BlockM

July 26th, 2011 at 7:24 PM ^

The letter from Smith is just absurd. 

"Love you big guy. Thanks for taking the time to answer all those really tough questions they were asking you for a while. You're the best. Now that you're not answering any more questions about how we cheated at ridiculous levels, we're really disappointed in you. Because of that, we're going to give you this gigantic gift of being disassociated for 5 years so you can get into the NFL's supplemental draft. It even comes with a bow! Seriously, love you. XOXO.

mabrsu

July 26th, 2011 at 7:28 PM ^

I had an interesting thought about something released by TSIO today about Pryor.

Pryor is trying to get into the supplemental draft, which requires a coach change, full season ineligibility ,etc. to qualify. At the time of his announcement, Pryor had received a suspension of only 5 games. This makes him unqualified for the supplemental draft.

Today, in efforts to get Pryor into the draft TSIO released the following statement. "Pryor would not have been eligible for the entiry season." My question is to what basis would his suspension been expanded? The cars? Tattoo? Agents?

I believe these ocurrences are some violations for the program. So my question is pointed at Pryor. Will he go on the record to make a public statement about his extra violations to get himself in the NFL? I assume some booster will just pay him the expected year;s salary to keep him quiet.

Stay tuned...

BlockM

July 26th, 2011 at 7:34 PM ^

Nice thought, but no cigar. The new "violation" is that he's not cooperating with the NCAA anymore. They've obviously asked to interview him some more about other issues, but he's not talking. So, quid pro quo, OSU gives him the "punishment" of qualifying him for the supplemental draft.

blackgandhi

July 26th, 2011 at 11:39 PM ^

Once he signed with Rosenhaus he was ineligible and therefore no longer had to cooperate with the NCAA. So to say that his lack of cooperation has made him ineligible is just both TSIO making them look better by giving "disciplinary action" and giving a gift to TP. While I don't care if TP gets to play in the NFL or not, I do care if such a BS action retroactively helps get a crooked program off the hook.

WilliSC48

July 26th, 2011 at 7:41 PM ^

So this makes him eligible for the supplemental draft, right? Pay Tressel and then let him retire, then make sure Pryor is ineligible for the complete 2011 season so he's eligible for the supplemental draft. It's all taken care of and wrapped into a nice little package, isn't it?

sandiego

July 26th, 2011 at 8:00 PM ^

they'd rule before the supplemental draft that the original 5 game suspension is acceptable and Pryor is free to transfer to another institution if he wants to complete his collegiate eligibility.  That way he cannot be eligible for the supplemental draft.

Of course, everyone knows that the NCAA is not awesome like me.

maizenbluenc

July 27th, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^

I think the NFL should not allow anyone found inelligible by the NCAA to enter the supplemental draft. Players in that situation, who broke the rules should have to wait until the next draft at least. Rewarding rule breakers doesn't seem like a message that I would want to send as an organization.

jmblue

July 27th, 2011 at 1:53 PM ^

The problem with that line of reasoning is that Pryor didn't do anything that would be against NFL rules.  The NFL is a business, and its employees can do what they want with their merchandise.

maizenbluenc

July 29th, 2011 at 10:32 AM ^

If Pryor willingly breaks NCAA rules while he is playing in the NCAA, what does that say about his character? Terrel Pryor stole equipment from Ohio State, and traded it. Not for money for his underprivileged family -- no Robin Hood here -- for tattoos and God knows what else (i.e., totally for his own personal gratification).

I get that a lot of coaches and owners are willing to take on risks like this. It bugs me that the guy(s) who cheated get rewarded, while the guys who were true team players get screwed.

If the NFL made a rule that if a player who breaks NCAA rules cannot enter the NFL supplentary draft, how does that change the message to players, agents, and John Blakes of the world? It may not change the sociopaths, but the guys who see the behavior and slip over the line, may stay on the other side. (And the sociopaths will just have to sit out six months and actually, you know, face consequences for their actions.)

swamyblue

July 26th, 2011 at 8:34 PM ^

who has "failed to cooperate with the NCAA and Ohio State investigators".  OOOOOHHHH KKK!  Hey Big Al, that's your cue fella.  Pryor's next stop Raider Nation - book it!  Crazy Al D. loves him some project.

Now, Magic Genie who art thou spoonfed from the legion - why on earth would you declare this?  Have you no recall of the narrative from the Men of Troy?  Sounds like you just took a trip down Trojan-Memory-Lane! Maybe I'm crazy but isn't this what irked the NCAA with Bush and Co.?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Tater

July 26th, 2011 at 8:39 PM ^

Pryor has already been the determining factor in Tressel's "retirement" and upcoming NCAA penalties.  I harbor no ill will and hope he gets into the draft.

JEL

July 26th, 2011 at 11:26 PM ^

Like to be fly on the wall when someone has to explain to Pryor it also means no more $100 hand shakes, maybe he’ll handle it better than Maurice Clarett did.

Darth Wolverine

July 26th, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^

And Tressel STILL gets a free pass...I just do not get the mindset in Cbus. Tressel lied and attempted a massive coverup so he could protect his own ego and record, but he gets by. Sure, he lost his job, but he still got paid.

In reply to by Darth Wolverine

UAUM

July 27th, 2011 at 8:48 AM ^

What would be really cool and actually the only thing that would appease my frustrations if osu doesn't get a bowl ban, would be for Tressel to have to dissassociate himself with OSU for at least 5 years.  

That would be cool.

Yostal

July 26th, 2011 at 11:38 PM ^

One thing that bothers me about this, and yes, I know, not apples to apples:

Chris Webber got a 10 year disassociation order which began a full ten years after he had left the program.  Terrelle Pryor gets a five year disassociation order immediately after his career ends.  The purpose of the disassociation order is to show you are distancing yourself from the problem and for your program not to benefit from the illicit act.  Shouldn't Pryor at least get ten years? Can the NCAA make that happen?

Darth Wolverine

July 27th, 2011 at 8:52 AM ^

I'm curious as to when Tressel will get banned for five years, considering he is the primary person who got the school busted. If he handled this internally, suspended the players for "violation of team rules" like every coach does, then he would still be the coach there.

Now, I'm GLAD things went down the way they did and hope OSU gets scholarship reductions, bowl ban, whatever...but Tressel is the biggest culprit here.

Wendyk5

July 27th, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^

Like Pryor cares. His years at tOSU were a means to an end. He treated his fellow players and the program with disrespect and made sure they guy who put him on the map lost everything he worked incredibly hard for (as much as I dislike Tressel, I can't deny that he worked hard as a coach). The guy values nothing except himself, and even that's debatable. 

JEL

July 27th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^

Pryor agreed to the terms in the letter from Smith, before he tossed it next to the one pledging his return this season.