Tressel lied, opposing fans died

So certainly you’ve seen the recently posted story at Yahoo! Sports that Jim Tressel knew as early as last April that the five suspended players (Pryor, Posey, Herron, Adams and Thomas) had sold memorabilia to Fine Line Ink Tattoos owner Edward Rife. This is in stark contrast to Tressel’s comments in December that this was the first time he was aware of the situation.

The heart of the matter:

According to a source, a concerned party reached out to Tressel last April, alerting the coach that memorabilia transactions had taken place between Rife and a handful of Buckeyes players, including Pryor. The selling of items violates NCAA eligibility rules. The source said Tressel was troubled by the information, and the coach indicated that he would investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

So here is where we tell you to take this with a grain of salt. So far, all we have is “a source.” An unnamed source at that. It’s also where we tell all the haters to #dealwithit. We don’t want to hear your take. We already know it and we’ve heard it all before. Don’t bother.

Here is also where we say that both Yahoo! Sports and Dan Wetzel has a good track record. He took on USC and was right in the end.

If these allegations are true, this is VERY BAD NEWS.

If Tressel failed to inform Smith or the Ohio State compliance department about the players’ dealings with Rife, he could be charged with multiple NCAA violations including unethical conduct, failure to monitor and a failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance. In general, a coach is required to act on, or pass along reasonable information about possible rule violations for further investigation.

Also, he could be fired for cause. It’s right there, in his contract.

And all this is bad, but as far as I’m concerned, this could be even WORSE:

Ohio State itself could be cited with playing ineligible players and forced to vacate its 2010 season, when it won a share of the Big Ten championship and finished 12-1. It could also face further sanctions for major infractions.

That means we oh-fer again against the SEC. Oh no! We suck again!

So now we wait. Is this what Colin Cowherd was talking about when he said he had heard that a major college football program being brought to its knees? Because if this is true all that Tressel has worked to build up comes crashing down.

MotSaG’s official stance: This “unnamed source” had better have serious concrete proof (audio recording, email conversation) for us to put any credence into this story. Tressel’s ten plus years has earned him that much. We will wait for the University’s response and give all involved the benefit of the doubt. In every other situation (most notably the HWSNBN fiasco) Tressel and the athletic department has been ahead of the curve, taking the necessary actions to avoid impropriety and problems. Let’s hope that trend continues.

Comments

  1. Cloud of Dust says

    I can’t imagine why Tressel would have chosen now to cover something like this up. It simply doesn’t fit with his overall pattern of behavior. I will truly be shocked if this has merit.

  2. Cheaters!

  3. J. Daniel Rollins says

    Presser @ 7 at the Jack with Gee, Smith and Tress. I doubt Gee is there for moral support.

  4. Dear “Mike”

    F.O.A.D., loser.

    Thank you.

    This is a major attack on the whole program (huge ramifications) — I’m not surprised Gee would come out to be there with Smith and Tress…

  5. Mike,

  6. greg riggs says

    I’m so sick 2 hear this. Never thought in a million years JT would lie. Pryor isn’t worth all that. Sad day on Buckeye Land.

  7. yeah, greg, it came as quite a shock to all of us.

  8. Hey Johnny – I’m back! So, who will be your new coach and qb this Fall?

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