Bob Knight and Rich Rodriguez Support Jim Tressel
March 10, 2011Manny Acta’s Twitter Account Goes Big Time
March 11, 2011While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
Let’s play guess who wrote this. Ready?
“After it finishes its investigation, the NCAA should recommend Jim Tressel’s termination as head football coach at The Ohio State University. This incident is further proof that college athletics is spinning out of control, and a message needs to be sent to university presidents and athletic directors who let rule-breaking coaches keep their jobs because they win games and sell tickets. And that’s exactly why Tressel, who said he never considered resigning, didn’t tell the athletic department that he had received an e-mail from an attorney indicating OSU football players were selling memorabilia to Edward Rife. Rife, the owner of Fine Line Ink tattoo parlor, is one of the focal points of a federal drug investigation.”
Was it- A. Colin Cowherd B. Michigan Blogger Brian Cook or C. The Lantern, Ohio State Student Newspaper? Give yourself a passing grade if you said Grant Freking at The Lantern.
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Matta isn’t convinced that Sullinger will be departing OSU for the draft. Which is good news. Unless you are a Cavs fan- “Which brings me back to Sully. I’m not letting any bias cloud my judgment here, I just think Jared Sullinger is a safe pick with legit upside. His ceiling may not be 24-14 every night, but to me he bottoms out no worse than as a 15 and 10 guy in the NBA. So I hope Sullinger makes himself an option.” [Bowers/Stepien Rules]/
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Ugh. Labor negotiators engage in twitter fight. This won’t end well. [Farrar/Shutdown Corner]
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Similarities between Tressel and O’Brien cases? [Sports by Brooks]
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A review of the Q over at Stadium Journey. He picked a great game to attend- [Wolf/Stadium Journey]
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(Photo:Terry Gilliam/The Associated Press)
19 Comments
I was going to guess Dan Shanoff, mostly because I had forgotten about him.
I will never understand the self-loathing tOSU fan. Its a phenomena I haven’t witnessed anywhere else.
I call for all NFL CBA negotiations to be done solely on Twitter
I’ll pass on Sullinger. I’d rather take my chances with Derrick Williams (if he can play the 3) or Perry Jones (if he can play the 4) Jones needs to add on some weight but I see a little Lamarcus Aldridge in him.
Read some of the comments on The Lantern’s website. The vast majority call for a public beheading of Tressel. As a student, I’m a little surprised.
someone needs to remind those fans that Tressel is 9-1 against Michigan (and also about Cooper) and the fact that he was ‘protecting his athletes’ means that he will likely not have a severe dropoff in recruiting.
yes, I hate what he did, I hate that now forever teams will be able to say that the Buckeyes are just another Bowden-cheating-style school, but outside of stronger sanctions I don’t think much else needs to be done (only reduced scholarships and a bowl ban will really hurt and this should hurt)
just say no to Perry Jones.
it stinks that Sullinger HAS to play the ‘4’ in the NBA (not quick enough for SF, way too short for C). I might at least consider Enes Kanter if we miss out on Irving. But, I do think Sullinger will be solid in the NBA.
I think it would be a bit humorous if we ended up with Irving and Kanter btw (2 guys who pretty much missed the entire season but also might be the best 2 guys in this draft)
If Tressel would get fired Georgia would can Richt and hire Tressel
Someone needs to mention Enes Kanter as a legit option for the Cavs. Never heard of him? Ask Sullinger about how he played in the Nike Hoops Summit last year. Kanter dominated him.
Just playing Devil’s Advocate:
someone needs to remind those fans that Tressel is 9-1 against Michigan (and also about Cooper) and the fact that he was ‘protecting his athletes’ means that he will likely not have a severe dropoff in recruiting.
Isn’t this kind of the point of the article? Trading integrity for success?
Also, as an avid reader of Brian Cook, it’s important to note that he, too, thinks Tress should get fired. So, if you guessed BC, you were half-right.
Here’s the thing about “integrity;” you end up with programs like ND and BYU. Those teams, while successful, will never win another National Championship until the entire system is overhauled.
I completely believe that you cannot both be a consistent national championship contender AND play by the rules. It is one or the other, only.
And I think we all know which side of that fence we’d prefer to be on.
So, are you saying (and again, I’m just Devil’s Advocate-ing) that Tressel was cheating in 2002? 2006? 2007?
There was almost certainly cheating going on in all 3 of those years DP, along with every other year. Athletes getting graded differently from non-athletes in classes is cheating, and I don’t think there are any schools where this doesn’t happen.
It’s not black and white. There are degrees of cheating – Bowden/Calipari are the examples of really bad cheating. Easy As is not-so-bad cheating. Tressel is in the middle of this but I’d say closer to the not-bad side – there is a difference between active cheating and passive cheating and Tressel was clearly passive. Certainly worth more than a 2-game suspension and fine, and I think he’ll get more, but not worth firing.
If the NCAA wanted to make an example of its “tough” stance, Cam Newton would’ve been perfect this year. I’m pretty confident in saying that his Heisman and the title will be stripped in the future based on what came out when the NCAA had an interest in having him play, so imagine what comes out when they don’t.
If Tressel hadn’t hid the information and lied about it, this wouldn’t be as bad.
In this case, the cover-up was worse than the crime.
And yes, integrity is still more important than national title contention. Making the national title game is more about stacking your schedule, luck, and politics anyway. You know what would help the Buckeyes (or BYU or ND) win more titles? A playoff (even a ‘final four’ playoff).
The Buckeyes would be great in a 4, 8 or 16 team playoff setting.
I’m sorry but integrity does not exist in college football anymore. Just look at the past champions, almost everyone had something shady going on. As far as OSU goes just go back to the Clarret saga and take it from there. I’m sure cheating to some degree happened for a while down there.
@DP: In some way shape or form, yes, I’m sure there was something less-than-honest happening behind the scenes for one player or another. Like Alex said, there are varying degrees of severity for these things.
For what it’s worth, I think Tress is a great guy and a great coach. It would be a huge mistake to fire him unless the NCAA gives tOSU some sort of ultimatum.
@DP – I was always hoping that Tressel was the Buckeyes Joe Paterno, but if I’m being honest, I’d rather settle for the Buckeyes Bobby Bowden than Lloyd Carr (a coach who did things the right way but who let the “game” pass him by in a few ways that was his ultimate undoing)
@Chris M (comment #9) – see comment #7 on this thread 🙂
Smith and Gee should just admit that Tressel is in charge. Their comments and inaction demonstrate a lack of integrity and backbone. Tressel did nothing when confronted with evidence of questionable behavior. He apparently does not even recognize what course he should have pursued.
The “punishment” handed out by Smith and Gee is a joke.
This is not the leadership this great University deserves.