Buckeye fans, cross your fingers...

[seofan_via_dublin]

With all the NCAA investigations going on down in SEC land,
Buckeye fans should cross their fingers and hope they don't come sticking
their nose in the affairs of the Buckeyes.

We should be careful about what we wish on those teams in the SEC and USC,
because if the NCAA looks in our closets, the results won't be pretty for us.
And with the media hatred of OSU, the negative exposure will be amplified.

Since 2002, the Buckeyes have self reported over 360 minor infractions (all varsity sports combined).
This is 100 more than the next closest school.

Plus, take this for what you want. I have a very reliable person telling me that a certain Heisman trophy
candidate, and lynch pin to Buckeye success, has been taking some of those "special" handshakes.

I hope he's wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

[JChipwood]

dubs if you are up there you see it first hand. What kind of car did Lecharles Bentley drive around in?? How many of those kids come from "unfortunate" situations and find a different lifestyle while in college? It goes on everywhere and I think right now they are concerned with agent contact more than anything else.

The agents have crossed the line as far as boldness is concerned. I wouldn't be shocked to see them our way next and nobody would be suprised at findings around the individual you pointed out based on the hype. If I were an agent I would be praying on different signal calling fish but that is just me. And of course that from a Buckeye through and through.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Oh, I see it. And it doesn't suprise me at all.

It's amazing though how many fans will turn a blind eye to it and think that it just doesn't happen here.

It's also been happening for a very long time, going back to Woody, and I'm sure before that.

[Just_A_Fan]

It happens every dubs, I like to think how many what would be infractions today, that the late UCLA coach had. I guess its part of the game if you really think about cuase asn't that one of the reasons that the NCAA started?

[Omega]

As an old greybeard alum, I wish to say it is not so but honestly pay for play has been going at OSU in one form or the other even before Woody's tenure. The fact that all schools are guilty to some degree does not justify bending the rules. The sportswriters covering the SEC are betting on ineligibility for their accused players. Would be a shame to see OSU's promising season destroyed before the opening kickoff. Pryor's character and maturity reminds me of Maurice Clarett.

[fightingtigers45]

With all the NCAA investigations going on down in SEC land,
Buckeye fans should cross their fingers and hope they don't come sticking
their nose in the affairs of the Buckeyes.

We should be careful about what we wish on those teams in the SEC and USC,
because if the NCAA looks in our closets, the results won't be pretty for us.
And with the media hatred of OSU, the negative exposure will be amplified.

Since 2002, the Buckeyes have self reported over 360 minor infractions (all varsity sports combined).
This is 100 more than the next closest school.

Plus, take this for what you want. I have a very reliable person telling me that a certain Heisman trophy
candidate, and lynch pin to Buckeye success, has been taking some of those "special" handshakes.

I hope he's wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

First off, Thank you so much for acknowledging the problems associated with tOSU. Ive always respected you as a poster and will continue to do so because of this thread.

Secondly, my main problem with fans of the Buckeyes are that they are of no wrong. There are never faults. When they lose, they find some excuse. For example, blaming the layoff before the loss to Florida, in which they had far more fans present. Then turning around and blaming the loss to LSU on it being a virtual road game. Im not getting into the arguments of those games, just simply using them to help my point.

I know Florida football is not clean, whatsoever. Is it as dirty as USC was? No. Florida is doing what all other programs do, which is not an excuse. Does Florida need to get penalized for the Pouncey incident? In some ways, of course. Harshly? Probably not, unless the NCAA wants to set an example.

The game needs to be cleaned up. It is not in a good place right now across all sports, and it is troubling to fans of the college game due to its true amateurism. How can it be fixed? Possibly pay the athletes, penalize the agents, etc.

[Orestes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l9ZbnzUUKg

[dazed&confused]

There are no good solutions. College football is big business and by that, I mean big money. When BIG $ are at stake, funny things can happen. As Gordon Gekko says..."The point is ladies and gentlemen that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. We're dealing with the human condition here. Mix poor kids that can't even grow a beard with agents who could tempt Eve (anology=serpents) and bad things happen. Big time college sports will never be innocent; THEY NEVER WERE!

[seofan_via_dublin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l9ZbnzUUKg

Nice jab, but you're blind if you think TP is clean.

[Hoggy]

I for one am not not foolish enough to believe that any major school is without some form of infraction. I know that politics go a long way in keeping certain things in the dark or enables a "blind eye" attitude as well.

If any school is placed under the microscope or is investigated hard enough, you will find something! The college sports market is a business and you will always have money being passed around or perks being purchased.

Is there a solution to the problem? Sure .....but implementing them and aggressively investigating all schools will only limit the overall profit margin for the game. I am not condoning this, but trying to put out a forest fire with a spray bottle of random penalties or probation is not the answer!

It appears that it is running in cycles or focus is being placed on conferences once the NCAA has been forced to look in that direction. It is only a matter of time before the Big Ten is the center of attention.

[seofan_via_dublin]

The NCAA doesn't want to have major violation issues with Bama, Florida, Georgia, USC, and OSU at the same time.

As stated above, there would be major profit issues with this.
And as we know, the NCAA is the biggest pimp on the block.

[Black Panther]

Got to respect you on that too dublin....If you have a brewing problem why hide it...

[seofan_via_dublin]

Well, like I said, I hope he's wrong and nothing comes of it.

If it does though, at least I won't get caught with the wool over my eyes.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Going back to when Hawk and Carpenter were here.
They had their apartement broken into and amoung the expected
items on the missing list filed with the police report, was $3,500 in cash.

Now, where does two college athletes get $3,500 cash to just have laying around.
And if that's what they have out and availible to take, then how much did they have hidden.

I know at the time they gave a reason, and it got blown over. But does anyone really believe that
it was legit?

[2trap_4ever]

I say the teams and coaches need to lay the law down first, and let players know that no matter how good you are if you break the rules you are gone, no questions asked.

[Orestes]

Going back to when Hawk and Carpenter were here.
They had their apartement broken into and amoung the expected
items on the missing list filed with the police report, was $3,500 in cash.

Now, where does two college athletes get $3,500 cash to just have laying around.
And if that's what they have out and availible to take, then how much did they have hidden.

I know at the time they gave a reason, and it got blown over. But does anyone really believe that
it was legit?

Let me guess, you're a Bucknuts.com kind of guy? The tabloid website with dead threads. No student athlete (not professional) is off limits for some good gossip. Once proven not true, meh. Move on.

The Hawks and the Carpenters have money. Bobby's dad played in the NFL. I don't know many NFL kids, but I have a friend in Boston whose dad is senior VP of a major international consulting firm (Bain). He doesn't work (in business school), and yet rolls around in a Mercedes. He also takes us to the best nightlife destinations in Boston and drops the whole night with cash. Hmmm, young guy with access to lots of money. Maybe it's "cooler" to waive cash around? Absolutely.

As for Pryor, I'm not naive enough to think no players on OSU's team may take some handouts. However, just because Pryor is a QB who embraces the hip-hop culture, I don't assume the worst of him. I wouldn't be shocked if he does grab a little on the side, but it becomes pessimism when the worst is assumed.

Sorry that I don't believe your reliable source. However, even Nevadabuck is fairly open as Ken Stickney (Mandalay Sports Exec, Stickney Tennis Center at OSU, business partners with Archie). He also has nailed some major events in the past, while also missing some. Thus, there is some background info on him when he makes claims. Though, I still simply remember what he says and see if anything comes of it later. I don't just believe him. Here, you have little history with this stuff. Your source is unknown. Sorry, but I'm not just going to swallow it.

As for the original comment about the violations that were mentioned in the Dispatch expose, I wrote my most recent law note on the topic and discussed the documents and events at length with Michael McCann (SI Legal Analyst, Prof, Clarett's attorney challenging NFL age-rule). Though my focus was on the legislative intent of FERPA and my recommendations, he agreed that OSU was basically guilty of traffic violations, while USC is guilty of homicide. Plus, OSU turned themselves into the NCAA. The more transparent a school is with the NCAA, the more violations there will be. Even Clarett was suspended for the season because of his lies to investigators, while his initial NCAA violations were fairly minor.

"Word is that Clarett recently tried to patch things up with Ohio State. He supposedly called Geiger to say he was willing to apologize and admit he fabricated most of what he told ESPN The Magazine. In turn he wanted OSU officials to issue public statements of support in order to help his reputation for April’s NFL Draft.

Ohio State supposedly declined the offer.

Geiger did not deny that such a scenario took place.

“There is always communication,” Geiger said when asked if he received a call from Clarett to patch up the relationship. “Beyond that, I cannot elaborate.”

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"This approach lowers the risk of things going wrong. I think Ohio State is ahead of the curve." -Former NCAA President Myles Brand

"It is very interesting approach and Ohio State may become a model in that regard," said Myles Brand, president of the NCAA. "It's far reaching and it's thoughtful." - Myles Brand

"NCAA president Myles Brand said Friday that Ohio State took 'strong and transparent measures' to deal with former Buckeyes running back Maurice Clarett, who claimed to have received improper benefits while playing for the school."

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http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/09/12/spt_OSUmain12.html
The Columbus Dispatch reported Thursday that Dellimuti, a Warren caterer, was Clarett's benefactor - the man who wrote a $500 check to the tailback and paid at least $1,000 worth of his mobile phone bills. Dellimuti long has looked after Warren Harding players, Harding coach Thom McDaniels said, and was unaware that his support of Clarett wasn't allowed by NCAA rules. <---- Looks like a benefactor regardless of Clarett's college choice.

"He's challenging Jimmy Tressel's reputation and integrity with his own," McDaniels said of Clarett. "In that matchup, Jim Tressel wins 100 out of 100 times. Whoever suggested or advised [Clarett] to do this, their logic is pretty bad. - Thom McDaniels (Clarett's high school coach, a legend,Denver Broncos' Josh Mcdaniels' father)

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So, to compare cash handshakes, friends from high school, and self-reported minor violations to taking tens of thousands of dollars from an agent is pretty weak. It's like comparing a two-time traffic violator with a public intoxication violation with someone guilty of aggravated homicide, then saying both are on equal moral grounds.

The large cash sums from agents goes directly to the heart of amateurism.

There is also a difference between a school that creates an atmosphere of compliance and transparency with the NCAA and a school that knew or should have known of the violations, yet did not report and also created an atmosphere of noncompliance (celebrities, large number of players with questionable character, agents on field or locker room, etc.)

But hey, being a "realist" and throwing your own program under the bus makes you affable to opponents' fans.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Have never read Bucknuts, and don't plan to.

Live every day in Columbus, listen to people talk, and know people. Have the ability to put things together,
and don't act like a know it all d-bag going to law school.

That basically sums it up.

[Hoggy]

As for Pryor, I'm not naive enough to think no players on OSU's team may take some handouts. However, just because Pryor is a QB who embraces the hip-hop culture, I don't assume the worst of him. I wouldn't be shocked if he does grab a little on the side, but it becomes pessimism when the worst is assumed.

So, to compare cash handshakes, friends from high school, and self-reported minor violations to taking tens of thousands of dollars from an agent is pretty weak. It's like comparing a two-time traffic violator with a public intoxication violation with someone guilty of aggravated homicide, then saying both are on equal moral grounds.

The large cash sums from agents goes directly to the heart of amateurism.

But hey, being a "realist" and throwing your own program under the bus makes you affable to opponents' fans.

This fallacy involves the attempt to justify a wrong action by pointing to another wrong action. Attempting to justify committing a wrong on the grounds that someone else is guilty of another wrong is clearly a Red Herring, because if this form of argument were cogent, one could justify anything―always assuming that there is another wrong to point to, which is a very safe assumption.

Even if you could count on reasoning correctly 100% of the time, you cannot count on others doing so. In logical self-defense, you need to be able to spot poor reasoning, and—more importantly—to understand it. To be able to correct others' mistakes, or to refute them convincingly, you need to understand why they are wrong.

No program with high-profile draft prospects can breathe easily amid the current environment, where new rumors are percolating daily.

Correct me if I am wrong, but with your statements of speculation that"players on OSU's team may take some handouts", "As for Pryor, I wouldn't be shocked if he does grab a little on the side" make you guilty of throwing your own program under the bus and makes you affable to opponents' fans?

[JChipwood]

I certainly would not believe everything I read but when certain players are seen driving in automobiles that are not only very expensive but with dealer tags or personalized plates and everything about it being pimped out is ridiculous and flaunting a huge problem. I hope they never come sniffing around but more importantly hope the NCAA can make some adjustments to rules concerning these young men and keep the agents off the kids backs. If a family friend gives them moneym, I can't see where that is unusual to most college kids whether or not they are athletes. Every program is guilty to some extent but the NCAA wants to be the only group earning money from the talents of these kids and the schools they represent. In dubs defense, some of the kids are stupid with their choices at tOSU and the problems are obvious. Apparently though someone in the program can talk to these guys because the problems don't last forever or get worse concerning the flaunting, usually if a player is out flaunting, even at a young age, they quickly get calmed down and it stops. I think as long as the money doesn't link directly toward the university and it isn't a situation where the kids are oozing money like a pro athlete then who cares if they make a little spending money. Now if it exceeds a certain amount then we have a problem. Maybe we need a limit on what kids can recieve and leave them alone.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Other teams fans know exactly where I stand when it comes to both Their teams and Mine.

They also know that I'm the biggest Buckeye fan here, and not tainted by the scarlet glasses.
I call them like I see them, and don't hide behind the ravings of a donor.