In what could ultimately prove to be one of the biggest sports stories of the year, former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett has admitted that he received cash, cars, and other gifts –as well as improper academic help- from boosters and THE Ohio State University itself.
Clarett, who is in his second year of being ineligible to play college or pro ball, made the explosive accusations in an ESPN the Magazine article titled “My Side” (though really, shouldn’t EVERY article in that magazine be called “My Side”? All it is, month after month, is athletes justifying themselves). At any rate, I have no idea if this is true, but if it is? Sorry, Buckeye fans- I hope you enjoyed being national champions a couple years back, because your title could be taken away retroactively.
Posted by Stephen Silver at November 9, 2004 10:28 PMJust like that time the Gophers never made it to the final four. I don't remember that vividly. That was fun memories (now lost).
Can the NCAA look more dumb by insisting things like that never happened?
What about the $100 bet I had against the buckeyes, do I now win? Where's my bookie?
Posted by: Jeff S at November 10, 2004 12:55 AMI'm stunned that such a thing would happen under the watch of the NCAA, which is so dedicated to the proper education of these student-athletes.
Posted by: Bill McCabe at November 10, 2004 06:36 AMI don't expect these allegations to get much traction given the source. Who are they going to believe, a guy in a sweater who beat Michigan a couple years ago or a guy with every reason in the world to be bitter.
Now, I have no doubts that there is at least an element of truth to what Clarett is saying, but I think he has burned his bridges with the NCAA, and Ohio State will come out of this unscathed.
Posted by: J. Lichty at November 10, 2004 10:17 AMI too am skeptical of the source. I remember a while back Clarett went so far as to make some other allegations against the University and/or Tressel that turned out to be false.
Tressel strikes me (and I'm sure many others) of a man with way too much integrety to do anything of that sort.
Clarett having sour grapes again? Perhaps....
Posted by: jaws at November 10, 2004 01:50 PM