Ohio State University Investigation
Media reaction from the Ohio St. ruling
I chuckle at the feigned outrage we now see from some in the press now that other schools are in the NCAA's cross hairs.
Sadly, some of these people still get wrong when it comes to USC.
Mark Schlabach (on Twitter) and Adam Rittenberg (on his Big 10 Blog), both of ESPN, said that USC didn't cooperate with the NCAA. That is a clear falsehood showing that neither Schlabach or Rittenberg ever read the NCAA's report....it is right there on page 57. USC did cooperate, and you can bet your next paycheck that the NCAA would have loved to nail USC for a lack of cooperation.
The open defiance of Mike Garrett and the head in the sand stance by Steven Sample is seen by many misinformed as being uncooperative. That is a narrative not based in fact. Neither Garrett or Sample are mentioned in the report.
Here are what some others have said in the past 24 hours...
Breathe, USC fans, breathe.
In fact, I'd suggest you ignore what happened Tuesday with Ohio State and its slap on the wrist from the NCAA for a massive systemic breakdown and a coverup by head coach, Jim Tressel.
Yes, when you hold up the Ohio State case and the USC case, it's impossible not to conclude the Ohio State case was far more severe. It was, of course, without question. No informed, objective person believes differently.[...]
Adopting a placid pose — at least as best as you can — will be good practice for handling potentially more infuriation ahead. The NCAA also likely will give even worst upcoming cases — North Carolina and the University of Miami at Paul Dee — less severe penalties than it gave USC.
Why? Because the NCAA treated USC unfairly — everybody in college sports knows this — and it likely won't revisit such irrational harshness. In the end, the justification for such severe penalties, meted out in contrast to past precedent, was little more than "just because."
Miller has been the only voice of reason from the beginning in all of this.
Others have jumped on the band wagon of late, but Ted Miller was front and center from the moment these penalties were handed down.
Alex Holmes rips the NCAA
You gotta love it when a member of the Trojan family has no problem letting fly....(you takin' notes Reggie)
Alex Holmes found out about the NCAA's sanctions involving Ohio State via Twitter early Tuesday afternoon. He was baffled. And pissed.
"I just don't get it," Holmes said after reading that the Buckeyes will be docked nine scholarships and must endure a one-year postseason ban. Ousted head coach Jim Tressel will be under a five-year show-cause penalty. "I don't understand the NCAA's logic."
Obviously, Holmes a vested interest because he played and his brother Kaled currently plays for USC.
But even the most biased person can see the irregularities in the NCAA's rulings.
FIGHT ON ALEX!
The Ohio State Investigation: Daniel Herron and DeVier Posey go back for seconds...
News broke earlier today that a couple of players who were suspended in the memorabilia-for-tatoo's incident in December were also involved in what could be called a pay for a "no show" job scheme in March of this year.
Last year's leading rusher, Daniel Herron, and the top returning receiver, DeVier Posey, along with offensive lineman Marcus Hall will not be permitted to play when the Buckeyes play at No. 14 Nebraska on Saturday.
Athletic director Gene Smith insisted at a Monday afternoon news conference that there was no "systemic" problem at Ohio State, which has admitted to having several players involved in different NCAA violations over the past 10 months.
He blamed it all on the athletes, former coach Jim Tressel and a booster who on Monday was banned from further contact with the Buckeyes.
"These failures are individual failures: failures of individual athletes, and as you know unfortunately a previous coach, and a booster," Smith said when asked if the latest violations will lead to more serious charges of lack of institutional control and failure to monitor from the NCAA. "So it's not a systemic failure of compliance. I'm optimistic and I'm confident that we will not have those charges."
I have to admit that I was pretty surprised when this story broke earlier today.
It is pretty clear that these guys could not care less about the rules. I mean they are already suspended and take money for a no show job?
Talking about the NCAA with the Buckeye Battle Cry
Aside from some history on the field, USC and Ohio State are part of another club...
Both schools have been investigated by the NCAA.
We have documented USC's story here on CC repeatedly. I have also tried to keep up with the Ohio State situation. I have tried to be fair in discussing the goings on in Columbus but I am sure to the outsider a number of my rants have come off as bitter or whiny.
That's fine, people are entitled to their opinion.
The only thing I have ever wanted to see was a consistent NCAA with their rulings. In the grand scheme of things I really couldn't care less about tOSU. We have beat them on the field...and I give them credit for even accepting the home-and-home. They are one of the few big time schools that weren't afraid to play USC over the past decade or so.
All that aside the one thing that doesn't change is that no matter what happens its the fans that always get the short end of the stick.
Yes, players who have nothing to do with infractions committed by other players who are no longer with the program take a hit, but they still get a free education and the chance to take their talents and turn them into something bigger.
The fans live and die with how their team prevails.
Earlier this year The guys at the BBC reached out to me to describe what to expect with all the NCAA madness. We had gone back and forth with emails as new developments came up...the dialog was pretty fluid.
I had known these guys from the past, when they were with SBN, before they decided to go the independent route, so when they asked me to do their podcast on the subject I heartily accepted.
I spent about an hour this past Sunday night answering their questions. In prepping for this podcast they sent me some questions so I could get a feel of where they wanted to go. It was a good exercise.
I was honest as I could be and tried to get the point across that my issues with the NCAA really have nothing to do with OSU just that there are some similarities and how OSU fans should not be surprised if they get blindsided by a runaway NCAA...
As is typical with me, once they started asking questions I couldn't shut up.
These gents were tremendous hosts.
So, here is the link...it is long, but I hope it is informative.
A big thanks to the BBC for letting me pontificate!
Enjoy.

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