Ohio State University and Its Vested Interests

The Sweater Vest has made his last appearance at The Horseshoe. 1

The other shoe has dropped. The mess has hit the fan. The sweater vest has a snag.

Jim Tressel resigned as Head Football Coach of Ohio State University on Monday. What once appeared to be a ball of hail continued to snowball into an avalanche in Columbus, Ohio. The result: its National Championship winning football coach of 10 years is gone and there are numerous questions abound for the futures of the program and the coach.


THE FUTURE OF BUCKEYE NATION
The first question is: what happens next at Ohio State? The allegations against the university are quite serious. The list of possible NCAA rule violations include knowingly playing with ineligible players with prior knowledge of ineligibility, selling and trading game memorabilia, improper benefits such as boosters arranging the use of automobiles by players, and attempting to cover up improprieties. The sensational list of associates, including a tattoo parlor owner, alleged drug traffickers and convicted felons, do nothing to show Ohio State in a more favorable light.

The University of Southern California came forward with its knowledge of similar allegations. The result? All of its victories from their BCS National Championship season of 2004 and their 2005 season were vacated. Reggie Bush, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2005, returned his trophy and the award was rescinded. Head Football Caoch Pete Carroll left USC to coach the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. USC was slapped with a number of penalties, including lost scholarships and a ban from bowl appearances. Finally, the possibility (some would argue “inevitability”) that the BCS will strip USC of its 2004 championship remains.

USC cooperated. Ohio State is accused of a cover up. The NCAA has demonstrated that, even at a storied and historic college football program like Ohio State, it has very little tolerance for blatant disregard for the rules. Unlike the alleged pay-for-play scheme involving Auburn University quarterback Cam Newton this past season, Tressel and Ohio State have admitted wrongdoing. Tressel has admitted a cover up.

The NCAA is still investigating this situation and additional violations may be uncovered. This scandal is far beyond the stage of suspicions and allegations, as is the case in Auburn, where no wrongdoing by the university nor Newton has been discovered. OSU may be in for very severe penalties, which could cripple the program, and the Athletic Department as a whole, for years to come, possibly enough to deter A-list coaches from accepting the OSU coaching position.

OSU QB Terrelle Pryor with an Ohio State tat on his throwing arm.
I hope it was a SWEET tat, in exchange for his college career. 2

NOT SO BULLETPROOF VEST

The second question is: what happens to Jim Tressel? Does he ever coach at a major college football program again? Does he ever coach at any university again? I think that there are still questions to be answered. The list of improper conduct known to the public is bad. It may be incomplete.

Tressel is almost certainly going to receive additional discipline from the NCAA, over and above the penalties handed down to Ohio State. I think that Tressel may be damaged goods for several years to come, even for a program seeking to raise its profile in need of a great coach. Tressel’s best option, should he choose to remain in coaching, may be to seek an opportunity as an assistant in the National Football League (of course, there is no National Football League right now).

The only thing I can say is, “Shame on you, OSU!” The cesspool that is major NCAA athletics is not a free-for-all, contrary to the actions of some players, coaches and institutions. While the NCAA is far from perfect, or even “good”, in its administration of college football and balancing of politics against the best interests of the student athletes and the fan experience, its integrity (whatever integrity it still has) is still of value. Overt deception, such as that of Tressel and “The” Ohio State University, are not going to be ignored or be punished with a slap on the wrist. While many college football fans may not approve of the manner in which the NCAA steers the ship, the NCAA is still in charge. It may make a mockery of itself with some of its decisions in response to questionable ethics, but, by golly, it will not let someone else make a mockery of it.




Who actually PAID for this? 3

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1) Image from sportsgrid.com
2) Image from waitingfornextyear.com
3) Image from holyturf.com