Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel addressed the media earlier today as the Buckeyes are set to begin spring practice, but The Vest will need more than camo helmets to dodge the inquiries about his program’s status with the NCAA. Ohio State stands to potentially be cited by the NCAA as a repeat violator, since Tressel didn’t disclose emails involving five of his players trading team memorabilia for tattoos, which is just classic American capitalism unless you’re a college kid that’s really good at football.
Tressel said he kept that information to himself and did not notify anyone from Ohio State or the NCAA to maintain confidentiality, as requested by the attorney who emailed him the details, and to preserve the sanctity of an ongoing federal investigation into the tattoo parlor where the players sold their team awards and received free tattoos.
“I probably, or definitely, didn’t move forward with this information to anyone simply because, in my mind, I couldn’t think as to who that best would be, with the seriousness of the emails and the confidentiality component,” Tressel said on March 8.
On Friday, the Columbus Dispatch, citing multiple sources, reported Tressel indeed forwarded the emails about Pryor to the player’s “mentor,“ 67-year-old Ted Sarniak, who owns a glass factory in Pryor’s home town.
Linebackers coach Luke Fickell will coach the team during Tressel’s five-game suspension. The question remains: Once the dust settles, will it be worth keeping Tressel in Columbus? Hey, all the guy did was not rat out his players. And win another Big Ten title. And pound Michigan to a pulp again. Tressel could lead a Nazi march down High Street and keep his job as long as he keeps winning.
