insider for information on how to keep it covered up or contained.
All I know is that the lawyer that e-mailed him was not associated with the federal government, as Tressel said as much. I don't know why it was e-mailed. Maybe they just really like OSU and were concerned for the players. I'm not a legal whiz, but such an e-mail does not mean that Tressel was cooperating with the investigation and was under no obligation to keep anything confidential.
The emails look like they came from a defense lawyer who was consulted by the criminal under investigation. This OSU fanboy lawyer broke his confidentiality agreement with his client to inform Cheaty McSweatervest about NCAA violations that Tressel did nothing about and denied ever knowing about in Sept and again in the Dec. investigation.
This is one big mess for OSU and am a bit surprised at how they are trying to approach this. The media could potentially blow this up to where the NCAA will have to bring the hammer down.
I agree, he was under no obligation. In their self-reporting letter they say Tressel acknowledged that he knew that the players would eventually become ineligible. There is no good explanation for his failure to disclose the information.
Look. It's simple. Tressel himself said he was scared. What was he scared of? He was scared he was going to blow a chance at a championship. Luckily, Wisconsin took care of that. It's that simple. If you believe differently, then you probably also believe that Gee came up with 2 games without knowing that their schedule reads: Akron, Toledo, Miami (FL).
It's funny. I got three guys I work with:
1 is an Oregon fan.
1 is a UConn fan.
1 is a Buckeye.
Who's team has been punished the most? Mine. Yeah, I'm bitter. I'll continue hoping more will happen, but I'm not going to pour a lot of psychic energy into it.
It was tattoos and drugs.
That would explain why the memrobilia was under-valued as it says in the email.
"These kids are selling these items for not that much" indeed.
Wild ass guess with no proof, but it makes sense.
then going forward it will be called The OHighO State University.