True Blue Grit

July 8th, 2011 at 1:07 PM ^

They think since their athletic program is now a repeat offender for major violations that the NCAA is NOT going to punk them with scholarship losses and a bowl ban?  C'mon.  Gene "The Tool" Smith must be totally in the ozone after using a ton of airplane glue to try and patch together TSIO's public image while creating a fantasy-land picture of OSU's innocence for the NCAA.  What an imbecile.  Now, he's telling everyone how great TSIO's compliance department is while at the same time explaining all these new measures they're implementing that any 1/2 brained athletic department anywhere else would have already been doing.  Duh.  How does this guy keep his job?

BlueGoM

July 8th, 2011 at 1:09 PM ^

I mean, if OSU thinks this is sufficient, it suggests to me that the NCAA's punishment might not be as severe as people are thinking it will be.

How sure are we that OSU will get a bowl ban & scholarship reduction?

Or am I just being affected by tsio's delusion?

 

bluebyyou

July 8th, 2011 at 1:11 PM ^

First Tressel resigned, then he didn't , then he was to pay the 250 K fine, now he isn't.  Give me a break already.  If I were an OSU alum, I would be screaming for them to clean house, and that would include Gee and Smith.

LB

July 8th, 2011 at 1:12 PM ^

That news is  going to come as quite a shock to the administration and the buckeye fans.

I understand not shooting oneself in the foot, but this seems a bit of a stretch even for them.

Wolverine Devotee

July 8th, 2011 at 1:15 PM ^

LOL man this is hilarious. I'm thinking/hoping it will be 2002, 2004-2010 seasons vacated since they had cheating pricks on all of those teams. A 3 year bowl ban and a big scholarship loss. If that is the case the series record will go to 57-36-6 Michigan.

PeterKlima

July 8th, 2011 at 1:19 PM ^

 

This is the same group of people who "slapped Tressel's wrist" with a 2 game suspension.

 

This is the same group of people who laughed at the idea of firing Tressel.

 

Their inital response is almost never realistic.

Moleskyn

July 8th, 2011 at 1:17 PM ^

The reality of this is that we are going to think it's not enough, and all the OSU fans who have been saying "It wasn't really THAT bad" will point to this and say "SEE? It wasn't that bad!" The only opinion that really matters at this point is the NCAA's, and what they think of all this.

Personally though, after reading that article, it seems like a total cover-up job by OSU. As was stated already, I don't understand how they can say that they sought the resignation of Tressel and can say they are "embarrassed" by his actions. And to say that Tressel has a "proven history of promoting rules compliance" AFTER admitting that "the university concedes it is a 'repeat violator'" does not make sense. That doesn't even take into account the trouble he got into at YSU. I think Tressel has shown in different ways that he is a good man, but for OSU to point out that he has donated $3 million is completely irrelevant and makes them look weak: "Hey look! Our coach may have brushed this under the rug and blatantly cheated, but look how much money he has given away! That has to mean something... right? RIGHT??"

It appears to me that there are some holes in this story, and it really seems to me that OSU is doing whatever they can to cover their butts, rather than come out with the truth. Then again, it's hard for me to tell how much of my opinion is shaped by the facts, and how much of it is shaped by my homeristic love for Michigan. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the NCAA says.

ILwolverine

July 8th, 2011 at 1:18 PM ^

So with the allegations that the NCAA has brought against Ohio how realistic is a multi year bowl ban?  I know most people here think there must be more dished out but we are all biased and thinking about the golf and cars and additional tattoos.  At this point it does not seem the NCAA is taking any of that into consideration.  Is there a realistic possibility we will all be greatly disappointed with the punishment the NCAA gives out?

jcouz

July 8th, 2011 at 1:19 PM ^

I love how they are punishing themselves for something that they already knew about before the Sugar Bowl but they go ahead and allow the perpetrating players and coach to participate in the game and get their payout.  Then, 7 months later, they are going to vacate the win? What a joke.  They are the Kwame Kilpatrick of universities.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

July 8th, 2011 at 1:25 PM ^

This is in fact a joke and a half and then some, but I can't shake the nagging feeling the NCAA will think this is sufficient or close to it, especially if in fact there are no more allegations to be handed down.

buckeyeh8er

July 8th, 2011 at 1:29 PM ^

"The responsibility is upon Tressel. No other institutional personnel were aware" of the violations, and the former coach failed in his obligation to report them, the response says. "The institution is embarrassed by the actions of Tressel."

Wow talk about an 180.  I was sure there would be some finger pointing to Tressel but really OSU, he did everything?

blueblueblue

July 8th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^

Am I the only one who does necessarily want more punishment from the NCAA? Ohio will long suffer in the arena of public opinion. Their reputation has taken a nosedive. They will suffer a coaching change. They have suffered some lost recruits, and will likely continue to do so - if less than we thought.

But, I don't necessarily want to face an overly-handicapped Ohio on the field for years to come. I want to face them on the same terms. Let them continue to be a perpetual top-10 program. Its better for the rivalry, and its better for us when we beat them. 

ImSoBlue

July 8th, 2011 at 1:44 PM ^

no matter what kind of punishment comes down.  That being said, they have fluanted the rules and must be punished.  I'm sure the O-lie-o fanbase has been cackeling with glee over our run ins with the NCAA, let's see how they hold up now that the shoe is on the other foot.

I am guessing that this is not the first time they have knowingly played ineligible players, just the first time caught red handed.  What sort of punishment is vacating a season worth?  Very litle. 

This is The Story of O (you will be punished!).  It has to be a bowl ban and loss of scholies or NCAA loses a lot of cred. 

 

jmblue

July 8th, 2011 at 3:42 PM ^

Am I the only one who does necessarily want more punishment from the NCAA? Ohio will long suffer in the arena of public opinion.

No they won't, if they don't receive additional sanctions. The court of public opinion will exonerate them and move on to the next scandal.

blueblueblue

July 8th, 2011 at 5:24 PM ^

I guess we have to agree to differ - outside of the state of Ohio, I dont think they will be exonerated as soon as you think they will. We can think of programs that carry a reputation for being dirty - and the egregiousness of the string of events at Ohio I think will put it in that category, at least for some time. 

jmblue

July 9th, 2011 at 12:30 AM ^

Auburn was accused of violations last year, got off, and now they don't seem to be any worse off for it.  Every year there are scandals.  If they don't result in serious punishment, the public forgets about them.  If OSU does not receive any punishment beyond this, watch: their recruiting will instantly pick up.  The whole issue will have essentially blown over.

neoavatara

July 8th, 2011 at 1:35 PM ^

...it is a joke.

OSU should have at least suggested a few schollies lost.  That would have at least made it plausible.

And the paying Tressel's own fine seems like a kick in the nuts to the NCAA, no?

OSU still is in denial.  They may not get USC like penalties...but it is going to be close. 

Blueto

July 8th, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^

I would think that vacating 2010 is an automatic no-brainer when you knowingly play even one inelligable starter let alone 5. If the inelligable players were all bench warmers who rarely saw the field then you have a case for appeal, but playing inelligable starters is always an automatic forfeit in any sport.

So they act like they are self imposing a major punishment by vacating their wins which should be an automatic anyway. This is a joke!

Then the only other punishment they impose on themselves is to put themselves on probation? What does that even mean to put yourself on probation??? Yah, I put myself on probation after I drank too much on Friday night. Oops, I did the same on Saturday night. I gave myself a stiff repremand and threatened to put myself on double-secret probation. That showed me!

I hope the NCAA sees this for what it is.

MGoSteelers

July 8th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^

do you think this has anything to do with recruiting?

 

if they self impose a post season ban right now, some recruits will be scared away immediately

if they don't self impose a post season ban, maybe they're hoping that by the time those sanctions are handed down by the NCAA, it will be too late and their recruits will be locked in (either past LOI Day, or just so late in the process a recruit wouldn't want to back out)

this example could explain scholarship cutting too in fear that they would lose out on the scholarship-fridge recruits

obviously a lot of hypotheticals but this announcement from OSU is just so bogus that there has to be SOME explanation for it.... right?!?!?!

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

July 8th, 2011 at 2:15 PM ^

The NCAA only allows players to transfer that would be shut out of the postseason for the rest of their college careers.  One-year ban = seniors only, two year ban (as with USC) = seniors and juniors, etc.