It Might Go From Bad To Worse At Ohio State

If things were bad at Ohio State now, it's looking to get significantly worse if the NCAA has it's way with the Buckeyes.

After Jim Tressel's resignation earlier today, the NCAA will be starting an inquiry about quarterback Terrelle Pryor's dealings.

Ohio State spokesman Jim Lynch wouldn't confirm whether Pryor is being investigated.

"The university continues to work with the NCAA as they investigate matters involving our football program, and we will continue to do so until the conclusion of the investigation," Lynch said. "We are unable to comment on specific players' situations because of federal law."


Sounds like a roundabout denial to me.

Pryor has been questioned before by OSU, specifically surrounding the cars that he has been tooling around campus with since he became a Buckeye. Pryor has been linked to Columbus area car salesman Aaron Kniffin.  Kniffin reportedly has sold cars to Pryor's mother and brother as well.

Right now it looks like Ohio State's cover up might tumble like a house of cards. If it's anyhting like what happened to Michigan's basketball program, not even having Tressel step might not help them.

If Pryor is guilty of more than penny-ante infractions, this will be a bizarre case of what goes around comes around.

Tressel chose to cover up Pryor’s shenanigans, which came to light anyway. Once they came to light, it cost Pryor five games. The only reason he’s here to serve his five games is because he promised Tressel he wouldn’t go pro. But now Tressel is gone, and if anything else comes out, Pryor will probably have to sit out the season. That will hurt his NFL draft prospects.

If Pryor had held off on selling the trinkets, none of this would have happened and he’d either be looking forward to signing a lucrative NFL contract or making an NCAA championship run.

If Tressell had told the truth, Pryor would have served a one- or two-game suspension that wouldn’t have harmed his career, and Tressel would still have a job.

If everyone had agreed to Pryor being suspended for the Sugar Bowl–as he should have been–he could have gone pro after the season. Then he could spend the 2011 season locked out by the NFL instead of suspended by the NCAA. At least he’d have a job when the lockout ends. Instead he stays at OSU out of respect for a coach who won’t be there. And if these reports are right, he’ll wind up with more than a five-game suspension. So his draft stock, if he comes out at season’s end, will plummet.

This is like an Aesop’s Fable with a moral on the importance of truth-telling.

Michigan fans should consider themselves lucky that he didn't end up with the Wolverines. In a strange way it's almost like had got two coaches fired.