Chances of Pryor returning to OSU=0

[OmahaPlaya]

Just saw on ESPN that sources are saying Pryor's driver's license is suspended.

 

[BIG ERN]

The best part is how everyone is blaming the players. Tressel and co. knew damn well what these kids were doing because THEY supplied it. Guarantee

 

[Enhance]

The best part is how everyone is blaming the players. Tressel and co. knew damn well what these kids were doing because THEY supplied it. Guarantee

Supplied what? The memorabilia? All major FBS schools give players memorabilia and it's the player's responsibility to not sell it for profit. How is that the university's fault? They shouldn't give players memorabilia?

This is the player's fault for the most part, although you could argue that the NCAA/universities set themselves up for this kind of behavior. Tressel lied and hid the facts, yes, but the player's were the ones who took it upon themselves to make cash on the side knowing full well it is against NCAA rules. Everything else became a trickle-down effect.

 

[kchusker_chris]

The best part is how everyone is blaming the players. Tressel and co. knew damn well what these kids were doing because THEY supplied it. Guarantee

Supplied what? The memorabilia? All major FBS schools give players memorabilia and it's the player's responsibility to not sell it for profit. How is that the university's fault? They shouldn't give players memorabilia?

This is the player's fault for the most part, although you could argue that the NCAA/universities set themselves up for this kind of behavior. Tressel lied and hid the facts, yes, but the player's were the ones who took it upon themselves to make cash on the side knowing full well it is against NCAA rules. Everything else became a trickle-down effect.

Where was the compliance department in all of this though? It was well known around campus this was going on. Kids used to stand outside that tattoo parlor begging for autographs because the whole neighborhood knew Buckeyes hung there. Yet, no one asked any questions. The players committed the infractions, but there were plenty of individuals that allowed it to happen in the first place. Tressel might take the fall - but this was very widespread.

 

[Enhance]

The best part is how everyone is blaming the players. Tressel and co. knew damn well what these kids were doing because THEY supplied it. Guarantee

Supplied what? The memorabilia? All major FBS schools give players memorabilia and it's the player's responsibility to not sell it for profit. How is that the university's fault? They shouldn't give players memorabilia?

This is the player's fault for the most part, although you could argue that the NCAA/universities set themselves up for this kind of behavior. Tressel lied and hid the facts, yes, but the player's were the ones who took it upon themselves to make cash on the side knowing full well it is against NCAA rules. Everything else became a trickle-down effect.

Where was the compliance department in all of this though? It was well known around campus this was going on. Kids used to stand outside that tattoo parlor begging for autographs because the whole neighborhood knew Buckeyes hung there. Yet, no one asked any questions. The players committed the infractions, but there were plenty of individuals that allowed it to happen in the first place. Tressel might take the fall - but this was very widespread.

I think the compliance office takes too big a hit in some of these situations. Have you ever seen the NCAA book with all of the rules and regulations they have to follow? It's massive, and totally unrealistic to fully comprehend. Compliance officers have one of the toughest jobs in the world and often take the hardest hit unjustly. I don't know the exact details of what they compliance officers did or did not know, but in many situations these aren't even remotely responsible for a rules violation. A lot of times these things are done behind their backs.

And yes, Tressel may take the fall, but he won't be the only one. Who knows if the athletic director is going to survive this. Furthermore Pryor's playing days at tOSU are probably over as is his legacy. He might get off scotch-free and make money like Reggie Bush did, but his perception by people will always be tarnished.

 

[Husker Richard]

The best part is how everyone is blaming the players. Tressel and co. knew damn well what these kids were doing because THEY supplied it. Guarantee

Supplied what? The memorabilia? All major FBS schools give players memorabilia and it's the player's responsibility to not sell it for profit. How is that the university's fault? They shouldn't give players memorabilia?

This is the player's fault for the most part, although you could argue that the NCAA/universities set themselves up for this kind of behavior. Tressel lied and hid the facts, yes, but the player's were the ones who took it upon themselves to make cash on the side knowing full well it is against NCAA rules. Everything else became a trickle-down effect.

From what I've read (mainly this Maurice Clarett article), Tressel hooked the kids up with the car dealer, other boosters that gave them money either straight up or for "odd jobs", tutors that helped them cheat through class, etc.

In that sense, Tressel did in fact supply the kids with the means to violate NCAA rules.

It's funny because when that article came out (2004) people ripped Clarett saying he was a liar and using his awful reputation to discredit him. I doubt anyone really believed what he was saying at the time because they probably thought he was mad and looking for attention. But knowing what we know now, everything he says falls in line with what is coming out about tOSU and everything he said was probably 100% true.

 

[kchusker_chris]

true - but it takes a completely incompetent compliance department to ignore the fact that your highest profile player is driving 3-4 different bad-a$$ vehicles a year when he probably has a reported income of about $800 a year, and his parents probably don't make enough in 5 years to pay for one, let alone 8. this wasn't some recruiting rule broken by an intern while speaking at the graduation of some small town HS in rural Nebraska. It wasn't buried at the back of their manual. this was cash and cars to your biggest star. 2 options...either you deal with it, or you ignore it. tOSU took the latter - probably at all levels of the institution.

 

[irieboy8]

this is one thing i really like about bo is that he controls the hype amongst his players.... in interviews they all seem to have that humble team attitude (if not im sure beating ensue in locker room).... no one seems to have the 'im bigger than the team mentality'

and i think this is how things get out of hand at OSU.... (i refuse to add the t sorrry)... people walk in and out like they are the high high sh#t and this obviously leads to a sense of entitlement invinsability and so forth... but why the hell not when the football team from the sound of it was allowed to run the school in many many ways.....

the point being bo makes you earn it and makes sure you know it can be taken away if you get out of line... now we all know there is egos on the team but in terms of whats going on at other schools they seeem small in comparision....

 

[Spartness]

Man, I was excited about this game when I first saw the Big 10 schedule ... and then all this. Not saying OSU will be a pushover ... but much of the excitement for this game has bee taken away. Too bad.

 

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

NCAA investigation will likely center on Pryor like they did with Bush at USC. He bailed because he knows it is a matter of time all the dirt comes out

 

[MichiganMan]

Supplied what? The memorabilia? All major FBS schools give players memorabilia and it's the player's responsibility to not sell it for profit. How is that the university's fault? They shouldn't give players memorabilia?

according to Clarett, Tressel told him which car dealers to go to, whos boosters kids to go play sega with, ect. And Fickell as HC?...WTH? you cannot tell me he knew nothing. someone at OSU should check his email account also

 

[papersun87]

according to Clarett, Tressel told him which car dealers to go to, whos boosters kids to go play sega with, ect. And Fickell as HC?...WTH? you cannot tell me he knew nothing. someone at OSU should check his email account also

Oh, it'll get checked alright. Football staff are technically state employees which means their communications are public record, at least according to SI.

 

[Hercules]

Supplied what? The memorabilia? All major FBS schools give players memorabilia and it's the player's responsibility to not sell it for profit. How is that the university's fault? They shouldn't give players memorabilia?

according to Clarett, Tressel told him which car dealers to go to, whos boosters kids to go play sega with, ect. And Fickell as HC?...WTH? you cannot tell me he knew nothing. someone at OSU should check his email account also

Yeah, hiring Fickell seemed screwy to me, but they may not have had a choice if they wanted to have a coaching staff of some kind this next year. This seems so messy though that they should really just clean house, at the end of next season. New AD, new coaching staff, the works.

 

[Enhance]

Supplied what? The memorabilia? All major FBS schools give players memorabilia and it's the player's responsibility to not sell it for profit. How is that the university's fault? They shouldn't give players memorabilia?

according to Clarett, Tressel told him which car dealers to go to, whos boosters kids to go play sega with, ect. And Fickell as HC?...WTH? you cannot tell me he knew nothing. someone at OSU should check his email account also

Yeah, hiring Fickell seemed screwy to me, but they may not have had a choice if they wanted to have a coaching staff of some kind this next year. This seems so messy though that they should really just clean house, at the end of next season. New AD, new coaching staff, the works.

If you think about it, what other options do they have? There's no time to put a reasonable coaching search together and nobody is going to take the job for a year so OSU can do a real search after the 2011 season. They had to find somebody already in the program.

Unless there is something about Fickell that makes him fishy that I don't know about, I don't see what other options they had. Maybe he did know something and maybe he didn't, but that's purely speculation at this point unless there is current hard evidence we know about that links him to the issues.

 

[walksalone]

If you think about it, what other options do they have? There's no time to put a reasonable coaching search together and nobody is going to take the job for a year so OSU can do a real search after the 2011 season. They had to find somebody already in the program.

Unless there is something about Fickell that makes him fishy that I don't know about, I don't see what other options they had. Maybe he did know something and maybe he didn't, but that's purely speculation at this point unless there is current hard evidence we know about that links him to the issues.

Yeah, Fickell is really their only option. They have to play hurry up and wait to see what the NCAA does with possible sanctions. And if the NCAA drops a bomb on tOSU, then they'll be hard pressed to find somebody willing to take the job.

And who knows, if Fickell has success, even with all the odds stacked against him, might hang on to the job.