Ohio State Buckeyes "Scandal"

[Hannibał]

I live in the great state of Ohio. And I don't know about the rest of the country but all day everyday, all local/regional news talks about is the tattoo shop scandal. For those who may not know

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5950873

Basically, OSU football players traded Jerseys,rings, and other awards they have earned for tattoos at a colombus parlor. These are items they EARNED themselves, for their play. Its not that they threw games, or shaved points..they traded items that were their own personal property.. as you can guess I feel this is blown out of proportion.

I agree coach Tressel was wrong in lying to the NCAA about his knowledge..and I can see him being punished, even if the whole ordeal is a sham. But why is this such a shock anyway? Everyone knows the NCAA is loaded with corruption, and there are many more issues they could be using their energy on, not some tattoos traded for rewards the players earned for themselves. I don't think I would ever give away my uniforms or trophies but if they want to its their buissness..do they have to keep these items for life? Or are they allowed to throw them away? Is that illegal? What a joke.


I'm just curious as to others opinons on this matter, is this big news elsewhere? Does anyone care other then Michigan?

[CoffeeCream]

I'm not sure exactly how it will be worded, but I bet Player can make this look like the far right is responsible.

[spurgistan]

lolumad?

While you usually can count on the NCAA to do the exact wrong thing, heads deserve to roll at Ohio State. While the NCAA really ought to do away with the veneer of amateurity it gives to college athletics and just pay the players part of what they earn, brazenly violating the rules should make people lose their jobs.

[mviola]

I'm just curious as to others opinons on this matter, is this big news elsewhere? Does anyone care other then Michigan?

I could care less, they'll still beat Michigan this year. I do go to UMich but I'm not from the state so coverage is lacking a little bit.

[oVo]

Always wondered how some players afforded their sleeves.
Seems it may be blown out of proportion, but the Coach
should have given up the straight skinny right from the
start and avoided all potential NCAA bs.

[Hannibał]

About players with tattoo sleeves. "King" James, when he was in high school was driving around northern ohio in a brand new custom from the tires up Hummer..his ghetto public housing mom got the loan..lol riiight.

I agree coach tressel should have came clean. I believe he was trying to shield/defend his boys (didn't he learn from maurice clarett?). But that's the price you have to pay, the best job in sports.

I just don't think there should be such a uproar on a few hundred dollers worth of tats, and memorabilia the kids earned for themselves.

[Serbia]

Problem is, rules are rules. The rules state that college (amateur) players are not allowed to profit in anyway way from their athletic positions at their university. The tattoo violations were minor. However, the allegations coming out now are far from minor.

Regardless, it's not the tattoos, or the cars, or the money, that got Tressel fired. He lied, repeatedly. He attempted to cover it up. He acted above the rules, above the university, above even the NCAA. Tressel deserved to be fired, contractually, if for no other reason.

Also, as an interesting side note... I work in subsidized housing, renovating apartment complexes using HUD money. You would be AMAZED at what people living in government assisted housing have. Cars, clothes, game consoles, flat screens, jewelry... those who know how to use the system can live like kings. They've got very little in the way of a house payment, they get assistance on food via food stamps, a lot of them get money for children, so yeah, it's not out of the realm of possibility to see such people with better cars than many people who work for a living could afford.

[Army of GOD]

If you haven't seen it and hate the NCAA's rules, definitely watch the Crack Baby Basketball South Park episode that came out like 2 weeks ago. It was absolutely hilarious and they destroyed the NCAA (pretty much calling them slave owners).

Anyway, both Tressel and Pryor are fucking morons. If you're breaking the rules, be subtle about it. Don't be driving your sports car while your liscense is suspended you fucking moron.

[oVo]

I just don't think there should be such a uproar on a few hundred dollers worth of tats,
and memorabilia the kids earned for themselves.

I agree. It's shocking to read that Coach Tressel has resigned at Ohio State
and that Terrell Pryor is done with college football.

There's no secret regime, there's no secret congregation of people who sit around at Ohio State who gives young guys money. Anything that any player goes and gets is all based on him and who he meets in the community. The coaches and the university have no control over what the young guy's doing.

Why are they even in that position? Why is it that a university can profit $20 million, $30 million, $40 million and these guys are in the position that they have to sell their memorabilia -- the only thing they have of value at that point? Why are they even in that position to do that, when there's enough money to go around?

The BCS has stripped the USC Trojans of their 2004 National Title because of the benefits Reggie Bush received while playing there. Pete Carroll has moved on to the NFL and doesn't have to face that muck up now.

LeBraun James' nice wheels and any other benefits don't matter much,
since he is one of those rare athletes able to skip college basketball
and go directly into the NBA.

[Ace Rimmer]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/ ... /index.htm

That was a great article detailing what went on.

[BigBallinStalin]

Problem is, rules are rules. The rules state that college (amateur) players are not allowed to profit in anyway way from their athletic positions at their university. The tattoo violations were minor. However, the allegations coming out now are far from minor.

Regardless, it's not the tattoos, or the cars, or the money, that got Tressel fired. He lied, repeatedly. He attempted to cover it up. He acted above the rules, above the university, above even the NCAA. Tressel deserved to be fired, contractually, if for no other reason.

Also, as an interesting side note... I work in subsidized housing, renovating apartment complexes using HUD money. You would be AMAZED at what people living in government assisted housing have. Cars, clothes, game consoles, flat screens, jewelry... those who know how to use the system can live like kings. They've got very little in the way of a house payment, they get assistance on food via food stamps, a lot of them get money for children, so yeah, it's not out of the realm of possibility to see such people with better cars than many people who work for a living could afford.

Yo, dawg, where were you in the "Are the Poor really Poor?" thread, schna-wat-i-mean?

[BigBallinStalin]

Another somewhat OT question:

Why doesn't the US government (or whoever's involved with that law) just enable the football universities to directly pay their students to play football there? Why not? It would reduce the cost associated with busting people for a ridiculous crime (which indirectly already occurs yet is "legal" through these loopholes).

Prohibiting universities from "paying" their football students doesn't really prohibit that action--it only makes people incur further costs in trying to secure better players. Incentives matter, and the law currently doesn't address these incentives, so why not legalize it?

[rockfist]

Its hard for me to be objective about this being a Wisconsin fan, but we got a huge punishment for our players getting a discount that every student received on shoes in the early 2000's. Our coach never lied about it or covered it up though. So yeah I think a larger punishment is warranted due to the coverup.

[spurgistan]

Another somewhat OT question:

Why doesn't the US government (or whoever's involved with that law) just enable the football universities to directly pay their students to play football there? Why not? It would reduce the cost associated with busting people for a ridiculous crime (which indirectly already occurs yet is "legal" through these loopholes).

Prohibiting universities from "paying" their football students doesn't really prohibit that action--it only makes people incur further costs in trying to secure better players. Incentives matter, and the law currently doesn't address these incentives, so why not legalize it?

The NCAA is a private organization. Universities don't want to pay players money, they have the NCAA (the cartel controlling college athletics) enforce it. What you're saying isn't incorrect, except that I think you have the wrong villain. Gubmint doesn't do much for the NCAA except fill out the occasional bracket.

[xeno]

The BCS remains unaffected because the big ten is shitty. Ohio State is nothing now.

[Serbia]

The BCS remains unaffected because the big ten is shitty. Ohio State is nothing now.

Dude, you seriously need to go get laid, or discover beer, or maybe just grow up.