The Real Fake Buckeyes

On November 20 after Ohio State defeated Iowa for their biggest road win of the year Terrelle Pryor (@TPeezy2) tweeted the following,

"Heard Kirk herbstreit was dogging us. He a fake buckeye. Fake as hell."

Pryor was apparently upset that Herbstreit, an ESPN analyst and former Ohio State quarterback, had criticized the Buckeyes on TV earlier that day. Pryor later deleted the tweet.

Today it was made official who the real fake Buckeyes are.

Five Buckeyes were suspended for the first five games of next season for selling some of their football hardware and must give the money they received to charity. They were not suspended for the Sugar Bowl.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Dr.Saturday the five suspended players and their infractions are,

"• Adams must repay $1,000 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring.
• Herron must repay $1,150 for selling his football jersey, pants and shoes for $1,000 and receiving discounted services worth $150.
• Posey must repay $1,250 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,200 and receiving discounted services worth $50.
• Pryor must repay $2,500 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring, a 2009 Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award and his 2008 Gold Pants, a gift from the university.
• Solomon (Thomas) must repay $1,505 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,000, his 2008 Gold Pants for $350 and receiving discounted services worth $155"

Also

"• Jordan Whiting must sit out the first game next year and pay $150 to a charity for the value of services that were discounted because of his status as a student-athlete."

What this all comes down to is the players, expect Whiting, sold personal belongings that they would be free to sell the minute they left college. They did not get money or favors just for being football players, but had to give something up.

However this is against NCAA rules (however stupid the rule may be) so they should be punished by the NCAA. The fact that the NCAA is not suspending them for the Sugar Bowl is troubling. It shows the NCAA does not want to hurt financially its bowl partner by helping to keep a competitive game, instead making the players sit an extra game at Ohio Stadium where they know the game will be sold out.

More important than any rule violations the five players broke (from here on out I am excluding Jordan Whiting) is that fact they disgraced what their team, the OSU athletic department, The Ohio State University, and Buckeye fans everywhere stand for.

I can forgive Herron because he only sold his jersey, pants, and shoes. All these things are individual to him so they are not as symbolic of the university.

Adams and Posey sold Big Ten Championship rings, a worse offense. If I was a team mate I would be disappointed, but as a fan selling one of your many championship rings is not a huge deal. So Adams and Posey, you are forgiven.

And now for the “fake” Buckeyes.

Terrelle Pryor and Solomon Thomas both sold their 2008 Big Ten Championship rings and 2008 Gold Pants. Pryor also sold his 2009 Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award (oh look, irony!). The selling of Gold Pants is an unforgiveable offense. At Ohio State only one thing is important, beating Michigan.

What Pryor and Thomas did was spit in the face of everything Ohio State stands for (and for only $350!!!). They have disgraced all real Buckeyes everywhere. If those articles are not important to them then they should not have the privilege of playing football and getting a free education at Ohio State.

Jim Tressel has built his program on valuing tradition and beating Michigan. Tressel should kick Pryor and Thomas off the team immediately and remove their scholarships.

I feel disgraced as a Buckeye that these two are playing and starting in the Sugar Bowl or ever will again wear the scarlet and gray.

Winning is not everything. It is an honor to be a Buckeye and it should be treated like one.

Pryor and Thomas have proven they are fake Buckeyes, and I for one will only be cheering for the real ones.

Follow me on twitter @samober