THEEE Ohio State Hit Hard by NCAA - The ruling is in

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Matthean

The article is vastly about MSU being a dirty team, etc. This tidbit caught my eye. It has vastly been deemed to be true but kind of odd to see it in print.


Spartan Nation | In a Week From Hell, Michigan State Athletic Director Mark Hollis Goes Toe-to-Toe with B1G Commissioner Jim Delany!

The quote is also largely bogus since only a couple of years back B1G Commission Jim Delany suspended Jonas Mouton of Michigan for an almost identical punch to the facemask of a Notre Dame player. That suspension of a Michigan player created the precedent here.

If the Commissioner is really "determined to get Michigan back" how is suspending Gohlston for one game against Wisconsin going to do that?

This piece is largely crap.

[Matthean]

I know it's a piece of crap. I'm pointing out the fact that the commissioner was pushed to keep the OSU players playing, and he caved.

[Matthean]

NCAA slaps Ohio State Buckeyes with 'failure to monitor' charge - ESPN

The NCAA has notified Ohio State that it will face a "failure to monitor" charge in addition to more allegations of rules violations by its troubled football program.

"Failure to monitor" is among the most serious allegations the NCAA can bring against a member school.

Can we just slap the death penalty on them and call it good?

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Matthean

NCAA slaps Ohio State Buckeyes with 'failure to monitor' charge - ESPN



Can we just slap the death penalty on them and call it good?

Pffft that won't happen. Especially considering the troubles with Miami and they won't get the DP.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Matthean

NCAA slaps Ohio State Buckeyes with 'failure to monitor' charge - ESPN

Can we just slap the death penalty on them and call it good?

No, they're handling that one harshly in-house. Five total football scholarships over the next three years. That will impact their 3rd string linebacker core for approximately 2 years.

[Balldog]

Originally Posted by molson

No, they're handling that one harshly in-house. Five total football scholarships over the next three years. That will impact their 3rd string linebacker core for approximately 2 years.

I don't think we've had a 3rd string linebacker core for quite sometime

I do think that proposal of 5 scholarships is kind of slap in the face at the NCAA but the NCAA is so random I'm not sure how a University can know what is reasonable and what is not.

I find OSU's request for the charges to be reviewed the Wk of November 28 interesting. Two weeks ago I received an email from my old roommate saying he had insider information that on November 28 they would announce Urban Meyer as the new HC and introduce him during the November 29th basketball game against Duke. He also stated that the university had a lot of work to be done before finalizing everything but it was all headed in that direction.

The only reason I gave him any credibility is due to the fact that he has a friend that works in the Athletic Department at OSU and he worded his email very carefully not to put his friend at risk. Who knows...

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Can we just slap the death penalty on them and call it good?

Considering what went on with Michigan basketball and Ed Martin never got them the death penalty, I am pretty sure you aren't going to see the death penalty now.

[CrimsonFox]

I think this is utter nonsense.
Who cares what they ebayed?

[DeToxRox]

NCAA: Ohio State banned from postseason play next season | Buckeye Xtra Sports

The NCAA today stunned Ohio State University’s football program by banning it from postseason play after the 2012 season, multiple sources told The Dispatch.

The penalty means Ohio State automatically is out of the running for any bowl, or a Big Ten or national championship next year, just as newly appointed head coach Urban Meyer is wooing recruits to the Buckeyes.

Athletic Director Gene Smith said previously that while Ohio State has been declared a repeat violator that failed to properly monitor its football program, a bowl ban would be out of line with penalties handed to universities with similar violations.

In its ruling to be made public this afternoon, the NCAA Committee of Infractions will levy the bowl ban and two other penalties on top of the ones the university already imposed on itself, the sources said. The NCAA will:

* Strip four more football scholarships over the next three years on top of Ohio State’s prior forfeiture of five scholarships over that span.

* Add an additional year of probation to OSU’s self-imposed two-year probation for the football program, meaning any violations through the 2013 season could draw harsher-than-normal penalties.

The NCAA also will hand a show-cause penalty to former head coach Jim Tressel for failing to report that some team members improperly sold memorabilia and for allowing ineligible players to compete throughout the 2010 season.

The show-cause penalty against Tressel signifies he is a serious offender and means that any NCAA school that hires him could be subject to sanctions for appointing him as football coach absent a showing it should escape penalties.

Meyer took the job as Ohio State’s 24th head coach on Nov. 28, and did so, he said, with his eyes open about what could come from the NCAA, but feeling good about the prospects.

"I just did a lot of research” before he took the job, Meyer said on Monday. “I contacted people outside of Ohio State before I accepted the position, some trusted people I have within the NCAA and other people that dealt directly with the NCAA.”

He has been asked about possible penalties as he has recruited prospects and their families, Meyer said.

The coach said he has told them there were no promises about the NCAA case, “but that there has been extremely positive feedback, and that we’re going to find out soon,” Meyer said.

The NCAA levied its second-most-severe charge — failure to monitor — on Nov. 3, finding that Ohio State failed to keep an eye on a booster who gave players cash for a charity appearance and overpaid others for part-time work.

In hopes of appeasing the NCAA and warding off tougher sanctions, Ohio State offered up punishments that included the loss of five football scholarships over three years. The NCAA tacked on the loss of four more scholarships today.

The university could choose how many of those scholarships won’t be handed out in any of the three years.

The university also previously placed itself on probation for two years; vacated the 2010 season, including the Ben Ten and Sugar Bowl titles; and forfeited its $338,811 share of Sugar Bowl proceeds.

The NCAA ruling follows a season in which Tressel was forced out, former quarterback Terrelle Pryor departed for the pros rather than face ongoing NCAA questions, and starters such as running back Daniel “Boom” Herron and receiver DeVier Posey missed chunks of the season to suspensions.

The scandals that led to Ohio State’s downfall on and off the field arose months apart, fueling a pending move to create a centralized compliance office in which athletic overseers no longer will report to athletic director Gene Smith.

In a series of emails beginning April 2, 2010, Tressel learned from Columbus lawyer Chris Cicero, a former walk-on player for the Buckeyes, that Pryor and other players had sold gear, memorabilia awards to a tattoo-parlor owner.

Rather than report the players’ receipt of improper benefits, Tressel vaguely warned his players to watch their conduct and kept his silence. He later said he did not come forward because he feared for his players’ safety and did not want to compromise an FBI investigation of drug dealing by the now-convicted Rife.

On Dec. 7, 2010, the U.S. attorney’s office informed OSU that memorabilia from football players, including Big Ten championship rings, had been seized during its investigation of Rife. Tressel still did not reveal what he knew.

OSU suspended Pryor, Herron, Posey and two other players for the first five games of the 2011 season, but they were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl.

On Jan. 13, OSU officials uncovered Tressel’s email exchanges with Cicero, prompting the Ohio State and NCAA investigation of the memorabilia sales and Tressel’s history of untruthfulness.

On March 8, Ohio State announced that Tressel would be suspended for the first two games of the 2011 season and fined $250,000 for violating NCAA rules.

President E. Gordon Gee and Smith stood behind Tressel, saying neither they nor other OSU officials were aware of the player memorabilia sales, a stance with which the NCAA agreed.

At a news conference, Gee was asked if he had considered firing Tressel. “Are you kidding? I’m just hopeful the coach doesn’t dismiss me,” Gee quipped, a line for which he later apologized.

Tressel’s suspension was later extended to the first five games of the season to match that of his players.

On May 29, with Ohio State’s reputation taking a national beating, Smith met with Tressel and asked him to resign. Tressel did so the next day and Luke Fickell was named interim coach.

Ohio State had its hearing before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions on Aug. 12 in Indianapolis amid indications that more revelations could be forthcoming.

Just before the season opener against Akron, the NCAA suspended running back Jordan Hall and cornerbacks Travis Howard and Corey “Pittsburgh” Brown for accepting $200 in cash at a Cleveland-area charity event from OSU booster Bobby DiGeronimo.

Later, the NCAA extended the suspensions of Herron for one game and Posey for five games after it ruled they were among five players who were overpaid or paid for hours not worked while employed part-time by DiGeronimo’s company.

The players’ dealings with DiGeronimo prompted the failure-to-monitor charge from the NCAA and led Gee to admonish Smith for failing to keep tabs on DiGeronimo despite longtime concerns over his dealings with players. Gee, however, remains a firm supporter of Smith.

DiGeronimo accused Ohio State of attempting to deflect blame off the school and onto him, saying Smith and Tressel were lying about their dealings with him. DiGeronimo has been disassociated from OSU athletics.

The Buckeyes finished their season with a 6-6 record. Fickell will coach the team as it faces Florida, Meyers’ former team, in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., on Jan. 2.

Dispatch reporters Bill Rabinowitz and Tim May contributed to this story.

[Ksyrup]

Um... I'm thinking they should have taken the Miami route this year, huh? 6-6, going to a shitty bowl...just pull out of bowl consideration after a lost season under the guise of "self-imposed sanctions."

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Um... I'm thinking they should have taken the Miami route this year, huh? 6-6, going to a shitty bowl...just pull out of bowl consideration after a lost season under the guise of "self-imposed sanctions."

Yep. Can't believe they decided to go to a bowl game this year.

This is more then I figured they would get. If I am UNC and especially Miami, I'd be real worried right now.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

This is more then I figured they would get. If I am UNC and especially Miami, I'd be real worried right now.

Agreed. I wasn't expecting this much. It's not program crippling or anything, but considering Ohio State successfully threw Tressel under the bus I'm surprised they added much to their self imposed penalties.

Miami's penalties are going to be very interesting.

[Ksyrup]

@CharlesRobinson: Key witness refused to cooperate w/ NCAA's Ohio State probe. Had he taken part, sanctions could have been far worse.

[bronconick]

Honestly, if I'm a Buckeye fan, a decade of 9-1 vs. Michigan and 6 conference titles is worth losing a bowl game and 9 scholarships.

[sterlingice]

I appreciate that the NCAA this year is finally doing some "No, your self imposed lame penalties are not enough". I think the right measuring stick would be to say "how many did they miss by" and then double it to tighten up the lowball bids that many of these schools do.

So, for instance:
*The NCAA thought Ohio State should get a 1 year bowl ban, 3 years of probation, and 10 scholarships for 3 years.
*If OSU had only imposed 0 years of bowl, 2 years of probation, and 5 scholarships then they missed by 1, 1, and 5. Multiply by 2 and add to the self-imposed penalty.
*They would actually get 2 years of bowl ban, 4 years of probation, and 15 scholarships. Sorry, guys, stop trying to underbid and give some legit penalties or you lose even more for trying to squeak by.

Then again there's always Miami. Sorry, you imposed 0 death penalties and we think you deserve 1 so that means you get 2 death penalties

SI

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Yep. Can't believe they decided to go to a bowl game this year.

This is more then I figured they would get. If I am UNC and especially Miami, I'd be real worried right now.

Funny, I thought they deserved worse. Nine scholarships over 3 years is a joke. Three years of probation is also a joke considering they know they are being watched and will be looking to do the right thing. Them not getting a bowl game next year when they will be one of the best teams in the Big Ten is going to suck though. I guess it makes up for them having 5 players play in a bowl that they shouldn't have.

[Swaggs]

I think they should have gotten an extra year of postseason ineligibility (since they essentially ruined a BCS bowl game last season, IMO).

[Kodos]

Hey, at least the NCAA did increase the penalties a bit. Better than nothing.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Hey, at least the NCAA did increase the penalties a bit. Better than nothing.

It seems rare for them not to increase it because universities don't want to over self impose. A number of schools protest the ruling, but OSU isn't. To me that sounds like OSU knowing they got off easy.

[MrBug708]

Too bad Garrett didn't make the token move of self imposing some sort of penalties. USC probably would be in a BCS game this year

[RainMaker]

So Ohio State doesn't get to play in a bowl game where they would likely lose money. What a penalty!

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

@CharlesRobinson: Key witness refused to cooperate w/ NCAA's Ohio State probe. Had he taken part, sanctions could have been far worse.

Seems this would make things worse. I understand the NCAA can't make a witness cooperate, but couldn't they do something about his not cooperating? If it was that easy to just not cooperate and let schools/people get off the hook, wouldn't everyone do it?

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Funny, I thought they deserved worse. Nine scholarships over 3 years is a joke. Three years of probation is also a joke considering they know they are being watched and will be looking to do the right thing. Them not getting a bowl game next year when they will be one of the best teams in the Big Ten is going to suck though. I guess it makes up for them having 5 players play in a bowl that they shouldn't have.

I agree, sets a bad precedent. Self impose sanctions and the NCAA will increase them, but it still won't be as bad as if you fight against sanctions.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Funny, I thought they deserved worse. Nine scholarships over 3 years is a joke. Three years of probation is also a joke considering they know they are being watched and will be looking to do the right thing. Them not getting a bowl game next year when they will be one of the best teams in the Big Ten is going to suck though. I guess it makes up for them having 5 players play in a bowl that they shouldn't have.

Agreed. The NCAA is a joke.

[bhlloy]

If Gee hadn't been so vocal about not expecting any punishment and they had self-sanctioned this years bowl game, I doubt they even would have got this. The NCAA doesn't like it when you don't bow to their expectations.

I still think USC was punished so severely for Mike Garrett and Pete Carroll thumbing their nose at the infractions committee more than they were for the actual infractions themselves.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Funny, I thought they deserved worse. Nine scholarships over 3 years is a joke. Three years of probation is also a joke considering they know they are being watched and will be looking to do the right thing. Them not getting a bowl game next year when they will be one of the best teams in the Big Ten is going to suck though. I guess it makes up for them having 5 players play in a bowl that they shouldn't have.

What pathetic "sanctions."

NCAA is a fucking joke.

[Balldog]

Do you guys realize that this is the first time a school has received a bowl ban for failure to monitor? I'm not sure why everyone thinks the penalties were not harsh enough, other than a hatred towards OSU.

In my opinion the bowl bans received by OSU and USC are a tragedy as it penalizes players not involved in the actual sanctions. If the NCAA truly wants to penalize the school - why not just hit them where it counts...in the wallet. Let the players play in the bowl but take the school's revenue, hand out more scholarship reductions, and limit TV.

The NCAA dropped the ball waiting ~2 months to hand out a bowl ban for OSU. Now the guys involved - Posey, Herron, Adams, and Thomas get to go to a bowl game their senior year while the junior class has to deal with their actions.

[bronconick]

The bowl ban does allow any rising seniors to transfer without penalty.

I'd actually make that a future penalty, except extend it to all current players at the school.

"Well, you were cheating. And dumb enough to get caught. As a result, we're going to let all of your rivals *and* the little schools in your own state pick over your roster like a turkey on Thanksgiving."

[Balldog]

Yes, but transferring isn't always an easy solution...it's still penalizing the wrong people.

[bronconick]

Penalizing the right people involves getting into lawsuits and the like. Even if the NFL agreed not to hire Tressell/Carroll, etc. or not to draft Bush/Pryor, if that agreement came out, it's probably not legal.

The only other option is to make getting caught so terrifying and painful that schools work themselves silly to keep things under control, but that's as likely as Security Council nations giving the UN authority to intervene in their internal affairs.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Balldog

Do you guys realize that this is the first time a school has received a bowl ban for failure to monitor? I'm not sure why everyone thinks the penalties were not harsh enough, other than a hatred towards OSU.

In my opinion the bowl bans received by OSU and USC are a tragedy as it penalizes players not involved in the actual sanctions. If the NCAA truly wants to penalize the school - why not just hit them where it counts...in the wallet. Let the players play in the bowl but take the school's revenue, hand out more scholarship reductions, and limit TV.

The NCAA dropped the ball waiting ~2 months to hand out a bowl ban for OSU. Now the guys involved - Posey, Herron, Adams, and Thomas get to go to a bowl game their senior year while the junior class has to deal with their actions.

I'm not really a fan of the bowl ban even if it was the harshest part of the sanctions. I would much rather see more done on the scholarships side of things. The bowl ban itself feels like a make up for letting the 5 players involved play in a previous bowl game. We'll let you have the one bowl win, but the next one you have to sit out. Bull crap.

Even if I am a Michigan fan, the NCAA committee went to OSU multiple times due to more stuff coming out. This was about multiple players, over multiple years, multiple rules broken and a university fully knowing Tressel failed at reporting things, hence the failure to monitor. The end result of this is incredibly small in terms of punishment. If this happened to Michigan I would be happy as hell that's all that Michigan got, but I would still be pissed the NCAA decided to kiss a school's rear while throwing the so called book at them.

The NCAA did at least go after Tressel.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Balldog

In my opinion the bowl bans received by OSU and USC are a tragedy as it penalizes players not involved in the actual sanctions. If the NCAA truly wants to penalize the school - why not just hit them where it counts...in the wallet. Let the players play in the bowl but take the school's revenue, hand out more scholarship reductions, and limit TV.

I personally think all the penalties are stupid but I don't think a lot of your suggestions would work. Most schools lose money on their bowl games they attend. Limiting TV hurts the other teams in the conference. And a reduction in scholarships just hurts students who need it to attend school.

There aren't a lot of good solutions. I guess one would be banning future postseason trips so that it doesn't impact current players. Essentially ban Ohio State from postseason play in 2015 and 2016. That way rule abiding students can play out their career and earn their degree while new students will have notice that they won't be playing in a bowl game during those seasons.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Even if I am a Michigan fan

WHAT??? I couldn't tell!

Gene Smith is an idiot for thinking they would not get a bowl ban. Frankly, I can't believe he is still employed. I was on record (if not here, than elsewhere) that they needed to self-impose a bowl ban for this season. No one would've cried for missing the Gator Bowl vs. 6-6 Florida in an otherwise down season. But now you get this. Hopefully, OSU can have the kind of years that USC had during probation... which were otherwise pretty good. Spoiling Oregon's season was a definite highlight. Turns next year's Michigan game into a "bowl" of sorts, which I fully expect OSU to win, especially in Columbus.

[Ksyrup]

For some reason, I don't see Meyer calling Lane to get some tips on how he handled a bowlless season.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Matthean

I'm not really a fan of the bowl ban even if it was the harshest part of the sanctions. I would much rather see more done on the scholarships side of things. The bowl ban itself feels like a make up for letting the 5 players involved play in a previous bowl game. We'll let you have the one bowl win, but the next one you have to sit out. Bull crap.

Even if I am a Michigan fan, the NCAA committee went to OSU multiple times due to more stuff coming out. This was about multiple players, over multiple years, multiple rules broken and a university fully knowing Tressel failed at reporting things, hence the failure to monitor. The end result of this is incredibly small in terms of punishment. If this happened to Michigan I would be happy as hell that's all that Michigan got, but I would still be pissed the NCAA decided to kiss a school's rear while throwing the so called book at them.

The NCAA did at least go after Tressel.

The evidence the NCAA had was 8 players took $14,000 worth of gifts and a head coach failed to report it. That's about it. As far the evidence showed Ohio State cooperated fully throughout the investigation which tends to bring leniency from the NCAA. I think this is a case where people want the school hit hard because it's Ohio State, not because of the infractions.

The head coach was the source of the problem here and was not only forced out of the job, but got a 5 year show cause penalty added on. The school payed back the bowl money it got from it's BCS game last season. In addition it got a 1 year bowl ban, which made it the first school to ever get a bowl ban for failure to monitor. Then you have the 9 scholarships lost over 3 years.

That's a pretty big punishment considering the evidence. People seem to want them punished based on what they believe went on rather than what they were able to uncover.

[rowech]

I think Atocep is right on. It comes down to what people think happened, what the rumors are, etc. and what could actually be proven. I have no doubt there's more here but ultimately they couldn't find it for whatever reasons.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Atocep

The evidence the NCAA had was 8 players took $14,000 worth of gifts and a head coach failed to report it. That's about it. As far the evidence showed Ohio State cooperated fully throughout the investigation which tends to bring leniency from the NCAA. I think this is a case where people want the school hit hard because it's Ohio State, not because of the infractions.

The head coach was the source of the problem here and was not only forced out of the job, but got a 5 year show cause penalty added on. The school payed back the bowl money it got from it's BCS game last season. In addition it got a 1 year bowl ban, which made it the first school to ever get a bowl ban for failure to monitor. Then you have the 9 scholarships lost over 3 years.

That's a pretty big punishment considering the evidence. People seem to want them punished based on what they believe went on rather than what they were able to uncover.

So all of the hub bub about the cars simply got swept under the rug?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Matthean

So all of the hub bub about the cars simply got swept under the rug?

That and more.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Matthean

So all of the hub bub about the cars simply got swept under the rug?

My understanding that certain people recanted, changed stories, etc. so it boiled down to just the email paper trail against Tressel.

[HerRealName]

Or it was never valid in the first place. Accusations get headlines, corrections are largely ignored.

http://newsfuzion.com/2011/06/21/ohi...ete-car-sales/

[HerRealName]

By the way, I'm an OSU alum who thinks the punishment is justified. The bowl ban was unexpected but appropriate in my opinion. Maybe an actual punishment will keep these slimeball boosters away from the program and/or the compliance department to keep a closer watch.