QC Staff Coaching Players at OSU?
Mind you, Maurice Clarett had some serious issues and I'm not defending him...But I'm curious how you know that he took fake classes, because that's news to me.
Clarett was a big story because there were so many levels - a clearly troubled kid, a clearly troubled hometown, a new coach with ties to both, and a big program desparate to win. OSU fans are delirious to think that Tressel and AD Andy Geiger had no knowledge that Clarett was on the take. I've read this ESPN article several times - discusses Tressel and his ties not only to Clarett, but to booster "Mickey" Monus, who Tressel introduced to his star QB Ray Isaac. Good read, if interested in another side to the Senator:
I'm familiar with that article. You're welcome to believe what you want, but there's a pretty strong ex-post facto consensus that this was a freep-esque hack job.
Because it is basically an article that comes away saying, that it is not possible to actually accuse OSU of anything based on a simple conversation with a player like Rolle. Whom the Dispatch writer(s) wisely and properly named. Rolle can now clarify his remarks if needed.
The Free Press came away from interviews with anonymous players, saying,in effect, that rules were apparently broken; not by a little bit or in relation to one QC guy, but in a massive, wholesale way. Maybe the comparison is between Rolle, and the Michigan freshmen Stokes and Hawthorne., whose comments were taken out of context?
The question I might have is this -- at what point do we have the precedent that the NCAA uses a press report as a springboard to a full-scale investigation? When does the "Free Press" standard of reliable (hah!) accusations kick in?
This could actually result in a self-reported minor infraction on the part of OSU. Which ought to bother no one. The only thing that bothers me is what has happened to Michigan, not what ought to happen to OSU.
Honestly; if the Buckeye faithful are angry about this, they'd need to multiply that anger by about a thousand to get to where Michigan has been in its battle with the Free Press.
Sorry, I should clarify: my comment was directed at the ESPN article, not the CPD article. The CPD article is actually quite well written and does make a very good point by comparison.
I should have seen that you were referring to the ESPN article.
And yeah we agree about the CPD article. I have always thought that the CPD was doing better with college football coverage than any of the Michigan papers. Never more so than now.
Clarett took real classes, what he did in one particular class was skip every quiz, walk out on the midterm, and he didn't take the final. I believe it was African American studies, he was given an oral exam (those don't exist, I went to OSU) at the end of the quarter by the Prof, and he was given a passing grade. One of his tutors finally blew the whistle on it, and she promptly was never heard of around the university anymore. He was also paid for working jobs that didn't exist, and given at least 2 free cars to drive around in. There were also 6 other players, including Drew Carter, that backed up what Clarett said about getting paid for fake jobs, and the NCAA barely even investigated. Once he was drafted in the NFL Clarett didn't care anymore, and didn't testify against Ohio State and the NCAA just shrugged their shoulders, after he was cut, who knows how much boosters paid him to keep his mouth shut, but I'm still waiting for him to write a book.
Pretty coincidental that almost the exact same story happened at Youngstown State when Vest was there, the main character this time was the starting quarterback. Getting paid for fake jobs that didn't exist. This all goes along with Vest starting Alex Boone and Doug Worthington in the first games of the year after their DUI's, great precedent to set. Boone was so drunk he passed out at the wheel and smashed into a parked car, ON CAMPUS, and he started against Northern Illinois. That kind of offense on campus is cause to get expelled immediately. Tressel is not this beacon of morals that everyone in cbus acts like he is, makes me sick.
NCAA won't probe
Must be fake because as every good Buckeye fan will tell you these kind of violations don't happen at THE Univeristy of Ohio State.
I have no problem with it. And as a matter of fact, I'm not so sure but what the CP-D writer may have overstated how strict the ban is on coaching by QC people. Anyway, not to debate the minutiae of NCAA bylaw 1.7.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.
I appreciate the mere existence of the story. Like Jim Tressel's charitable and sensible comments in September of 2009, it is a subtle yet powerful statement to the Free Press... "wtf?"
Does anybody doubt that this story was more informative, nuanced, balanced, etc., than anything you have seen on the subject in the Free Press?
Didn't the rule of QC staffers at practice actually change since we broke it - ie, if we were doing now what we were doing then, we wouldn't have violated anything?
I thought the change was in regards to QC guys being able to attend and participate in coaching staff meetings, not that they can start coaching players up.
I have no idea, honestly. I just wanted to point out that given the changes, there may be nothing wrong here.
I think the rule changed so that QCs can sit in on coaching meetings. Coaching players at practice is still not allowed.
The main point to take from the article is that UM is pretty much doing what all others are doing - hence the Tressel comments last year - and many of UM's failings occured because idiots did not do their job (i.,e. CARA forms etc..) and this was allowed to happen for too long.
Nothing will come of this, it's not like the NCAA ever enforces anything with Ohio State and it's not like the university has any morals to do things the right way to begin with so this will just pass.
The NCAA never does anything to OSU, just ask Jim O'Brien.
the osu bball investigation because of the statute of limitations....
All this proves is that the NCAA rules are antithetical to the product that they actually want to see on the field. They talk about wanting to maintain the aura of amateur passion and student-athletes competing in the classroom and on the field, but they also want superstar matchups, future pro stars who will draw the eyeballs so that they can generate untold millions for universities and various NCAA agencies through advertising and licensing rights. And if you want these kids to be the semi-professional athletes that this goal requires, it means coaches need to work with them year-round, though obviously with some restrictions to protect against abuse (i.e. not 40+ hour weeks, distribution of performance-enhancing drugs, etc.).
But if a kid has the available time and wants to meet with a position coach to improve in some area, the NCAA would be best served to allow it with the usual caveats protecting against abuse. But to act indignant and mortified that a kid would be expected to improve himself all year is insulting to most fans, and is the height of hypocrisy for an institution that has no problem licensing the names, numbers, and likenesses of said players for video games, clothing lines, etc.
I don't know why this bugs me so much - probably has something to do with the Freep Fiasco. But when I was at UM, I spent hours upon hours preparing for class, meeting with professors outside of class to improve my programming skills, taking part in extra-curricular groups, etc., all with an eye on improving my future career opportunities. And in part, this was expected of anyone who wanted a decent job and a good career path, since those traits were expected by your future employer. Yet when it comes to athletes, guys and girls who know what it will take to make it to the next level, we act like they need to be wrapped in bubble wrap and protected from the cruel world of unsanctioned discussions with position coaches and extra stretching.
Damn - well said.
However, I think the limitations on coaches are an attempt to assure fair competition.
While the NCAA's job is to enforce such rules and keep the playing field level, its agenda, at times, confuses the shit out of me. When they rule, how they rule, and the sanctions they put forth is a guess at best. Michigan hired a former NCAA Board Member to help them through the process of "getting it right", speaks volumes regarding the bullshit one has to deal with when the NCAA pays your program a visit. When you look for trouble chances are you're going to find it.
I mean WTF, I have to work overtime at work, these aren't 12-13yr. old kids, most of these players worked hard to get a chance to play for Michigan. What would make them think that once they get here things would beany easier. IMO, I call this visit bulllshit, plain and simple bullshit. The FreeP opened the door for the NCAA to visit Michigan-I say thanks alot.