Ohio State vacates wins from 2010 football season

[NYBuckeye96]

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sp ... ml?sid=101

Ohio State vacates wins from 2010 football season, places program on probation
Friday, July 8, 2011 12:20 PM
Updated: Friday, July 8, 2011 12:52 PM
By Randy Ludlow

The Columbus Dispatch


An "embarrassed" Ohio State University is wiping its stellar 2010 football season from the record books as self-imposed punishment for major NCAA violations.

But it is not suggesting that the team lose scholarships or be banned from postseason play.

In a response submitted today to the NCAA, Ohio State admits allegations that then-coach Jim Tressel lied and allowed ineligible players to compete by failing to report that they had sold OSU-issued memorabilia to a tattoo-parlor owner.

Ohio State concedes major violations of NCAA regulations but says it should not face harsher punishment, because no OSU official other than Tressel was aware of player violations, according to the response that was obtained by The Dispatch.

"The responsibility is upon Tressel. No other institutional personnel were aware" of the violations, and the former coach failed in his obligation to report them, the response says. "The institution is embarrassed by the actions of Tressel."

The university concedes it is a "repeat violator" of NCAA regulations but contends that its "corrective and punitive actions are appropriate" and asks that the football program be spared additional punishment.

OSU also reported that it sought the resignation of Tressel, who departed on May 30. Until athletic director Gene Smith acknowledged that fact yesterday, Ohio State officials had repeatedly said that Tressel was not forced out.

In addition to vacating the wins from its 12-1 season along with its Big Ten and Sugar Bowl championships, the university has placed its football program on probation for two years effective today, Ohio State reported to the NCAA.

Today's report also reveals that the university has identified one additional football player who received discounts on tattoos and has declared him ineligible. The university has requested that the NCAA reinstate the unnamed player.

The Dispatch reported today that Ohio State is increasing compliance efforts and staffing. The report to the NCAA includes new restrictions on how and when players receive awards, in an attempt to ensure they do not sell them.

Players must prove they still have their championship rings and watches and will not receive other items, such as gold-pants charms for Michigan wins and game-worn helmets, until they leave the program.

The university also says that at least one compliance officer will travel with the football and basketball teams to away games to monitor players.

In Tressel's response to the NCAA, he wrote: "Coach Tressel has explained his thinking at the time, but offers no excuses for his faulty judgment ... (he) has paid a terrible price for his mistake, losing his job at one of the premier programs in the country."

In a Feb. 18 interview with OSU officials, Tressel said that he understood that, by allowing ineligible players to compete, Ohio State was "going to get as our works deserve" and that "we were going to pay the fiddler."

Tressel argues that his "integrity and proven history of promoting rules compliance," combined with his team's improving academic performance and other factors, should mitigate the severity of any NCAA sanctions. It also notes that he and his wife have donated $3 million since 2001, primarily to Ohio State.

The fallout from the scandal has included the resignation of Tressel, the partial-season suspension of six players, and quarterback Terrelle Pryor's decision to skip his senior season and turn pro.

Ohio State reported to the NCAA that is continuing to investigate other allegations of player misconduct that have swirled around the football team and will self-report any discovered violations. Pryor, who has denied wrongdoing, was being investigated for his use of several cars during his three years on campus.

The NCAA could take away scholarships and impose a post-season ban on the football program as additional punishment for its violations following a hearing before the infractions committee on Aug. 12 in Indianapolis.

Ohio State also could face additional punishment if the NCAA considers it a repeat offender stemming from violations in a 2006 case by then-basketball coach Jim O'Brien for which the NCAA put the university on probation for five years.

The downfall of Tressel and Ohio State began on April 2, 2010, when former OSU walk-on linebacker Christopher Cicero, who is now a Columbus lawyer, sent the coach an email informing him that at least two players had sold memorabilia to tattoo-parlor owner Edward Rife.

Rife had considered hiring Cicero as his lawyer, but ultimately did not retain him. Cicero now faces professional punishment for improperly revealing Rife's confidences to Tressel.

"Tressel reported that when he read information in the email about drug trafficking, homicide and possession of criminal tools, he said 'it was a bad situation that scared him,'" the response says.

Rife, who has pleaded guilty to marijuana trafficking in federal court, paid the players with $9,480 in cash and $555 in free and discounted tattoos for items that included gold-pants charms for Michigan wins and game-worn gear.

In addition to five-game suspensions for the coming season for all but one of the implicated players, they are paying the university the money they received from the memorabilia sales, in monthly installments through November.

The report states that players began associating with Rife and his Fine Line Ink tattoo parlor after a "chance meeting" between him and a couple of players at a Columbus-area nightclub in early 2008.

The first memorabilia dealings with Rife occurred in 2009, but Ohio State should not vacate wins from that season because no one, including Tressel, was aware of those transactions, the university says.

The section of Ohio State's response detailing player accounts of their dealings with Rife was heavily redacted. Most said they sold the items due to personal and family financial hardships.

Tressel did not inform the compliance office or OSU officials that his players had committed apparent violations of NCAA regulations, and he signed an NCAA form certifying that he had no knowledge of violations.

He did not directly confront the players about selling memorabilia, but "told them to make proper choices and be careful with whom they associate," according to the response.

The former coach said he did not disclose the violations because he considered potential criminal activity and interference in an active federal investigation a higher priority.

The Dispatch reported previously that, although he did not notify OSU officials of the player misconduct, he shared the information Cicero provided with Jeannette, Pa., businessman Ted Sarniak, a mentor to Pryor. Ohio State's response to the NCAA concerning contact with Sarniak is heavily redacted and sheds no light on what Tressel and Sarniak discussed.

OSU officials learned of the violations in December when federal officials told them that investigators had found player memorabilia when they searched Rife's home during a drug investigation. Federal officials have said there is no evidence Ohio State players were involved in drug transactions.

[NYBuckeye96]

Well there goes the Sugar Bowl win against Arkansas. Technically, OSU still has never beat an SEC team in a bowl game once again.

Also, one less win against Michigan now.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Vacated wins mean nothing.
Probation is laughable.

The NCAA will have a good chuckle before they start the August 12 hearing.

[dazed&confused]

YAWN!

[seofan_via_dublin]

Also, vacated wins don't count as loses!

Arkansas doesn't get a win out of this, Michigan doesn't get a win.

[javon white]

Should a team be allowed to dictate or suggest its own penalties in a situation such as this? I am very interested to see what sort of severance package Coach Tressel received to "take one for the team" considering Ohio State arguably has just cause to pay him nothing. Something just seems a "little goofy" here.

[NYBuckeye96]

Even if Arkansas and Michigan don't get wins out of this, neither does Ohio State. This means Ohio State still has technically never beat an SEC team in a bowl game and Ohio State is now one win behind where they would otherwise be in the Michigan series.

As much as that pains me, I can't say OSU doesn't deserve it. I think OSU deserves more and I think the NCAA will dish it out in due time.

[javagt]

From ESPN big Ten Blog...

Yes, Ohio State is so mad at Tressel that it waived the $250,000 fine it levied at the coach when it became aware he lied to his superiors about the NCAA scandal. You remember that fine, the one Gee assured the Columbus Dispatch in June that "he will pay it." Well, instead, now the school will pay Tressel $52,250 as part of what now will be known as a "retirement," rather than a resignation. That will surely show him!

[noreply66]

A few guys screw up and all the other players pay for it

[seofan_via_dublin]

From ESPN big Ten Blog...

Yes, Ohio State is so mad at Tressel that it waived the $250,000 fine it levied at the coach when it became aware he lied to his superiors about the NCAA scandal. You remember that fine, the one Gee assured the Columbus Dispatch in June that "he will pay it." Well, instead, now the school will pay Tressel $52,250 as part of what now will be known as a "retirement," rather than a resignation. That will surely show him!

Tressel made 3.6 million per year, and while OSU could have fired him with cause, the also fired Jim O'Brien with cause.

O'Brien fought it and he got paid a ton.

OSU changed his resignation to a retirement, waved the $250,000 fine, and paid him $52,000.

It was either that, or take a risk that the court system side with Tress, just like the did O'Brien, and end up paying JT somewhere between 3.6 and 10 million!!!

At a glance, yes it looks shady, but you must take the entire situation into perspective and realize why OSU has made this move. It is a great move!!!

[NYBuckeye96]

I hope the coming NCAA penalties doesn't set back the Ohio State program 5-10 years.

I really want to see the 12 team Big Ten step it up a notch. We need Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Nebraska to have dominating seasons in most years. We need Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan State to keep turning it up another notch. This all has to happen if the Big Ten is to compete with the SEC in terms of winning a comparable number of national championships.

With population shifts, I do worry if the Big Ten will be hurt in another 20 years or so down the road. Our states are not growing much at all, while the sunbelt keeps gaining in population. This will only help the SEC. The Big Ten is the only BCS conference without representation in the sunbelt.

If we do go to 16 team superconferences in the future, the SEC will have lots of top programs to pick from --- Miami, Florida State, possibly Texas A&M, etc. etc. The Big Ten does not have that luxury, other than Notre Dame. Of all the possibilities that have been mentioned for Big Ten expansion the past few years, none of those teams except Notre Dame and our new member Nebraska are big-time players in college football. Big Ten Network revenues would go up with some of those other schools, like a Rutgers or Missouri, but none are big-time college football programs.

The Big Ten is a better conference than the SEC overall, if you include the academic research money that flows to the schools, but I really want to see the Big Ten overtake the SEC in football.

[Orange and Brown]

It is time for the Bucks to clean house!

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

This stinks but itf you do the crime you must do the time,so to speak.

[noreply66]

The coach and the players that did wrong should pay not the rest of the players and fans.

Same at USC ---all those players are paying for one guys screw up.

[Blackjack]

This is a good move by the Buckeyes. The NCAA will accept and this will all be behind Coach Fickell. Big Ten Championship 2011. Go Bucks!!!!!!!!

[FANOSPORTS]

Everyone has known for the last couple months that the NCAA was probably at least going to make them forfeit last seasons games anyway so OSU jumped up and did it before the gauntlet came down. This might get the out of it but I wouldn't bet on it but we'll see come August 12th what the final repercussions will be.

[FANOSPORTS]

What did these self-serving guys do again? Is this still about tats for pants and the ensuing cover-up or did I miss something? If so, how did either wrong have any bearing on the outcome of a game, any game? How does what they did equate to the death penalty? I would be leading the bandwagon if a booster slipped a recruit a few grand to get him to sign and the coaches covered it up....But to give a team the death penalty over this is nothing more than a witch hunt....

Come on FIDO, you've seen the best over your lifetime OSU has to offer. I'd love to be your age because you were alive when the Bucks won their first title in 1942, you were in your teens when they won in 1954 and 1957, you got to see the powers that be not let them in the Rose Bowl in 1961 and were nearing your 30's when they ran the gamut in 1968. The 1969 loss to Michigan and the Rose Bowl loss to Stanford and Jim Plunkett after the 1970 season probably cost the Bucks two more titles. We'll try and forget Woody and Earle's losses to USC in the 1970's that busted up a couple more nat'l title chances. Cooper's recruits finally came around in 2002 with Tress leading the way for another title and they've had a couple chances since but lost to better teams both times. The college football gods have been good to OSU most of your life so maybe it's time to just set back and let the cards fall where they may. You've earned it and don't need to get stressed out over a little game called football.

[Peake]

I am willing to bet the bank OSU will not be able to play for a 2011 Big Ten Title.

[FANOSPORTS]

Hey, wait a minute now...Just hold on for a second...I remember listening to the BIG RED MACHINE on the radio as a kid but I ain't as old as you are making it sound!

............and I grew up a HUGE Notre Dame fan!! :12224 :12224 Still am!

I used to watch Notre Dame games on saturday on CBS and the replays on sunday morning with Lindsey Nelson and his wild psychedelic jackets doing the commentary. Of course that was back when they had real good football teams and when Digger shocked UCLA in a couple of upsets that broke winning streaks in basketball. Boy, that was a long time ago and I'd better quit while I'm ahead.

[seofan_via_dublin]

I am willing to bet the bank OSU will not be able to play for a 2011 Big Ten Title.

Thats the only way they won't be in the game!