This.

Is a good day.

5/31/2011 9:42:26 AM

how do you know that Butch hasnt "signed any papers" saying that he didnt know about any violations? Because you didnt read about it on ESPN yet? He probably signed the exact same document.

and for the record, I'm not "breezing over" anything, what Tressel did was wrong and I know that. At OSU there was smoke and investigators dug around until they found the fire. At UNC there is smoke as well, just no one is digging deep enough yet to expose the fire.

5/31/2011 9:50:11 AM

Quote :

"and for the record, I'm not "breezing over" anything, what Tressel did was wrong and I know that. At OSU there was smoke and investigators dug around until they found the fire. At UNC there is smoke as well, just no one is digging deep enough yet to expose the fire."

I personally just think UNC is doing a better job of hiding it. The NCAA has probably done as much digging at UNC as they have at OSU. They are just having a tougher time finding the "smoking gun" at UNC. Hopefully they'll find it.

Either way...I'm pretty indifferent towards OSU, but probably dislike them a little bit. But it's obvious they've been dirty since the Clarett years and I'm enjoying them getting what they deserve.

5/31/2011 10:13:26 AM

I wonder how much of the digging has been done by the NCAA for the whole mess at OSU. Seems like a majority of the information to come to light has been via Yahoo sports and the Columbus Dispatch, with little mention of the NCAA as a source of anything in either of their publications.

5/31/2011 10:58:01 AM

I'm not convinced there's not digging still...you just won't hear about it until it's over.

They're obviously still there if they inquired about the recent parties. I can't wait til those parking records are out.

5/31/2011 11:07:09 AM

^^ FTA by SI, the feds were the ones who actually uncovered it while investigating the tattoo parlor for drug trafficking.

5/31/2011 11:11:50 AM

I'm pretty sure Pryor won't ever take another snap at OSU. With all the talk about how other players can't stand him, being the most visible of the Tat5, the new allegations about cars, and FUCKING PULLING UP TO A TEAM MEETING LAST NIGHT IN A CUSTOM 350Z WITH GODDAMNED TEMPORARY TAGS ON IT!!

5/31/2011 11:17:14 AM

after reading that SI piece, the part that really stood out to me (other than all the blatant wrong-doing) was the justification used by one of the former players: "the university makes a lot of money... we knew they had the biggest Nike contract...they aren't helping us... we did what we had to do to help our families or ourselves."

you know this is what's going on with the likes of Austin, Quinn, Little, Coples etc. I guess I just don't understand how they've hid it in CH for so long. It's a small town, people talk. After all is said and done in the UNCCheat scandal, i wish somehow the local papers, all of them, could somehow receive some kind of journalistic black mark for covering it up all these decades. N&O, Herald-Sun, FayObs, CharObs, etc. and it really just rubs me the wrong way to think about how these same orgs treated what happened with V so sanctimoniously. Its poignant that Michael Jordan eventually endorsed MickeyD's because I knew from people who worked at the one in downtown chapel hill that MJ used to come in and get whatever he wanted. (btw, im not expecting ncaa sanctions to come about from my little anecdote, its just this stuff is so plain as day clear).

5/31/2011 11:19:06 AM

^^^^well I guess part of my point was that the entire investigation of OSU was done in front of ESPN's cameras. Every stone that was uncovered along the road got a segment on sportcenter/sportsnation/ATH/PTI/etc. Whereas, very little has been mentioned about the UNC investigation outside of the little blurbs they threw out during the draft.

and I'm not saying this like ESPN was out to get OSU (although a TON of buckeye fans are) I just wonder how much different the investigations would be if UNC was getting the same treatment OSU has gotten - or vise versa.

^and I agree, this is a problem with the NCAA system as a whole. Very few players give a shit about being ethical or adhering to rules when they see how much money the university (or NCAA in general) makes off of their play. A lot of these guys dont have money and will jump on the opportunity to get money when its presented to them - especially if they see other players around them doing the same thing with no repercussions.

Also, OSU has had so many NCAA violations over the last 10 years, why werent they hit earlier than this? Because the media didnt expose the story and run with it like they are now? There are so many investigations going on right now revolving around the same principle - having the players collecting the money they feel they deserve through whatever means available - I could see the image of college football as we know it being completely shattered. OSU, UNC, Boise State, South Carolina, Auburn, Bama, the list goes on and on with schools all under similar investigations

[Edited on May 31, 2011 at 11:36 AM. Reason : asdf]

5/31/2011 11:21:38 AM

the guy that pieced together that quote, Rob Rose, was a guy who was suspended for the Rose Bowl 2 years ago b/c of being academically ineligble. He's probably bitter that he didn't live up to his own hype on the field.

^OSU football > UNC football. OSU is one of the premier football programs in the nation with a huge fanbase and millions more who loathe them. Big names get big coverage. If it were UNC basketball instead of UNC football, there'd be a lot more in the news about it.

[Edited on May 31, 2011 at 11:25 AM. Reason : .]

5/31/2011 11:24:15 AM

Quote :

"I just wonder how much different the investigations would be if UNC was getting the same treatment OSU has gotten"

It's not like either investigation is over. And OSU is 1000 times the football program UNC is, so it's logical that they would get 1000 times the coverage.

5/31/2011 11:25:27 AM

Quote :

"i wish somehow the local papers, all of them, could somehow receive some kind of journalistic black mark for covering it up all these decades."

People have stopped reading their paper because they know there will not be any new breaking information. They are all going out of business, that is the ultimate black mark.

5/31/2011 11:43:00 AM

Quote :

"After all is said and done in the UNCCheat scandal, i wish somehow the local papers, all of them, could somehow receive some kind of journalistic black mark for covering it up all these decades. N&O, Herald-Sun, FayObs, CharObs, etc. and it really just rubs me the wrong way to think about how these same orgs treated what happened with V so sanctimoniously"

that is some of the lamest shit I've ever read

5/31/2011 11:49:49 AM

does anyone think this is localized to Ohio State and UNC? Guaranteed it's happening with some of our players too. I think it's right that those two schools and USC are getting hammered for this, don't get me wrong.

I just have often wondered why it isn't more common that a booster from school A hires and private investigator to snoop around rival school B and get some dirt in front of the NCAA... but that would only make sense if school A was clean. And I doubt any school in the country is squeaky clean.

5/31/2011 1:57:53 PM

I'm sure there are schools that are squeaky clean, they just arent winning any games or landing any top players

5/31/2011 1:59:16 PM

did you read that SI article by Dohrmann? I'm sure you did, I was reading it and thinking damn, this shit also went on at Youngstown State??? I mean, if players are getting comped at a d-1AA school, why wouldn't it be happening at Vanderbilt or Northwestern?

5/31/2011 2:04:55 PM

Shit like this is going to kill college athletics. I know some folks are of the mindset that everyone cheats, who cares if we're doing it, but that's a pretty irresponsible lack of priorities. If State were found guilty of half the shit schools like OSU, USC and UNC have been accused of, I'd just assume we were sanctioned like motherfuckers and didn't win for years. I'd rather lose than cheat. That's my word. Now back to my ivory tower.

[Edited on May 31, 2011 at 2:10 PM. Reason : Somehow Nike is to blame for all of this]

5/31/2011 2:09:45 PM

^ I didn't want to sound like one of those people saying "everyone does it, who cares"

I do think it's wrong and it's killing college sports. I am depressed by the thought that this is probably happening at State too.

[Edited on May 31, 2011 at 2:16 PM. Reason : syntax]

5/31/2011 2:10:59 PM

Quote :

"does anyone think this Taking trips all acorss the country on agent's dime, eating expensive meals, bragging on Twitter about 4 figure bottles of alcohol and posting pictures on facebook of said violations is localized to Ohio State and UNC?"

Why no, no I don't. When your own players are bragging about it and throwing it in the public's face (i.e. NCAA) I've got to think these types of situations while not 100% unique, are still very rare. Then on top of that, the infractions that got the whole investiagtion started are seemingly happening again a year later after the NCAA put your program under a microscope. So no, I don't think what's going on at UNC is going on everywhere else.

5/31/2011 2:13:13 PM

it's happening everywhere

it's always been happening everywhere

now there's this thing called the internet and people are really thirsty for some of that internet limelight

5/31/2011 2:14:34 PM

I say this not as a naive TOB-slurper, but there's no way improper benefits are being doled out here.

5/31/2011 2:18:25 PM

free use of vehicles, the $5 handshake (it's got to be more like 50 or 500 these days), the no-show jobs - these are the things I assume are happening at every school, including ours.

5/31/2011 2:19:27 PM

^^ I'm talking about the NCAA as a whole, not just football

5/31/2011 2:20:09 PM

Coach Eric Taylor wouldn't stand for this nonsense

[Edited on May 31, 2011 at 2:23 PM. Reason : Except for the mailbox thing]

5/31/2011 2:20:29 PM

I imagine if you dig deep enough, every school will have some sort of violation. I would not be surprised if some of that happens here. I would however be very surprised if it ever reached the level of OSU or UNC or USC under TOB though.

The NCAA needs to start enforcing their own rules fairly. It has it's flaws. On the other hand, I get so tired of hearing how much money everyone makes but the players. I don't think they should be paid, but I do think you could add a stipend in to their scholarships. I had a full ride at State on a variety of academic scholarships. I had no problem providing myself with a place to live, meals to eat, etc. Did I necessarily have extra spending money to go out all the time or go shopping all the time, no, but I had everything I needed, I didn't go without. I also didn't work either except for one part time job on campus where I worked like 6hrs a week if that. These kids on scholarship are getting a free education and access to study hall and tutors, a place to live, meals and even clothing. It's their fault if they don't take advantage of that. Who gives a fuck if they don't get to go to the movies or buy shit they don't need? I do have different feelings on the sales of jerseys, or things that represent their likeness, but that's a different topic.

I will say that TOB does put emphasis on education, I know of him pulling players out of practice to send them to study hall because he found out they failed a test. Granted I don't think it was actually during football season itself when he did that, but I liked hearing that.

5/31/2011 2:55:12 PM

I feel the same way now about TOB as I did about Tressel a year or two ago. Dont think its above TOB, or anyone, to be doing shady shit behind the scenes.

I also agree with the players getting some sort of stipend. Athletes for the most part cannot get jobs to bring in some sort of income, so they rely completely on money from their families (or savings accounts LOL) to be able to buy clothes, go out to eat at places not on the university meal plan, go to movies, etc.

5/31/2011 3:11:37 PM

Paying all players the same amount is worse than not paying them at all. Andrew Luck shouldn't be getting the same stipend as the backup kicker.

5/31/2011 3:16:25 PM

yeah, that is kinda the argument I have been making to other people on the "paying players" bandwagon. If you decide to pay football and basketball players, then you will have to pay players on track/baseball/swimming/etc. scholarships as well. I dont know how the NCAA would be able to work it to pay players, but I think some sort of stipend should be given to them.

5/31/2011 3:19:26 PM

Quote :

"I don't think they should be paid, but I do think you could add a stipend in to their scholarships."

I thought players already got a stipend as part of their athletic scholarship? Isn't it a couple hundred bucks a month?

5/31/2011 3:20:46 PM

The only fair solution is to

Quote :

" LET THE PLAYERS BE ABLE TO TAKE WHATEVER ANYONE WANTS TO GIVE THEM. Let the players have agents. Let the players do endorsement deals. Let the players take money from boosters. Whether it comes in a duffel bag or in a check from the Big Ten offices in Park Ridge, Illinois, money is money is money. If commissioners are admitting that players should be getting a bigger piece of the pie, then they need to acknowledge that it really is okay for players to receive extra benefits because that's exactly what this extra stipend would be. "

5/31/2011 3:27:12 PM

Quote :

"does anyone think this is localized to Ohio State and UNC? Guaranteed it's happening with some of our players too."

i know our players aren't getting cars.

money, probably, but not cars.

5/31/2011 3:41:47 PM

nobody knows anything

5/31/2011 3:43:17 PM

The NCAA can not allow players to be paid, period. It has to do with their how it is set up, ie non-profit.

5/31/2011 3:43:37 PM

I'm going to go out on a limb here and accuse you of not knowing what you're talking about

5/31/2011 3:45:14 PM

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Former-Ohio-State-coach-Jim-Tressel-is-product-of-flawed-system-053111

this dude is a little over the top, but makes a couple good points in there

5/31/2011 3:48:04 PM

Quote :

"Coach Eric Taylor wouldn't stand for this nonsense"

5/31/2011 5:09:12 PM

Quote :

" I'm going to go out on a limb here and accuse you of not knowing what you're talking about"

A quick google search will show you I do. The NCAA is a set up as non-profit because of the education connection...they are federally tax exempt and is run as a member institution with the majority of the revenue going back to the members. They can pay staff members but that is it under their non-profit status. As established they absolutely can not pay athletes.

5/31/2011 6:28:00 PM

I don't know why you think they can pay board members and not athletes. Non profits are fully equipped to have payrolls.

5/31/2011 8:59:53 PM

i know im coming in a bit late but...





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LOL

5/31/2011 9:45:34 PM

Quote :

"I don't know why you think they can pay board members and not athletes. Non profits are fully equipped to have payrolls."

Yep, FOR STAFF to operate and manage the organization. It's a non-profit, meaning it's not generating money for itself, the majority of the revenue goes to the member institutions--90% of it. You start paying athletes, who are not working in the capacity of managing and running the organization, then you become a business, not a non-profit and lose the tax exemption status. This is not what I think, this is fact. This has been discussed in the national media, it's nothing new.

6/1/2011 10:30:46 AM

so would it be up to the universities to pay the athletes themselves? That would not end well

6/1/2011 10:31:51 AM

from Joe Schad's twitter:

Quote :

"An Ohio State offensive starter said today: "I haven't spoken with Terrelle and I don't care to...""

6/1/2011 11:24:15 AM

well, to break up the doom and gloom, here is a little flashback to my personal alltime favorite Buckeye, Ted Ginn Jr. I've probably watched this highlight video 100 times since it was put out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGyrgqOKZLg

6/1/2011 2:17:22 PM

Quote :

"so would it be up to the universities to pay the athletes themselves? That would not end well"

It may compromise their tax exemption status too. The only way athletes can be paid I think, would be through increased scholarship/stipends and I think the NCAA may just have to give more money back to the schools or the conferences. I did read somewhere that the Big 10 was considering giving stipends for additional living expenses and home travel, but not sure how that would work either--not sure how they are classified. The other problem too is that once they start getting paid, they are no longer student-athletes or amateurs, they are professional athletes and I think that was also part of what would compromise the NCAA's tax exemption status (and possibly the universities), which they have because they claim to be a higher education association.

I do not feel sorry for any student athlete on a full scholarship. Your needs are being met and if you take advantage of it, you are getting a quality education debt free. Most of these kids are not going to end up in the pros and many of them wouldn't have even gotten into school in the first place. You are provided with academic staff. Make better choices and live within your means. I don't feel bad for you if you don't have money to buy tattoos.

6/1/2011 2:46:39 PM

per the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Pryor has ended his career at OSU.

6/7/2011 5:54:45 PM

Supplemental Draft?

Everyone needs a 4.6 receiver with character concerns

6/7/2011 6:04:40 PM

he's faster than 4.6, that's for damn sure

6/7/2011 6:13:05 PM

Shit must be bad.

Maybe we'll start seeing guys bail like rats from a sinking ship.

6/7/2011 6:24:31 PM

I don't think this will be a start of an exodus. Pryor needed to go after he 1) started a lot of this shit, Marvin Austin style; and 2) showed up to a team meeting the day Tressel stepped down in a new fucking car.

A lot of teammates want(ed) Pryor gone. This is a good thing, not only for morale, but for consistency of offense after game 5.

6/7/2011 6:27:50 PM

He definitely needed to go. Who knows what will happen with the other guys.

6/7/2011 6:38:34 PM