In case you missed it during your Memorial day celebrations, one of the biggest programs in college football lost its head coach this weekend amidst a growing scandal that makes what happened with Reggie Bush at USC look tame by comparison. Jim “Sweatervest” Tressel of “THE” Ohio State University resigned on Monday hours ahead of the release of a damning article from Sports Illustrated revealing that the Buckeyes improper benefits problems went far beyond last seasons Tatoo Six. We allready knew that The Vest lied to NCAA investigators (and possibly tOSU adminstrators) about his knowledge of the players violations, but now we know that at least 28 players (possibly many more) have been doing the same thing for years. This isn’t even the first time that Tressel, so often lauded for traits of integrity and honesty, has been involved in such a scandal. During his tenure at Youngstown State similar problems emmerged, and just like this time Tressel’s excuse was “he didn’t know”. Did he really not know? We may never find out for sure, but given the recent revelations about what he DID know, it certainly casts doubt on the former coach’s claims doesn’t it?
What happens now? Buckeye assistant coach Luke Fickell has been named interim coach for the next season and speculation has, of course, allready begun as to who will become the next permanent coach with well known names such as Urban Meyer and Bo Pelini rising to the top of the list. But will either coach, or many others want to take over a program that is almost certain to be weighed down by major penalties for the forseeable future? Given that the NCAA recently denied USC’s appeal for a reduction of its penalties, leveled against a program where one player recieved benefits and one assistant coach was alleged to have known about it (but the evidence for it was incredibly weak), what will they do to a program where such violations are not a single incident but commonplace and spread out over many years, and in whcih we have clear evidence that the head coach knew about at the very least SOME of the incidents and did nothing about it? In a just and logical world the penalties would need to be much harsher, but how harsh can they be? 4 year bowl ban? 5 year scholarship reduction? I’d be shocked if the NCAA went so far as to try and impose the “death penalty” aka the shutdown of the Ohio State football program for any length of time. Such a move against one of college footballs most powerful and storied programs would be met with heavy resistence from the school, the community and fan base, and the Big Ten conference. If they tried that tactic, it could very well serve as a catylst for the defection of major conferences away from the NCAA (in football at least).
How harsh the NCAA finally decides to be, and whether that punishment will be commensurate with the crime and proportional to those handed out against USC will be a hotly anticipated topic of debate for the coming months. Safe to say that the atmosphere in Columbus is going to be anything but jovial in the days ahead.
Well, if they follow their precedent for SMU, it should be the death penalty. If the punishment is to be in any way relative to the on handed down to USC, it should be the death penalty. But I’m sure it will be a slap on the wrist because it is OSU.
If the punishment is not significantly greater than SC’s the Trojans should sue the NCAA. Even if its too late for a reduction in penatlies they should go for financial damages. Of course not being a laywer I don’t know what grounds they would have.
The NCAA is an illegal trust allowed to exist at the whim of congress, a failure of due process violates the terms under which the NCAA exists. Thus USC could demand a congressional investigation and possible elimination o the NCAA.