Thaddeus Gibson Says OSU players knew selling items was against rule

Submitted by IvyLeague on

Just on ESPN; a couple of columnist spoke with Thaddeus Gibson and Gibson says the coaches told the players clearly that they could not sell items when he was a player at Ohio State. Important about this is that Gibbson was a linebacker at OSU from 2007 to 2009, and according to OSU's AD Gene Smith OSU did not tell players during this period that they could sell items. Considering Gibson has no reason to lie, I call BS on Gene Smith. Good for Gibson for being honest. One more reason to hate Ohio State and sweater-scum.

MGoBoard

chitown.victor

December 28th, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^

...he'd best be served getting that in writing.  I can just hear it, "I promise, Coach, I'll come back if you just let me play in this one game.  You can trust me, I have never done anything objectionable before.  Well, except sell awards and gifts for cash.  But I did it for my family; they needed the money."  Yeah, not buying it (pun intended). 

BTW...I am digging your login name.  Kolesar in one of my all-time favorites.  I was at the 1988 game at OSU when he saved a win with his kick return and long TD catch.  What a day!

Joined: 10/09/2009

MGoPoints: 588

elaydin

December 28th, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^

Heard that too (probably same insider).  He can't enforce it, but I'm not sure he's someone you want to cross (especially if you live in Ohio).

Posey did declare in his apology today that he's staying.  Interesting choice, if he is to be believed.

Joined: 04/17/2010

MGoPoints: 2350

U Fer M

December 28th, 2010 at 3:57 PM ^

I may have missed something from the beginning, but was it OSU's compliance office that brought this to light, or was it from another source, and the NCAA found out that way?

Joined: 08/01/2010

MGoPoints: 1068

Section 1

December 28th, 2010 at 5:40 PM ^

With self-reported secondary violations.

But it was the U.S. Attorney's Office in Columbus, which brought it to the attention of the OSU Athletic Department before that.

If it were up to me, as King of the NCAA which of course I deserve to be, I'd have accepted Gene Smith's proposed punishment as being the just and right thing to do.  Punishment fits the crime.

But the reason that the NCAA did what it did was because it was following its own rules and precedents, not just making up [new] dumb ideas as it went along.

The NCAA said essentially; Four games is what we've established as punishment for football players selling their swag while still eligible.  It is the same penalty that we have imposed on other players, from other teams, in other situations; four games 

And then the NCAA said; And we are adding a one-game bonus penalty because these guys didn't really come clean, as quickly and as thoroughly as they should have.  And that too is our standard enhancement when we see that it is warranted. 

And to cap it all off, the NCAA said;  We really don't like to impose penalties on any teams shortly before heading into bowl games, playoffs, or other championship matches, and so we are not going to impose anything on these guys until the start of the next regular season.

So there is method to the NCAA's madness in this case.  That's the problem.  There is always method to the NCAA's madness.  They are long on method.  And madness.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 16535

Section 1

December 28th, 2010 at 6:35 PM ^

There is no criminal investigation of any of the OSU kids over this.

What happened (I think) was that the IRS was conducting a semi-routine seizure operation at the tattoo parlor, or the home of the tattoo parlor owner, or a storage location.  Not a search warrant, and not an investigation of players or the OSU team.  They happened upon this stuff as part of that seizure operation.  It is common that federal agents (FBI, U.S. Marshalls) are involved in seizure operations as the "muscle" and those boys love to write reports.  They went up the chain of command in the FBI and the FBI guys love to hand stuff like this over to the U.S. Attorneys office.  In this case, for the Southern District of Ohio.  The U.S. Attorneys picked up the phone and called OSU's Athletic Department.

And by the way, it now seems to be confirmed that Jim Delany and the Big Ten weighed in on the side of letting the OSU kids play in the bowl game.  I guess, that if you know that there are going to be suspensions, and the choice is for a bowl game or not, you'd choose "not."

It's a bit confusing, with Gene Smith saying that he wanted the kids suspended (only) for the bowl game, but then saying that if the kids have to sit for five games, then let them play in the bowl game.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 16535

UM Indy

December 28th, 2010 at 4:22 PM ^

doesn't know this is against the rules?  Seriously, are we to the point where these idiots have be told every single thing that IS against the rules or they'll think it's NOT against the rules?  Dumb argument by OSU, dumb enforcement by NCAA, just dumb all the way around.

Joined: 03/05/2009

MGoPoints: 22237

jblaze

December 28th, 2010 at 5:33 PM ^

Are you telling me that OSU players didn't know that they were not able to profit from selling their championship rings nor their other gear? They were completely surprised that this was prohibited by the NCAA?

Why wouldn't all NCAA players (in all sports) sell all of their gear if they didn't know about this? It's an easy couple of grand a year. I mean, people pay like $80 for a new hoodie, why not pay $80 for one worn by player X?

Joined: 08/29/2008

MGoPoints: 19239

buckeyejonross

December 28th, 2010 at 5:39 PM ^

I am done defending Pryor, he is what he is. A talented, successful, yet frustrating and inconsistent prodigy. Never really unstoppable but never benign either. He has consistently embarrassed himself with his comments/actions off the field, and this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. As the leader and figure head for the team, the fact that he allowed himself to get into this mess, his intentions (“helping his family”) noble or not, is inexcusable and selfish. I will always love him and appreciate what he has done for the university, but the Braxton Miller era can’t get here fast enough. I hope Pryor learns and grows from his mistakes, but I don’t want him back next year.

They had to know. I mean everyone knows.

Joined: 07/27/2010

MGoPoints: 13808

buckeyejonross

December 28th, 2010 at 6:14 PM ^

I agree, however he may have looked at it and thought "I wont make the top money unless I'm good enough, and I'm clearly not good enough now, so I have to come back so I can get good enough. I may need the NFL money right now, but I am not good enough to get it now, so I'll sell this stuff to hold me over, and make the big bucks when I develop enough in college."

Not saying that's what happened, but wouldn't be surprised if that was the thought process.

Joined: 07/27/2010

MGoPoints: 13808

MontuckyYooper

December 28th, 2010 at 5:53 PM ^

 

I'm sorry, but has this kid ever used proper grammar/sentence structure once in his life?

"I didn't mean to hurt nobody at all and I didn't mean to bring anything down or embarrassment to our university because this is the greatest university in the nation," Pryor said, addressing his comments to alumni, former Ohio State players, fans, teammates and the coaching staff.

"Hopefully I can someday get your forgiveness," he added.

Joined: 10/04/2009

MGoPoints: 6473

MGauxBleu

December 28th, 2010 at 8:48 PM ^

Already stated, by Gene Smith, but "they didn't know *cough*CAM NEWTON*cough*" is going to be the backbone of their appeal. 400:1 says Thaddeus recants very soon.

Joined: 05/08/2009

MGoPoints: 1698

Tater

December 28th, 2010 at 9:03 PM ^

The media in Columbus are such a bunch of sycophants that nobody will call BS on Smith.  I'm just surprised the NCAA is falling for their excuse.  I hope the NCAA decides to "go USC" on OSU.  It would be nice to see them do a real investigation and somehow get around, through, or over the "scarlet wall" of lies, stonewalling, and excuses that any investigation of OSU usually encounters.

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584