Maurice Clarett

#1
OrangeCrush18

OrangeCrush18

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2004
Messages
657
Likes
0
#1
Link

I think Ohio State is going to be in a world of hurt after this. Clarett is troubled in many ways, because of his special treatment over the years, but I believe him. There are many shady things going on in college's around the country and this is going to shed some light on the problem, again.


I always wondered why P. Warrick and L. Coles had nice cars with rims while they were STUDENTS at FSU. :question:
 
#2
#2
Originally posted by OrangeCrush18@Nov 12, 2004 11:10 AM
Clarett is troubled in many ways, because of his special treatment over the years, but I believe him.
Click to expand...

:dunno: What makes you believe Clarrett? I'm not saying that it's not true, but from everything I've seen, Clarrett is the one with the credibility problem.

It wouldn't surprise me to find something shady happened, but you have to consider the source . . . a disgruntled ex-players with a vendetta. :twocents:
 
#3
#3
The problem for OSU is there are a few players coming out and backing up what MC is saying. Former players who are in good standing with the program. Or WERE in good standing.
 
#4
#4
I heard this morning on ESPN radio that yet another former OSU player (I forget his name- he played in th NFL) said that it was common at OSU to get "hundred dollar handshakes" from booster. Although I'm sure this goes on everywhere, the fact that another OSU player on top of Clarett and some other guy who was "dismissed" - all saying this dosen't bode well.

What sucks is that this jackass Clarett will ruin things for a long time for OSU - recruits will be wary and possibly go elsewhere fearing NCAA ramifications - ala Ronnie Brown/UT.
 
#5
#5
I agree that Clarett has a credibility problem. However, some of the charges have been pretty specific, especially those about the cars and the no-show jobs. To me that lends credibility to Clarett. It looks to me as if both sides have some explaining to do.

The problem that I have with this is the image it projects on all of major college football. Really, who believes that every top twenty-five program in the nation is following all of the rules all of the time? It's just one of those thing we as a fan base (and the NCAA) have come to expect. We just don't want our school to get caught. Kind of like holding along the O-line. It can be called every down if an official looked hard enough. And even if schools aren't cheating, people believe they are!

Most of the time, NCAA violations are no big deal. Boosters slip kids a couple of hundred bucks and no one ever knows the difference. The problem comes when the cheating is of an especially egregious (Bama fans, look it up!) nature. It's going to be very difficult for the NCAA to turn its back on these charges simply because of the degree of violation. Fake jobs, cars for autographs, and academic fraud are pretty flashy indiscretions. People notice. And this brings me to my original point. Mr. and Mrs. Casual Football Fan see the Ohio State situation as an example of the way things are at every school. And regardless of what the NCAA finds in its investigation, OSU (and all of college football) is being tried in the court of public opinion. For most people, perception is reality.

I just hate to see the sport that I love tarnished by boneheads who have no sense of discretion.
 
#6
#6
Claretts creditibility shot way up when Robert Smith ex-OSU and Minnesota Viking told his story.
 
#7
#7
Former OSU player Robert Smith was interviewed. He said that while he thinks Clarett may have received these extra benefits from fans outside of the university.... he thinks that the school or representatives from the school were not involved.

Don't think that extra benefits from "fans" or concerned individuals are limited to just the top 25 schools in NCAA division I-A.

Players at small schools get something extra too. How 'bout a small church-related college (500 students) in NAIA division 2? Those guys don't even get full scholarships. Usually concerned members in the communities of these small schools will "help" not just student-athletes, but other students as well. The coach nor the school is very aware of these things.

More might go on at the smaller schools just because they are not under such a watchful eye as the top schools are and the small schools don't have the budget to police the players all the time.

Going to work at jobs and just 'watching paint dry' tells me more of the character of Clarett than any rules violations. When I worked summer jobs while I was in college, there were plenty of other non-athlete college students 'loafing' on the job. One in particular was with a water company. The water co. got a grant or fee to test fire hydrants using college students on summer break..... the supervisors could care less if work was really done... and if they (students) worked too hard, the regular employees got upset and said that they (regulars) were being made to look bad. :question:

Cheating among students is rampant at all schools among all students. I don't have access to polling data, but I remember reading polls that indicated such. And I also remember how much was going on around me when I was in school.

The only iffy thing I see that Clarett describes that regular students don't get is the extra benefit of the cars. And that may be easily explained? I know that UT keeps very specific records on all cars owned or driven by the student athletes just because of crazy allegations just like Clarett had made. Maybe OSU keeps records too?

Its impossible for the school to be on top of everything a player does when he is away from the team.

And depending upon a player's financial situation.... I knew a couple of guys that got enough financial aid from the government.... that they ended up with pocket money that would last them just about the whole year. You see, a player may qualify for enough aid to cover all his costs.... and also get a scholarship.... like a double dip.... the extra money, the player gets to keep.

Players talk about not being able to buy a pizza.... but my cousin lived at the athletic dorm at UT and he said ain't nobody starving in the dining hall there. They get free room, free books, free tuition, "meal money" and "room money" on road trips, tutors, etc. And the meal and room money is much more than is actually needed.

Sorry for the rant. :twocents:
 
#8
#8
It was Robert Smith who has backed some of Maurice's comments.

I have always thought that OSU and the NCAA threw him to the dogs, and after all the articles and interviews I still feel this way.

Maurice Clarett has been given poor advice and has made several poor decisions, but I think he has been treated poorly be Ohio State and the NCAA. You have to remember Ohio State is a school, not an employer. Thousands of KIDS are enrolled there and many make bad choices. A true second chance should have been given to him.

IMO Ohio State didn't give Maurice a true second chance. The NCAA did an investigation and they did away with him to cover themselves. It was all about the car that was broken into. Why did he have it and where did it come from? It started there.

He lied to the police about stolen stereo equipment's value, which was he's first offense. Bad choice, yes, but not any different than many bad choices made by many other players.

IMO, Everyone involved, Ohio State, NCAA and Maurice Clarett made bad decisions to cover up wrong doings up. This situation was handled poorly.

He has now been out of football for nearly two years. Ohio State and the NFL told him to get lost. He once was a Heisman hopeful, student athlete with a scholarship now he is a player clawing to get a chance at the NFL. What and who went wrong? :disappointed:
 
#9
#9
it would take a security team with the resources and manpower of the FBI or CIA to keep tabs on players and the "help" that they get at any school ...my concern is that the bama lawyers will somehow tie CFP to this scandle.
 
#11
#11
After thinking about this all lunch hour, my view has changed a bit.

Two are at fault, Clarett and Ohio State.

Ohio State because they didn't follow the rules and as a University their job is to guide our youth, not lead them astray by teaching them to break rules.

Maurice Clarett because he knowingly broke rules and ultimately lied to the police to cover the school and school officials that lead him astray.

At first everything was going fine. Ohio State was winning and Maurice was receiving cars, cash and easy classes to receive good grades, but it came crashing down once Maurice reported a break in to his loaned car. That was when the NCAA got involved and both sides started lying to stay out of trouble. In the end Maurice did what most college football players would do and do when schools and boosters waive money and cars at them. I blame Ohio State for failing Maurice Clarett.
 
#12
#12
Originally posted by OrangeCrush18@Nov 12, 2004 2:12 PM
Ohio State because they didn't follow the rules and as a University their job is to guide our youth, not lead them astray by teaching them to break rules.

Maurice Clarett because he knowingly broke rules and ultimately lied to the police to cover the school and school officials that lead him astray.

At first everything was going fine. Ohio State was winning and Maurice was receiving cars, cash and easy classes to receive good grades, but it came crashing down once Maurice reported a break in to his loaned car. That was when the NCAA got involved and both sides started lying to stay out of trouble. In the end Maurice did what most college football players would do and do when schools and boosters waive money and cars at them. I blame Ohio State for failing Maurice Clarett.
Click to expand...

Currently, there is no proof to implicate the coaching staff or the university in any wrong doing. :dunno:

I don't believe 100% of everything Clarett says... because so far... everything he's done so far is what is in the best interest of Maurice Clarett..... now he wants us to believe he was acting in the best interest of the university when he lied to investigators? :question:

He acts like he can't make the grades and needed someone to do the homework for him? How did he graduate from High School early if he was so dumb? :question:

Most freshmen who don't know what they are going to major in and especially freshmen athletes who usually take 5 and not 4 years to get through school are advised to take easier classes.... especially during football season. There are alot of meaningless classes that must be taken to meet the requirements for a degree. My personal fav was Tennis. Not a single athlete in class and we all got A's just for being in the class. :D

In the end, it sounds like to me that Maurice took illegal benefits from fans.... unknown to the coaching staff. When he got caught, he gave vague answers... just like any teenager would... hoping against all reason to get out of it. Then when he decided that it was too much work to stay at OSU, he tried to enter the NFL draft.... even going so far as to sue the NFL. He sucked at the workouts plus his "me-first" attitude made his draft value drop. Now to somehow change his image.... he's trying to shift the blame and increase his draft value. Nothing is ever his fault. :blink:

If he really had wanted to increase his draft value.... he should have gone to a I-AA school immediately and played. Even a year at a JUCO and then another year at a IA school would have been better than what he's done. So far, he's shown that he's injury prone... only played 8 career games... has a me first attitude... and is not willing to work to make things right.

If OSU gets found guilty then they should be punished.... but there better be more evidence than just what Clarett "says".
 
#13
#13
No PROOF, but in his statement at the beginning of the week Clarett was accusing everyone from the administration and coaching staff, to boosters and fans.
 
#14
#14
Originally posted by rwemyss@Nov 12, 2004 3:01 PM
No PROOF, but in his statement at the beginning of the week Clarett was accusing everyone from the administration and coaching staff, to boosters and fans.
Click to expand...

Yes, blaming everyone else for his problems. Did he step up like a man and say that he was wrong too?
 
#16
#16
As a professor I can tell you that academic issues are very dicey. What one prof. considers blatant cheating, others consider legit work. The concern comes when the administration places pressure on faculty to change rules for athletes or when they are offered credit for courses that others cannot take for credit. Some of the OSU allegations include the use of classes that are really not classes (unlike taking P.E.). They are "fake" classes to keep up GPA's.

What's interesting about this too is the role of the NCAA. Historically, the NCAA has been reluctant to get involved in academic matters since those are the decisions of the university. The NCAA doesn't set rules on how much help tutors can give etc. This is main reason why no sanctions came from the Tutor-gate thing at UT. Bama fans think it's because of the conspiracy but it's just not within the domain of the NCAA. The same will be true at OSU. The booster stuff will be NCAA actionable. The steering students to certain classes that are "athlete friendly" is not. It undermines the reason for the University (so it is a big deal) but it is not a big deal NCAA wise.
 
#17
#17
I agree.... "old" tests floated around campus all over the place when I was in school. Some profs didn't like it.... others gladly gave out copies to the whole class for preparation. Some gave take home tests that could be worked on in groups. Some just gave the easiest tests ever. But there were also those profs that made it very difficult on athletes. If that prof ever found out that a student was an athlete.... that was an automatic 'F' for that student. Bensel-Myers had that type reputation when I was in school.
 
#19
#19
The phrase that gets tossed around all the time is "lack of institutional control." The question I have is this: If the NCAA can find no link that the coaches, athletic department or the university coordinated payments or benefits, how can the school be responsible for what its boosters do? For example, if I decided to give a player $1000 when I saw him out eating, and I happened to be a season ticket holder, does that constitute LOIC? How can a player, 18-22 years old, turn that kind of cash down? How can the university be held responsible?
 
#20
#20
Part of the player's signing of a letter of intent is a contract not to accept any payment outside of scholly unless it is honest money for honest work, i.e. a real job. I promise you that ALL universities make sure the kids understand the terms of ther LOI.
 
#21
#21
Originally posted by volshistory@Nov 12, 2004 3:54 PM
The phrase that gets tossed around all the time is "lack of institutional control."  The question I have is this:  If the NCAA can find no link that the coaches, athletic department or the university coordinated payments or benefits, how can the school be responsible for what its boosters do?  For example, if I decided to give a player $1000 when I saw him out eating, and I happened to be a season ticket holder, does that constitute LOIC?  How can a player, 18-22 years old, turn that kind of cash down?  How can the university be held responsible?
Click to expand...

Usually, lack of institutional control is sighted if the school learns of the infraction(s) and trys to hide it.... or does not investigate properly.

That was discussed when Gallion recently brought up the automobile issue regarding Tee Martin. Records showed that Doug Dickey went to Mobile to investigate and found no wrong. However, if there was an infraction and Dickey missed it or hid it.... that would have been 'lack of institutional control'.

Part of Alabama's problem is that they denied... denied... denied.... to the very end. The NCAA is more apt to be light if the school self investigates.... and self reports.... and even self disciplines. They really want the schools to police themselves as much as possible. If a school does not cooperate... like Alabama... the NCAA will bring down the hammer :bash: .
 
#22
#22
Even if they understand the terms of the letter of intent...what athelete will hand back a $1000 from a booster?
 
#23
#23
OK guys, there is more and more coming out on this. Including ties between OSU's HC and a Booster while the HC was at Youngstown State. This is getting very interesting and while I do think it goes on at alot of institutions OSU has gotten to blantant about it plus the NCAA has riddled the SEC now its time to move on and the Big Ten is the next lay over till they move to another conference.
 
#24
#24
Whew! Phil Fulmers control of the NCAA sure has its privlidges. Now, when somebody in Columbus calls the FBI, Phil will be in total control of the situation.

Yet further execution of the plan to bring down the Bama program. I have no idea why it is working thru OSU, But I firmly believe that Lord Emperor Fulmer knows what he is doing.

I am Volbrian and I approved this sarcasim :naughty:
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top