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SI article on our former adversary


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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/maga...p;sct=hp_t11_a2

That support crumbled suddenly over Memorial Day weekend. Tressel was forced out three days after Sports Illustrated alerted Ohio State officials that the wrongdoing by Tressel's players was far more widespread than had been reported. SI learned that the memorabilia-for-tattoos violations actually stretched back to 2002, Tressel's second season at Ohio State, and involved at least 28 players -- 22 more than the university has acknowledged. Those numbers include, beyond the six suspended players, an additional nine current players as well as nine former players whose alleged wrongdoing might fall within the NCAA's four-year statute of limitations on violations.

One former Buckeye, defensive end Robert Rose, whose career ended in 2009, told SI that he had swapped memorabilia for tattoos and that "at least 20 others" on the team had done so as well. SI's investigation also uncovered allegations that Ohio State players had traded memorabilia for marijuana and that Tressel had potentially broken NCAA rules when he was a Buckeyes assistant coach in the mid-1980s.

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You've got to read this whole article.

Ellis, who spent time in and around the tattoo parlor for nearly 20 months, says that in addition to those six, he witnessed nine other active players swap memorabilia or give autographs for tattoos or money. Those players were defensive back C.J. Barnett, linebacker Dorian Bell, running back Jaamal Berry, running back Bo DeLande, defensive back Zach Domicone, linebacker Storm Klein, linebacker Etienne Sabino, defensive tackle John Simon and defensive end Nathan Williams.
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Just finished reading the whole article. Outstanding piece of investigative journalism. Lots and lots of memorable lines. But I think the following struck me the most:

For more than a decade, Ohioans have viewed Tressel as a pillar of rectitude, and have disregarded or made excuses for the allegations and scandal that have quietly followed him throughout his career. His integrity was one of the great myths of college football. Like a disgraced politician who preaches probity but is caught in lies, the Senator was not the person he purported to be.

Pryor is looking like the next chapter in the continuing saga. From a story today in the Columbus Dispatch:

The NCAA and the Ohio State University's compliance office are conducting an independent investigation of Terrelle Pryor amid allegations that the star quarterback may have received cars and other extra benefits, sources told The Dispatch today.

Pryor has been questioned by OSU compliance officials in the past, but sources said this is the most significant inquiry to date. He already has been interviewed at least once by investigators within the past few weeks, sources said.

Pryor and the cars he drives have been an issue since he arrived on campus three years ago. Pryor has been connected to more than a half dozen vehicles during his time at Ohio State, according to sources.

Significant inquiry by NCAA and OSU under way for Pryor, sources say

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If 27 football players were involved, I think the odds are high that some of the star basketball players were in on it, too. In fact, I would be shocked if they weren't.

If I did the math, at least 16 (Tattoo 6, plus the 9 active players mentioned, plus one who was suspended for something else) OSU players should be suspended for our game against them.

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Thanks for the link, Zach.

Wow. It just keeps getting deeper. The NCAA hammer is going to fall hard. Will it fall SMU hard? It appears that the "loss of institutional control" charge would be a slam-dunk.

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If you look at the reactions from recruits, the in-state players still have the blinders on, but the out of state ones have lost faith. I think a few more of these bombshell articles will have to come out to erode the grip OSU has on this state.

You think SI would listen to us about recruiting violations Tressel had like Erick Howard now? just saying...lol...might as well put more wood on the fire while it's still burning...

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If you look at the reactions from recruits, the in-state players still have the blinders on, but the out of state ones have lost faith. I think a few more of these bombshell articles will have to come out to erode the grip OSU has on this state.

You think SI would listen to us about recruiting violations Tressel had like Erick Howard now? just saying...lol...might as well put more wood on the fire while it's still burning...

If you can contact them, I think they would be interested in listening. Maybe ESPN would like to get their hands on their own exclusive story, and you could be the one to provide it to them.

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Just finished reading the whole article. Outstanding piece of investigative journalism. Lots and lots of memorable lines. But I think the following struck me the most:

For more than a decade, Ohioans have viewed Tressel as a pillar of rectitude, and have disregarded or made excuses for the allegations and scandal that have quietly followed him throughout his career. His integrity was one of the great myths of college football. Like a disgraced politician who preaches probity but is caught in lies, the Senator was not the person he purported to be.

Me too. It just goes to show, most people want it one way, but it's normally the other way.

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Just finished reading the whole article. Outstanding piece of investigative journalism. Lots and lots of memorable lines. But I think the following struck me the most:

For more than a decade, Ohioans have viewed Tressel as a pillar of rectitude, and have disregarded or made excuses for the allegations and scandal that have quietly followed him throughout his career. His integrity was one of the great myths of college football. Like a disgraced politician who preaches probity but is caught in lies, the Senator was not the person he purported to be.

Me too. It just goes to show, most people want it one way, but it's normally the other way.

Actually, I think the line at the bottom of you post fits most of what you write. I thought it was intentional.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Over the years our coaching staff has been provided cars by many of the local dealers in exchange for advertising and other perks. Nothing new there.

That's cool.

But the Compliance Department? That's just a bad idea.

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  • 2 months later...

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