Six student-athletes on The Ohio State University football team have been suspended for NCAA violations, the school said Thursday.
Mike Adams, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Terrelle Pryor (pictured above) and Solomon Thomas will miss the first five games of the 2011 season and must repay money and benefits, the school said.
A sixth player, Jordan Whiting, must sit out the first game, the NCAA determined.
According to a university press release, as part of the players' reinstatement:
– Pryor must repay $2,500 for selling his 2008 gold pants, which were a gift from OSU, his 2008 conference championship ring and his 2009 Sportsmanship Award from the Fiesta Bowl.
– Adams must repay $1,000 for selling his 2008 Big Ten title ring.
– Herron must repay $1,150 for selling his football jersey, pants and shoes and accepting discounted services.
– Posey must repay $1,250 for selling his 2008 conference championship ring and accepting discounted services.
– Thomas must repay $1,505 for selling his 2008 gold pants, his conference title ring and accepting discounted services.
– Whiting must pay $150 to a charity "for the value of services that were discounted," the press release said.
The punishments stem from an incident in which at least some of the Buckeye players received tattoos for their autographs, according to news reports.
Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs, said the penalties were “significant" and "based on findings and information provided by the university.”
Gene Smith, associate vice president and director of athletics at Ohio State, said at a press conference that the university will appeal the penalties, with hopes of getting the number of game suspensions reduced. Smith also said the university will do more to educate its student-athletes about the rules.
"After going through this experience," Smith said, "we will further enhance our education for all our student-athletes as we move forward.”
The student-athletes will be eligible to play in the AllState Sugar Bowl on January 4 against the Arkansas Razorbacks, the university said.
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I think that's the only way OSU can win. With all that snow in the Midwest who would want to go to that school unless you were paid.
Yeah that makes a lot of sense considering the vast majority of the roster is Ohio boys.
You are an idiot! One of the elite schools in ALL college sports!!!
Elite school in college sports. LOL. thats funny. they have such an easy schedule and lose their *** off when they play a good team in a bowl game. Elite. ha!!
They have a winning record in BCS games. And have played in more BCS games than any other school! Moron
They were not paid, they earned the big ten ring and the golden pants.
scott- very dumb comment coming from an SEC fan.
Not only does the school attract great players with their years of great tradition, but they also have top flight educational programs with all the resources a student or student-athlete would need.
I love how they will miss the first 5 games of NEXT season, but not the all precious BOEL game coming up.....Ridiculous, this is all about the ncaa and their greed. If they were truly upset and felt that the players did wrong, they would suspend them immediately and make them miss the Bowl game and make their team suffer as well for their wrongs. Obviously the ncaa motto is 'Money talks and cheaters walk'
Agreed!
Didn't FSU suspend half their players for the motor city bowl and a some for the fist two or three games the next year due to the music course online test cheating a couple years back at the insistence of the NCAA? Seems odd the bowl game isn't included here. maybe they were given the option of setting out the bowl game in place of fewer games next year and they simply chose to sit out the games next year. Really confusing how the NCAA determines penalties. appears to be no consistency. Depends upon the NCAA's mood toward the school in question.
You hit the nail on the head with this comment. And these rules are ridiculous, so these players can't sell items that belong to them? That's absurd.
OSU did suspend them for the bowl game. It was the NCAA who reinstated them for it. Foxsports . com's article says so
That was my first thought as soon as I read the headlines of the articel. The infraction happened in the 2010 season, they should have to sit out the bowl game and then the first four games of the new season (if the punishment was 5 games).
Im glad pryor got suspended. He needs a lesson in not selling gold pants. Gold pants are awesome and should be worn everywhere. Everyday I wear the gold pants I bought from Pryor. They look good but they are a little itchy....also a little baggy.
If they're willing to sell their gold pants and championship rings... we don't want them anyways... good luck in the draft, you won't go in the first 4 rounds...
dat de toof
Amen...they should have been kicked off the team for selling a Championship Ring and Gold Pants. They either have not learned the traditions or don't have any regard for the traditions. Pryor has talked about "building a legacy". Well I think we now know what that legacy is.
Before you feel sorry for the football players too much, just remember, they are being paid via university scholarships, room, board, and school supplies. That all amounts to over 50 grand a year. Not bad considering they are still in college.
Oh yeah, I guess you are right... no more feeling sorry for the student-athletes... you put me back in my place.
I feel sorry for those colleges and universities. Can you believe the nerve of these players? I mean, selling their own things to make some money?? How dare they! How dare they be free! Put ankle monitors on those players... bug their phones, take over their bank accounts, limit them, limit them, limit them.... CONTROL THEM.
Really though, it's just fun to chime in... I don't really care. I don't give any money to the whole mess.
50 grand a year is nothing compared to how much money they generate for their schools. NCAA sports are a joke. Just pay the kids what they are worth, that's how a free market economy is supposed to work.
I understand EXACTLY what you're saying...but when you weigh it against what the school and NCAA makes off them, it's pretty pathetic. I know rules are rules, but some of these young men go home to houses without food and utilities. How do you go from being adored on campus to a house with no heat. Those factors often play a role in their decision making. I'm not justifying it, I'm just playing devil's advocate. You never know what you'll do when you come home for the holidays and mother has NO food to fix a turkey dinner and your younger siblings that revere you have NOTHING to open on Christmas. I'm not talking about the greedy ones that sell their souls for new SUV's and big lump sums. I'm talking the ones that barely have clothes to wear outside their practice uniforms. I am an assistant basketball coach for an inner city high school and it breaks my heart to see what my kids go through. In fact, one was just evicted on Monday...so imagine this same fella being offered a thousand dollars. That's the difference to him of having somewhere to sleep for a couple months or NOT.
50 grand is a small price considering the fact that the University makes millions off of these student athletes...So it's okay for the University to sell their jerseys but if they sell their own stuff it's a violation??? The NCAA is a joke!!!!
Lol, 50k a year, not quite, maybe at a private school. In state you're looking at about 25k and 39k for out of state, and as people have already stated, the school makes alot more then that off of the football program.
FYI, if the players don't like the free room and board, they can go to the draft. The colleges give a lot more to the players then a scholarship and free room and board. They give them experience, so they can move on and become productive members of society. Good luck becoming that without your legal benefits, ie. education from your school.
College athletics is a multi-billion dollar business. Any amount the colleges spend on a student athlete is repaid many times over by the amount of money these kids earn for their school. Period.
I also don't see what's the big deal if a person chooses to sell his personal property. Does it make a difference if he does it while he's still in school or if he waits until he's 30?
Shame they weren't SEC student-athletes... their booster could pay their way out. Maybe one of their parents can take the blame and they can all be reinstated.
You sell your Championship ring you lack what it is to be a Champion anyway.
Exactly. Total lack of respect to even think about selling something like their Championship ring.
A Champion is FREE.
Anything less would be a SLAVE. So go back to following orders, ya jarhead! Unplug that computer and man this M60!
Long live WILLIAM WALLACE!
Semper Fi – While I am a die-hard Buckeye fan and this whole incident makes me sick...... I completely agree with you. How can a player sell those things they were rewarded with and earned during their season? To be a Buckeye, you have to uphold the highest of standards and this clearly is a serious lack of judgment and a very sad day.
I totally agree with your comment. An award is earned and it's a slap in the face of the school, the organization and to the fans of NCAA to sell these items. Some things are supposed to be priceless. Where's integrity here, oh yeah! it was never there.
Ain't THAT the truth!
Watch Terrelle leave OSU for the NFl draft. I don't think he is quite ready.
Agree
Hey, is Rich Rod the new coach at OSU?
No it's Tressel. If it was Rich, he'd have gotten reprimanded for his players stretching for 20 minutes before practice and his team would have gotten 3 years of reduced pratice time. Tressel can have players receive thousands of dollars in benefits, have it all be explained as due to "lack of education", and then have his player suspended for 5 games NEXT SEASON so they can play in their bowl game.
Rich can't do that. Tressel can.
Strange that the suspensions take place next year...funny that they can play in the bowl game.
Absoultely, CTN. Apart from the obvious, what is so magical about the bowl game that it is not under the umbrella of the 5-game span?
While we (the NCAA) can stop others from making money, they MUST fall in line and make us money! Let's not get this twisted ...
NCAA will continue to abuse student athletes and collect the money
So if you sell your championship ring before you leave school you get suspended, but if you sell it after you are OK. Makes sense.
good riddance
He also sold any chance at the Heisman for nothing extra. If he had just waited until next year he might have gotten a lot more for that.
Pryor never really had a shot at the Heisman anyway. He's good, but not that good.
Making $1,000 for selling your uniform gets you a 5 game suspension. Having your father receive $50,000+ to tell you where to go to shcool gets you a Heisman trophy.
War Cam Eagle...lol
Time to enter the Draft Pryor!!