Firing of Jim Tressell and Ohio State's Future

I'm a die-hard Michigan fan, so there's no doubt I'm a little biased. But, I'm curious what others think about what's going on there, particularly with Terrelle Pryor and what you think is likely to be handed down as punishment from the NCAA and Ohio State's program in general.

If you're not familiar with the situation 6 players (Terrelle Pryor, Dan Herron, Devier Posey, Mike Adams, Solomon Thomas, and Jordan Whiting) 5 of which are starters including QB, #1 reciever, and RB were found guilty of accepting improper benefits. Some got free tattoos, some sold memorabilia like OSU awards, signed jerseys, pants, etc. The first 5 each got suspended 5 games, and Whiting only one game. But, they were allowed to play in last years Sugar Bowl. Recently we found out that not only did Tressel know about it, but lied about it and covered it up. On Memorial Day Tressel resigned as the head coach. Since then a ton of other allegations have come about including a car dealership that is implicated in giving special deals of more than 50 cars that dates all the way back to 2001 and Maurice Clarette. Terrelle Pryor is also under further investigation for his use of more than 6 cars, all from the same dealership in his tenure at OSU. And rumors are running rampant that the selling of memorabilia and getting extra benefits has been going on for years and is extensive all over Columbus. A second tattoo parlor that also was implicated in trading tattoos for memorabilia from players was also implicated in selling marijuana to players and pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal charges of drug trafficking and money laundering.

It seems to me like the NCAA is going to hit OSU pretty hard in the area of a year or more bowl ban, a small number of loss of scholarships, possibly shown guilty of a "lack of institutional control", etc. I'm curious how you college football fans think this will pan out for OSU this year and the coming years. Will Pryor see the field this year? Can OSU still win if he's gone for good or worse yet if they get further suspensions? How far back would a potential bowl ban and loss of scholarships put the program?

[thetim]

sounds like another USC scandal.

[dakoose]

This is one of the reason's I couldn't give two shits about NCAA sports. First on the list is the lack of talent and shitty structure, but thats neither here nor there. With regards to this situation, you'd have to be naive to think that this isn't going on with every single big-time program in the big college sports. Every highly recruited kid and his folks are getting their pockets greased so they come to the recruiter's school, and the exceptions are few and far between. College sports is a cesspool from the top and down and the rules are the problem. These kids are terribly exploited; why the fuck should guys like Dez Bryant be in trouble for getting a free meal from Deion Sanders? Why should these guys have to limit themselves to getting scholarships that they're not interested in when they bring in millions of dollars for their respective schools?

As for Jim Tressel, what makes all of this so interesting is that he's been a holier-than-thou choirboy for the duration of his coaching career, preaching from the bible while breaking rules left and right behind closed doors. He guilted his players into returning for another year out of some non-existent debt to the school and then he goes and quits after all of his shenanigans were brought into the limelight.

Colleges know all of this too, and they don't give a shit. Why else does a guy like Calipari keep getting jobs? Everybody knows that no matter how much he wins, the banners are going down in a couple of years when the NCAA busts him for some recruiting violation or SAT scandal.

I love hearing about these stories but I really don't give a shit about the game; I only watch on occasion to see what the next wave of talent for the professional leagues will look like.

[Doberman]

I don't know what to say about the situation. I'm a big Buckeye fan, but I'm very disappointed with this whole situation. It really makes you wonder what you'd find with other teams. If you take away all the rumors what has been shown as fact is pretty minor. I say that because I can only imagine what else has gone on with the Bucks and other organizations. I still think he should have resigned. I just I have a bad feeling that the rumors are just the tip of the iceberg.

[rowdyhouston]

pryor is an uneducated loser.

[bbjeff86]

Like has been said this is probably fairly common in division 1 NCAA.

I am happy about it though... No obstacle now for Michigan State except for maybe Nebraska :-)

[pastorpump]

Happens at ALL big schools and most small. I've been in Miami for 20 years so we know how it works. lol He just screwed up (Jim) by even acknowledging the e-mails. If he would have sat on them then he would have gotten away with it. I'm not condoning it just saying how it works. Boosters and friends hook up the kids. I have no problem with kids who make the schools millions getting a little something back but Tressel screwed up this one good. Of course no one else in the school saw anything so Tressel takes all the fall when the other 30 people from the compliance office should be gone as well.

[Knickerbocker24]

I don't know, I mean I can see some of the smaller things like getting tattoo hookups, etc. But, this Kiffin guy from the car dealership said he has sold over 50 cars to OSU players and their families. Any Pryor has driven over 6 different cars in his time at OSU, half of which had temp plates the whole time he was driving them and were registered to the dealer. Brian Rolle who graduated last year I think and plays LB for the Eagles now said he was offered a car and declined it. Tattoo hook ups here and there I can see, signing stuff for people and the like I can see. But, getting an endless supply of helmets, pants, cleats, etc and selling them, that stuff is very closely guarded by most equipment managers at schools. And, I have a really hard time believing that this car thing goes on everywhere. Here and there at a very few select big programs, ie USC, sure, but I can't imagine you'd see this going on at any other Big 10 school for example. Granted, the car thing hasn't been proven yet and is still just under investigation, but it sure looks awful bad.

[thetim]

I don't know, I mean I can see some of the smaller things like getting tattoo hookups, etc. But, this Kiffin guy from the car dealership said he has sold over 50 cars to OSU players and their families. Any Pryor has driven over 6 different cars in his time at OSU, half of which had temp plates the whole time he was driving them and were registered to the dealer. Brian Rolle who graduated last year I think and plays LB for the Eagles now said he was offered a car and declined it. Tattoo hook ups here and there I can see, signing stuff for people and the like I can see. But, getting an endless supply of helmets, pants, cleats, etc and selling them, that stuff is very closely guarded by most equipment managers at schools. And, I have a really hard time believing that this car thing goes on everywhere. Here and there at a very few select big programs, ie USC, sure, but I can't imagine you'd see this going on at any other Big 10 school for example. Granted, the car thing hasn't been proven yet and is still just under investigation, but it sure looks awful bad.

The problem is that you can't allow somethings and not others, basic ethics 101.

It might not be cars in every school, yet I could imagine every big school having some type of graft. I mean during my time at UCF I had a student account, basically like a bank account, how easy would it be for the school to put some money in that... Or how easy would it be for the school to buy me all new laptops or shoes, or whatever.

[Knickerbocker24]

The problem is that you can't allow somethings and not others, basic ethics 101.

It might not be cars in every school, yet I could imagine every big school having some type of graft. I mean during my time at UCF I had a student account, basically like a bank account, how easy would it be for the school to put some money in that... Or how easy would it be for the school to buy me all new laptops or shoes, or whatever.

Totally agree that there are lots of small gifts that athletes get, especially football players that play in BCS conferences. It's just hard to imagine that the volume of stuff that's rumored to be going on at OSU is going on everywhere.

[dakoose]

Totally agree that there are lots of small gifts that athletes get, especially football players that play in BCS conferences. It's just hard to imagine that the volume of stuff that's rumored to be going on at OSU is going on everywhere.

Yeah, they get lots of awesome stuff, but they deserve it, and much, much more. These kids are exploited by the NCAA and have their earning power suppressed terribly. I guess they deserve to be punished because they broke the rules, but the rules suck, as does the NCAA.

[thetim]

Yeah, they get lots of awesome stuff, but they deserve it, and much, much more. These kids are exploited by the NCAA and have their earning power suppressed terribly. I guess they deserve to be punished because they broke the rules, but the rules suck, as does the NCAA.

I think they are getting a great opportunity.

I mean I come from a less wealthy background, and if it wasn't for financial aid and scholarships I wouldn't of been able to go to college and get an education. Other then my aunt on my moms side of the family, and I think one uncle on my dads side, I am the only one with a bachelors degree.

So for a lot of un-privileged kids out there, getting a full ride with room and board, and everything you could possibly need to excel in school, it would be like hitting the lottery. Not to mention being coached and trained through a working system, to possibly even become part of a professional organization. For students like this, giving up the ability to sign major contracts or endorsements and being held to a code of ethics is a minor return in favor, in my eyes.

Yeah the school is making money off the games, and in the national market, but how do you think they are paying your way?

[Knickerbocker24]

Yeah, they get lots of awesome stuff, but they deserve it, and much, much more. These kids are exploited by the NCAA and have their earning power suppressed terribly. I guess they deserve to be punished because they broke the rules, but the rules suck, as does the NCAA.

Really, I tend to sit on the other side of that argument. I don't think it's a perfect system, but these kids are getting a great education and can graduate (if they choose to) with little to no debt, get to be a part of an amazing experience of being a big time college football player, are on TV every weekend, are campus superstars, etc.

[dakoose]

Really, I tend to sit on the other side of that argument. I don't think it's a perfect system, but these kids are getting a great education and can graduate (if they choose to) with little to no debt, get to be a part of an amazing experience of being a big time college football player, are on TV every weekend, are campus superstars, etc.

None of that is really the point. For some of the kids that have no shot at getting anywhere athletically, sure it's a nice gig, but at the same time I doubt the special teamers are getting scholarships, so they're not really the players I'm talking about. A lot of the kids that get scholarships are only taking them because they need to. Do you think they'd prefer to be BMOC for one or two years instead of being in the NBA or NFL? Do you really believe that these kids are provided with ample "goods/scholarships/etc" commensurate with what they make for their schools? These kids should be millionaires but instead are afraid to go out for a free lunch or take a handout from a booster so they won't be be said to have "character issues."

Why can baseball and hockey would-be-freshman get paid to play professional in the US but basketball and football players can't? It's nice that you think that they should be happy getting a scholarship, but none of these guys want it. They can make more money going to the pros than their scholarships are worth.

[Knickerbocker24]

None of that is really the point. For some of the kids that have no shot at getting anywhere athletically, sure it's a nice gig, but at the same time I doubt the special teamers are getting scholarships, so they're not really the players I'm talking about. A lot of the kids that get scholarships are only taking them because they need to. Do you think they'd prefer to be BMOC for one or two years instead of being in the NBA or NFL? Do you really believe that these kids are provided with ample "goods/scholarships/etc" commensurate with what they make for their schools? These kids should be millionaires but instead are afraid to go out for a free lunch or take a handout from a booster so they won't be be said to have "character issues."

Well, to be considered a Division IA football program the NCAA requires you to carry 76.5 football scholarships. But, all the BCS schools, unless they are under sanctions, carry the max, which is 85 full scholarships. For example, right now for the 2011 season Ohio St carries just over 100 players on their team. So, the vast majority have full scholarships, only roughly 15 guys out of 100 don't have a full ride, free housing, all meals paid, & free education.

As far as millionaires go at the next level, and guys that bring in huge revenue in terms of selling jerseys and memorabilia, etc that the university benefits from, that is the vast minority. Maybe 3-4 guys at most on a team have that kind of star power, assuming it's a big time program, ie OSU, Michigan, USC, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, etc. Even at Ohio St you still may only have what I would consider one star player. Terrelle Pryor is definitely, maybe you could argue that Dan Herron their RB or DeVier Poser their WR is a star, but unless you're a big college football fan you've probably never heard of them. So, that's 1-3 guys the university is making lots of money off of. All 3 of those guys will have their time in the NFL to make millions. The rest who never make it, still got free rides, a great education, and an amazing college experience....all debt free. As a former collegiate athlete I wish I could say that