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,"Â 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.
THESE BOYS HAVE BEEN CHEATIN IT UP FOR WHILE. I WANT TO SEE THIS PROGRAM CLEANED UP!!!
Go Bucks. They had every right to sell that crap- this makes no sense to me. The NCAA cannot dictate what personal belongings can be sold by players- pretty sure this isn't stipulated in any contractual agreement or otherwise. This will be appealed, and the appeal will probably be successful.
It is spelled out in their scholarship agreement. It says that you cannot sell, barter or trade anything given to you by the university, conference, NCAA or anyone affiliated with these.
So why were they not suspended for the bowl game?? Dumb question, it's too importatn that they play THAT game.
They should be suspended for the sugar bowl because they can go pro next year and will never get their punishment
This program is dirty, dirty, dirty!!!!!
You wonder what else he is hiding behind that sweater....
I agree I think this program should be investigated a lot deeper. I bet they would find a lot of things that don't add up.
Well they rumor was that they traded autographs for tattos. But now they are saying they sold big 10 championship rings, letter mans etc... BUt how can you tell a person they can not sell their own belongings?
first, keep in mind that this is cnn, not espn or sports illustrated. they really know squat about sports and are probably just reporting what comes off the ap wire.
my bigger issue is if these players did something wrong, then why aren't the suspensions immediate? why are they allowed to play in their bowl game? because it's all about money. i agree with previous posts, the NCAA is the most corrupt sports organization in the u.s. universities are reaping millions of dollars off these kids' efforts. i know they get scholarships to pay for their college ride, but what the schools get in return far exceeds what they give to the players. the NCAA is essentially a minor league, professional feeder organization for the NFL.
Uh oh... Don't look know, but they have been caught.
We finally got caught for cheating.. DANG
I wish we hadn't been caught. Now our program is down the tubes.
Who can we recruit now? This is bad for us.
oh you fancy huh?
I think we've been cheating for awhile, but now the spotlight will be on us and we'll be forced to close down like SMU – Too Bad for us.
College football has now surpassed boxing as the most corrupt sport around. Pay offs, crooked agents, special benefits to athletes not to mention the BCS honks. What a waste of time.
Sucks that they'd be willing to part with items that signify such a big event in their life. If I had a Big Ten championship ring, or something of that nature, I wouldn't sell it for anything in the world!
The overall problems in so many arenas today are dishonesty and greed and that we've actually been reduced to even have to read about/consider/debate idiotic technicalities. Wrong really is wrong.
The NCAA is one of the most petty organizations I have heard of.