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ESPN catching on?

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Hurray for Fox for telling tOSU side of the story. :)

Ohio St. says it didn't sanction latest claims
Associated Press
Posted: 4 hours ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Claims by more former Ohio State football players that tutors wrote papers for them and fans arranged easy jobs don't indicate NCAA violations because the university didn't sanction or arrange the help, an athletics department spokesman said Friday.

Still, athletics director Andy Geiger told The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer newspaper that the university will seek to interview the players: Carolina Panthers wide receiver Drew Carter, former OSU linebacker Fred Pagac Jr. and former Buckeyes fullback Jack Tucker.
In an ESPN.com interview, the three backed up some of former tailback Maurice Clarett's allegations that players received improper benefits while on the team. They said tutors completed papers and other homework for players, and Carter said he received high pay for light jobs.

"There certainly is no allegation that any of whatever they claim they did or was done for others was arranged by us," Geiger told the newspaper Thursday. "I didn't see anything to worry about."

Messages seeking further comment were left Friday at Geiger's home and cellular phone by The Associated Press.

The NCAA and an outside consultant hired by the university investigated the allegations in its first investigation into benefits for Clarett, athletics department spokesman Steve Snapp said Friday.

"There's really nothing new there," he said. "We feel pretty confident that the results of that committee were accurate."
 
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The tide is turning to the Bucks favor. :)

The E in Espin equals Entertainment. :slappy: Go Gieger; Go Bucks :osu:

Columbus Dispatch
OSU football

Pagac says ESPN exaggerated his comments

Former Ohio State linebacker Fred Pagac Jr. was shocked to see in a story this week on ESPN.com that his comments were portrayed as corroborating earlier allegations by Maurice Clarett of improper conduct by coaches and administrators at the university.

Athletics director Andy Geiger told The Plain Dealer that the university will seek to interview the players who said that tutors wrote papers for them and fans arranged easy jobs: Carolina Panthers wide receiver Drew Carter, former OSU linebacker Fred Pagac Jr. and former Buckeyes fullback Jack Tucker.

Dayton Daily article on ESPN-gate*

COLUMBUS | Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger said the school is not in danger of being charged with NCAA violations, despite three more football players reporting academic fraud and payments from boosters.

Drew Carter, Jack Tucker and Fred Pagac Jr., all of whom left the program on good terms after completing their eligibility, told ESPN they were aware of tutors writing papers for football players while they played for the Buckeyes the last few seasons.

Carter, a rookie receiver for the Carolina Panthers, also said he was overpaid for an easy summer job, earning as much as $20 an hour for what he termed "nonstrenuous work."

But none of the players claimed that the coaching staff or athletic department played a part in their actions. And after poring over the story, Geiger said he found nothing that would implicate the school.

"There were no allegations of institutional involvement whatsoever," Geiger said. "That's not my violation. It's not the institution's violation. It's an attempt to smear with no facts."

Pagac's father was an OSU assistant football coach for 19 years. Tucker won academic All-Big Ten honors.

Previous reports by ESPN.com had cited sources that many considered unreputable, because Maurice Clarett and others involved had grudges against OSU. While the latest three players are considered more solid sources, Geiger said ESPN.com again failed to substantiate the claims.

"It's typical of the kinds of stories that have come out of ESPN," Geiger said. "They're all designed to get people to watch their television programs. They just throw something out there."

Geiger said the NCAA will be returning to complete its investigation, and the school would like to meet with the three players to address their allegations.

Geiger repeatedly has said the athletic department's compliance office easily meets NCAA standards for monitoring summer work.

"All of the jobs are registered," he said. "All of the employers are contacted. The rules are read. There's enormous institutional control, and I've been over that I don't know how many times.

"We do the best we can. We're always looking for ways to do it better. But we believe in our programs. I believe in our kids. We don't have renegade players, nor do I think we run a renegade program. I think it's a typical Big Ten football program."

Geiger doesn't deny that some boosters may require little of hired players. But he believes that says more about the parties involved than it does OSU.

"If guys didn't work very hard, I don't know what I can do about that," he said.

A report in the Columbus Dispatch on Friday also said that football players are being enrolled in remedial courses at a much higher rate than the rest of the student body.

The NCAA recognizes remedial courses when determining eligibility, but the classes can't be applied toward earning a degree.

The newspaper said 15.5 percent of the football team took remedial courses in the 2003-2004 school year, compared to 1.9 percent of nonplayers.

But Geiger pointed out that students place themselves in the program through pre-enrollment testing.

"We're recruiting guys that we hope can better themselves and make it through," Geiger said. "One of the things we do is give people an opportunity."

Contact Doug Harris at 225-2125.
 
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Man, if I was a player at OSU I would be PISSED at D Carter. The University will be forced to make these kids work at hard labor to earn their $20 per hour. The days of light work are finished. Might as well make them all sand dry wall.
 
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ESpin is getting its ass kicked. :slappy:

Pagac says ESPN exaggerated his comments
Ex-player says he didn’t support Clarett’s claims

Saturday, November 27, 2004
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Former Ohio State linebacker Fred Pagac Jr. was shocked to see in a story this week on ESPN.com that his comments were portrayed as corroborating earlier allegations by Maurice Clarett of improper conduct by coaches and administrators at the university.

"Whoever wrote that kind of made it seem like we were trying to bring the program down, and the coaches down; I think the caption was we were supporting Clarett’s allegations," Pagac said yesterday. "That’s not true at all.

"I had no comment on summer jobs, and money, and cars, and all that kind of stuff. And (the reporter) asked me about tutors and I pretty much made a comment about tutors in general; students, people helping out other people to get stuff done."

Tutors aren’t affiliated with the school.

"I wasn’t trying to support any allegations about tutors helping out football players to get through school and all that kind of stuff," Pagac said.

Former receiver Drew Carter also talked with ESPN. The story indicated that he not only got illicit academic help but that he and fellow players would help other players "hook up" with the right people to aid them, too.

"I just wanted to clarify that no tutor ever did my work," said Carter, who is with the Carolina Panthers and is currently rehabilitating a knee injury. "I worked hard. I worked hard for everything, and I’ve always done that.

"I’m mad that even came out. I can’t speak for my teammates, but I know what I did."

Carter refused to comment on other parts of the story, which indicated he also supported Clarett’s allegations of easy-money summer jobs, or that he was speaking out because athletics director Andy Geiger had referred to other former players who had been used by ESPN for corroboration as "colossal failures."

"I just want to stay away from talking about it any more because I’m mad at myself," Carter said. "I usually only speak for me."

If there were any illicit academic help being given players, Geiger has said recently, it was of their own volition. In the wake of a New York Times article the summer of 2003 that alleged preferential academic treatment for athletes by the school, Ohio State spent at least $100,000 on an in-house committee investigation, the results of which cleared it of wrongdoing.

"We are confident that the findings by that committee were accurate," athletics department spokesman Steve Snapp said yesterday.

Clarett, a running back on the 2002 national championship team, was suspended by the school in 2003 after an NCAA investigation into his amateur standing. Along with the allegations of academic misconduct, he said in an ESPN The Magazine article this month that coach Jim Tressel helped him get loaner cars, that other OSU coaches helped him find part-time jobs that required little or no work, and that he was given money by program boosters.

Pagac said he didn’t know what to make of it all.

"I couldn’t really tell if Maurice was telling the truth or not," he said. "But obviously I think coach Tressel is a standup guy, and I just have a hard time believing he would let that kind of stuff happen."


[email protected]
 
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I too am sick of it and ESpin as a whole. It would be great if one of are brilliant minds out there would devise a way that we can seriously hurt them. I would love for the entire BUCKEYE NATION to join together, become one, and call out the 900 lb. gorilla that calls itself a "sports news broadcasting company" .

I am not a lawyer but could there be any possible legal recourse. Maybe something similar to a class action law suite claiming intent to distort the truth with intent to harm the university, its staff , its alumni, and its fan base.

We need vigilance here folks. We need to answer their attack. If we do not, it will just fade away without ESpin being held accountable. Then not only will they become more incompetent but they will try to hurt us (or some other University and its fans) again in the future. Of this I am sure of. <IMG alt=">:" src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/mad.gif">
 
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That's great ohiobuck94!! Thanks for posting it. bspn is having considerable problems with their sources it seems. :slappy:
Click to expand...


Sadly -- to thiis point they do seem to have easy acccess to any source.

Our fellas have to learn to be a trifle more tight lipped.

They should learn this speech:

Past Athlete: "Who did you say you worked for?"

Interviewer -- "So what do you make of the recent allegations?"

Past Athlete: "Who did you say you work for?"

Interviewer -- "ABC, no ESPN, well actually I'm Tom Friend's bum pal"

Past Athlete: "Ba - Bye"

No more surprises -- please.
 
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I just sent this to [email protected]. If each and every one of us does something, anything, maybe we will get something done!

You must not have any journalistic integrity. If you did then you would not have attacked TOSU, its staff, alumni, and its fans in the manner you have chosen. To print anything told to you without proper investigation or proper balance is not doing anyone justice. Then, to justify your slander you conduct one-sided interviews, ask misleading questions, and basically lie. You are not being true to your profession; then again I suppose you’re just a lemming. How do you expect people to "decide for themselves" when you paint such a blatant picture? I now know why it's called "spin control”, you eSPIN a story and leave everyone else to try and control it.



Do not underestimate TOSU, its alumni, staff or fans. We are many and we are very angry. We want retribution and we will have it. If ESPiN is unwilling to give fair and balanced news then maybe there will be another that will. For now we want you to resign or be fired (preferably fired as it is more appropriate for you). We will also be boycotting ESPiN and its magazine. Further, I truly hope that there is some legal action taken against you, ESPiN, and ESPiN the Ragazine.
 
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If I could add just one point, you forgot that part about "you and the horse you rode in on." But them I'm assuming that just a sign of good upbringing and high social class! Nice post!
 
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