Pryor leaves OSU with a 31-4 record, tainted legacyOne guess as to what we're going to talk about today. With the release of a statement from his attorney, poof, Terrelle Pryor is gone.
Unfortunately, the aftermath of his exit won't be quite as simple for both the program and a fanbase struggling to determine how to feel about yesterday's announcement.
The reaction around these parts has been mixed which makes perfect sense when pondering the legacy of such an enigmatic and controversial figure in OSU history.
I certainly won't tell anyone how to feel but one thing I've personally ruled out is giving Pryor any credit for "falling on the sword". While it is at least plausible Pryor is leaving in part so that he doesn't have to talk to the NCAA, there's still two major issues with seeing this as a heroic move to save the program.
First, it's been reported that he's already had at least some discussions with the NCAA. Second, had he not allegedly violated NCAA rules in a variety of ways including the confirmed swag for tats and the as yet to be confirmed profiting from autograph sales in addition to the investigation surrounding his cars there'd be no reason for him to feel the need to leave Ohio State in the "best interests" of his teammates.
Once everything finally comes out in the wash, I think it will be accepted by most that Pryor left mostly because it was made clear to him that the NCAA and/or Ohio State would have no choice but to suspend him for the season so he made the smart decision - for himself - to move on.
Though there's no question it's circumstantial at best, I am also intrigued as to exactly why Tressel spent 77 text messages and 4.5 hours talking to Sarniak plus another 91 texts to Pryor's HS coach, Roy Hall, in the year since JT was made aware of the Tat5's shady dealings but spent what seems to be zero minutes working damage control with parents/contacts for Boom, Posey and Adams.
There could be legitimate reasons for this including the likelihood that the other players didn't come with all the "handler baggage" but couldn't it also be because Pryor's violations were on a much greater and varied level?
Oh, and while SportsbyBrooks comes with its fair share of invented or regurgitated stories in the interest of pageviews that make it tough to lend credence to a lot of what is printed there, I don't know how you don't cringe at at his latest entry surrounding Pryor and the alleged autograph selling. Dismissing it as nothing because of the author and/or hate for the site feels shortsighted especially with ESPN's OTL hot on the same trail. It pains me to share his stuff but here's a snippet:
In addition to Pryor’s past NCAA transgressions, today I confirmed that Ohio State was recently cited by NCAA enforcment officials for dozens of payments Pryor received in past years from a Columbus sports memorabilia dealer that are considered outside of NCAA rules.
The NCAA violations were discovered when the name of the local memorabilia dealer, Dennis Talbott, was seen on checks Pryor was depositing in his personal bank account.
During Pryor’s time at Ohio State, Talbott paid him tens of thousands of dollars to sign Ohio State Buckeye memorabilia. Talbott currently lists a Pryor-signed item for sale on his Ebay sellers account, which is identified by the account name “infickelwetrust.”
The article goes on to say Talbott, a professional photographer with work posted on SI and ESPN websites, was "ordered by Ohio State officials to completely disassociate himself from the program" sometime last football season. Feel free to start poking holes but how much smoke do you dismiss before you pull the alarm?
It's hard to stomach the notion that this investigation feels far from over. So, what's the latest word nationally?
First Up, Ivan Maisel. I not sure what to make of it but I agree with virturally everything Maisel offers as he sizes up Pryor's legacy including:
The quarterback abruptly announced through an attorney Tuesday that he would not compete in his senior season "in the best interest of my teammates." If Pryor had demonstrated that type of selflessness before Tuesday, he wouldn't have needed to cast himself adrift from the shores of the Olentangy. Head coach Jim Tressel wouldn't have ended his Ohio State career by trying to cover up the misdeeds of Pryor and his teammates.
As I alluded to in the post intro, I'm sickenened by the "best interests of my teammates" comment. As if we're all suffering from amnesia.
Dave Curtis Of TSN - Also Not A Fan Of TP Statement. Curtis touches on what is one of the more painful outcomes of the penalty phase - innocent kids paying for the mistakes of others -amidst thoughts on Pryor's ridiculous statement:
And so, Pryor walks, defiant like usual. Even in his final words as a Buckeye – “In the best interest of my teammates, I have made the decision to forgo my senior year of football,” he said in his farewell statement – Pryor had it all backward.
No, Terrelle. Leaving Ohio State is in your best interest. You get to go try the NFL, viewed in the same manner as an early entrant to the draft. You escape signs and chants during road games, reminding you of how you embarrassed your school and devastated your program.
Your teammates, especially the young ones, will do your penance. Scholarship losses are coming, and the short-handed Buckeyes will struggle to continue the team’s championship run.
What a shame guys ranging from seniors like Mike Brewster and freshman like Braxton Miller get caught up in this mess.
Andy Staples: Pryor Took A Bullet. I still don't buy the argument Pryor's main motivation in leaving was to protect the program but Staples offers up exactly how that could be the case:
The 6-foot-6 uber-athlete from Jeanette, Pa., will forever be remembered by people in scarlet and gray as the player who brought down Tressel, when in fact he might be the player who saves Ohio State from most of the sins of the Tressel era. Since he doesn't plan to play another college game, Pryor can give NCAA investigators a one-fingered salute if they knock on his door. He doesn't have to say a word to them. Without Pryor's attempts to explain how so much Buckeyes equipment wound up on the market with his signature affixed or how he wound up with a fresh ride every few months during his time at Ohio State, the investigators might hit dead ends as they try to determine whether Ohio State lacked control of its football program.
Of course, if Pryor's decision truly is a noble, protective act, then there'd be little reason to worry about pissing him off, right? Staples suggests that might not be the case so maybe it would be wise to buy Pryor's silence:
If Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith is smart and clings to any shred of hope for his continued employment in Columbus, he has quietly convinced boosters to buy Pryor's silence. That's perfectly legal now, and if we learned anything from Reggie Bush, it's that the cheapskate could have kept USC off the NCAA chopping block had he paid a measly $300,000 to a couple of wannabe agents to keep their mouths shut. Pryor doesn't have to play by the NCAA's rules anymore. Ohio State officials should do everything within their power to keep him happy. They should be good at that; it sounds as if that's how they got in this mess in the first place.
Works for me. Oh, wait. Is he just joking?
Mixtape. I sense a need for humor...Mom don't play...TP was majoring in Exploring?...Are they removing her jeans or her ass from the seat?...Fairfield College on google maps.
