Under the Bus--Again

[donovan]

Ohio State's Gene Smith is at it again....Are folks in Ohio clueless?

"Athletic director Gene Smith insisted at a news conference today that there was no “systemic” problem at Ohio State, which has admitted to having several players involved in NCAA violations the past 10 months.

He blamed it all on the athletes, former coach Jim Tressel and a booster who today 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 whether the latest violations will lead to more serious institutional charges of lack of 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.”

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/8019169-419/3-ohio-state-players-suspended-for-nebraska-game.html

[Spence]

It was the same guys who got in trouble before. But I agree with the Gene Smith thing. He needs fired. People gave Andy Geiger a hard time, but Geiger ran a tight ship. Guys broke the rules under Geiger, I don't think you can stop that, but Geiger didn' t let it slide. He handed out punishments and moved on. Gene Smith doesn't seem to want to pull the trigger until someone finds out about it.

This effectively ends this season for Ohio State - not that it shouldn't. I don't think Ohio State can really move beyond this until Smith is gone. And they need to move forward now so they can look to the future.

[GoBoilers]

2 points. I think I understand what he is trying to really say. We as individuals are responsible for our actions BUT, when you are in charge someone has to have controls and that is waht he is denying. Off with his head!

[Spence]

The kids are responsible for their own actions, that is true, but the AD is responsible for knowing what is going on and this could have been checked. Both Smith and the head of compliance should be gone tomorrow.

[billybud]

Not systemic?

Systemic relates to a system rather than an individual part. I see a systemic problem in the OSU compliance program. Failure to monitor at the very least.

An attempted spin to make it the coach's fault, not the system....Donovan had it right...the under the bus strategy.

[Vileborg]

If the kids had made $50,000 over the summer working I could understand. They made $15.00/h working at a car wash and working with scrap metal. Scrap Metal is heavy and needs a strong back, and a car wash with athletes is a money making machine. I bet that car wash never did more business than when they were working. The amounts in the allegations are a joke as well.

I know only the rich make $15.00/h in Ohio, but still it's well below the poverty level everywhere else but Ohio. You know at $15.00/h you qualify for housing assistance and welfare programs in VA?

Anyway, OSU does seem to have a problem with Athletes walking around with their hand out. Institutional control involves the school being able to handle control of it's students and the school doesn't seem very capable at the moment. If I were the institution I'd run everyone out of Columbus and start fresh. Yes, we have succumb to the almighty dollar but as the last bastion of integrity and moral fiber, in a world already sold out for the bottom line, let us at least preserve the last pure thing in this world. Wall Street may have sold out Main St but that doesn't give us the right to sell out on the academic future of our children. Our institutions need to stand up and say "We are an institution of higher learning and education. We are the sculptors who mold the future of this country and we must mold them into artworks of integrity and intellect. We are educators first and that is our prime directive."

[RazorHawk]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011 ... oosin.html

A different Under the Bus.

[Vileborg]

Nope that's Nutt driving the short bus as usual.

[Dossenator]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/houston_nutt_whitehead_choosin.html

A different Under the Bus.

How I was ever fooled by that man is beyond me.

[RazorHawk]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/houston_nutt_whitehead_choosin.html

A different Under the Bus.

How I was ever fooled by that man is beyond me.

it's called Kool-aid.

[GoBoilers]

Nope that's Nutt driving the short bus as usual.

Maybe the other school paid more! That is logical. How much is a CB worth?

[WoVeU]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/houston_nutt_whitehead_choosin.html

A different Under the Bus.

Can somebody get the brother some Pamprin.

[WoVeU]

Not systemic?

First words out of my mouth! You can have 15 students guilty of things and (perhaps) conclude it not systemic (of a form, not that I would support said argument.) But you can't have several students (all of the same type components), and the coach, AND a booster. You just can't lawyer it that far!

[Spence]

I'm hoping they blow it all up. It's time. Not just at Ohio State, but everywhere. This culture where school administration and employees get tunnel vision about all the crap going on until something happens that make them not be able to ignore it. It is time for only kids who can make it in college get scholarships. It is time for the cover to come off college sports and it is way past time that AD's, coaches, presidents, and other school employees take their blinders off and make rules that can be enforced. It is way past time for schools to disassociate themselves with boosters or at the very least keep boosters away from the athletes completely. It isn't time, it is way past time. Hopefully Ohio State is the first domino, hopefully the NCAA infractions commitee doesn't bow to pressure. Hopefully they blow it all up and hopefully Ohio State is the one who forces the cover of the whole thing. The whole 5.64 billion dollar farce.

[WoVeU]

I agree. And I think they are trying to tighten the ship across the board. Well it would seem that way, for the NCAA to be picking up on some of the smaller stuff that is out there (unless that is the intended smoke.) But I can't see them blowing things up enough to endanger their cash cow. And I only see the scholarship of athletes declining. With the Gov directly controlling student loans they will have even more unqualified "students" in college. It will water down the top even more and will surely widen and deepen the bottom.

I took two cars to be inspected last Saturday morning. I took one and my son drove "his". The guy had entered my car and told me it would be $14.50. I informed the other was on my dime too. He fumbled around for a while...after a few minutes I realized he had finally retrieved his calculator. 20 seconds later he told me it would then be $29.00. I know we have always had those lesser skilled in math among us. But 25 years ago, you couldn't find a cashier who couldn't readily calculate 2 x 14.5! I see this too often. And let me note, I held my tongue. But laughed and shook my head real good as I pulled away.