This blog is actually kind of a carry over of blogging that I was doing on Facebook via a group I started a few years ago. The revelations coming out about the Ohio State football program do not surprise me. I blogged on my Facebook group discussion board about three incidents of corruption last season including Scam Newton, the Tat 5, and LieMichael James.

Here are some excerpts from my posts on December 11, 2010 and January 4, 2011 in which I went off about the pay for play scandals and corruption:

"I believe that the pay for play and other back door deals are an extensive culture of NCAA football and sports."

"I got my hopes up...that the NCAA was finally cracking down on players and schools. However, it was mostly a song and dance to silence critics and in order for them to keep the corrupt system in place."

"Now, let me argue the case of the Tattoo 5. I keep hearing people say how it is their own items anyways. What the average person doesn't understand is that those items they sold were memorabilia and that by selling them they were making money off of their college football career which is an amateur sport...If players were allowed to sell their jerseys, signatures, rings etc then this would create an enormous loophole. What would keep a booster from saying to a recruit that hey if you come play here then I'll buy your jersey for $50,000 after every game?"

With more and more coming out about Ohio State, what I said then is starting to make a lot of sense. A report from SI reveals more than the "investigations" by the school.

This is from the SI piece that I read on ESPN College Football Nation Blog:

"Ellis estimates that Pryor alone brought in more than 20 items, ­including game-worn shoulder pads, multiple helmets, Nike cleats, jerseys, game pants and more. One day Ellis asked Pryor how he was able to take so much gear from the university's equipment room. Ellis  says the quarter­back responded, "I get whatever I want.""

Some of the other key points from the SI report also on ESPN College Football Nation Blog:

"Writers George Dohrmann and David Epstein paint the memorabilia sales among players as a systematic problem at Ohio State. It certainly calls into question athletic director Gene Smith's claim that the sales involving Pryor and the others were isolated. Ohio State's brief investigation into the memorabilia sales in December also looks shaky."

One part of the SI report that is sure to make Tressel look like a real weasel is that he "rigged raffles" in order for "elite players" to win. Otherwise, he's being accused of cheating people out of raffle tickets. Unfortunately, I still expect more media revelations of college football corruption to keep popping up throughout the sport. The NCAA or other powers at be need to seriously investigate and crackdown on violators. College football is too passionate and great to be brought down by a bunch of cheats.
 
Here is the link to "SI Report could impact OSU's 2011 depth" on ESPN College Football Nation Blog: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/42630/si-report-could-impact-osus-2011-depth

Here is the link to the full report on SI.com:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/magazine/05/30/jim.tressel/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t11_a3

Here is the link to my posts on the Facebook group discussion board that is being archived: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=145394290824&v=app_2373072738&ref=ts#!/topic.php?uid=145394290824&topic=18852

I just wanted to do a quick update about Tressel. I blogged a few days ago that he should be suspended for five games and it looks as though he agrees. He will now be suspended five games upon his own request to Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith. However, the NCAA still has not ruled on the violations. Will they come down harder on him or be content with the current punishment?

Jim Tressel deserves much more than a slap on the wrist for his neglect. He only received a two game suspension (Akron & Toledo) and a fine from Ohio State for withholding information of possible violations by players. The current punishment is a mere publicity stunt by Gene Smith, OSU Athletic Director, to give the appearance that coach Tressel has been disciplined.

At least that's the only conclusion that makes any sense. The punishment is so weak it is almost an insult to college football. Five Ohio State players including star quarterback Terrell Pryor have already received five game suspensions for the 2011 season for receiving improper benefits. The same improper benefits that Tressel did not disclose the full truth about when asked multiple times. He failed to report emails that notified him before the season of players possibly participating in bad behavior that could result in NCAA violations. 

Coach Tressel knew all along during the 2010 season that there was a strong possibility some of his players committed infractions. However, he decided to either lie or withhold information when asked about it by officials. Dez Bryant, former Oklahoma State wide receiver, became ineligible to play the rest of the season in 2009 after only playing three games for basically lying to the NCAA. There has clearly been a recent precedent for sitting players for more games. Will the NCAA step in and increase the two game suspension of a big time coach?

As in the words of Jim Tressel, “the most pathetic thing is a leader looking for self-pity.” The NCAA should also not look for pity. A five game suspension would seem more publicly acceptable and deter other coaches from withholding information. College football needs more than publicity stunts