Not exactly a denial from OSU

Submitted by OysterMonkey on

This might be a bad sign for OSU fans. Rather than simply stating the rumor is false, they're treating it as part of their current NCAA problems.

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2011/03/post_36.html

 

An administration official said today that the school has been in frequent contact with the NCAA about the suspensions of six players for selling memorabilia, because the school is appealing those suspensions, and that the discussion of this latest allegation will be folded into those conversations.

EDIT: Changed the title because no one thinks I'm funny.

MGoAero

March 8th, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^

At first glance, this suggests the opposite to me.  If they're folding this new information into an appeal to the original accusations, then that suggests OSU thinks the NCAA overreacted/is overreacting.  If they had dropped the appeal, then that would suggest OSU realizes that they stand on shaky ground and they need to start making nice to the NCAA.  I think what you posted suggests either nothing, or the opposite of what you stated (EDIT: back when you had the thread titled 'This proves 100% that OSU is guilty'). 

OysterMonkey

March 8th, 2011 at 1:00 PM ^

Yeah, I didn't really think it was proof of anything. I do think it's interesting though, that there hasn't been a flat denial. Their initial story to the NCAA was that they didn't find out until December, so I don't know how you "fold in" contradictory evidence without, you know, contradicting yourself.

OysterMonkey

March 8th, 2011 at 1:11 PM ^

But it would be a curious PR move to have the first word out of the university be a comment that they're lumping this in with the things they've already admitted to doing wrong.

Of course, whoever the "administration official" was who talked to Lesmerises may not have been supposed to say anything yet.

There's now a presser scheduled for 7.

FreddieMercuryHayes

March 8th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^

I forget, but what was UM'a response to the Freep allegations? I'm just wondering because it seems to me that calling a presser with all the players this quickly means they he an explanation or think they do at least. Couple this with the basically "no comment" press release, and I'm having a hard time reading the situation.

justingoblue

March 8th, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^

UM didn't have an immediate comment. They did kind of the same thing OSU is doing, because the Freep apparently gave them like an hour to respond to a huge investigative piece.

The only thing different is that Tressel should be able to come out and completely deny this, if he didn't do anything wrong, wheras we needed to conduct a review to see if we were in the wrong.

Beavis

March 8th, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^

Huh?

 

Lots of smoke for OSU right now.  We'll see just how much of Rome burns.  What I do know is the timing is pretty bad - other than the NCAA bubble talk there is NOTHING going on in sports right now.

Trebor

March 8th, 2011 at 1:26 PM ^

The article states that six players were suspended for selling memorabilia, but only five were suspended for that reason - Pryor, Posey, Solomon, Herron, and Adams. The sixth player I think they're talking about, Whiting, was for receiving "discounted servies," not selling anything.

APBlue

March 8th, 2011 at 1:26 PM ^

I'm not sure it's OSU's call to just roll this into the pending appeal. The NCAA might have something to say about that.
<br>I think the biggest cause for concern is that it's 20 hours later and there hasn't been a flat denial from Tressel. If he weren't guilty, wouldn't he come out right away with a statement denying the allegations? The delay makes me think that maybe their checking their facts to determine what they can and can't deny.

bluebyyou

March 8th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^

I just can't get a good handle on why Tressel would fail to disclose the April information in this day and age where secrets rarely remain hidden.  Perhaps I am naive, but I wonder if the information was shared and Tressel was hushed up in hope it might go away or who knows what.  He had to have known that if what has come to light, assuming it to be true,  implicates him in a cover up, both he and the program have significant problems.  

Tater

March 8th, 2011 at 1:43 PM ^

OSU's football program has gotten away with whatever they wanted to for years.  When the NCAA tried to investigate the Clarett accusations, they ran into the Scarlet Wall.  Everyone at OSU has to feel that they are immune to punishent for their actions.  Consequently, they cheat with utter impugnity. 

Tressel included...

Indiana Blue

March 8th, 2011 at 2:01 PM ^

the "sweater vest" isn't concerned because everything over the years has simply disappeared from coverage (this include BB too).  

Not saying this doesn't happen at alot of schools (Texas, Alabama, Auburn, USC etc) ... because a little smoke will only turn into a fire if the local press continues to fan it until it becomes flames that the NCAA cannot ignore.  We've all witnessed this first-hand.

I highly doubt anything will develop from this at TSIO.  Seems they can turn on the "Clingon Invisibility Shield" anytime they want !

Go Blue !

bluebyyou

March 8th, 2011 at 2:03 PM ^

It definitely has legs - from the Columbus Dispatch:

The university evidently is taking the allegations seriously. The news conference will include university president E. Gordon Gee and athletic director Gene Smith, who otherwise was expected to be in Indianapolis tonight to begin his duties as chairman of the NCAA men's Division I basketball committee.

AlwaysBlue

March 8th, 2011 at 2:54 PM ^

Heard Herbstreit on ESPN radio around lunch time.  He said nobody really knows when Tressel found out but I thought that a federal investigator told him, is that right?  Herbie wasn't very convincing at all, kept talking about next season and would only allow that this might be a distraction. 

chewieblue

March 8th, 2011 at 3:26 PM ^

we all know they are dirty.   Rumors of this happening and only being the tip of the ice bergs have been circulating among HS coaches in OH for a while now.  (And getting Ohio HS coaches to say anything bad about Tress is like getting a third grade girl to bad mouth Bieber)

Will be interesting to see how good they cover this up.