More Ohio State: Released Tressel Texts Reveal Extensive Contact With Pryor's Mentors
By Ty Duffy
Ohio State AD Gene Smith contacted neither Sarniak nor Cicero. He had one text message exchange with Pryor, after the decision to extend Tressel’s suspension to five games.
Both had “personal” calls and texts – Tressel (13 percent) and Smith (20 percent) – redacted.
So why do we care? Well, the revelations buttress what will be Ohio State’s claim, it was Tressel’s fault. He understood the ramifications of what happened and kept it from the NCAA and the university. He acted alone, tried to handle things himself and knowingly fielded ineligible players last season. Under that scenario Tressel would receive a harsh penalty, potentially a show cause. Ohio State would vacate wins and get off relatively lightly, as unwitting victims.
More significant for the Buckeyes moving forward will be the results of the investigations into the cars and the apparent pattern of tattoo bartering and whether Ohio State’s handling of either or both warrant the NCAA dropping the “lack of institutional control” hammer. There rests the fate of the football program and, conceivably, seven-figure AD Gene Smith’s job.
[Photo via Getty]