DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Jim Tressel in Hot Water?

It has been very interesting reading all of the posts, various opinions..etc. But as I read everything out there, the problem is that Tressel lied to the NCAA and did not say anything to OSU administration about the incident. Usually when that happens, it is curtains for the coach but in this situation, isn't this a tad gray??

Look, Tressel lied, and the age old saying is that the cover up is worse than the actual event. Tressel lying to everyone puts a huge bad taste in everyone's mouth and the NCAA usually wants blood. BUT after the NCAA just glossed over the auburn/Cam Newton's daddy incident, why should I be in the get rid of Tressel camp? The players incident was minor, and Tressel got caught lying but looking at what he lied about vs the NCAA not having the guts to blow up the championship game, I have mixed feelings.

I have mixed feelings too. In part because of what you alluded to with Cam. In part because of reggie bush.

The other side of that is the ncaa - right or wrong - decided they couldn't prove the coaches of newton or bush knew about it. It would appear the ncaa has pretty certain proof that tressel knew.

I will never believe that the usc coach didn't know bush/bush's family was getting money. But the ncaa couldn't prove the coach knew it.

I'll never believe that the auburn coach didn't know that money was at least OFFERED for newton to go there - but the ncaa decided they couldn't prove it.

With Tressel - as of now, it appears there IS proof he knew what happened and he didn't report it.

That's probably the only difference the ncaa needs.

For those who want tres fired who will replace him?

Urban Meyer is who we go after hard but it will depend on what he wants to do.

Arch,
Your statement:

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With Tressel - as of now, it appears there IS proof he knew what happened and he didn't report it.

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Is probably the deciding factor. And that is the one where I shake my head and go into the Tressel has to go camp (* Not willingly *).

Your example of Bush is spot on. The coach might not have known about the transaction with the agent and the family getting a house, BUT everyone knew that R.Bush was riding around in a modified 96 Impala (* He was on the cover of DUB magazine *) and there is no way a college kid could afford that. But again, I guess we cannot prove it.

Oh well.. in the end, right is right and a lie is a lie!

The ncaa came down very hard on usc. Carroll just left for the nfl before they gave the school their penalty. If I'm not mistaken, sc was banned from postseason for 2 years, put on probation, and lost plenty of scholarships along the way.

A coach can't lie for his players to increase the chances of landing future 4 or 5-star recruits. Why? If it stays hidden he can't use that to help, since it's hidden.

But more importantly, if the lie gets found, his reputation is ruined FOREVER. With that reputation gone, he doesn't have a joc...no 4 or 5-star player will play for a coach without a school. Plus, a coach is as big as the program. Players come and go but a coach is supposed to last for generations. Without honor and honesty, the coach won't last.

IMO, Tressel was shortsighted. He risked his future, legacy, and the program for one title. If he plays it straight, he's the coach at OSU for the next 20 years....and he could have won multiple more in that time. He traded that opportunity for a shot at one. And if you really think about it....the title might have been taken away years from now anyway. Too bad.

I never suggested that he lied either. I'm just saying if you are tressel and get information that your players "might" be involved in something, what do you do? You are in a bind either way. I'm not saying that there isn't a way that I would choose but either way it is hard.

Plus, while I agree with most of what you said, your logic is one sided when you say

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A coach can't lie for his players to increase the chances of landing future 4 or 5-star recruits. Why? If it stays hidden he can't use that to help, since it's hidden

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The exact point is that he doesn't want it to get found out. It's a negative if it's found out, so he would rather keep the whole thing hush hush so he isn't in the national limelight as the coach who turned in his own players.

And once again, I never advocated him lying. Not once.

I just have a hard time believing that Tressel would do something like this. I have met the man, and followed him for his entire career from YSU to OSU. He's never even approached the edge, let alone gone over.

I am extremely disappointed right now. I'll wait to see what the final outcome of the investigation is ..... but right now I am disappointed.

I still wonder about using an email from someone with a questionable moral background, who is not associated with either the NCAA or the police should be handled. The police didn;t come to Tressel ..... a lawyer who came damn close to being disbarred did.

I mean, at what level must a coach get the school/NCAA involved?

If I write an email to someone at Michigan and say that I saw their entire starting team signing autographs for money .... should they suspend the entire team pending an investigation? Should they notify the NCAA because some nobody informs them that there may be a violation?

Unfortunately, this seems like pretty thin evidence against Tressel ..... yet he did not follow the rules, so I guess they'll come down really hard on him. I just wonder at what level of "evidence" must a coach notify the school and NCAA? If an ex-girlfriend of a player says that she saw him drive a car from some rich guy in order to get him in trouble on her way out ..... does that happen ... whether or not there is evidence .. or whether or not it even really happened?

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The other side of that is the ncaa - right or wrong - decided they couldn't prove the coaches of newton or bush knew about it.

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Couldn't Prove.....or WOULDN'T prove????

In 2006 Youngstown OH native Bob Stoops found out his starting QB Rhett Bomar and OL JD Quinn had accepted money for work they did not do from a local car dealer and booster for OU. Stoops immediately removed them from the team. OU contacted the NCAA and OU lost two scholarships for the next two years as a result but Stoops prized the integrity of himself and the school over the wins he would have had with Bomar behind center. The Sooners went on to lose two of their first five games in 2006 but eventually won the big 12.

As far as I know, Stoops actions against these players did not dissuade recruits from wanting to play for OU, if anything, it probably added a few. This is exactly what Tressel should have done. Instead, look at the pickle that OSU is in because Tressel tried to cover it up.

Stoops also knew he was deep at QB that year.

Nobody at this level is without sin. And Jim Tressel just proved it.

Pat,...you're next !

"I hear you!! It is unbelievable!! Thanks for your help ...keep me posted as to what I need to do if anything. I will keep pounding these kids hoping they grow up ... jt"


In another email, Cicero says " No more names as the federal government appears have reached a resolution for (name redacted).


I'm reading these emails and there is nothing in them that says "Man, we need to get right on this now!". There is some sort of federal investigation, which may, or may not involve players. Tressel also asks Cicero what he needs to do, if anything.

I don't know what happened ... and if these are all of the emails ..... but Tressel is told to treat the information as confidential ...... and that basically, he doesn't need to do anything at this point. If the emails are all they have to go by, I can't imagine them saying that he did something devious .... because there really doesn't appear to be any deviousness there.

You can read the emails at the Columbus Dispatch site here if interested.

Cicero doesn't speak for Tressel's superiors at OSU or the NCAA. He should have said something.

Probably .... but the tone of the emails wasn't really "here's someone on the team doing something really horrible" .... it was more conversational than anything.

I dunno. There has to be more for this to have blown up like it has.

A couple good articles on CBS.Sportsline about Tressel and the current situation.

Dennis Dodd
Tony Barnhart

ohio state isn't perfect, neither is the big 10. i'm just glad they aren't shelling out houses and six figure checks for their players. while what they did was wrong and deserves punishment, i think it's pretty far from recruiting violations.

for crying out loud, michael floyd just got a dui, his third alcohol related run-in with the law, and he'll be on the football field, probably when they play michigan. and nobody think they are higher and mightier than good ol' notre dame fan.

-JC-

Tressel screwed up. He made a huge mistake and showed everyone he's willing to break rules to win. I get some that are angry and want him gone. I however don't.

1) He's a winner. He's dominated Michigan and the Big Ten. Something John Cooper couldn't do. He has created a great relationship with the in states high schools and has done a great job retaining our talent. Again, something Cooper couldn't do.

2) I wouldn't want to punish the next coach for any sanctions imposed whether they are loss of scholarships or bowl/title game ineligibility. For that matter would Ohio State be able to get thier #1 replacement choice if the school is facing said sanctions. Let Tressel redeem himself under these penalties.