ppToilet

July 8th, 2011 at 2:23 PM ^

Talk about being tone deaf on OSU's part.  This just goes with their thoughts that this is no big deal.  I mean, why would lying to the NCAA and covering up years worth of violations be considered a problem?  There's no point in punishing people who cheat, right?

The foxes are guarding the henhouse in Columbus.  They are doubling down, but my guess is the NCAA calls their bluff.

JBE

July 8th, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^

Of course they do.  After all, Tressel was doing what was best for his players.  He is a god amongst very ignorant men.

JBE

July 8th, 2011 at 3:43 PM ^

I know.  I once convinced half the city that my "talking dog" - a stuffed animal with a walkie talkie inside - would build them a personal Wal-Mart in their carports.  Needless to say, I made millions, and now they try to fill their prescriptions by talking into the keyhole of their car trunks.

bluebloggin

July 8th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^

is that this weak approach to punishment is going to just push the NCAA into levying even harsher penalties than USC.

 

All they did was address last year, so if the NCAA decides to go farther back than the beginning of the Tat5 then they should be screwed.

I'm going to admit that there still is a fear in my gut that derives from the NCAA's fear of being butthurt over hurting their baby (OSU) too harshly.  Let's hope that doesn't happen.

animals77

July 8th, 2011 at 1:35 PM ^

Not only that, but they are still paying his salary, atleast up to this month.   I had a tremendous amout of respect for the OSU program, and even after all these violations that had been coming out I still held a little respect for them, but I am down to nearly no respect left for this program.  They are just a disgusting cheating bunch of idiots that are working on these scandal issues.

This is off-topic, but was there a report that came out recently saying that Adolphus Washington was leaning towards MSU?  I just went to the Michigan scout page and read a small portion of it.  Couldn't read all of it because I am not a subscriber to scout.  Can anyone shed a little bit of light on this?

CRex

July 8th, 2011 at 1:36 PM ^

Not that shocking.  You want Tressel happily retired and spending his money on some South Pacific Island, far, far, away from NCAA investigators and publishing agents who are suggesting he write a "tell all" book.

Blueto

July 8th, 2011 at 1:42 PM ^

This is after they just through him under the bus in their self imposed penalty response, saying it was all Tressel's fault, no one else knew anything. Seems like they are talking out of both sides of their mouth. It doesn't look like they are actually repentent.

BostonWolverine

July 8th, 2011 at 1:47 PM ^

I'm not trying to be a naysayer. I just genuinely don't know the answer to this:

Of the things that are alleged and the things we know (or seem to know), and of all the things that LOOK really shady, what is the NCAA allowed to/going to use to make their decision regarding sanctions?

It doesn't seem like they can use cars, golf or memorabilia dollars. It seems the only thing they're looking at is Tressel lying. To me, that means it's going to be hard to punish them too much.

ESNY

July 8th, 2011 at 2:07 PM ^

Even if its only the Tressel lie:

1) you have him lying to the NCAA multiple times;

2) apparently there is now a sixth person found to have been involved in the tat scheme, so your "thorough" investigation was a whitewas

3) coming up with a terrible excuse of confidentiality that was proved false since he blabbed to TP's handler

4) the punishment being meted out to Tressel was insignificant at first and then you first claim he resigned on his own, not having been forced out, even though Smith has now backtracked on that assertion saying he forced Tressel out

5) now rescinded the fine for Tressel and allowed him to retire (instead of being fired/resigning), which gives him payment for another month of work and allows him to receive state employee retirement benefits.

And their self-imposed sanctions are meaningless, even after admitting they are repeat offenders of major violations.  wow, so they have to erase wins in a record book, big deal.  Unless you are Bobby Bowden, does anyone really care?   How is that punishment?

BostonWolverine

July 8th, 2011 at 2:37 PM ^

1) Yes, that sounds like it will be used in determining the punishment.

2) If this comes to light, that will make the punishment more severe, sure.

3) This falls under the scope of #1.

4) None of this is against NCAA regulations, and it seems like it wouldn't be included in determining punishment.

5) Also not against NCAA rules and unrelated to him lying.

And while I agree that their self-imposed sanctions are meaningless, it seems like this is getting Capone on tax evasion. Everybody knows what's going on - they just can't get 'em on it.

ESNY

July 8th, 2011 at 2:42 PM ^

OSU admitted a sixth player was involved

 

"Today's report also reveals that the university has identified one additional football player who received discounts on tattoos and has declared him ineligible. The university has requested that the NCAA reinstate the unnamed player."

BlueNote

July 9th, 2011 at 1:00 AM ^

this quote from the Plain Dealer.  This was more than just Tressel: 

 

The second warning about Talbott to OSU came in the summer of 2009. Two employees of Scioto Reserve Golf Club contacted members of the athletic department after seeing Talbott and Pryor golfing together. One employee said he talked to an Ohio State assistant coach he knew socially, and was told the matter would be taken care of. Another employee, Regan Koivisto, the club's general manager, said he called the football office and detailed his concerns while talking to an administrative assistant.

 

Also: the NCAA was recently back in Columbus to investigate the golf issue.  So this is something they may have tracked down.

And if the golf incidents amount to a violation, well then it would cover 2009-2010, which was not accounted for in OSU's self-punishment.  

Waters Demos

July 8th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^

Cronyism. 

A rather unique brand of it too in light of their asserted "embarrassment."

Too bad there are no corporate-style derivative suits that could be brought on behalf of the university.  Of course, someone from OSU would have to bring it, which is admittedly doubtful.

My name ... is Tim

July 8th, 2011 at 1:59 PM ^

This is effing unbelievable. It's a friggin' payoff! Now he'll appear before the the infractions committee and fall on his effing sword! I just hope the Infractions Committee isn't so obtuse as to not see what's going on here.

markusr2007

July 8th, 2011 at 2:19 PM ^

"We won't be going to a bowl game until 2015, so here's your money.  Thanks for stopping by, and have a happy retirement ,sans the six figure tenured position of course."

 

alanmfrench

July 8th, 2011 at 2:33 PM ^

payoff than anything else. Keeps Tressel on their side as I'm sure he has a grenade or two in his pocket he could lob out there if he felt like doing so.

LSAClassOf2000

July 8th, 2011 at 6:44 PM ^

Apparently, if you cheat your way through a decade of coaching but can get an entire town to think you're a deity, you can still get your money. Of course, the standards are appallingly low in Ohio....

M_Go_Bleu

July 9th, 2011 at 12:17 AM ^

I have a hard time believing that anyone thinking about what is best for the program and the school would go along with this plan unless they had to. They must have had to pay him. He was either going to get paid or cooperate with the NCAA.

I don't much care for conspiracy theories, but this move just seems too idiotic.