Bob Hannons letter to the editor

[penguinpower]

Perhaps Tressel told the AD what was going on, but the AD is trying to keep the investigation at the FB level.  What is really strange here is that the President of the university made a comment that he hopes Tress doesn't fire him......mmmmm.........something smells a little fishy.  If the AD gets dragged into this, then the door gets opened for an investigation on the entire athletic department.

Something in the story doesn't make sense to me........especially the way that the situation was initially handled by the athletic department.  

ESPN hates Ohio State and most of the Big 10.  They promote the SEC because they have the TV contract with them.  This makes them hate the buckeyes even more (large following on their own network).  Everyone else is doing their own network thing.......and if they aren't yet it is in the plans.....so its ESPN against anyone that doesn't sign a TV contract with them.  I sent Mark Schlabaugh an email because he was making fun of the student athletes at Ohio State(totally unprofessional bashing of the kids).  I asked him why does ESPN hate OSU so much, and he responded that no one likes the Ohio State and that since they are the big boys of the Big 10 they need to deal with it.  What do you mean no one likes OSU?  You mean ESPN managment doesn't like OSU and you bash them to get your pitiful raise.  What about Scam Newton?  There was actually bribery involved there....but again.........SEC =no story.  In the SEC if you aint cheatin, you aint tryin.  Can you imagine the Press OSU would have gotten if they would have lost to Utah in a bowl game?  Alabama did the year before last with Saben at the helm, but no big deal.  Truely not fair what they are doing to Tressel when you look at the situation.  All ESPN does is sensationalize bullsh**.

Where there is money there is corruption.  When you conceptually think about what happened it is really stupid.  Don't let ESPN make you think that he did a "Terrible" thing.  Tressel got a call from a guy that informed him that he had some kids that were hanging around shady people so he called one of the kids mentors in an attempt to give the kid a chance to size up his situation..  He didn't notify the NCAA until after a federal investigation caught the main guy and detained him.  Then he came clean with the info when the guy couldn't retaliate.  What a terrible, terrible crime.  What a F-ing joke ESPN and the NCAA are..  i will tell you that I would not have informed the NCAA when I think about the situation had my kid been involved.  The less people that know, the better the chances that the criminal doesn't catch wind, or better yet the ESPN spin machine............at least until the criminal is captured.

Connect the dots damnit!

[IAA Fan]

Good synopsis power. I might add that the administration was informed by the time of the investigation. As to OSU & ESPN ...ESPN attacked coach T (low brow attack toward religion and ethics), this was followed up with ESPN Game Day being told to cover Boise State on rivalry day (it may have been Oregon vs. OSU they covered instead), when they had plans to cover OSU vs. Mich.

THAT WAS IT. OSU challenged and ESPN saw that they were not the ultimate power, and will do anything they can to prove that they are. We all know their money talks. Honestly, ESPN has backed off quite a bit in recent years, in terms of the broadcast negativity ...probably because they want to keep their most popular college ball commentator ...a Buckeye himself. However, their useless columnists are still the "minions of doom". I will also admit, that although it was not much in terms of quantity, ESPN did give YSU some solid coverage in the past.

[YSU45]

Gene Smith is the "snake" in all of this!!

[ItalianPenguin]

Special thanks go to penguinpower and the true voice of reason, 1AA fan, for exposing the real culprit in this mess--- ESPN.

[YSUGO]

Sadly, the 5 culprits (athletes} that sold and traded {their stuff} will ruin JT's legacy, regardless if he stays or goes.  Yes JT made a poor judgement call to protect his family "(football team}, which any good parent would do.  The players arent saints, JT isnt a Saint , and the more how i see the NCAA operates they arent Saints, as well as the corrupt BCS.  I do agree with Penguinpower, ESPN is biased and have no creditabilty when it comes to college football.  They are the voice of the SEC.  The Auburn mess should prove it. Why no deluge of ESPN reporters on the Auburn campus when Cam Newton was exposed as the fraud that he is? But when the Clarett thing went down they looked every nook and crannie to paint a picture that OSU and JT are gangsters, thugs, and snake oil salesman.  They never tried to espose the coach at USC after the Bush scandal, gave Bowden a free pass as well.  Oregons trouble is hush, hush as well, with the recruiting service scandal.  Thats because whose one of the biggest advertisers Nike...Oregons biggest monetary booster connect the dots . The money trail is there. ESPN in my opinion is a joke.

[penguinpower]

IP- what is your point?  What I'm saying is that there are clear agendas with ESPN. Do you really believe that Tressel commited a crime?  ESPN is sensationalizing an event that shouldn't even be news at the expense of a person. Just like the Nazi SS.....propaganda spin machine. The whole topic is a non-news issue. Tell me if you believe that student athletes across all of the universities in America are better than the ones at OSU. You are dealing with a social problem across the US. Tell me that this doesn't occur at other universities.  Tressel is a FB coach, not the kids parents. But all college coaches are responsible for the kids they recruit. Why?  They are adults aren't they?  But he takes care of his family there as well as what he did here. Did he commit a crime?  I think not. If your child was involved, would you want ESPN telling everyone the situation while the criminal drug dealer was free to retaliate?

I am calling it as I see it and I have data to back up my response.

[ItalianPenguin]

What does ESPN, the SEC, or Cam Newton have to do with Tressel trying to cover-up and lie to the NCAA about the players. Whatever bias ESPN may have against O$U, real or perceived, doesn't alter the facts. He lied to the NCAA. And they don't like that. I am a Tressel fan as well (certainly not as fanatical as some of you), but the facts are the facts.

[guinpen]

Give me a break, ESPN, SEC, Auburn, Alabama, he is a nice guy, he is a good coach, he did not commit a crime, he is not a saint, he made a bad decision, he broke a rule, he lied, he is a big boy, he will pay the price, life will go on.

[nova75]

The "agenda" is that they enjoy reporting dirt on a coach and program that paints themselves as above all of the crooked nonsense. If he was truly scared for his players' safety he would have hired them security. The only thing he was scared of was losing the Sugar Bowl.

When you act like you are running a clean program and like you are an innocent schoolboy, you better be prepared for the onslaught when something happens, no matter how minor it is. The other programs avoid it because their coahes don't act like they are innocent kids. Everyone knows they are all crooked.

[IAA Fan]

What does ESPN, the SEC, or Cam Newton have to do with Tressel trying to cover-up and lie to the NCAA about the players. Whatever bias ESPN may have against O$U, real or perceived, doesn't alter the facts. He lied to the NCAA. And they don't like that. I am a Tressel fan as well (certainly not as fanatical as some of you), but the facts are the facts.

I never said that it did not matter, or that coach T did not cover up. The topic rolled toward ESPN, and I told what I thought started it all. Has nothing to do with ghetto kids that should be in some other venue (aside from college) in an attempt to play in the NFL. Neither does it change the fact that ESPN is what ESPN is (ABC, and in control).

This all makes a huge difference IP, and ESPN is a "major" player in the direction this will go. The members of the NCAA do not sit in a closet all day, and come out when called upon to administrate. They sit in that closet and watch ESPN all day, just as politician's pay teams of people to watch the news, read newspapers, and scour the internet for them. Since there is only one real sports channel ...their opinion very much matters ...and they take advantage of it..

[Wick250]

About 20% of the population of the Mahoning Valley still thinks that convicted felon, Jim Traficant, is not a criminal, and that he was "set up" by sinister forces, namely "the government."  Now in no way am I suggesting that Jim Tressel has the same moral character as Traficant, but the popular reaction to both men is similar.  People have the ability to suspend reality when it conflicts with their belief system.

[HLecter]

I 'm feeling sorry for Mr. Tressel.  To compete at the highest level of Division 1 football both FCS and FBS you're forced to play dirty politics and turn a blind eye to the NCAA and its rules to be in the top tier.  Tress got caught, lied end of story.   He'll pay.  Who know how bad it will be but I'm sure it may be as bad as costing him his job as the HC at The Ohio State.    I'm hoping for the best for Tress and his family.  Bottom line: The new way of doing business and NCAA football needs to be addressed.

Right on Red!  Let whatever college coach is without sin cast the first stone.

A monthly stipend for college athletes would be a good first step.

[HLecter]

Sadly, the 5 culprits (athletes} that sold and traded {their stuff} will ruin JT's legacy, regardless if he stays or goes.  Yes JT made a poor judgement call to protect his family "(football team}, which any good parent would do.  The players arent saints, JT isnt a Saint , and the more how i see the NCAA operates they arent Saints, as well as the corrupt BCS.  I do agree with Penguinpower, ESPN is biased and have no creditabilty when it comes to college football.  They are the voice of the SEC.  The Auburn mess should prove it. Why no deluge of ESPN reporters on the Auburn campus when Cam Newton was exposed as the fraud that he is? But when the Clarett thing went down they looked every nook and crannie to paint a picture that OSU and JT are gangsters, thugs, and snake oil salesman.  They never tried to espose the coach at USC after the Bush scandal, gave Bowden a free pass as well.  Oregons trouble is hush, hush as well, with the recruiting service scandal.  Thats because whose one of the biggest advertisers Nike...Oregons biggest monetary booster connect the dots . The money trail is there. ESPN in my opinion is a joke.

Speaking of "dots", I miss them in your post.

Don't let others on here cramp your style.

I have a fever for more dots.

[HLecter]

Give me a break, ESPN, SEC, Auburn, Alabama, he is a nice guy, he is a good coach, he did not commit a crime, he is not a saint, he made a bad decision, he broke a rule, he lied, he is a big boy, he will pay the price, life will go on.

Now THAT ^^^^^ is bottom-lining it.  Good Job.

[HLecter]

About 20% of the population of the Mahoning Valley still thinks that convicted felon, Jim Traficant, is not a criminal, and that he was "set up" by sinister forces, namely "the government."  Now in no way am I suggesting that Jim Tressel has the same moral character as Traficant, but the popular reaction to both men is similar.  People have the ability to suspend reality when it conflicts with their belief system.

Excellent!  And I think you will find it is more like 45%, sad as that is.