Based on how quickly Small backpedaled, hell yeah it was a major deal. Scottie Pippen thought he backpedaled hard.
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Here is a link to the SI article.
Article seems primarily focused on undermining Tressel's character. But the allegations of more current players being linked to the memorabilia-for-tattoos problem is hard to ignore. And the memorabilia-for-marijuana allegation is pretty damning. Overall, the article just seems like people naming names. :smh:
Side note:
Yeah, I'm sure they won't be able to limit it down by thinking about who worked there from 2008 to summer 2010 ...Quote:
The former employee, who worked for Rife from the fall of 2008 until last summer, agreed to speak to SI on condition that he remain anonymous; he fears that Rife or one of his associates will seek retribution for his disclosures.
Quote:
Ohio State has conceded that six current players committed an NCAA violation by trading memorabilia for tattoos or cash at Fine Line Ink: Pryor, tackle Mike Adams, running back Dan Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey, defensive end Solomon Thomas and linebacker Jordan Whiting. 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. Ohio State declined to make any of its current players available to respond to SI.
Quote:
Ellis claims that two players whose eligibility expired at the close of the 2010 season -- safety Jermale Hines and cornerback Devon Torrence -- also conducted at least one transaction with Rife involving memorabilia or autographs before the season ended.
...
From the 2008 team, Ellis alleges that cornerback Donald Washington traded memorabilia for tattoos. Washington now plays for the Chiefs; his agent, Neil Cornrich, did not return SI's calls requesting comment.
...
Among those whose Ohio State careers ended after the 2009 season, Rose, Small, defensive end Thaddeus Gibson, running back Jermil Martin, wide receiver Lamaar Thomas and defensive lineman Doug Worthington made trades or sold memorabilia before their eligibility expired, according to Ellis.
We just dropped down farther in the sink hole.
Funny part to me was Pryor showing up in a new Car for a team meeting last night.
http://www.autocarcentre.com/wp-cont...70z-nissan.jpg
Ha, yeah I read that on twitter. Rumors are he may be kicked off the team?
This is only going to get worse for tOSU.
Yep. IMHO they are better off just admitting a lack of institutional control give themselves the U$C penalty and hope/pray the NCAA thinks that is enough.
This thing has all the makings of just absolutely blowing up (even more than it is now). I can even envision a scenario where the "death penalty" is in play.
Could you explain your scenario on the death penalty?
Hypothetically, if the NCAA continues its investigation and finds multiple/serious/systematic violations in The Ohio State football program throughout the Tressel era they could rule/find Ohio State to be a "repeat violator" which is a rule/term used when handing out the death penalty.
Additionally, the NCAA has power to hand out whatever punishment it sees fit. Essentially, they are the Judge, Jury and Executioner when it comes to "major" college sports. If Ohio St. other schools don't like it they can simply drop out of the NCAA and play intermurals or form their own college sports "league" and make up the rules as they deem fit.
Examples of the three "biggest" "Death Penalty" cases and how it could tie into Ohio St.
:Kentucky: Basketball 1951 - Point Shaving Scandal. Let's say the NCAA digs into Pryor and they find all sorts of "unsavory" connections to gamblers and then he/someone else admits to point shaving/fixing a game. Nothing currently hints at this but dig enough into Pryor's background and I bet you could find some HUGE skelletons in the closet.
Southwestern Louisiana Basketball 1973 - Academic Fraud - Suppose we also find out that Pryor (other players) cannot even read yet has somehow managed to pass enough classes to be on pace to graduate. :fp:
(:North_Carolina: should also be worried about this with their ongoing investigation as well)
:SMU: Football 1986 - Players Being Paid After Multiple Recruiting Violations - Pryor is not only getting free/cheap cars to drive around but Tressell et al. also got Pryor hooked up with some Boosters to keep him happy like the Fab 5 combined with the finding of years of Tressel era infractions.
I highly doubt the NCAA would go the death penalty route, even if the facts end up coming out to support it. The damage it did to SMU, it is something to be used only in the most absolute, 100% severest cases. Hell, I'd almost go to say that the NCAA would do anything it could but give the death penalty if it could avoid it.. Plus, even with the NCAA starting to crack down on schools, I just can't see them giving such a giant money maker, for both the Big Ten and the NCAA, the death penalty.
You are probably right. I am merely laying out the case using prior precedent (which the NCAA doesn't seem to care much for with the "each case is unique" mindset) Well yes each case is unique. Each SMU case was "unique" back in the day.
Ironically, the most recent "death penalty" cases were against DIII schools. One was over a school that didn't even realize it even had an official soccer team.
They most likely won't lay down the "death penalty". However, that doesn't mean the facts will not eventually come out that could/would support such a punishment based on previous cases.
True, but you also have to look at everything that led up to the SMU death penalty. If there was a school that really earned it, it was them. Already on three years probation for multiple recruiting violations. Had been on probation five times since 1974 (seven times total, most of any NCAA school), and then came allegations of athletes STILL being paid in 1986, as well as a continuing slush fund. And then the things the SMU board of governors went about continuing to pay athletes until all the current ones being paid had graduated before they would go and dissolve the slush fund "because they decided they had to honor previous commitments made to the players", all the while telling the NCAA that there were no longer any players being paid.
At the moment, the Ohio State situation is nothing like that. It was stuff being done by boosters and local business that, yes, maybe Tressel did know about ALL of it, but I honestly don't know if, and want to think with some certainty not, the entire OSU athletic department or Gee or whoever else would have had knowledge of and tried to cover it up or pass the blame on to whoever. So far, all that has come out, is Tressel lying to the higher ups and his superiors at Ohio State and lying to the NCAA. Nothing so far of the entire athletic department, or Gee, or the OSU Board of Trustees lying left and right to the NCAA like what happened at SMU.
the ncaa stated in the 80s that if they still gave out the death penalty UF would have 'earned' it under charlie pell, massive cheating (and they were cheating right after with emmit smith lol)
just want to make sure it is included with the other big time scandals listed above :)...to many people in florida like to forget about it.
Is the AD Smith next to step down?
Yeah not sure what is with all the death penalty talk. It won't happen. I think some (probably former now) NCAA big wigs have even state as such. Sanctions will be the most they would do.
Yeah, I can definitely see Ohio State getting slapped hardcore, much worse than USC, but it's been no secret in the press and in college football in general in the past that the NCAA, after seeing what it did to SMU, pretty much has no intentions of ever using the death penalty on a football program again. As well, yeah, you can definitely call it preferential treatment, but no way in hell would the NCAA ever hand down a death penalty on one of the biggest (and one of the most money producing) teams in college football.
LSUFreek has arrived.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a78...tTu_Brutus.gif