Timeline of Ohio State's Official Report and Investigation of Violations
by Tyler T. on Mar 8, 2011 10:10 PM EST
Email
PrintI've read through Ohio State's official report to the NCAA and have constructed a timeline that should help clarify events.
April 2nd, 2010: Jim Tressel receives an email from an attorney connected to a criminal investigation of a local tattoo parlor informing him of the investigation and the relationship between certain players and the tattoo parlor's owner. It is mentioned that the parlor holds Ohio State merchandise and that players may have received free or discounted tattoos.
Jim Tressel responds, "I will get on it ASAP."
April 16th, 2010: The attorney again emails Jim Tressel and informs him that two student-athletes were selling their championship rings to the parlor's owner.
Jim Tressel replied, "keep me posted as to what I need to do, if anything."
June 1st, 2010: After not hearing from the attorney in two months time, Tressel initiated contact with said attorney again, asking him for additional names and information regarding the issue.
The attorney replied that he had no additional information for Coach Tressel. Five days later, Coach Tressel thanked the attorney for his help, and that was the last correspondence between the two.
December 7th, 2010: Ohio State receives a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice informing them that merchandise officially licensed to The Ohio State University was recovered in a tattoo parlor as a result of a criminal operation. The letter asks Ohio State to claim any merchandise that they feel belongs to them or their student-athletes.
December 13th-18th, 2010: The university conductss an internal review of the merchandise and interviews Coach Jim Tressel and the entire team.
December 19th, 2010: Ohio State self-reports a violation of Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 with the knowledge that six student-athletes improperly benefited by selling their own merchandise to a tattoo parlor owner in exchange for cash and discounts on tattoos.
Ohio State also attaches a reinstatement request with the documentation.
December 23rd, 2010: Ohio State reports the NCAA suspension of six players for varying lengths of the following season.
January 13th, 2011: During an unrelated review of information, Ohio State's Office of Legal Affairs discovered an email from Coach Tressel regarding the tattoo parlor investigation. (It is unclear who the email was directed towards. The wording is ambiguous as to whether it was the original email or another directed to a third party.)
The email correspondence between Coach Tressel and the unnamed attorney is discovered and described as "three e-mail strings."
Every person on staff or in a football support role had their email examined thoroughly by the Office of Legal Affairs. No further correspondence with the attorney or anyone connected to the tattoo parlor investigation was uncovered.
January 16th, 2011: Jim Tressel acknowledges correspondence with the attorney after being questioned by administration officials.
January 21st, 2011: Ohio State retains the services of The Compliance Group (an outside service that investigates compliance cases) and shortly thereafter informs the NCAA of the ongoing investigation.
February 8th, 2011: NCAA and university officials interview Jim Tressel. Over the following two weeks, various other members of Ohio State's administration are interviewed.
March 7th, 2011: Yahoo! Sports reports the allegations in a news article. It's now clear that Yahoo! was not unveiling the allegations themselves, but rather the investigation of said allegations. Someone inside the NCAA, Ohio State, or a third party tipped them off.
March 8th, 2011: Ohio State holds a press conference announcing the results of their investigation.
Ohio State recommends that Jim Tressel be suspended two games in the 2011 season, fined $250,000, forced to attend an NCAA Compliance workshop, and publicly reprimanded by the university.
The document concludes with the following message from Gordon Gee:
The institution is very surprised and disappointed in Coach Tressel's lack of action in this matter. His behavior in this situation is out of character for him and is contrary to his proven history of promoting an atmosphere of NCAA compliance within the football program. Since his hiring as the head football coach in 2001, he and his staff have attended NCAA rules education sessions on a consistent basis, regularly sought interpretations, and self-reported secondary violations. His lack of action in this matter appears to have been the result of indecisiveness regarding the appropriate actions to take in this specific situation in which he was placed, as opposed to a blatant disregard of NCAA legislation. Nevertheless, we recognize that he should have forwarded this information in some manner to appropriate institutional officials. With the exception of this mistake, he is a man of integrity and high moral standards
80 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
NCAA Decision
Any idea when we can expect a decision from the NCAA?
In Tressel and his vest, I trust.
The big question is whether or not the NCAA buys Tressel's calims that he withheld the information because he feared corrupting a federal investigation.
If the NCAA buys what Tressel is selling, I think their sanctions won’t be as severe. That doesn’t mean Tressel is in the right-he definitely broke the rules- but was he justified in doing so? That’s for the NCAA to decide.
"Carrie, I can't go in there, I'm claustrophobic."
"Well, It's gonna' be a rough half hour for ya then."
-Doug Heffernan coming to grips with the cold reality of an MRI machine
From reading the emails, it sounds like the attorney was not involved in the investigation. It sounds like he was informing Jim Tressel unofficially.
What does that mean then?
"Carrie, I can't go in there, I'm claustrophobic."
"Well, It's gonna' be a rough half hour for ya then."
-Doug Heffernan coming to grips with the cold reality of an MRI machine
It means that the confidentiality defense now makes sense. If Coach Tressel was receiving information he was not supposed to have— information from a federal case that was not yet disclosed— he’s then put into a difficult position. Share the information with others and put at risk the federal investigation, or keep the information to himself. His big mistake was in not disclosing the tip in December, when the investigation was complete.
This is good then.
"Carrie, I can't go in there, I'm claustrophobic."
"Well, It's gonna' be a rough half hour for ya then."
-Doug Heffernan coming to grips with the cold reality of an MRI machine
Would have been a lot cleaner if he had been able to say in December “I became aware of this in April as I too was brought into the federal investigation and was bound to not reveal any details.” Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound as if he was legally obligated to keep quiet.
"Courage; Generosity; Fairness; Honor; In these are the true awards of manly sport."
Agree. He should have told people sooner. But he wasn't actually bound by anyone, he sort of just assumed he was bound.
"Carrie, I can't go in there, I'm claustrophobic."
"Well, It's gonna' be a rough half hour for ya then."
-Doug Heffernan coming to grips with the cold reality of an MRI machine
This makes a lot more sense now.
Of course Yahoo! is spewing a bunch of crap this morning, but oh well.
Its what they do best.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
by Andrew Tolliver on Mar 9, 2011 10:26 AM EST up reply actions
It means that the confidentiality defense now makes sense. If Coach Tressel was receiving information he was not supposed to have— information from a federal case that was not yet disclosed— he’s then put into a difficult position.
I’m not really seeing how this helps. I’m not seeing the legal obligation to keep this “confidential.” Sure, the attorney might have been asking Coach Tressel to do that. But Coach Tressel wouldn’t have been breaking any privilege (or law) to tell someone, like his AD, the compliance office, the Office of Legal Affairs, or someone else who might have been able to look in to this. Coach Tressel’s obligation was to the university and the program, not to some attorney who asked him to keep it “confidential.”
Yes, I am an Old Blue. Now get off my lawn.
Well yes... but...
The idea that Tress’s obligation was to the university and program is correct. That’s why he’s getting punished.
But go back to April and put yourself in Tress’s shoes. He’s got information about a federal investigation that he has been asked to keep confidential. He has spent enough time at the upper echelon’s of university, that he almost certainly knows that OSU’s legal counsel doesn’t protect him (their duties are to OSU, the institution). He also is smart enough to know that federal investigations and the federal gov’t are more important than the NCAA. (Shocking as a college football fan, I know!)
He is a football coach, not a legal scholar, so he doesn’t know that he’s not really bound by this request to keep the infromation confidential. Yes, the correct answers are either talk to OSU’s counsel or get his own counsel to advise him. (And maybe he did get his own and got bad advice, we don’t know). And he erred by not doing those things. That’s true. But there are no shortage of execs in America who don’t routinely get questions like that wrong. (Which as a lawyer, helps keep food on my table).
I think the really interesting question actually goes to what Tressel did with the info. Were their increased compliance training during the spring and summer regarding the sale of memorabilia. My memory is a little fuzzy on this, but it seems most of the sales from the tat five were several years ago. I think that’s a relevant issue for understanding how the NCAA should respond.
If the attorney was not involved in the case, then he is not allowed to share the information with Coach Tressel. The attorney was sharing information that was not actually his to begin with. I am not saying Coach Tressel shouldn’t have forwarded the messages to Gene Smith, but I can understand the delicate circumstance he found himself in. If it was someone attached to the actual case, there wouldn’t have been any need for the subterfuge, and, probably, the attorney would have contacted Ohio State’s administration instead of Jim Tressel.
The obligation was not really to the attorney, but to the federal investigation that Jim Tressel suddenly knew about from someone not involved in the investigation.
That the attorney is going to face sanction of his own once found
What that guy did was one of the absolute worst things an attorney could do, break attorney-client privilege. After the first email, most of what he tells Tress comes from Eddie Rife’s mouth.
As for Tressel, he should have contacted his own attorney (forwarded emails?) OR the OSU general counsel who could discretely contact the US Attorney. At this point he didn’t know there was a federal investigation going on, he was told by an unsolicited e-mail one was going on. While this is certainly jarring, it isn’t proof. Either way, he could have gotten cover from the US Attorney (maybe a letter to the NCAA after the fact).
I can’t get over the fact he either lied to or misled OSU in December after everything came to light.
I can’t get over the fact he either lied to or misled OSU in December after everything came to light.
I think the world of Coach Tressel and posted yesterday (long before the presser) that this didn’t sound all that bad to me. Unfortunately, learning more about it makes it seem worse than what I first thought, especially because of what appears to be lying to or misleading investigators in December.
Yes, I am an Old Blue. Now get off my lawn.
That’s not hard to find. All you have to do is go to court and find out who represented Mr. Rife.
I might be wrong, but to me, he might be the secret source of Yahoo…Just a guess.
Non Sibi Sed Patriae ;I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Cameron Heyward-Future 3-4 RDE for the New England Patriots
He was Rife's attorney
when Rife turned state’s witness in the murder case referenced int he emails. Not that Rife had him on retainer, but once that relationship has been established or even sought to be established, lips need to be sealed.
OK sorry for one more quickie: OSU spokesperson says Tressel will NOT be out of spring ball, summer camps. OSU erred in writing that.
-From Ken Gordon.
This would minimize the impact greatly.
Out of Character
Though born and raised a Husker, I have been an Ohio resident for twenty-one years. Being accustomed to Tom Osborne ways, you can imagine how difficult Coach Cooper made it for me to enjoy the Buckeyes. Coach Tressel on the other hand is cut from the same cloth as Tom Osborne – - any fan of college football will recognize that as a compliment. This incident is so out of character for Coach Tressel; I am shocked he didn’t seek input from the vast resources available to him in such matters. This incident will haunt a fine man and coach for a long time . . . very unfortunate.
Now, as a Husker fan . . . you suppose he could negotiate down to one game and make it October 8?
"Courage; Generosity; Fairness; Honor; In these are the true awards of manly sport."
by OHusker on Mar 8, 2011 10:47 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
OHusker, I got a call this morning from a very good friend of mine, who happens to be an avid Husker fan. After we commiserated a bit, his lean was towards a one game suspension, on a specific date, same as you. ;)
"I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research." - Sherlock Holmes
As a Husker fan I can get behind this recommendation.
One of the founding members of The Super Duper Matt Cassel Fanclub.
We all have the right to our own opinions, its just that mine are right.
My quest for soberiety is an ongoing struggle.
by nateforchiefs on Mar 9, 2011 7:04 PM EST up reply actions
Is Yahoo Sports trying to take credit for an investigation they never did; they just reported leaked information?
The same yahoo sports that during the sugar bowl said
Ohio state “lucks into a sugar bowl lead”? I still have that front page screen clipped, and they still have yet to respond to my email about it.
by #74forthewin on Mar 9, 2011 12:33 AM EST up reply actions
Yahoo wouldn't be problematic
if their lede yesterday was “OSU prepares to self-report major violations regarding Jim Tressel.”
But to take credit for what they “investigated” means they probably didn’t know the specifics and what they published was junk. True, but very poor reporting.
Right
The other major problem is their tipster MUST HAVE KNOWN about the ongoing investigation, but nothing in the article says that the NCAA and OSU were already looking into it. Rather it implies Yahoo! “discovered” this information in its own two month investigation.
Does explain why Yahoo only gave OSU three hours to respond, Yahoo knew it was about to get scooped by OSU’s self reporting.
It’s a shame that this is taking attention away from what should be an exciting time for every Ohio State sports fan. Our basketball team is one of the top five in the country, and possibly the best, yet all of the focus on them has been suctioned away because of this.
We had planned for this entire week to be about our basketball Bucks, but that has obviously been forced to change.
Tyler, you make a very good point. At some point in the next day or so, we need to get refocused on the tremendous run of Ohio State’s basketball program, mens and womens.
"I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research." - Sherlock Holmes
Agreed. I love the Basketball stories.
Tressellgate needs to be reported on, but give us something to be proud of as well ;)
by Cry on Mar 9, 2011 2:22 PM EST up reply actions
So let me get this straight:
Tressel was asked by a lawyer to keep this information to himself during a serious federal investigation, may or may not have known which actual players had sold their things to the tatoo parlor, was under the impression that only two players had committed violations, and failed to report that he knew this around 6 months later when we were on our way to self-reporting the violations anyway?
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
About right, yes. The attorney explicitly asked him to keep his name confidential, but it’s unclear whether he asked him to keep the investigation confidential. Tressel knew of two players but no more. The attorney did not know of any more players than the two involved.
Tressel’s great error was not bringing the emails forth in December when the investigation became known. There’s no excuse for not sharing anything you have at that point.
Sounds about right; seems as if tipping point was not sharing in December.
Care to speculate why only JT was contacted by the mystery attorney? Because they were football players? Was no one else (Dean of students, etc.) contacted? I mean, the players are students at OSU, right?
"I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research." - Sherlock Holmes
He’s contacted by hundreds of people weekly with tips and information on current, former, and possible future players (recruits.) It’s just part of having a public email address while being the head coach of a visible institution
Can you clarify for me..
The moment Ohio State found out about the emails, they self reported to the NCAA (if I’m reading correctly). Does this absolve the program of any possible NCAA sanctions? Is Tressell the only one who has to worry or will the NCAA crack down on the team for Tressell’s poor judgment?
To answer...
Does this absolve the program of any possible NCAA sanctions?
No. Self disclosure will absolve a program of responsibility, but it is better if the program finds out than others.
Is Tressell the only one who has to worry or will the NCAA crack down on the team for Tressell’s poor judgment?
The program could be sanctioned as well.
Downside Knowledge of suspected violations and not reporting them will not sit well with the NCAA or OSU. This is the violation.
Unknown Was he aware of violations? Someone owning OSU memorabilia is not a violation – the original correspondence does not reveal it was current players. No e-mail reveals any memorabilia passed from the hands of current players.
Unknown Was any action taken when he was informed 2 athletes planned to sell their rings? Were the rings withheld, was the sale stopped, was the athletes warned, etc? Hearsay of a planned future sale would not be an NCAA violation.
Upside Legitimate concern about revealing too much while a federal investigation is undergoing helps his position. He could have been caught between federal law concerns (revealing an ongoing investigation) and NCAA/OSU requirements to report.
Upside Asking if there were more players involved or any action he needed to take helps his position.
Upside Self reporting by the University helps.
My best guess the NCAA will find violations with special circumstances or no violation – no knowledge of rule violation (just suspicion one might be planned), action taken on the suspicion (I doubt the Vest didn’t at least warn the 2 athletes), and concern with intruding upon an ongoing federal investigation.
OSU will cite his contract obligations and administer the sanctions. The 2 game suspension and fine will be considered sufficient or in excess of NCAA sanctions.
Fact is, OSU will probably still be fine with all the suspensions and such…it’s just disappointing that they’ve allowed themselves to become the targets they have in the media. They’ll have a field day with Tressel on this given his M.O. That’s too bad b/c he’s a good man and a good coach. Ah well. No one to blame but themselves in this case…but sad to see it.
not to mention SI, ESPN and CBS … they are all hammering OSU for trying to “buy” their way out of sanctions.
There will be one more media frenzy when the NCAA goes easy on him (thats my thought anyways) and then it’ll die back down and we can get back to football…you know….football?!?
by johnnyphoenix on Mar 9, 2011 2:34 PM EST up reply actions
This just pisses me off.
Also, I’m pretty sure that Tressel released a statement apologizing and he has to make a PUBLIC APOLOGY.
I don’t think you can compare this to the Bruce Pearl scandal. And nice way to close the article.
Read Stewart Mandel's piece on SI.com.
It’s much better. Linky.
"Carrie, I can't go in there, I'm claustrophobic."
"Well, It's gonna' be a rough half hour for ya then."
-Doug Heffernan coming to grips with the cold reality of an MRI machine
Plus that first sentence...
“comes up short in big games often” Last I checked he was 6-3 in BCS bowls and 9-1 against Michigan, which is his biggest game. What a poor story.
"Carrie, I can't go in there, I'm claustrophobic."
"Well, It's gonna' be a rough half hour for ya then."
-Doug Heffernan coming to grips with the cold reality of an MRI machine
Well in his defense I would say how much do you believe when you get such an email? As a lawyer, very few people would have known about that sealed crim investigation at the time. Whoever told him clearly breached ethics. So unless its someone who Tressel knows, how seriously do you take it? Secondly, the lawyer told him to keep it confidential. So in hindsight while it was clearly a snafu, at the time I can’t say how I’d react…
As usual, every person is going to one extreme or the other, depending on their pre-conceived notions of how they want to view Tressel, or OSU football, or what have you…
Bottom line, in hindsight he screwed up. He should have reported to someone. That was a mistake. However, as I’ve said, when you are put in that position by an attorney telling you about a SEALED criminal investigation that must be kept confidential, I can see a non-lawyer being intimidated by that. And OSU self reported, working with NCAA compliance to craft a penalty. So its a fair punishment, that will be the extent of it, Tressel messed up, he’ll have to live with that, and that will be the end of it.
Agreed.
I do think the NCAA’s going to give more sanctions. I think Tressel will be suspended more than two games, since the players involved are suspended for 5. We’ll see.
It’s a sad day to be a Buckeyes fan though. I feel bad for Tressel. He made a mistake, and he should have reported it. I feel like the “This information is confidential” note in the email really puts you in a difficult position, but he should have told someone. Or, he should have at least told someone when the investigation was happening December.
The NCAA can still apply further penalties, including potentially vacating the 12 wins in which the suspended players participated last year, apparently with at least some indication (and likely much more than that) on Tressel’s part that they may be ineligible.
This is on Yahoo!, but it wouldn’t really surprise me.
I think that’s doubtful, actually. Gene Smith has been around the NCAA for a very long time, and he knows what they like to see. Part of the reason the Tat Five were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl is because of Gene Smith’s machinations. I trust he knows what he’s doing.
Good point, Tyler. IMO, that the NC2A were involved in OSU’s investigation would lead me to believe there was an “open book” agreement/understanding so that the discipline hand to JT would cover his sins in this matter.
"I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research." - Sherlock Holmes
I just don’t see this as the big deal some are making it out to be. He messed up, but if this is a Jim Tressel mess-up, I’ll take that over just about everyone else’s mess up.
Neglecting to let someone know of this in December was really the only mistake he made, they uncovered more than he personally knew in that investigation without his help anyway, and the guy was a college football coach with a bowl game less than a month away.
“Failing to aid an investigation that was going to succeed anyway” is way down the list of bad things that happen in college football and moral outrage at this is outrageous. Small mistake, small punishment, next.
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
On another side note, I was getting hammered by my compatriots at the gym this morning on this issue. I wear my block ‘O’ cap in every morning and most mornings sport an ‘Ohio State" tee shirt; so there is no confusion where my colors fly. Interestingly, moreso about the ensuing Tat-gate nonsense. I told them I’d bring in order forms for whatever signed swag they’d like.
"I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research." - Sherlock Holmes
Chris Spielman defended Coach Tressel on the radio this morning. He ended with “I have a 14 year old son, and if he was ever good enough to play for Ohio State, he would be honored to play for Coach Tress.”
I love listening to Bruce and Spielman when I get the chance. Also, did you listen to the Buckeye show after the press conference? Dimitrius Stanley was hilarious. He was more pissed at the person who told Yahoo Sports about this email.
Non Sibi Sed Patriae ;I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Cameron Heyward-Future 3-4 RDE for the New England Patriots
The identity of the attorney has been released by WTVN. Chris Cicero, a former walk-on with the Ohio State program under Earle Bruce.
Chris Cicero has a history of tampering with ongoing investigations. It appears he was breaking the law by contacting Tressel.
Looks like he either took down his site or it’s down due to traffic overload
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:CwBJKFOPdBYJ:chrisero.com/+Chris+Cicero&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com
It’s the cached version of it
Non Sibi Sed Patriae ;I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Cameron Heyward-Future 3-4 RDE for the New England Patriots
Chris was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His grandparents emigrated to America from Sicily in the early 1900’s. His father worked two jobs, 30 years at Republic Steel and 26 years as a Lieutenant on the Police Department. After graduating from Chanel High School Chris joined the Marine Corps and was on active duty from 1976 to 1979. During his tour of duty Chris was meritoriously promoted to the rank of Sergeant. After being honorable discharged from tho Marines, Chris enrolled in The Ohio State University and graduated in the Spring of 1984. He was on the Ohio State Football team under Coach Earle Bruce, lettering his senior year. He then attended the University of Toledo College of Law and graduated in December of 1987. Chris became a member of the Ohio State Bar in May of 1988.
Non Sibi Sed Patriae ;I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Cameron Heyward-Future 3-4 RDE for the New England Patriots
Opps….did not see this info till now….
Say hello to the most hated man in Columbus, if he is indeed the source of Yahoo Sports.
Non Sibi Sed Patriae ;I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Cameron Heyward-Future 3-4 RDE for the New England Patriots
Why would he be the most hated?
He was trying to help the program by giving JT a head’s up.
FWIW, while he’s had issues in the past, he’s been recognized as a good defense attorney.
He was not helping the program. He was giving away information from a sealed criminal investigation, implicating him in the process. There’s no reason Tressel should have had the information anyway.
Not disputing the second part.
From Cicero’s POV, he’s a Buckeye who comes into information that is potentially damaging to the members of the football program. I’m thinking he alerted (unethically) JT to NCAA violations that he knew would come out eventually (see the part in the first e-mail about how the feds already knew of the OSU memorabilia), thereby allowing JT to “get in front” of the issue. How JT handled that information once it came into his possession is the issue in the instant case.
Following the Ninja’s logic above, the Yahoo! tipster should be the most hated in man (or women) in Columbus.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanShots on Along The Olentangy
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
