Ohio State Football Scandal

Five games for the players is one thing. For Tressel, who lied and covered up the whole thing, five games is a joke.

 

There are lots of similarities here between what went on in Columbus and what went on with Pearl in Knoxville.

However, as someone who has been involved with colleges and college athletics at almost all levels for years, I can tell you this: rampant rule breaking does NOT go on across the board. Not every school has players hawking wares for body ink. Not every school has coaches willingly lying to the NCAA, filing false documents, etc. Does every school run afoul of the gargantuan regulations the NCAA maintains? Yes. But to say that all schools are renegade programs is just not accurate.

As for student-athletes working part time, this is allowed under certain circumstances. But it has to be apples to apples.

 

As far as the OP, I don't feel sorry for any of these guys. They are getting free tuition, room, and meals. Plus national exposure and the opportunity to translate their college career into a pro career making millions. Are some of the NCAA rules ridiculous, yes, but the reality is that life is full of rules whether we like them or not. If these guys squander the tremendous opportunity they've been given, then they will have to live with it.

As far as Tressel resigning. I wonder if Urban Meyer will take his place?

 

As a Buckeye fan, I see this as a blessing in disguise. We now are rid of Tressel's "play not to lose" approach I have been tiring on for the past few years...and can now focus on the Urban Meyer run at OSU

I see no reason why a student athlete cannot earn a living while playing and attending college. It's ridiculous to claim they are allowed to work a part time job as a commissioned salesman for a retail company where they will gain sales based on who they are that benefit a company...but cannot use who they are to make make money to benefit themselves. No reason why they cannot endorse products using their image...it's anti-American.

 

Web,
I've never understood the "Play not to lose" mantra. It seems as if it's really code word for "We don't like the conservative play calling." No coach....NONE....employs a plan they don't think gives them the best chance to win (well, except for Lane Kiffin at UT vs FL in his only time on Rocky Top).

If UT were to disappear tomorrow, I'd double my Scarlett and Gray, and I already have a fair amount. I hope Urban doesn't go to OSU. There's a reason he isn't coaching at UF now, and if you want a renegade program, he's your guy. Tressell's troubles will seem minor years from now.

Unless they've changed the rules, pt work is fine as long as it meets guidelines.

Roby: You won't find a more rabid fan base than in Knoxville. However, I know these guys police themselves as well as having compliance do it. Case in point: years ago a church I was part of did an annual thing where a UT athlete or two comes and gives their testimony of saving faith in Christ. It just so happened that after this service a prescheduled mission benefit meal was planned. The church had a very high donor (and me ) and we kept the high donor separated from the athletes all day. No contact at all. They guy couldn't shake hands with them or anything. Someone recorded the donation of the players because the CO felt that if they received food for free, it would be an extra benefit. Someone at the end of the luncheon asked the players if they would like any food to take home to the dorm for themselves or other players. No can do. That would be an extra benefit in one case and questionable in the other so they just said no thank you. However, at one point one player got a cell call from another player. He asked if they would be allowed to take food home for themselves. A couple of phone calls later - since others in the church were taking food out - the two athletes were given doggy bags, but with a small amount of food. (Coach will kill us, one of them said!)

Watching all this unfold made me appreciate all the more what these young men go through.

Let's not confuse things. What the OSU players did was not sell memorabilia to survive. At best, they got tattoos. Worst case? A drug ring sucked them in. It's tragic.

I know there are few amateurs anymore. But there ought to be some shred of the notion left. And by the way, before we go to paying of players, just remember: Title IX. That mucks up everything regarding pay for play.

 

Exactly...and found within is the "play not to lose" philosophy

Tressel would sit on a 7 or 10 point lead and try to ride out the clock. Many coaches do this, including Tressel.

Meyer is out of coaching now due to "health reasons". Not sure what they are, or how serious, but if it something that can be taken care of he would be my favorite. Florida's offense and defense attacked constantly regardless of score. That is how you win championships (something he has shown he can do...Tressel won his with Cooper's guys)

 

Webdog wrote:

Right. That's a plan to win. Therefore, the idea of playing "not to lose" is just code. By the way, if you're playing not to lose, and the opposite of losing is winning, aren't you playing to win? :laugh:

Rampant word is either (1) Meyer has an anxiety disorder, and there's a lot of merit to this; (2) he has an arrythmia that is brought on by stress and anxiety. More people lean to #1, but I wouldn't discount #2. Remember: in a span of less than a year, he resigned, rescinded his resignation, then resigned again. This is not the type of guy a lot of people have faith in. Also, there is a perception that Meyer won with Zook's talent early, built on that and Tebowed his way to another title. LAT (life after Tebow) wasn't kind to Urban. Plus, there was the perception that the pack had caught him after Mullen left for Miss St. I think he's probably the best hire available when you compare him to Stoops, Pelini, but OSU should also consider Brian Kelly. He recruited Ohio well, but I don't think he'd leave Notre Dame for Ohio State. I would, but then again I'm not Catholic.
Tressell winning with Cooper's talent? Really? You really want to go there? I mean, I have great affection for Cooper, being a fellow Knoxvillian. But no one's buying that. No one. Kids in Ohio grow up wanting to play in the Shoe. As talent rich as Ohio is, it takes little effort to field a winning program. But you have to be able to recruit Florida, South Carolina, Texas, etc., to get the speedy tough guys like you find in the SEC, etc., and Tress did that to an extent. Meyer or Stoops would do it better, some feel.

Tressell's downfall (and this is shared by media buddies in Columbus) is that some seedy characters reappeared in the program and came to the fore when Claurett came along. Tressell, they posit, became engrossed in the culture of getting to the title game. Of course, many in the Buckeye nation were frustrated that OSU got steamrolled in two title appearances, and that Tressell could beat Michigan but couldn't keep up with the Joneses in the SEC. They overlook the fact that no one has in the title game.

It says a great deal that Tressell will go down as the winningest coach in Buckeye history. But it also says a great deal as far as how he went out as the winningest coach.

 

Given the level of scrutiny right now, it would be difficult to say this does exist, yet it's impossible to say someone doesn't have a cushy part time job when you're talking about a major I-A program with numerous sports for men and women.

This used to be part of every packet for new student-athletes.

The line in the sand has been drawn regarding agents. I don't think that bell can be unrung.

 

Had to wait in Wally World for a prescription so I read the Sports Illustrated article about Tressel and Ohio State. He resigned because the program was dirty and he stuck his head into the sand. He did that when he was in Division IA and he's been doing that since he got to O State.

Too bad he was such a well known "man of faith" (whatever that means.)

 

My biggest regret about his whole OSU scandal is that the press especially the OSU hatters seize upon this to point an accusing finger at all born again christians and say "see". I see this almost as a grandmother who would go to almost any length to protect her grandchildren even if they are wrong.

 

Tom, I think you're coming very close to crossing a line here. I don't think we can should malign his professed faith in Christ. What Tressell did was wrong in the eyes of the NCAA and in essentially lying, in the eyes of God. However, as someone who stands daily in the need of forgiving grace, I'm not about to jump on a man an question his devotion just because his transgressions are much more public than mine.

Berean, I haven't seen the "See, all Christians are bad" aspect yet, but maybe I've missed it. However, while some in the press are likely gleeful over the fall of this man and this program, every program under scrutiny due to running afoul of the NCAA always cries "Persecution!" Happening at Tennessee, happening at Ohio State, and happened at USC (well, 2 of their 7 fans did).

 

All the SI article mentioned was that he was a man of faith, had a box for prayer requests on his desk. It starts out writing about what an upstanding man of character he was then goes into the "but ...." section

I understand what you are saying, but this was the 2nd program something like this happened. And it wasn't the first time in his time at Ohio State. Read the article. It was this article which SI gave to Ohio State the weekend before his resignation that forced his resignation.

As someone who is acquainted with falsehood, i am not trying to jump on the bandwagon, just saying that this was the point of the article.

 

Fair enough. Having ties to Ohio State, I'm familiar with their run-ins with scandal. Everything changed the day Maurice Claurett came to town. I really wonder if Tress knew what he was getting. Or is he today's Tom Osborne? Get them in and try to mold them (oh, and play the heck out of them in the process). I dunno. But I do know this: Nixon was bigger than Watergate, and Tress is bigger than this scandal.

 

This is true. Tressel was a good man who fell prey to the culture of corruption at OSU that puts winning above all else. This culture starts first with the demanding fans and is manifested by influential alumni, boosters, etc. OSU football is the god of Columbus, period. I've lived here 25 of my 41 years (and for the last 18 years of my adulthood), so I have first hand experience.

And I agree - I don't think we should question Tressel's faith. Yes, he made some horrible, sinful decisions. Getting out of the OSU culture will be the best thing for his soul.