Can you say Lack of Institutional Control and Failure to Monitor

[NorCal Sooner]

At least Ohio State is starting to admit they screwed up.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/06/01/ohio.state.athletic.director.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a10&eref=sihp

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio State President Gordon Gee said Wednesday he expects university athletics director Gene Smith to stay on despite head football coach Jim Tressel's resignation and a growing number of alleged NCAA violations by the football program.

Gee also told Columbus-area reporters there is "a legitimate question" about how some confirmed violations happened and that Ohio State's athletic compliance system should be fixed if it's not working.

Tressel was forced to step aside Monday in the midst of an NCAA investigation involving players' sales of game memorabilia.

Both Gee and Smith heaped praise on Tressel during a March news conference called after it was revealed Tressel had known about the sales for months but never alerted university authorities. Gee said at the time that Tressel's job was safe.

On Wednesday, Gee said, "Gene Smith's job is safe."

The brief comments were Gee's first since the university announced Tressel's resignation Monday.

Gee spoke outside the university's Wexner Center for the Arts, named for Harry L. Wexner, the father of Les Wexner, the billionaire chairman of the OSU board of trustees.

Les Wexner, chairman and founder of Limited Brands and a major donor to the center and university, has so far declined to comment about the scandal. Other university trustees have referred comment to Wexner or Gee.

Gee said he couldn't say much at the moment on the advice of the university's attorneys. But he did acknowledge events in recent months drew attention to how the university monitors athletes' compliance with NCAA rules.

"It raises a legitimate question of how did some of these things happen," Gee said. "If it's not working, then we make it work."

Gee called the situation "an intense national scandal" and said it felt at times as if he were in the midst of a tsunami.

Tressel's 10-year reign as coach of the Buckeyes ended in disgrace Monday as he was forced to step down for breaking NCAA rules.

He knew players received cash and tattoos for autographs, championship rings and equipment and did not tell anyone at Ohio State or the NCAA what he knew for more than nine months. NCAA rules -- and Tressel's contract -- specify that he must disclose any and all information about possible violations.

Gee's handling of the crisis has been criticized by fans and alumni since the memorabilia sales were first revealed in December. Several emails to Gee's office at the time said it was hypocritical for the university to suspend five players for five games this upcoming season but allow them to play in January's Sugar Bowl.

Gee didn't help his cause with a joke he made at the March 8 news conference when asked by a reporter if he had considered firing Tressel.

"No, are you kidding?" Gee said. "Let me just be very clear: I'm just hopeful the coach doesn't dismiss me."

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

[Jacie]

If I was the AD and my university president, the same one that two months earlier said Tressel's job was safe and he had just recently gone to the trouble to announce that my job was safe, I think I'd be updating my resume . . .

[ictsooner7]

OK, let’s say Oklahoma’s head coach KNEW about violations and did not report it. Then he was not fired, but allowed to resign. I just wonder how long we would be on probation for. That whole program is dirty. You cannot tell me the only one who knew about the tats for 25 to 30 players was the head coach.

[NormanPride]

It's been documented that the compliance department was in on everything as well. Ohio State will get reamed for years. As I said in another thread, I think a decade of insignificance is payment enough for a decade at the top by cheating.

[BigJerm7]

I think Ohio State will dump them both in an attempt to save face and show they are trying to repair the damage.

I had a feeling that place was going down when the Clarett thing came up. Tressel was lying then.

[oudavid1]

Lack of Institutional Control and Failure to Monitor
/Thread

[TexasFight'69]

Bob Stoops did a masterful job of damage control after the Bomar incident...

Perhaps the Youngstown, Ohio native will hear the clarion call to come to the aid of his childhood favorite team

[SoonerofAlabama]

Do some research. Ohio State was not his favorite team ever in his life.

[TexasFight'69]

Enjoy this research

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/headlines/20110530-bob-stoops-gary-patterson-among-candidates-to-possibly-take-over-ohio-state.ece

[SoonerofAlabama]

Oh yes because head coaches always go from coaching one major college where they are successful to another major college where their are going to be serious sanctions for years to come from the NCAA. I notice that article of yours says he might be looking for a new challenge. pfft. If he wanted to go to Ohio State, he would have done it ten years ago or if he even liked Ohio State, he would have probably tried to get in. Just because he is from Ohio doesn't mean he wants to be there head coach. At least try to think logically.

[TexasFight'69]

"If Stoops, who is 50, ever is going to leave Oklahoma, this seemingly would be the job."

Don't shoot the messenger :)

[SoonerMom2]

Do some research. Ohio State was not his favorite team ever in his life.

Thank you! You beat me to it. As good as Stoops was coming out of high school you can bet OSU would have like to have him and he chose Iowa.

That's why I have always laughed when they talk about Bob Stoops going to OSU from OU -- not going to happen.

Been waiting for something like to to happen to OSU since Tressel took over. Having family in Ohio who are so annoying about OSU has made it even sweeter.

Knew the Clarrett was given special privileges with classes to keep him on the field against Miami in the National Championship -- he should have been declared ineligible for the game but then fast foward to last November when Tressel made sure players he knew were ineligible for the whole season were made eligible for the Sugar Bowl. It is a pattern that is a carryover from Youngstown State.

One of the first stories out had an anonymous Big 12 coach saying if he had lied to the NCAA his AD and President would have fired him right away. I have always thought that was Bob Stoops who made the remark. President Boren wouldn't wait months to fire a coach if he found out a coach lied to the NCAA. There would have been no request for resignation either -- the coach would be fired.

We are so fortunate to have a man like David Boren head this University versus someone like Gee who makes the dumbest statements.

[TexasFight'69]

David Boren?

With all due respect to Oklahoma and the folks in Oklahoma, perhaps you can recall Boren's reason for resigning from the United States Senate

[BoulderSooner79]

OK, let’s say Oklahoma’s head coach KNEW about violations and did not report it. Then he was not fired, but allowed to resign. I just wonder how long we would be on probation for. That whole program is dirty. You cannot tell me the only one who knew about the tats for 25 to 30 players was the head coach.

This is why I was amazed by the reaction on this board to the whole "fink-gate" thing that happened at OU this spring. It was a secondary infraction, but it was a case of multiple coaches knowingly breaking the rules. The fact the reporting came in indirectly from a player via the conformance department was disturbing because it is the coaches who should be responsible for compliance. Yet, so many folks here were ready to tar and feather the player. If that violation had gone on longer and been reported by an outsider (say a horn assistant tipped the NCAA), it could have been a serious matter instead of the slap on the wrist that we got.

[SoonerMom2]

You have 4 posts all on here and are from Texas -- we used to live there for 7 years until we were transferred to OK with the closing of Kelly AFB.

Just like a typical Longhorn fan to deflect what Boren has done for OU since arriving here. Ask Coach Stoops about David Boren and he will tell you he is the best.

[TexasFight'69]

OK, quid pro quo

I lived and worked in OKC for 3 years...managed a brokerage firm full of 'poke and OU grads...good people

Boren is Stoops' boss

nuff said

[silverwheels]

If Stoops hasn't gone anywhere else by now, he won't.

[B1rd]

Stoops wore Silver Shoes to emulate his college idol, Little Joe Washington. He did not take the Iowa job that was available when he took the OU job. Stoops is a Sooner and appreciates what he has in Norman. Maybe tOSU would want Mack....... I guess not.

[Jacie]

I am sure being named captain of the Titanic was a prestigious thing but who would want to take over after it already hit the iceberg . . .

[soonerloyal]

Wow, it's still early preseason and we've already got a baby Herr yapping for his can of Mighty Dog. How cute. :rolleyes:

[TheHumanAlphabet]

to$u is so going down.

The dilusion of their fans is amazing. Manystill actually think they and Tre$$el did nothing wrong.

[SoonerDan74012]

The President.Yes! That's right! The President knew of the crappy compliance according to their own documents.

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/docs-osu-president-knew-of-faulty-compliance-29737


Docs: OSU President Knew Of Faulty Compliance
Posted by Brooks on Jun. 03, 2011, 5:50pm

One month before a United States Department of Justice letter to Ohio State uncovered a massive pattern of NCAA rule violations within the school’s football program, official Ohio State internal audit documents show Ohio State President Gordon Gee and OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith knew that the Ohio State compliance department - led by former NCAA enforcement official Doug Archie - had failed to properly monitor dozens of OSU student-athletes for potential violations of NCAA rules.


In a November 1, 2010, report to Gee and Smith, a four-person internal audit of Archie’s Ohio State compliance department reported the following to President Gee and AD Smith:

Ohio State Internal Audit Of NCAA Rules Compliance November 2010

During our audit, we analyzed Student Athlete Vehicle Registration information for 152 student athletes, and we physically observed vehicles driven by football players upon arrival at spring practice. We noted the following issues:

19 student athletes purchased parking permits from University Transportation and Parking for vehicles they had not registered with the Department of Athletics.
22 student athletes received parking citations from University Transportation and Parking for vehicles they had not registered with the Department of Athletics.
3 football players were observed driving vehicles they had not registered with the Department of Athletics.

Recommendation:

We recommend that the Department of Athletics investigate the aforementioned discrepancies and confirm that no NCAA regulations were violated. The Department of Athletics should increase monitoring activities by observing vehicles driven by student athletes and by working with University Transportation and Parking to periodically review parking permit registrations and issued citations to assure proper registration of vehicles.

Six months later the acquisition, registration and operation of vehicles by dozens of Ohio State football players is now under investigation by the NCAA and subject to intense media scrutiny. In the past week, Ohio State football star Terrelle Pryor has been seen driving a vehicle on campus and at the OSU football facility despite his license being suspended.

On Jan. 2, 2011, the COLUMBUS DISPATCH reported:

Three times in the past three years, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor was stopped for traffic violations while driving cars that were owned by a car salesman or a Columbus used-car lot where the salesman worked, according to traffic citations obtained by The Dispatch.

Ohio State is aware of two of those infractions, and an investigation determined nothing improper had occurred, said Doug Archie, associate athletic director for compliance. He was unaware of an incident that occurred in October 2008 and said yesterday that he would investigate it.

On May 7, 2011, the COLUMBUS DISPATCH reported:

Ohio State University’s chief enforcer of NCAA rules [Doug Archie] said yesterday that he will investigate used-car purchases made by dozens of OSU athletes at two Columbus car dealers to see if any sale violated collegiate rules.

The investigation was initiated after The Dispatch found in public records that at least eight Ohio State athletes and 11 athletes’ relatives bought used cars from Jack Maxton Chevrolet or Auto Direct during the past five years. The investigation will involve outside experts and examine at least 50 sales, focusing on whether the athletes received improper benefits.

The common thread in those two dozen transactions was the salesman: Aaron Kniffin, who has worked at both dealerships.

“I have nothing to believe a violation has occurred,” he [Archie] said.

More:

Kniffin told The Dispatch that he has sold cars to at least four dozen OSU athletes and their relatives, that the OSU compliance staff directed them to him, and that university officials reviewed all documents before sales were final.

Archie said that he has spoken to Kniffin only once, never reviews sales documents and has not directed players to any dealerships.

But on May 27, 2011, Matt Hayes of THE SPORTING NEWS reported:

“Doug Archie has called me well over 50 times,” Kniffin said. “This year alone, I’ve talked to him 25-30 times. You can print out your Verizon (phone) bills; his numbers are right there calling me.”

When asked why Archie, who did not immediately respond to voice mail messages, said he only spoke to Kniffin once and denied that the deals were approved by OSU compliance, Kniffin said, “That’s something you’ll have to ask him. I’ve got records of it.

Three days later, the COLUMBUS DISPATCH reported that apparently the NCAA wasn’t so sure about Archie’s repeated assurances that no NCAA violations had occurred during vehicle purchase and loan transactions involving Pryor:

The NCAA and the Ohio State University’s compliance office are conducting an independent investigation of Terrelle Pryor amid allegations that the star quarterback may have received cars and other extra benefits, sources told The Dispatch today.

Pryor has been questioned by OSU compliance officials in the past, but sources said this is the most significant inquiry to date. He already has been interviewed at least once by investigators within the past few weeks, sources said.

The Ohio State internal audit of the school’s NCAA rules compliance led by Archie also examined OSU’s practice of providing apparel, equipment and awards to student-athletes. From the report:

Ohio State Internal Audit Of NCAA Rules Compliance November 2010

The Department of Athletics has purchased and implemented an inventory system to manage and monitor the issuance of equipment and apparel to student athletes. Although the use of this system has strengthened the Department of Athletics’ management of inventory and helps to reasonably assure compliance with NCAA regulations, we did identify the following opportunities to more effectively and consistently utilize the system and manage inventory:

Consistency – The process for managing inventory is not consistent among the different sports. Inventory management is left to the discretion of the individual sports managers.

Documentation – Some sports do not document the use of all equipment and apparel.
System Utilization – Some sports do not utilize all of the features of the inventory system.
System Deletions – Individual sports managers have the ability to delete inventory items, for which they are responsible, from the inventory system without any form of independent review or mitigating control.
Participation Awards – Participation awards (e.g., letter jackets, rings, etc.) are the responsibility of the Equipment Room but currently are not inventoried.

Recommendation:

We recommend that the Department of Athletics strengthen inventory management procedures and controls to ensure consistency among all sports, accountability for all inventory items, and utilization of the inventory system to its fullest capability.

Thanks to these Ohio State internal audit documents, it has now been confirmed that OSU President Gee and Athletic Director Smith already knew of the failure by Ohio State compliance to inventory and track the aforementioned “participation awards” and “equipment and apparel” which likely contributed to Buckeye football players selling and trading those same items - along with football tickets - for cash, tattoos, cars and other extra benefits. (As documented in the DOJ letter to the school on December 7, 2010.) (Or as the NCAA likes to put it in its infraction reports to schools, “should have known.”)

The eventual discovery of those activities by Federal authorities in April, 2010, eventually led to five Ohio State football players, including Pryor, to be suspended for five games during the 2011 season and contributed the resignation of coach Jim Tressel.

Despite in recent months Ohio State twice reporting NCAA violations involving the school’s football program, and their prior knowledge of the lack of compliance by Ohio State student-athletes as detailed by their own internal audit, President Gee and Athletic Director Smith have continued to publicly laud the OSU compliance department.

Ohio State Internal Audit Of NCAA Rules Compliance November 2010

On March 8, Gee said of the Ohio State NCAA rules compliance department:

“I want to thank our folks in athletics who have done a tremendous job in dealing with some serious issues and have done it precisely the way I would expect.

I want to confirm to each and every one of you that our university has followed every protocol in every way as expeditiously and forthrightly as we should and as I would expect .. ”

” .. I want to be very clear about that in no way does this university shed its responsibility in this effort and that it has followed its protocol.”

It was at the same press conference that, when asked if he was considering firing Jim Tressel, Gee uttered the now infamous words:

“No. Are you kidding? Let me just be very clear, I’m just hopeful the coach doesn’t dismiss me.”

Two days later, on March 10, Gee backtracked from the latter gaffe but reiterated his support for Ohio State compliance to WBNS-TV in Columbus:

“We would not be so confident in what we’ve done (in NCAA rules compliance) if there was a smoking gun. If there was another shoe to drop, absolutely not. “

48 hours ago Ohio State President Gordon Gee said of the school’s compliance department:

“We legitimately have the best compliance system in the country.“

He also reiterated that Athletic Director Gene Smith’s employment status was not subject to change and that further resignations of OSU employees were not in the offing.

Gee’s most recent comments in full support of his athletic administration came three days after the resignation of Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel.

A resignation that Gee has confirmed he supported.

[AlboSooner]

How silly does the NCAA look now with that decision to let these people play in the Sugar Bowl, but to suspend them at the start of the next season

[swardboy]

Oh how the bucknut fans are longing for the days when their coaches just beat up opposing players....class.

[TheLadiesMike]

Enjoy this research

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/headlines/20110530-bob-stoops-gary-patterson-among-candidates-to-possibly-take-over-ohio-state.ece

My research also has OU with many more conference titles than texas. Good link.

[soonerloyal]

One of my favorite quotes on the subject:


What happened Monday is pretty easy to figure out: Ohio State goes before the NCAA infractions committee Aug. 12. To enter that hearing with Tressel still in place as football coach would have sent the following message to the committee: “We’re Ohio State. This coach wins most of the time and beats Michigan all the time. We don’t care that his program was apparently out of control or that he engaged in a cover-up of clear NCAA rules violations. We have some tickets here for our opener next month. Would one of you like to dot the ‘i’?”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/ohio-states-jim-tressel-gets-axed-but-rotting-wood-remains-in-college-athletics/2011/05/31/AGYF2PFH_story.html

[ouflak]

This is why I was amazed by the reaction on this board to the whole "fink-gate" thing that happened at OU this spring. It was a secondary infraction, but it was a case of multiple coaches knowingly breaking the rules. The fact the reporting came in indirectly from a player via the conformance department was disturbing because it is the coaches who should be responsible for compliance. Yet, so many folks here were ready to tar and feather the player. If that violation had gone on longer and been reported by an outsider (say a horn assistant tipped the NCAA), it could have been a serious matter instead of the slap on the wrist that we got.

Same here. People refferring to the player as a 'rat' and 'snitch'. I can't believe this attitude. I'm flummoxed that the coaches would dare put this program in that position in the first place, but the reaction here still has me disturbed. If that player doesn't do what he does, what he was almost certainly advised to do in his induction, then the behavior by the coaches, and the subsequent coverup, goes on and piles up until it inevitably all comes out in a way that is totally outside of our control to deal with.

All the insults you heard about Pete Carroll, and hear now of Jim Tressel, just rinse and repeat for Bob Stoops. Loss of scholarhips, no post-season play for x years, and loss of whatever respect this proram may have garnered (and let's face it, our history with NCAA reulations isn't great), and loss of any titles won during that period. Yet people here truly believe that was the way to go! :eek:

[texaspokieokie]

"If Stoops, who is 50, ever is going to leave Oklahoma, this seemingly would be the job."

Don't shoot the messenger :)

if you (the messenger) don't want to be "shot",quit posting **** on this board.
:texan: