BlockONation.com EXCLUSIVE: A Different Take on Pay-For-Play at Ohio State

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

A very reliable source relayed some information directly to me today that I found very interesting given the current situation at Ohio State involving players and cars, memorabilia, autographs, tattoos, alleged money-handshakes, and the like.

The term pay-for-play has been mentioned this offseason -- not just in discussions pertaining to Ohio State -- but across the entire college football landscape more times than Tiger Woods lied to his ex-wife in the past 2 years about which hole his club was really in during his multiple Las Vegas "exploits".

Here's a twist none of us saw coming -- Reverse pay-for-play. What does that mean you might be asking yourself? It is just what it sounds like.

Cheryl Krueger, co-founder of Cheryl and Co. sold her company to 1-800-FLOWERS in 2005 for millions. In the words of one of the coaches (who remains anonymous), she has been a big-time donor and philanthropist to the University for well over 20 years. She is also a board member for Bob Evans restaurants.

Here's the meat of the story -- Her son Cavin Green, a redshirt freshmen from New Albany, Ohio is a member of the Ohio State football team. He is listed as a DL and wears #94.

So what's the problem?

Well, the problem is that there is no record of Cavin Green ever playing prep football, or any sport for that matter during his high school days at Columbus Academy -- so how and why is he on the 85-man roster at Ohio State, one of the nation's most elite DI football programs?

From Krueger's Wikipedia Profile

In January 2003, when The Ohio State University won the national football championship, Krueger teamed up with OSU coach Jim Tressel to raise money for cancer research through sales of a commemorative, autographed cookie jar. Tressel lost both of his parents to cancer.

"We’ve now donated over a quarter of a million dollars to the Tressel Family Fund," Krueger says. "For a company our size to donate that kind of money, that’s a big deal. It’s a very big deal. We’re really proud of it."

It's unlikely that Green is on scholarship (hopefully not), but it seems very clear as to why and how he "earned" a roster spot -- Thanks to his Mom.

Coincidentally, Krueger and Green were listed and invited guests of Ohio State for the 2008 BCS National Championship Game against LSU -- Thanks (again) to his Mom.

Also according to my source, how Green "made the team" ($$$) isn't exactly a secret around the program among those in the know behind closed doors, but apparently, he and his situation are not to be talked about.

Whoops...

I looked on Ozone, ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, and Google among other sites, yet couldn't find 1 lousy picture of him anywhere online, and although he is listed as a member of the roster on the Buckeyes official site, there's no picture or bio for him.

Looks like who you know (Tressel) and having a few million to spare can get your son a jersey and a position on the team at OSU -- and the clout and prestige that brings to you on campus and around Columbus -- even when you have never played a day of competitive football in your whole life.

Wonder if he will lose his bought-and-paid-for roster spot now that JT is gone and the story has been uncovered...


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Instant Classic - The Legendary LSUFREEK Does Terrelle Pryor

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CFN.Scout.com: Big Ten Bloggers - 5 Thoughts on WRs

CFN's Big 10 Bloggers put the conference's wide receiver position under the microscope

H.D. Handshoe: On who will be the conference’s next first round NFL wide receiver?

There are several excellent wideouts around the Big Ten, but three names that almost instantaneously come to mind as potential first rounders next April are DeVier Posey from Ohio State, Marvin McNutt from Iowa, and Damarlo Belcher from Indiana.

At 6-2, 213, Posey has decent size and speed (4.52 40-yard-dash). He also possesses excellent hands -- not to mention some very nice body art courtesy of Fine Line Ink (I kid...still too soon?). But seriously, he’s a legit baller.

The problem for Posey won’t be a lack of big-play ability. In two seasons as a starter he has proven his worth in that department, having caught 113 passes for 1,676 yards and 15 touchdowns -- a handful of which that have made ESPN’s Top Plays. Missing the first five games of his upcoming senior season, however,.............

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Writing on the Wall: Terrelle Pryor Leaving Ohio State Not Really Unexpected, or Upsetting

Just like his buddy LeBron, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is "taking his talents" elsewhere, and the state of Ohio is better off for it.

Just 8 days after Jim Tressel resigned for the greater good of Ohio State, according to his lawyer, Pryor has followed suit.

This really is not a huge surprise for several reasons:

1-- Tressel made Pryor and the Tat-5 pledge to return if he allowed them to play in the 2011 Sugar Bowl. With Tressel gone, there's nobody left to hold Pryor and the gang to that commitment.

2 -- Last week, the NCAA and Ohio State launched a new investigation into Pryor's use of several "loaner" cars and other potential extra benefits he may have received.

3 -- Missing 5 games of his upcoming senior season with no guarantee that he would return as the starting QB after his suspension ended could only hurt his draft stock next April.

4 -- If you have to sell MVP trophies and gold pants, etc, for tattoos and rent money, it was time for you to go make what you can, while you can.

5 -- Most of Buckeye Nation has turned on Pryor and blame him for the departure of coach Tressel -- and so -- another domino had to fall.

6 -- Braxton Miller

Personally, Pryor will NOT be missed and this is another fine example of addition by subtraction. Terrelle was a me-first guy who has tarnished the school and the program by putting himself ahead of both.

A couple weeks ago, I may have been alone in feeling good about Terrelle leaving, but it looks like I was right about him all along.

Don't worry, there's plenty of room for the rest of you on my "Good Riddance Terrelle" bandwagon...


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MUST SEE: Hitler Reacts to Jim Tressel's Resignation

Whoever it was that first came up with this idea of having Hitler react to all sorts of current events was a genius!

Some are better than others, but practically every single one is funny and worth the few minutes it takes to watch. This one is no exception -- Even us Buckeye fans have to have a sense of humor!





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Looking Ahead to 2012—Ohio State's Top 5 Head Coach Candidates Are...

Ohio State has already announced that previously-named interim coach Luke Fickell will guide the team for the entire 2011 season before the University evaluates the position going forward into 2012 and beyond -- assuming the Mayans are wrong.

At the end of the day -- despite the NCAA sanctions that the program is facing -- this is still THE Ohio State University and you can rest-assured that should the school decide to conduct a national coaching search post-2011, there will be no shortage of big-name candidates willing to accept the job if offered.

Here are the top five coaches that are most likely to comprise tOSU’s want-list.


Number Five - Mark Dantonio

The Michigan State head coach was the defensive coordinator at OSU before taking the gig in East Lansing.

Under Dantonio, the Spartans have closed the gap on Michigan as the state’s premier college football program, but Michigan may finally be back on track and coming back to Columbus to run the Big Ten’s best team over the past decade would be hard to pass up.

Considering what he was able to do at MSU, the sky is the limit with the resources and recruiting advantage Ohio State over practically every other Big ten school.


Number Four - Bo Pelini

Pelini is from Ohio and was a team captain of the 1992 Buckeyes football team, so it’s obvious that he’s a guy who will value the tradition of Ohio State football and, especially, the rivalry with Michigan.

He is, however, a complete contrast from Tressel, in that, he seems to be a bit of a hot-head, and if he thinks there’s pressure to win in Lincoln, he ain’t seen nothing yet.

Yes, he played here, but coaching here and trying to meet the expectations of the rabid Buckeye fanbase is a whole different animal.


Number Three - Luke Fickell

Fickell is a Buckeye through-and-through. He is a Columbus native and was a four-year defensive starter for Ohio State in the early to mid-1990’s.

He’s been an assistant coach for nine seasons and the assistant defensive coordinator since Dantonio headed north to MSU. He tops Pelini and Dantonio on the list as of right now because each of them are already head coaches in the Big Ten that may not be as available as Fickell is at the end of the 2011 season -- and, Fickell has a full year to audition for the job.

If he can lead these players to another Big Ten title in the face of all the adversity and against the mountain of turmoil the team must overcome, he will be considered a legitimate top-five candidate .


Number Two - Jon Gruden

The ESPN Monday Night Football commentator and former Super-Bowl-winning coach of the Tampa Bay Bucs has recently been rumored to be “getting the itch” to coach again.

The Sandusky, Ohio native played his college ball at Dayton and has been quoted as saying he is immensely proud of his Buckeye roots. It just feels safe to believe that Gruden would run a clean program with the right kind of players.

A lot can change in nearly a year and a half, but according to Sports Illustrated, Gruden, who would absolutely deny any and all rumors linking him to Ohio State until something was official, would almost definitely take the job too, if offered.


Number One - Urban Meyer

Health issues and family commitments aside, practically all speculation about who might take over as head coach of the Buckeyes in 2012 is centered on former Florida/Utah/BGSU head coach Meyer.

Meyer currently works as a college football analyst for ESPN and stated he isn’t looking to leave the network for the sidelines -- not this season, anyway.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, Meyer’s family moved to Ashtabula, Ohio when he was just a child. He played football at the University of Cincinnati and was on Earle Bruce’s OSU staff in the mid-1980’s as a graduate assistant -- making Meyer the one coach that makes the absolute most sense to the pundits and the fans of Buckeye Nation alike.

One issue that does create some concern is the number of player arrests during Meyer’s tenure at Florida. With Ohio State looking to salvage and rebuild their image, that issue could be a deal-breaker if and when Meyer shows interest in what he has been quoted as saying is one of his all-time dream jobs.


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