NCAA Notifies Ohio State of Allegations

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http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...5/0425-ohio-state-faces-severe-sanctions.html

Ohio State University is potentially facing the most severe NCAA penalties to its storied football program as punishment for coach Jim Tressel's failure to disclose his knowledge of violations and use of ineligible players during this past season.

In a "notice of allegations" given to Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee on Friday and obtained by The Dispatch, the NCAA accused Tressel of dishonesty for hiding violations by seven current and former players who sold awards and equipment to a tattoo-parlor owner.

Ohio State, however, was not cited for "failure to monitor" or "failure of institutional control" violations, which would likely lead to the harshest of penalties. Such penalties are typically imposed when a university's compliance program is weak.

"That was very significant," a source close to the investigation told The Dispatch today.

Ohio State officials declined immediate comment on the NCAA notice.

The best-case scenario for Ohio State is the NCAA accepting the university's self-imposed sanctions on Tressel, which include a $250,000 fine and five-game suspension. The worst-case scenario is a range of sanctions that could prevent the Buckeyes from playing in the Big Ten Championship and a bowl game next season and strip OSU of last year's victories and Big Ten title.

Ironically, Ohio State's Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas in January would stand because the NCAA had restored the eligibility of quarterback Terrelle Pryor and five others who sold memorabilia.

The NCAA warned that it could treat Ohio State as a repeat offender stemming from the violations involving former quarterback Troy Smith, who took $500 from a booster and former men's basketball coach Jim O'Brien, who gave $6,000 to a recruit.

That finding is the most damning and potentially most damaging because repeat offenders face post-season bans, the entire coaching staff could be suspended and the school could lose scholarships, according to NCAA rules.

"It was reported that Jim Tressel, head football coach, failed to deport himself in accordance with the honesty and integrity normally associated with the conduct and administration of intercollegiate athletics and violated ethical-conduct legislation," the 13-page NCAA document says.

The NCAA notice of allegations is the document that spells out the charges against the university. It lists what violations the NCAA has found in its initial investigation and seeks additional information from the university.

In this case, the NCAA wants Ohio State to explain, among other things, the school's ties to Columbus attorney Christopher Cicero, who sent the first email to Tressel alerting him of player involvement with the tattoo parlor operator, and with Ted Sarniak, a Jeannette, Pa., businessman and mentor to Pryor.

The NCAA also wants a copy of the Dec. 7 letter sent to Ohio State from the U.S. Department of Justice reporting it had seized OSU memorabilia in a drug investigation. That letter triggered the university's investigation into the matter and ultimately the discovery on Jan. 23 that Tressel knew of violations involving his players.

The NCAA alleges that:

>> Tressel was guilty of ethical misconduct when he knowingly provided false information to the NCAA in certifying that he knew of no potential violations by his players and failed to inform OSU officials.

>> Ohio State fielded ineligible players last season when starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor and others competed despite Tressel's knowledge of their misconduct. NCAA bylaws call for immediate suspensions.

The NCAA said that Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams, Solomon Thomas and Jordan Whiting will not face further punishment. They have been suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season.

The NCAA letter details what those five current players and one former player did: Improperly sold Big Ten championship rings, "gold pants" charms from Michigan wins, game-worn equipment and other items to tattoo-parlor owner Ed Rife for $9,480.

Players, whose names were redacted by Ohio State citing a federal privacy law, also received 13 free or discounted tattoos. In addition, one player received a $2,420 discount toward the purchase of a used vehicle from Rife, as well as an $800 loan for vehicle repairs, the NCAA reported.

Tressel knew that at least two players were selling memorabilia or football awards to Rife. Those transactions made the players ineligible to compete under NCAA rules, the letter states.

However, Tressel never reported the violations to OSU officials and certified to the NCAA he was unaware of any potential problems.

Tressel said he never informed his Ohio State superiors of the misconduct by his players because he feared for their safety amid an April 2, 2010 e-mail from Cicero reporting that they were selling memorabilia a tattoo parlor under investigation for suspected drug dealing. Rife has not been charged with any crime related to these incidents.

Tressel also said that Cicero requested that the information be kept confidential and the coach said he did not want to take any action that might interfere with the federal investigation. The suspect has not been charged with any offense.

The allegation that Tressel lied to the NCAA is significant. Since 2006, the NCAA has sanctioned 28 schools for violating the ethics bylaw that Tressel did. Of the 13 head coaches involved, only one kept her job. The others either resigned or were fired by their schools.

Since 2004, four universities that are part of the Football Bowl Championship division were penalized by the NCAA for allowing ineligible players to participate in games and for being repeat offenders.

Alabama (football), South Alabama (men's tennis), Arkansas (track) and Southern California (football) each had to vacate all victories in which the ineligible athletes competed. All were placed on probation, but only Southern California was banned from post-season competition.

Tressel, Gee, athletic director Gene Smith and others are being asked to meet with the NCAA infractions committee on Aug. 12 in Indianapolis. At the hearing, OSU will answer questions and explain itself. At some point after that, the NCAA will rule on the ultimate punishment.

In addition to stripping Ohio State of its wins from 2010, NCAA rules allow the organization to reduce the number of football scholarships OSU can award and forbid Ohio State from participating in any Big Ten championship game or post-season bowl game.
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Punishment will be increased to the loss of one scholarship in 2017 and no bowl games in the month of October.
 

Can we celebrate our 2010 victory over OSU yet? Jeff Horton's career Big 10 winning % may never be topped now! I am so excited! I hope all those who chastise anyone who mentions the 1997 Final Four will join me in celebration. :rolleyes:
 

Clarett

Makes me think that the Maurice Clarrett (sp) charges that Tressel was involved in some underhanded things may have been true. Tressel was able to distance himself from Clarrett in that case.
 

howeda7 said:
Can we celebrate our 2010 victory over OSU yet? Jeff Horton's career Big 10 winning % may never be topped now! I am so excited! I hope all those who chastise anyone who mentions the 1997 Final Four will join me in celebration. :rolleyes:
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+1
 


howeda7 said:
Can we celebrate our 2010 victory over OSU yet? Jeff Horton's career Big 10 winning % may never be topped now! I am so excited! I hope all those who chastise anyone who mentions the 1997 Final Four will join me in celebration. :rolleyes:
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I don't think the opposing teams get wins when a school has wins vacated. It's the worst outcome of all, nobody wins.
 



Tressel no different than Clem

Hard to argue with anything Forde says. It's one thing to be a snake and everyone knows it (i.e Barry Switzer, Slick Calipari, Bruce Pearl), but to me these kind of transgressions are much worse when it's a guy like Tressel. When the coach is supposedly a high-character guy and that's what he preaches (those of us in Minnesota remember a guy named Clem Haskins), it's harder to swallow when the coach proves to be an absolute phony. At least guys like Calipari & Pearl, they know that they are and don't pretend to be choir boys.

Tressel proved he's no different than snakes like Clem, Calipari & Pearl. ... look the other way & win at all costs. But at least we can be comforted by the fact he was "looking out for his kids." Yea, sure Jim. You looking the other way had nothing to do with the fact that losing those players might cost YOU a shot at a Big Ten and/or national championship.
 



Worst part of all this: wisconsin benefits more from the controversy than we do... especially if Tressel gets canned and OSU flounders for a few years.
 

Ski U Master said:
I don't think the opposing teams get wins when a school has wins vacated. It's the worst outcome of all, nobody wins.
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Even still, Horton would sport a 2-2 BT record. Is .500 the best since Bierman? Big shoes to fill, Coach Kill, big shoes to fill.
 

Michigan St

MrGopher said:
Worst part of all this: wisconsin benefits more from the controversy than we do... especially if Tressel gets canned and OSU flounders for a few years.
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Mich St is the big loser in this. They should petition to play TCU in the Rose Bowl and have their Citrus Bowl pasting vs Alabama expunged.
 

ruralgopher said:
Even still, Horton would sport a 2-2 BT record. Is .500 the best since Bierman? Big shoes to fill, Coach Kill, big shoes to fill.
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Big Ten Records

Bierman 57 28 6 .678 (From 1932 through 1941 was 40 8 5 .802)

Warmath 66 57 4 .535
 



Ope3 said:
Mich St is the big loser in this. They should petition to play TCU in the Rose Bowl and have their Citrus Bowl pasting vs Alabama expunged.
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I hadn't thought of that. MSU got screwed the most out of all this Tressel mess. Without those players (Pryor, etc.) it's highly unlikely the Buckeyes finish in a tie with the Badgers & Sparty and, hence, MSU goes to Pasadena instead of Bucky.

That said, as good as TCU was, I think TCU would have been a better bowl matchup for MSU. Sparty's on the way up with Dantonio, but they're nowhere near to the point where their talent and depth can go toe to toe with a program like Alabama. TCU maybe, Alabama no way.
 

MrGopher said:
Worst part of all this: wisconsin benefits more from the controversy than we do... especially if Tressel gets canned and OSU flounders for a few years.
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We'll see, but if I was a Badger fan, I'd first hang myself, and then I'd be careful what I'd wish for. My associates tell me (of course, they aren't as connected as Crazy Joe Devola) that the mob is restless, they want Tressel out, and will go hard after Urban Meyer.

A coach that will actually let loose the program with the most talented & athletic players in the conference? My guess would be that Wisconsin would see the Big Ten championship game as often as Minnesota would.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Hard to argue with anything Forde says. It's one thing to be a snake and everyone knows it (i.e Barry Switzer, Slick Calipari, Bruce Pearl), but to me these kind of transgressions are much worse when it's a guy like Tressel. When the coach is supposedly a high-character guy and that's what he preaches (those of us in Minnesota remember a guy named Clem Haskins), it's harder to swallow when the coach proves to be an absolute phony. At least guys like Calipari & Pearl, they know that they are and don't pretend to be choir boys.

Tressel proved he's no different than snakes like Clem, Calipari & Pearl. ... look the other way & win at all costs. But at least we can be comforted by the fact he was "looking out for his kids." Yea, sure Jim. You looking the other way had nothing to do with the fact that losing those players might cost YOU a shot at a Big Ten and/or national championship.
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Kind of the way I feel. I've always liked Tressel, but if he survives this I'll be surprised. I'll admit Tressel's public image is a bit on the smarmy side, but I always felt he acted with at least a modicum of class on the field.

Hello Urban Meyer! I bet his health status is getting better by the day!
 

I'm extremely disappointed in Tressel as well. I had a lot of respect for the guy, as I did for Clem way back when. No longer.
 

I can think of one ex Gopher coach that is licking his chops and watching this closely, unlikely as it may be, but who knows.
 


Ope3 said:
Mich St is the big loser in this. They should petition to play TCU in the Rose Bowl and have their Citrus Bowl pasting vs Alabama expunged.
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Hadn't thought about Michigan State. As if they didn't feel jobbed enough.

So the Tatted Five are suspended for the first 5 games of the 2011 season. And there is the possibility that 2010 regular season, but not their Sugar Bowl victory, is vacated, kind of like a retroactive suspension.

Isn't that kind of stupid? Basically suspending the players for the regular season, but leaving them in for the game that counts the most? That would mean that the players are considered ineligible for 17 out of 18 consecutive games. Why put a break in their ineligibility?

If MarQueis Gray and Duane Bennett got suspended for testing positive for drugs for example, would they get suspended for 3 games, but then be able to play against Wisconsin, because it's a rivalry game and it's important, and then be suspended for the 3 games after that? No, that's stupid.

It seems like that would be the same thing as vacating Clem's regular seasons, but still giving him credit for his Final Four.

Would you sentence a criminal to prison for 5 years, set him free for 2 years, and then bring him back to jail again for another 5 years, all for the same crime? Why put in that 2 years of freedom? It should be one continuous sentence.
 




Is it hypocritical for the NCAA to accuse Tressel of using ineligible players when the NCAA allowed the known violators to play in their respective BCS bowl game?
 



SalukiVisitor said:
Tressel was mired in violations at Youngstown State and there was plenty more speculation and rumors regarding the program. I always thought of him as one of the 'dirty' coaches. Surprised some people had respect for him or held him in high regard.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/220143-jim-tressel-the-youngstown-state-scandal-revisited
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It begins with Lee Tresselhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Tressel

Lee, Jim's father was a highly regarded coach not just in Ohio, but from what I was told nationally. In addition, Dick Tressel (Jim's brother) appeared to run a clean program at Hamline. Dick from all accounts (I've heard anyway) was a decent man. That was my experience as well.

Jim's ties to Woody Hayes(? Not certain that he actually had direct contact with Woody) and Earl Bruce also influenced that perception. Glen Mason and Jim Tressel were assistants under Earl Bruce.

Don't know what to think about all of this. I just know that Jim's choices as of late are very disappointing.
 

SalukiVisitor said:
Tressel was mired in violations at Youngstown State and there was plenty more speculation and rumors regarding the program. I always thought of him as one of the 'dirty' coaches. Surprised some people had respect for him or held him in high regard.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/220143-jim-tressel-the-youngstown-state-scandal-revisited
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if it's from Youngstown, and it seems too good to be true....it probably is. Former middle weight boxing champion Kelly Pavlik is a walking example. He does return to the ring in a week though :)
 

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