Jim has got this week’s practices covered, so here’s the other news that you may have missed.
Former Buckeye News
- Later, Louis: We learned on Sunday that James Louis would not be in camp; he was rumored for a while to be looking to transfer closer to home. Recent news is that he’s considering Florida International and South Florida in addition to Miami.
- For Whom The Bell Tolls: Monday night, we learned that linebacker Dorian Bell, not in camp and suspended for the season, has decided not to return to the scarlet and gray. Our hopes are that he lands on his feet, and we’re confident that this isn’t the last we’ve heard from him.
- Getting A Bit Drafty: With the announcement today that the NFL would be holding a supplemental draft, former Buckeye QB Terrelle Pryor has scheduled a pro-day in Pittsburgh for Friday, August 12. If that day sounds familiar to you, it should- It’s the day before national “Blame Someone Else Day”. Oh, and it’s also the day that Ohio State begins its hearing with the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions. Not that those three things are by any way connected.
Friendly Reminder:
Don’t forget to enter tBBC’s contest for a chance to win your own gear from Time & Change Clothiers, and to get a discount on your tailgate threads for the Akron game. Note: ability to unload on receivers coming across the middle not included.
Other News:
- Todays Freedom Of Information News:If you read any article linked in today’s SBP, you need to read this one. Gary Benz uses ESPN’s favorite legal weapon against the network and discovers evidence that seemingly exposes their agenda-
In a continuation of the unusually intense and negative coverage the network has devoted to all things Ohio State, ESPN’s usually thought provoking and award-winning “Outside the Lines” show decided to step outside its own lines to once again hit the Buckeyes across the chops.In sum and substance, the show essentially suggested that Ohio State and Jim Tressel set themselves up for this scandal by allowing autograph sessions with players after they had already used up their eligibility, a perfectly NCAA-compliant thing to do. But the innuendo was clear. The program itself is dirty and as proof they offered nothing. More interestingly,not a mention of the most salient fact: there is nothing new to report nor has there been since February…
I sent a public records request to the University of Oregon media relations department to specifically get a copy of each and every records request that it has received from ESPN since December, 2010 about the Ducks football program.
Two weeks ago came back the answer: two. The first request was a list of all the revenues and expenditures from the athletic department. The second was for a list of anyone who received complimentary sideline passes since 2007. ESPN refined its first request when Oregon sent them back a financial report, by asking for expenditures the athletic department made for recruiting services. Ultimately though that’s the extent of their investigation into Oregon.
Contrast that again with the literally volumes of materials they’ve requested from Ohio State (as ESPN itself acknowledged in the lawsuit against Ohio State) and ask yourself whether ESPN really is being the fair and balanced outlet they claim to be.
For example, while ESPN was acutely interested in every email, text or phone call Jim Tressel or Gordon Gee or Gene Smith ever sent or had , in the material Oregon sent me ESPN didn’t even bother to request any such material from Chip Kelly, who the recruiter admitted he had direct contact with, or the athletic director.
There were no requests of Oregon into any internal investigatory materials, including their procedures manual, nor any requests of what Oregon may have sent to the NCAA. These same requests were made of Ohio State and for which Ohio State complied…
ESPN can offer up any excuse it wants for the disparity of intensity with which its pursued these two stories, but the only explanation that makes any sense (outside of abject laziness) is bias. ESPN started with a theory about the Buckeyes and is hellbent on either proving it right or at least making sure others share that same unproven theory.
This shouldn’t be news to any of our regular readers… but it’s good to see that others are starting to see that the “network” that gives us breathless coverage of every trip Brett Favre or Barry Bonds took to the store may, just may, have issues with credibility.
- Who says Joe Pa ain’t hip: What? He was? Ohh… nevermind. Get well, Coach. (Note- check out the “porcelain” video in that link)
- Deep in the heart of antimosity: Speaking or ESPN, last week’s news was that their partnership with the University of Texas was ruffling some feathers, particularly with the Longhorn Network’s plan to air high school football games; some of which involved UT recruits (which may have been an NCAA issue). Well, the conference put the old Lone Star kibosh on that plan, but that doesn’t mean that everyone’s happy. As details have emerged about the LHN contract, Aggy fans are less than happy (and understandably so)-
Remember a few weeks back when it was made known that the Longhorn Network planned to air a Big XII football game this coming season (2011) and the fuss from media and other conference members that came with that? Well, it was planned all along.
Certainly gives consipracy theorists ammunition for the “aTm to the SEC” rumors that are out there.
- Pearls of wisdom: “We made a situation that was bad wind up being disastrous.” Gee, you don’t say Bruce.
- On the other hand it could be worse- you could be this guy:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Gt5f7u3as?rel=0&w=480&h=390]
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