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发帖数: 764 | 1 Ohio State University is potentially facing the most severe NCAA penalties
to its storied football program as punishment for coach Jim Tressel's
failure to disclose his knowledge of violations and use of ineligible
players during this past season.
In a "notice of allegations" given to Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee on
Friday and obtained by The Dispatch, the NCAA accused Tressel of dishonesty
for hiding violations by seven current and former players who sold awards
and equipment to a tattoo-parlor owner.
Ohio State, however, was not cited for "failure to monitor" or "failure of
institutional control" violations, which would likely lead to the harshest
of penalties. Such penalties are typically imposed when a university's
compliance program is weak.
"That was very significant," a source close to the investigation told The
Dispatch today.
Ohio State released this statement today: "The allegations are largely
consistent with what the university self-reported to the NCAA on March 8. ..
. The university will continue to work cooperatively with the NCAA during
the response phase to the NCAA that now begins, and will have no further
comment until the process is completed."
The best-case scenario for Ohio State is the NCAA accepting the university's
self-imposed sanctions on Tressel, which include a $250,000 fine and five-
game suspension. The worst-case scenario is a range of sanctions that could
prevent the Buckeyes from playing in the Big Ten Championship and a bowl
game next season and strip OSU of last year's victories and Big Ten title.
Ironically, Ohio State's Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas in January would
stand because the NCAA had restored the eligibility of quarterback Terrelle
Pryor and five others who sold memorabilia.
The NCAA warned that it could treat Ohio State as a repeat offender stemming
from the violations involving former quarterback Troy Smith, who took $500
from a booster and former men's basketball coach Jim O'Brien, who gave $6,
000 to a recruit.
That finding is the most damning and potentially most damaging because
repeat offenders face post-season bans, the entire coaching staff could be
suspended and the school could lose scholarships, according to NCAA rules.
"It was reported that Jim Tressel, head football coach, failed to deport
himself in accordance with the honesty and integrity normally associated
with the conduct and administration of intercollegiate athletics and
violated ethical-conduct legislation," the 13-page NCAA document says.
The NCAA notice of allegations is the document that spells out the charges
against the university. It lists what violations the NCAA has found in its
initial investigation and seeks additional information from the university.
In this case, the NCAA wants Ohio State to explain, among other things, the
school's ties to Columbus attorney Christopher Cicero, who sent the first
email to Tressel alerting him of player involvement with the tattoo parlor
operator, and with Ted Sarniak, a Jeannette, Pa., businessman and mentor to
Pryor.
The NCAA also wants a copy of the Dec. 7 letter sent to Ohio State from the
U.S. Department of Justice reporting it had seized OSU memorabilia in a drug
investigation. That letter triggered the university's investigation into
the matter and ultimately the discovery on Jan. 23 that Tressel knew of
violations involving his players.
The NCAA alleges that:
>> Tressel was guilty of ethical misconduct when he knowingly provided false
information to the NCAA in certifying that he knew of no potential
violations by his players and failed to inform OSU officials.
>> Ohio State fielded ineligible players last season when starting
quarterback Terrelle Pryor and others competed despite Tressel's knowledge
of their misconduct. NCAA bylaws call for immediate suspensions.
The NCAA said that Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams, Solomon
Thomas and Jordan Whiting will not face further punishment. They have been
suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season.
The NCAA letter details what those five current players and one former
player did: Improperly sold Big Ten championship rings, "gold pants" charms
from Michigan wins, game-worn equipment and other items to tattoo-parlor
owner Ed Rife for $9,480.
Players, whose names were redacted by Ohio State citing a federal privacy
law, also received 13 free or discounted tattoos. In addition, one player
received a $2,420 discount toward the purchase of a used vehicle from Rife,
as well as an $800 loan for vehicle repairs, the NCAA reported.
Tressel knew that at least two players were selling memorabilia or football
awards to Rife. Those transactions made the players ineligible to compete
under NCAA rules, the letter states.
However, Tressel never reported the violations to OSU officials and
certified to the NCAA he was unaware of any potential problems.
Tressel said he never informed his Ohio State superiors of the misconduct by
his players because he feared for their safety amid an April 2, 2010 e-mail
from Cicero reporting that they were selling memorabilia a tattoo parlor
under investigation for suspected drug dealing. Rife has not been charged
with any crime related to these incidents.
Tressel also said that Cicero requested that the information be kept
confidential and the coach said he did not want to take any action that
might interfere with the federal investigation. The suspect has not been
charged with any offense.
The allegation that Tressel lied to the NCAA is significant. Since 2006, the
NCAA has sanctioned 28 schools for violating the ethics bylaw that Tressel
did. Of the 13 head coaches involved, only one kept her job. The others
either resigned or were fired by their schools.
Since 2004, four universities that are part of the Football Bowl
Championship division were penalized by the NCAA for allowing ineligible
players to participate in games and for being repeat offenders.
Alabama (football), South Alabama (men's tennis), Arkansas (track) and
Southern California (football) each had to vacate all victories in which the
ineligible athletes competed. All were placed on probation, but only
Southern California was banned from post-season competition.
Tressel, Gee, athletic director Gene Smith and others are being asked to
meet with the NCAA infractions committee on Aug. 12 in Indianapolis. At the
hearing, OSU will answer questions and explain itself. At some point after
that, the NCAA will rule on the ultimate punishment.
In addition to stripping Ohio State of its wins from 2010, NCAA rules allow
the organization to reduce the number of football scholarships OSU can award
and forbid Ohio State from participating in any Big Ten championship game
or post-season bowl game. |
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