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.