SoonerDan74012
6/2/2011, 06:39 PM
Of course this on the heels of Gordon Gee saying that Ohio $t has the best Compliance Dep't. in the NCAA. :D
Football: Former Immokalee star Rolle says he was offered car at Ohio State in '09
By WOODY WOMMACK
Posted June 2, 2011 at 5:46 p.m.
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Former Immokalee High School star and Ohio State linebacker Brian Rolle said in an interview Wednesday night that he was offered a car in 2009.
Speaking with Jason Smith on the nationally syndicated ESPN Radio show “All Night” late Wednesday, Rolle, who was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in April’s NFL Draft, said he purchased a 2002 Volkswagen and then was offered a better deal.
“Somebody actually offered me a car and I said no,” Rolle said. “I bought a 2002 VW Jetta in ’09 and someone offered to give me another car, a better car, and cheaper, and being the type of a person I am I said no to it because I wasn’t raised to do something like that.”
The Ohio State football program has been under scrutiny from the NCAA since it self-reported violations late last year. The team suspended five players, including starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor, for the first five games of the 2011 season for trading football memorabilia in exchange for free tattoos.
It was later revealed that head football coach Jim Tressel knew about the player’s infractions but did not report them to the school. Tressel was initially suspended for the first two games of the upcoming season. The suspension was later increased to five games before Tressel resigned as head coach last weekend.
“I love the guy, he showed me how to grow from an immature kid coming to college now I’m a man getting ready to graduate,” Rolle said of Tressel. “All because of him taking the chance coming down to Immokalee, a small town and recruit a kid like myself. I owe him a great deal for the success I’ve had thus far. I love him and he’s a guy I haven’t lost faith in and I still trust in him.”
Rolle also said he’s not jumping on the bandwagon to blame Pryor for the downfall of the football program, despite recent accusations that Pryor may have accepted cars or other impermissible benefits.
“I don’t blame him for it and I’m not going to point fingers at him,” Rolle said of Pryor. “At a time like this when people are bashing him and slaying his name in each and every way. I’m a guy that played with him, love him, he’s a brother to me and I’m going to back him every way I can.”
When asked if it was difficult to turn down a free or discounted car, Rolle said he really didn’t give it a second thought.
“It’s not (hard) when you live by certain morals, something that Coach Tressel instilled that in me,” Rolle said. “Sometimes a 10 second decision can affect your life and that’s something I thought about.”
Rolle declined an interview request from Daily News.
Football: Former Immokalee star Rolle says he was offered car at Ohio State in '09
By WOODY WOMMACK
Posted June 2, 2011 at 5:46 p.m.
Discuss
Share »
A
A
A
Former Immokalee High School star and Ohio State linebacker Brian Rolle said in an interview Wednesday night that he was offered a car in 2009.
Speaking with Jason Smith on the nationally syndicated ESPN Radio show “All Night” late Wednesday, Rolle, who was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in April’s NFL Draft, said he purchased a 2002 Volkswagen and then was offered a better deal.
“Somebody actually offered me a car and I said no,” Rolle said. “I bought a 2002 VW Jetta in ’09 and someone offered to give me another car, a better car, and cheaper, and being the type of a person I am I said no to it because I wasn’t raised to do something like that.”
The Ohio State football program has been under scrutiny from the NCAA since it self-reported violations late last year. The team suspended five players, including starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor, for the first five games of the 2011 season for trading football memorabilia in exchange for free tattoos.
It was later revealed that head football coach Jim Tressel knew about the player’s infractions but did not report them to the school. Tressel was initially suspended for the first two games of the upcoming season. The suspension was later increased to five games before Tressel resigned as head coach last weekend.
“I love the guy, he showed me how to grow from an immature kid coming to college now I’m a man getting ready to graduate,” Rolle said of Tressel. “All because of him taking the chance coming down to Immokalee, a small town and recruit a kid like myself. I owe him a great deal for the success I’ve had thus far. I love him and he’s a guy I haven’t lost faith in and I still trust in him.”
Rolle also said he’s not jumping on the bandwagon to blame Pryor for the downfall of the football program, despite recent accusations that Pryor may have accepted cars or other impermissible benefits.
“I don’t blame him for it and I’m not going to point fingers at him,” Rolle said of Pryor. “At a time like this when people are bashing him and slaying his name in each and every way. I’m a guy that played with him, love him, he’s a brother to me and I’m going to back him every way I can.”
When asked if it was difficult to turn down a free or discounted car, Rolle said he really didn’t give it a second thought.
“It’s not (hard) when you live by certain morals, something that Coach Tressel instilled that in me,” Rolle said. “Sometimes a 10 second decision can affect your life and that’s something I thought about.”
Rolle declined an interview request from Daily News.