Getty ImagesHow does the old saying go, when it rains it pours? At the moment, the Ohio State football program is under a deluge of such biblical proportions that Noah could very well be the school’s next head coach.
On the same day that Terrelle Pryor announced he was “foregoing” his senior season with the Buckeyes, another damning report that could cause significant additional damage to the program has surfaced.
According to the report from ESPN’s Outside the Lines, and citing an unnamed source who claimed to be a friend of Pryor’s until “their relationship soured when Pryor began taking on a more ‘arrogant’ attitude after his 2009-10 season”, the QB was involved in an autograph-for-cash scheme with freelance photographer Dennis Talbott, one that reportedly netted Pryor upwards of $40,000 in one year’s time between 2009 and 2010.
Suffice to say, the following allegations would constitute major NCAA violations:
The signings for cash, which would be a violation of NCAA rules, occurred a minimum of 35 to 40 times, netting Pryor anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000 that year, the former friend says. The source spoke to ESPN under the condition that his face not be aired on TV and that his name not be published.
He said Pryor was paid $500 to $1,000 each time he signed mini football helmets and other gear for a Columbus businessman and freelance photographer, Dennis Talbott. Talbott twice denied to ESPN that he ever paid Pryor or any other active Buckeye athlete to sign memorabilia. He said last week he has only worked with former players to set up signings. On Tuesday evening, he declined to comment whether he had ever operated a sports memorabilia business and said he was not an Ohio State booster.
Pryor’s former friend also told “Outside the Lines” that the player often received preferential treatment in the Columbus community, receiving thousands of dollars in free food at local restaurants and convenience stores, free drinks at bars and free tattoos. In addition, he said the quarterback had access to free loaner cars from local dealerships. The source said he spent nearly every day with Pryor before their relationship soured when Pryor began taking on a more “arrogant” attitude after his 2009-10 season.
He said Pryor would get the merchandise to sign from Talbott, who would “bring it to TP, and he would sign it and he would bring him cash. Dennis would give him cash.” He said he witnessed the transactions occur about three to four times a week at Pryor’s apartment.
(Allow me to also add this, as it’s been gnawing at me since this report first came out: how big did The Ohio State University cash in on Pryor’s signature No. 2 jersey during his three years in Columbus? Not condoning the alleged scheme in the least, just sayin’…)
Pryor’s attorney denied the most recent allegations leveled against his client, and Talbott, who the report notes had sold images from sporting events to ESPN.com in the past, initially denied a claim that he had been on the receiving end of game tickets from an unnamed OSU football player. When confronted with, the website writes, “records from Ohio State [that] show that he and his wife were on a player’s will-call ticket list multiple times throughout the 2008 season”, Talbott claimed he couldn’t remember receiving ducats.
The piece also goes on to detail the financial issues Talbott is currently facing, including IRS and State of Ohio tax liens totaling in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“He’s the type of person that … I think he really took advantage over TP because he was that person, and he would bring him, he would bring TP like memorabilia to sell for other people,” the former friend told OTL. “So Dennis is not a good guy for college athletes. That’s the guy you really don’t want to be around.”
Ohio State is scheduled to appear before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions Aug. 12. This most recent revelation, on top of everything else that’s gone down regarding the football program in the past couple of months, will do nothing to help what was an uphill climb to begin with. And could very well make USC’s sanctions seem like they were delivered by a piker wearing an NCAA blazer.
Trying to make the jump from $20-40k as reported by TP’s “friend” and the article headline which says upwards of $40k. Then I figured it out…more traffic for your website!
LOL and the hits keep coming, Pryor and Tre$$el the 2 people that ruins Ohio $tate. Thank you from a big Michigan Fan
40K takehome, with no taxes, that really isn’t a bad year for a lot of working folks… even 20 for that matter.
Anyone still in denial?
Lol. OSU sucks
wow- trinkle trinkle new allegations steadily it seems.
Tax evasion Terrelle? Did you report your earnings?
He could have a REAL problem.
“Trying to make the jump from $20-40k as reported by TP’s “friend” and the article headline which says upwards of $40k. Then I figured it out…more traffic for your website!”
If you had an elementary-level grasp of the English language, or weren’t myopic, you would have zero issue with the headline.
I’ve noticed a new form of denial by The Ohio State Nation; That Saint Tressel was just trying to protect a bad egg in Pryor and had no idea how deep the transgressions went. And also that Pryor was a terrible QB (yet still managed to go 31-5) and now they wished he had signed with Michigan.
wouldn’t it be up to $40,000 not upwards of $40,000?
but anyway, he gets off scott free while the school gets stuck footing the bill
It’s all about The Money and it’s not going away. Do you really blame them?
John Taylor says: Jun 8, 2011 12:31 AM
“Trying to make the jump from $20-40k as reported by TP’s “friend” and the article headline which says upwards of $40k. Then I figured it out…more traffic for your website!”
If you had an elementary-level grasp of the English language, or weren’t myopic, you would have zero issue with the headline.
_______________________________
Those or two huge “ifs”.
@superbengalfan
Full time student…tax exempt
Is there anyone who still thinks Buckeye fans are wrong for “villifying” Prior?? His arrogance seems to have been out of control. It appears tp’s number is an accurate description of who he really is!!
@ ihateannouncers: Yes, the same fans that loved him when he lit it up in bowls and won 35 games need to foot some of the blame; who do you think was buying the stuff he was signing? Michigan fans? If there wasn’t a demand for the stuff by the same masses throwing him under the bus now he wouldn’t have been getting tats and making cash.
Remind me to never have omegaichiban do my taxes.
As a Michigan fan – I love how this story continues to gain legs. Ohio is “The Worst State Ever!” and this University is now a joke. To Pryor and Tressel may you never coach or play football again. GO BLUE!
when will everyone believe me? I said this was how the program was funneling money to tthe players. By giving them tons of memorabilia to sell. When will you pull your heads out of the sand DEB?
I told you this ain’t no “penny ante” violations but nooooooo, all the apologists, excuse makers, and blinders wearers would not listen.
Tressel, Smith AND Gee all knew about the memorbilia pipeline to the players. All knew the players were selling/trading them for money. All also knew about the vehicles.
I have been saying for weeks that Tressel is far more shadier than what has been exposed so far.
Ohio state outbid RichRod for Pryor, and they knew they were going to have to “support” him as part of the “arrangement”.
And trust me people, there is more dirt to uncover, there is much more to expose. This has been going on for years!!!!!!
FIRE GEE and SMITH.
NCAA, GIVE THE DEATH PENALTY AND SHUT THIS PROGRAM DOWN.
COMPARED TO WHAT USC GOT, then OSU SHOULD NOT HAVE A FOOTBALL PROGRAM FOR A DECADE!
I’m sorry but I just can’t resist.
I TOLD YOU SO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who is paying the $200/hr -$400/hr for TP’s lawyer? I’m sure most college kids can’t afford that. It would be an impermissable benefit for the lawyer to work probono for an athlete. It seems like every day I hear a quote from his lawyer which means consultation with TP and then talking to the media—$200-$1000/day. This has been going on for a while before TP said that he wasn’t leaving.
I thought the NCAA had a “deal” with the five that they couldn’t play in the bowl unless they “promised” to come back and sit out those five games. I am sure that the NCAA is surprised that these students would play and then not face their “timeout”!
@JT
“If you had an elementary-level grasp of the English language, or weren’t myopic, you would have zero issue with the headline.”
I woke up in a pissy mood this morning and that line made me laugh so hard. Thank you for turning my day around so early.
If Congress would pass a law saying that if an athlete who was taking scholarship money for sports play from a university who used federal funding for the operation of the school (all of them) and took money against the NCAA rules would be given a minimum jail time, this might slow down a bit. Also, anyone caught giving the money would get a minimum jail time that was 3x the length maybe?
Let’s see, where to begin……hmmmm
For the many apologists who continually thumbing down and railed all us so called “haters” for the past many months.
Saying:
“This is nothing. All this is over selling trinkets for a few crumby tats! Leave the poor under priveleged kids alone. So what TP has a real nice apartment, new wheels every week or so and expensive personalized jewelry, etc. These kids
“deserve it” the schools are using them.”
Now that the walls around Columbus are cracking and the truth is slowly dripping out this is what it is. A program that found a way to funnel benefits to players, especially the better ones! No matter what your stance on paying players it still is a flagrant, in your face violation of the rules and appears to have been going on since at least 2002.
That very well could mean vacating their BCS title just as U$C had to. If this proves out to have been ongoing for 8+ years you absolutely have
“Lack Of Institutional Control.”
Tressel had more communication (verifiable) with the so called mentors and enablers than he he did with the AD or the NCAA. How in the hell can any of you apologists still “cling to the Vest” after he conned/clowned you as well as any car salesman ever could?
The Ohio State will be just like all the other schools when reckoning (the NCAA official hearing) day comes. They will shed themselves of Smith the AD, the compliance officer and all the helpful boosters(mentors/enablers/agents)
and possibly Gee as well.
When this is done unraveling OSU will be looking at the BIGGEST SANCTIONS EVER HANDED DOWN since the SMU “death penalty.”
What is really ironic is all you OSU loyalists ragged non stop on The Florida Gator 30+ arrests and how bad Urban Meyer was at disciplining these players and now you are on your knees praying he will leave the ESPN domain and be your savior.
I dunno, sounds like a pretty smart way to make money to me. I can’t in good conscience get mad at someone using their stardom for personal gain. Players got money, fans got the signed stuff for their man caves, not seeing who was hurt here (except the NCAA, who didn’t get their taste of the profits).
Of course, it’s pretty clear that Gee and Smith facilitated all this stuff. The players had to get the memorabilia from somewhere.
If the Outside The Lines report is true then tOSU is in B1G, B1G trouble. Pryor’s misdeeds go beyond a few tattoos and it may even include more Buckeyes. Ohio State better start voluntarily cleaning up now because if they try to do what Garrett did then they can expect sanctions that are as bad or even worse. This could get very ugly and if they don’t shed 3 to 5 scholarships and give themselves a year ban, they could end up looking as arrogant as USC did.
blitz, it’s doubtful that they get past the statute of limitations for any chance at vacating the BCS title.
Denials were made but the fact is that a check by the reporter found a slew of Pryor signed memorabilia on the Internet available for purchase so unless they can allege that it’s all forged, it’s going to be hard to explain why Pryor was so “free” with his signature.
I’m sure that the usual crap against anonymous sources will get play here and other Buckeye Nation sites but again, when someone can expect harm from zealots, you’d want to keep your name secret, as well.
I think the real question is… who would want this guys autograph? He was paid between $500 and $1000 to autograph a mini football. How much could a TP autograph football be worth? Doesn’t make sense to me if it was Tim Tebow or Cam Newton I could see people paying that money but TP….no way!
Really?
Who is going to be the next “confidential” informant on ESPN’s payroll…..Pryor’s grandmother? Come on, ESPN has it out for OSU, they have never liked them due to their inherent SEC bias. My hypothesis is supported by the fact that ESPN has failed to perform the same “in-depth” investigative reporting on the Auburn situation as they have on the OSU situation.
List of future “sources” that ESPN will use for OSU stories:
Pryor’s HS teammates
Pryor’s grandmother
Pryor’s aunts
A guy who Pryor said hi to in the Columbus airport
Pryor’s ex-girlfriends
Pryor’s kindergarten teacher
The doctor who delivered Pryor – surely he has some vital exclusive info on Pryor lol
The Columbus BMV agent who handled Pryor’s drivers license and tags
People at the gas stations that Pryor would frequent
He is who we thought he was.
@dryzzt23
Just do a search:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&page=wojciechowski/110121&sportCat=ncf
http://search.espn.go.com/investigation/videos/college-football/auburn-tigers/6-28-4294876770
I don’t like ESPN either but they did do an OTL on Auburn and other investigations. Google works wonders.
The anonymous source sounds like a bitter ex-entourage member.
And I’m not defending OSU, but I’m pretty sure if the NCAA investigates any major D1 college football program, they’ll find all kids of stuff like this.
kids=kinds
For all of you who believe that these players should be paid ($300.00 per week – how much pizza does a guy need to buy?). Why don’t we just start a farm team for the NFL and get college football back to what it should be student-athletes!
Someone needs to do a side-by-side analysis of ESPN’s “investigation” into the Auburn, USC, and OSU’s situations.
The fact of the matter is this, ESPN is financially vested in the SEC, whereas they are not financially tied to either the Big 10 or the Pac-10.
Why do you think they have gone overboard emasculating Kirk Herbstreit so he gives the Buckeyes any praise whatsoever, meanwhile they let Jesse palmer hype the SEC all he wants.
ESPN tells its viewers/readers/listeners WHAT ESPN WANTS THEM TO HEAR/READ/SEE.
Sounds to me like he was a 20 year old kid with an entire city literally kissing his ass…….And anyone is suprised? Imagine that, grown adults kissing a kids ass, and still defending him…I laugh more at the the people who kissed his ass than the ass kissed…….
Well I guess it finally makes sense how Pryor could afford those 8 cars.
dryzzt23 says:
******************
I can’t help but laugh at you guys. Seriously, ESPN owns the PRIMARY Big 10 TV rights and gets all the “Big” games while CBS owns the PRIMARY SEC games while ESPN gets the crumbs and there’s almost no chance that CBS ever gives ESPN any opening to grab their cash cow.
dryzzt23 says:
*******************
Just exactly where do YOU watch your Big-10 games, the Big 10 network or ESPN/ABC? How about the SEC – ESPN/ABC OR CBS? Tell you what, if you’re interested in watching Ohio State vs Michigan, please tune to any non-ESPN/ABC network on that day and see if you’ll be able to watch them while ESPN is showing some mythical SEC match up that almost certainly will be on CBS.
mynutsinmyballsmyrulesmouth
do you have any way to back up these “claims” or will you just continue to equate a booster buying jerseys and giving them to TP to sign with gordon gee driving the meorbilia to TP’s house?
how did you tell us so? You made a prediction that more would come out. I believe 99% of the ppl on here, including myself, made that prediction.
congratulations, you can gloat to 1% of the readers on here that you “predicted the future”
anyone, though, is left to prove that gee or smith knew ANYTHING. You cannot go on with baseless claims and not back it up, or other ppl will be doing the same thing
btw myballs I was right! Myballs is a TROLL who is on here constantly to make up for what OSU fans did to him…..
It appears the apologists are indeed starting to “scrape the preverbial bottom of the barrel”
as they now are reaching for anything to blame this on!!!!
Please stop–it’s starting to get downright laughable……with today’s technology and everyone wanting to be a tweet or facebook hero almost everything comes out sooner or later.
ESPN has a lot of douches working for them and slants things at times but noone can honestly believe they are into covering up, hiding or heaven foebid be the LAST entity to report on problems in the SEC or any other conference.
That’s just for selling his signature. Wait till the Sarniak shoe drops. Interesting how that man’s business blossomed with Columbus revenues once TP signed with OSU.
I feel bad for Buckeye fans, OSU should just clean house with all those involved and start a new chapter. I think this would go a long way in restoring the great tradition at OSU. Better days ahead.
Why is this a big deal? WHITEY does this every day…god forbid a black male actually embraces a capitalist FEE – BASED enterprise instead of selling drugs….because OBVIOUSLY no one is going to allow him to have an HONEST opportunity for a corporate job. The more it happens maybe the prison-like bars of the NCAA will come tumbling down…along with all the old FARTS that work there.
It’s all about winning games at tOSU.
Of course TP’s autograph is not worth $500-1000. That’s the whole reason why it’s an NCAA rules violation & why the whole “they’re just selling stuff that’s theirs” argument falls apart. Everyone without a scarlet and gray pompom up their butt has been saying that allowing players to sell their memorabilia creates a pipeline for boosters to funnel money to the kids. Here’s the proof.
If this latest revelation is accurate, TP was getting paid by boosters the past two seasons. Just like Reggie Bush. That could cause them to vacate every game in 2009 and 2010, including the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl wins.
All this, and THE NCAA STILL HAS YET TO SAY A WORD. The Death Penalty sounds more reasonable with each passing day.
Terrelle Pryor, the best loss to tOSU the University of Michigan has EVER had.
John, twelve hours earlier you wrote this in the article about Bobby Knight’s comments:
“I could not agree with Knight more; (prohibiting players from receiving cash and/or discounts in exchange for their personal memorabilia) is an idiotic rule. Or, as we’ve stated on multiple occasions, it’s utterly asinine that players cannot sell their personal stuff when billions of dollars are being made off their collective backs.”
It’s because allowing athletes to sell their memorabilia creates a pipeline for boosters to funnel them money, a thousand bucks at a time.
NOW do you see?
Wow people are dumb. We are not getting the death penalty. We are gonna get hammered, and the next ten years are gonna suck, but we’re not getting shut down. As bad as this is, it doesn’t even sniff SMU territory. Oh and the cam newton investigation was over in about a week right. ESPN continues to thoroughly enjoy covering this story yet cam newton is on the opening for sportscenter. Funny.
Oh my god! The quartback is… toast!
I still love Ray Small’s comment “had to sell my rings to pay the rent.” Ever hear of a dorm room? As far as I know, those are still free.
He disgraced an entire university, and that will be his legacy……..Same as Tressel, Hayes, Clarett, and the rest of you’re celluite heroes…..people are so stupid at times…….
On a serious note, I agree with the earlier comment that this is not a death penalty scenario. If you think that, please rewind the 30 for 30 on SMU. This is nothing compared to SMU as they were already on probation for the same violations and ignored it.
But this “ESPN favors the SEC” commentary is pretty silly as well. Do you really believe that if they could nail Auburn, Alabama, or Florida, they wouldn’t? Any journalist worth a nickel would be licking their chops.
@2007chill: I’m referring to the selling of rings, gold pants, etc. that are the players’ own stuff and they earned themselves on the field, not signing mini-helmets for cash. Little bit of a difference there.
Any die hard reference always rules
@osuinfantry:
Here’s what wiki states regarding the Death Penalty’s “repeat violator” rule:
“The NCAA has always had the power to ban an institution from competing in a particular sport. However, in 1985, in response to rampant violations at several schools, the NCAA Council passed the “repeat violator” rule. The rule stipulates that if a second major violation occurs at any institution within five years of being on probation in the same sport or another sport, that institution can be barred from competing in the sport involved in the second violation for either one or two seasons.”
On March 10, 2006, the OSU basketball team received three years’ probation from the NCAA and had to vacate all accomplishments from 1999-2002 including their 1999 Final Four appearance. We are still within the five-year period of the hoops team’s probation. So how is this NOT a Death Penalty scenario?
Right now tOSU apologists should refrain from calling anyone else dumb.
I honestly cannot like that Die Hard reference enough.
I think any hope that tOSU would escape the same sanctions that USC got flies out the window if this is true too.
Tattoos is one thing…signing and selling tOSU gear for a PROFIT is a whole other one.
Let’s not turn this into a debate about “college players getting paid” either. Let’s focus on the facts that now tOSU has committed at least 2 major NCAA violations and those are just the ones we know about.
I guess the character isn’t as great as tOSU and “Vesty” led us to believe.
Oh another ESPN unnamed source story. Here’s hoping this one is way more accurate and truthful than the “he said/he said, we’ve never met Cecil but we know he demanded money for Cam Newton” story they spent all of the college football season last year pushing. Still waiting for the phone conversation audio tape of Cam and his father demanding money for him to attend to MSU as ESPN alleged exist. Hopefully, we’ll get it before another athlete scandal arrives.
Also, got to love how ESPN is trying to shift the hate from Tressell to Pryor. I was under the impression that the NCAA knew all of what Pryor and the other students did and it was Tressel’s lying that has gotten OSU into deeper hotwater.
Time for NCAA to start paying these kids.
LIFE IS GOOD!
OSU WILL BE BANNED FROM BOWLS
WILL LOSE SCHOLORSHIPS
BANNED FROM TELEVISION
WILL BECOME CELLER DWELLERS OF THE BIG 10
I GET TO TEASE THE OBNOXIOUS, MORONIC, EXCUSE MAKING, APOLOGIST FANS FOR A DECADE
I GET TO SEE NEBRASKA and MICHIGAN DOMINATE THE CONFERENCE
I GET TO REFER TO OSU AS ::::: THEE PAY-FOR-PLAY UNIVERSITY
and
THEE
O rder a free vehicle and
S wap your jerseys for cash
U ntil you get caught
LIFE IS GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!
I need to say it again……………………………………….wait for it…………..L I F E I S G O O D
Too many of you were ready to hang them BEFORE all this came out… based on emotional tide.
I only believe things when PROVEN. Now that more has been PROVEN, I can see why Tressel is out and Pryor should go too. IF…IF proven that more of the OSU athletics dept KNEW about the deal, then sanctions should occur…IF IF IF IF
That said – if you think this has only happened as OSU – you are being naive. That’s why my general opinion of Tressel remains unchanged.
Is Texas next?
Maybe, but it doesn’t stop there either.
To whoever brought up that ESPN has no financial vestment in the Big 10 or Pac 10 might want to check themselves. While it may be true that they have a GREATER financial interest in the SEC, they do have some financial interest in both otherwise the games wouldn’t be on their family of networks on Thursdays and Saturdays. They don’t get to show them for free.
Are you kidding? ESPN doesn’t have any real financial interest in the SEC. CBS has the main contract while ESPN gets their crumbs. ESPN does most of its day business with the Big 10 on ESPN and ESPN2 and the REALLY big match ups on a regional basis on ABC.
edgy, not true. It was a joint deal with CBS that also included basketball rights (CBS is the primary for football, ESPN for basketball) that was for 15 years and umpteen billion dollars. Still, though, ESPN does have a finanacial interest in everything they show. I remember BEFORE the SEC deal how heavily they were pushing for a rematch of the “Fraud of the Century” for the BcS title game in Glendale over a matchup between tOSU and UF.
bobulated says:
Jun 8, 2011 3:09 AM
@ ihateannouncers: Yes, the same fans that loved him when he lit it up in bowls and won 35 games need to foot some of the blame; who do you think was buying the stuff he was signing? Michigan fans? If there wasn’t a demand for the stuff by the same masses throwing him under the bus now he wouldn’t have been getting tats and making cash.
===================================
Masses???? 35-40 items?? Go ahead and triple that for 3 years…120 people?? That is a fairly weak argument trying to pin any blame on Buckeye fans. I don’t remember him playing in bowl games that he “lit up”. His best game was the 10′ Rose Bowl in which he had 266 yds passing and 72 yds rushing. His best asset has always been his legs, and still hasn’t developed into a passing qb. I don’t know many fans that loved him…maybe 120??
myopinionisrighterthanyours,
We’re talking FOOTBALL here and always have been. ESPN gets NOTHING but crumbs from the SEC when it comes to FOOTBALL. Stop and take the time to read what is being said by the other person:
The fact of the matter is this, ESPN is financially vested in the SEC, whereas they are ot financially tied to either the Big 10 or the Pac-10.
The fact is that ESPN most certainly has a financial tie to the Big-10 and you’re have to be a fool not to believe that or does this guy believe that the Big 10 allows ESPN to show their games for free on ESPN/ESPN2 every week with the bigger games on ABC? Any conspiracy theory concerning ESPN has to address this fact because it would be STUPID for them to put the SEC ahead of the Big 10 because they get ALL the big games from the Big 10 and NONE of them from the SEC. An expose on Ohio State is FINANCIAL SUICIDE because if they get screwed because of this and are forced off TV, ESPN loses a big draw that can’t be addressed by any of the other Big-10 schools or any MINOR SEC game that they get. You can bet that if ESPN made decisions about their coverage based on what TV rights they own then the Big 10 would NEVER have negative coverage on ESPN.
It’s also an absolute lie that ESPN has ignored Auburn but the fact is that tOSU’s problems have knocked EVERYONE off the front page since the story broke and everyone and his mother have broken stories that ESPN has covered and not necessarily broken. I guarantee you that if YOU or anyone else were to find something on Auburn that ESPN would be right there because they HAVE covered the story.
“Hey, Deb, I’ll give you $500 bucks if you’ll autograph this mini football.”
“Gimme a pen.”
He’s selling his own signature. It’s his, isn’t it? Seems enterprising to me
edgy, your arguement is as blantantly wrong as the person who said that ESPN has no financial interest in the Big 10 and Pac 10. Firstly, as I have mentioned, they have a financial interest in EVERYTHING they show. They do not get to show games for free. Secondly, have you heard of this thing that’s been on the TV the past few years called the Big 10, er, BTN (yes, they just recently officially changed their name to BTN, LOL). And you CAN’T seperate football and basketball in this case because it’s part OF THE SAME DEAL. Plus, people get ticked everytime there is an SEC matchup (football or basketball) on ESPN and they are stamped with the “SEC on ESPN” logo.
tennfan1 says:
Jun 8, 2011 7:18 AM
I thought the NCAA had a “deal” with the five that they couldn’t play in the bowl unless they “promised” to come back and sit out those five games.
@tennfan1
As JT calirfied for me last night, the deal was with the school and not the NCAA. Plus, I doubt anything like this is enforcable anyway.
Hmmm. I usually dont frequent this forum, but with the NFL and their woes I decided to come see what the commenters posted about my beloved Buckeyes.
Make no mistake that any sensible OSU fan is hating life right now. It was tough to see Tressel let go. I dont think I ever saw an interview where I didnt like the guy (obvious exception to recent events). He always seemed a little to good to be true. I dont like him any less now even though he created a world of hurt for the program. From what has been reported so far he repeatedly made decisions to cover up infractions and knowingly mislead everyone. Completely unforgivable and he should have been dismissed.
I think the funniest thing is all the Michigan fans cheering the downfall. You can cry about a level playing field all you want, but I dont think any of the infractions helped OSU play a better game on the field where Michigan got owned for the last decade. I want you guys to be at your best every outing against OSU. I want the rivalry to remain one of the best in football.
However, times are changing and putting together a competitive team will be tough for a while. I wasnt happy that USC got hammered based on the actions of mostly one player within the realm of the football program. Bush isnt suffering for his inappropriate actions. On the other hand, his program sure is and will continue to be. Pryor gets to skip out on all the fun unfortunately.
I hope OSU takes this opportunity to ensure that things like this dont happen in the future. Whether every program does it or not really doesnt make a hill of beans when you are the one who is caught. Good luck to the remaining OSU squad as I will still wear the jersey and cheer as loud as ever. I look forward to better days…
@urlacherbacker …
What a lovely, rational post! I’m a Bama girl and have never liked Ohio State, but you’re right: I haven’t heard anything yet that makes me feel OSU was given a competitive edge on the field. I don’t think Carroll ran a clean operation, but certainly don’t celebrate a storied program like USC being almost eliminated from competition because of the actions of people who are no longer there (Lane Kiffin could have done that with no help from the NCAA). I’m still hoping Auburn’s shenanigans with Cam Newton are proved, but that doesn’t mean I’ll dance on their grave if they’re sanctioned. They won fair and square on the field even if they did buy their star. And who takes pride in beating a school that’s a shell of itself because it’s been stripped of its scholarships?
I just find all this sad.
By the way, edgy, here’s 2 billion reasons why you are wrong (although I will also admit that I was wrong in that it’s not a combo deal with CBS, but rather a coattail deal)
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3553033
No competitive edge on the field? A dirty program recruits players with winks and understandings that life will be good and profitable at XYZ university. I don’t know how RichRod competed for TP’s talent but I do know how Joe Paterno recruited him. It led TP to famously dis State College as “too country” for hlm. The Tressels and the Carrols come and go, but 400+ wins later JoePa keeps on winning the old fashioned way — playing by the rules.
Once again, you’re dead wrong. Let’s try this again: ESPN shows Big 10 games by the bucket full – basketball OR football. CBS has the primary football AND basketball (Men) contract for the SEC and if you don’t believe that then turn on the TV during those seasons and see who shows them and I guarantee you that the SEC will be on CBS.
This conspiracy relies on ESPN having a financial interest in the SEC and NOT the Pac-10 or the Big-10 (Please READ and READ and READ the previous statements from the person if you still don’t get that). The deal with the SEC is a piddly ass deal and replaced their old Raycom package, which was a joke and is really paying for everything but football (You can say football but the match ups that they get are a laugh). I can guarantee you that this brings in such “wonderful” match ups like Vanderbilt vs Tennessee and NOT Alabama vs Auburn or has it escaped your notice that in the years that since they signed the agreement that NONE of the big SEC match ups have been on. CBS paid a pretty penny for their SEC package and they gave up NOTHING to ESPN and the SEC got all that money to keep their best match ups on CBS and NOT form their own network. I should also tell you that in TULSA, they broadcast those “ESPN” games on one of the “UHF” channels about 11:00 in morning and most of those match ups involved Vanderbilt, Mississippi State or Mississippi. I’m telling you, those “SEC” games are a complete joke and if you think that they paid big money for THOSE match ups, you’re high. Their biggest investment were in the “other” sports, which is why ESPN shows a ton of SEC women’s basketball games.
Still, even that doesn’t help the case that ESPN has a financial interest in the SEC and NOT the Big 10 because they most certainly do have a financial interest in the Big 10. They show more Big 10 games in the first 3 weeks of the season than they show of the SEC all year long. Once again, if tOSU goes down then they lose a significant part of their audience. tOSU is EASILY their biggest draw and by taking them down, they lose a big ratings booster. Any conspiracy theory that involves ESPN has to take that into account but they would rather slap at ESPN than accept the truth and that this hurts them more than it helps them.
Tell you what, next football season, please check this out and see if I’m wrong:
NBC: Notre Dame
CBS – SEC
Fox Sports (and now, Fox): Big 12 doubleheader.
Fox Sports: Pac-12 doubleheader
ESPN: Big 10 doubleheader
ESPN: Big East and ACC when they can fit them between their other match ups.
ABC: Big match ups for Big-10 and Big-12 but I think that the Fox deal *might* shift Oklahoma vs Texas when they get a chance at it in a couple of years.
BTW, it should be noted that NBC owns the rights to Notre Dame and yet, John has poked the bear many, many times (robertg and his lawsuits come to mind) by posting the TRUTH about Notre Dame and many of his critics from the school accuse him of a bias against Notre Dame (But, none have gone so far as to complain about how he’s got a financial interest in Ohio State and that’s why he wants to take down Notre Dame. Hell, the Ohio State people are now accusing him of being a liar and not really liking Ohio State). If I had a dime for every message that would hurt NBC’s bottom line by reporting the truth about Notre Dame, I’d have at least a dime.
@gers – please produce your proof that OSU has engaged in such activity! Your insinuation that the university has a hand in illegal activity is absolutely BS! A few players out of thousands that are hellbent on breaking the rules does not equate to the entire university being dirty and involved is nothing but pitchfork and torches mentality. Tressel violated the rules, lied about it and has been fired for it. The NCAA will apply the penalties they feel is appropriate for that action. The players that violated the rules have been suspended. If more players are found to have received improper benefits then they will be dealt with accordingly. THOUSANDS of college athletes have gone through the program without incident, without violating NCAA policies, and without getting into trouble. How convenient it is for you to ignore all of those athletes while indicting and condemning the entire university and its staff for the actions of an incredibly small minority of the athletes that come to the university.
@urlacher – well said my fellow Buckeye!!!
At times I have cursed Tressel’s name with his insane, gut wrenching “strangulation of a lead” play calling but I can never argue with the vast majority of the results – especially against the ugly helmet team up north! It is sad to see his tenure at OSU end in such a bad way. I will NEVER understand why he decided to lie and cover up the Tat5 story for the blow back from that decision grossly outweigh any penalty they would have received at the beginning of the season for such minor infractions (although Pryor’s shenanigans seem to be growing exponentially at this point in time). His amazingly bad judgement has and will cause some fairly big damage to OSU over the next 3 – 4 years, but we will most certainly recover and move forward. I will still be there every single Saturday screaming and yelling as before!