So I'm at a bar tonight...

[McFate]

Do you have pictures to prove that it was Troy? Did you see him accept any cash for his services? Are you sure that no BG player of the past or present hasn't accepted anything in exchange for their celebrity?

What does any other BG player have to do with anything? If Troy Smith broke the rules, that's significant, whether or not anyone else was breaking any rules.

Frankly, lacking the city and name of the bar, I remain skeptical. It's all too easy to anonymously start up ridiculous internet rumors, and there are lots of idiots who get a kick out of seeing how much mileage they can get out of fake ones. If I were there, I'd have some cell phone pictures of Troy, the limo, etc. to post, too.

In theory, Troy's eligibility with the NCAA was up after the last play of the Michigan game. He has graduated from OSU (and is in grad school). The BCS isn't controlled by the NCAA, so most of their rules don't apply to bowl eligibility and a teams status (i.e. Reggie Bush) Leinhart at USC was in the same boat.

Sorry, that's loony. Eligibility is still a concern and still regulated by the NCAA for bowl games.

The BCS title game has some additional concerns, because it is played after schools start their winter quarter -- meaning that fall-quarter grades and results impact eligibility. This is the first year that the game has been so late, but I think we'll consistently see a player or two from each team be unable to play in the BCS title game.

Troy Smith has no academic concerns because he is already working on his second degree, but if he's not eligible for any other reason, then he's not playing in the bowl. Do you remember Curtis Enis accepting a $300 suit from an agent, and then not getting to play in Penn State's bowl game?

[Bleeding Orange]

I think you are trying to make smoke where there is no fire. You are just pissed that Tressel is 5-1 against Michigan and you despise anything OSU. Go ahead and try to start a fire, but the NCAA and others will be pouring water on you before you can get a match out of the match box.

Thats pretty good, but, no. I have no affection for OSU, UM or any other school that isn't BGSU. Period. And quite frankly, my allegiances have absolutely nothing to do with the ethical concerns that I have with what Troy was engaged with last night (and yes, I have a very, very poor picture of Troy, but I also have about 400 other people at the bar I was at to corroborate the story). My concerns about this incedent have nothing to do with my affection or lack thereof for OSU, or any kind of BCS vs. non-BCS BS that you can conjure, my concern is for the integrity of this game. It is fine for you to sit there and make excuses for why this is OK (BCS isn't governed by the NCAA, yada yada yada), but my question is: where do these excuses end. We're talking about a guy that has already admitted to taking money from boosters, so it isn't like there is precident here.

BG's season is over. My most direct connection with college football is over until next year's spring game. But, I am extremely concerened and totally dismayed by the fact that the probable Heisman Trophy winner is out there acting like a professional athlete while he is still playing for a collegiate team. He is not a pro athlete, and your example of players providing services for which they will be paid on Jan. 9 is the biggest bunch of biased, revisionist crap I have ever heard in my life. If it happens during a player's collegiate career it happens. Finito. I would feel the exact same way if a BG player were involved in this kind of thing. It doesn't matter where the kid is from, the kid is messing with the integrity of a game that a lot of people (bookies notwithstanding) respect and hold dear. If you care to challenge me on my convictions about taking the same line on a BG player, please PM me. We'll hash that out one-on-one.

I can't even believe anyone could possibly defend this type of thing. It is despicable.

[Bleeding Orange]

McFate, you make some good points, and I appologize for going off seemingly without warrant. Here is the bar that this happened at:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/resta ... +cafe.html

I know they have an officaial website out there, but I can't find it right now. And believe me, I would have pictures had I not gotten a new phone two days ago. I tried. Seriously. Being technically inept as I am, it was a serious mistake to get a top of the line Motorola phone... 600 pictures on a phone, are you KIDDING ME?!?! Way too complicated for anyone to pick up in a couple of hours!

[kdog27]

Frankly, lacking the city and name of the bar, I remain skeptical. It's all too easy to anonymously start up ridiculous internet rumors, and there are lots of idiots who get a kick out of seeing how much mileage they can get out of fake ones. If I were there, I'd have some cell phone pictures of Troy, the limo, etc. to post, too.

When BO posted this last night I highly doubt that he expected this to become a rumor mill. I bet he thought about only the same 20 people who go to the "other schools forum" would read this. There is only about ten people on this board who consistently post in this forum so if he wanted to potentially start some rumor I highly doubt he would do it here. If he wanted it to be on JJhuddle, he would have posted it there.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

Frankly, lacking the city and name of the bar, I remain skeptical. It's all too easy to anonymously start up ridiculous internet rumors, and there are lots of idiots who get a kick out of seeing how much mileage they can get out of fake ones. If I were there, I'd have some cell phone pictures of Troy, the limo, etc. to post, too.

When BO posted this last night I highly doubt that he expected this to become a rumor mill. I bet he thought about only the same 20 people who go to the "other schools forum" would read this. There is only about ten people on this board who consistently post in this forum so if he wanted to potentially start some rumor I highly doubt he would do it here. If he wanted it to be on JJhuddle, he would have posted it there.

Yeah, he's not smart enough to be insidious.

[kdog27]

he's not smart enough to be insidious.

Now I would have said that but I don't like big words. Thanks for making me look bad J4.

[Rightupinthere]

BO,

For the integrity of the game, I would let the NCAA know about this.

For you own personal safety, I would ask Grant to delete this thread. Morals aren't always present with quite a few OSU fans.*






*The fans I decribe never went to college so that omits a good number of OSU fans. So save it if you take this as a personal affront.

[Rightupinthere]

Do you have pictures to prove that it was Troy? Did you see him accept any cash for his services? Are you sure that no BG player of the past or present hasn't accepted anything in exchange for their celebrity?

In theory, Troy's eligibility with the NCAA was up after the last play of the Michigan game. He has graduated from OSU (and is in grad school). The BCS isn't controlled by the NCAA, so most of their rules don't apply to bowl eligibility and a teams status (i.e. Reggie Bush) Leinhart at USC was in the same boat. He had graduated prior to last fall and was in GS. He hung out with Nick and Jessica and Paris. Do you think he bought rounds for them? Do you think that he drove to the night clubs in his old '90 Toyota Cellica? NO. He more than likely has had a lot thrown his way that he didn't have to pay for. A lot more than Troy can ever claim to have received. When you are a start athlete in a big town, regardless of the sport, you get some free passes. There is nothing wrong with signing autographs. So long as you don't take money for the efforts.

What you don't know is if he has agreed to something that would pay him on January 9th for his efforts now. While ethically wrong, technically there is nothing illegal. Lots of players, and I have seen many underage hockey players and football players served drinks at bars in BG in plane view of other patrons. Some in front of the then Prosecuting Attorney for Wood County.

I think you are trying to make smoke where there is no fire. You are just pissed that Tressel is 5-1 against Michigan and you despise anything OSU. Go ahead and try to start a fire, but the NCAA and others will be pouring water on you before you can get a match out of the match box.

And this post is a perfect profile of the moral relativism choking college sports today.

It's sad, really.

[McFate]

Here is the bar that this happened at:

Thanks for the detail. I have some connections and will pass that along.

Looking back at the original post, I see:
* Troy Smith went into a bar
* Some girls entered at the same time as Troy and traded beers for full ones
* Troy signed autographs
* There was a limo out front
* Troy left by the back entrance

I'm not sure what is illegal about handing out beer (is it illegal to buy a drink for someone else?), but it doesn't seem Troy was involved directly with that anyway. Hanging out with the beer girls probably isn't an issue, otherwise most of the USC team that hangs out with Hollywood celebs would be ineligible. It's not illegal to sign autographs or to go out the back door, certainly.

The only thing there that looks like it could possibly be an NCAA violation was the limo ride, and even that is a little uncertain to me. First, Troy wasn't (reportedly) seen getting out of it or back into it, so we don't even know for sure that he got the ride, though I think that is probably a safe assumption. Second, players get limo rides for other reasons without any issues. (Do you think everyone going to the Heisman ceremony is forced to take cabs and pay for it themselves?) OSU players get rides to more formal autograph sessions, and as long as they don't accept money for it, it's kosher.

So, who knows... it's not clear that there's a violation in there, but I'm sure the OSU compliance office knows the rules better than I do. There's not much worry about them not acting; they've been very proactive in the past. They have to be: if they try to sit on anything without taking action, then they become complicit, and the later penalties become worse.

When BO posted this last night I highly doubt that he expected this to become a rumor mill. I bet he thought about only the same 20 people who go to the "other schools forum" would read this.

If he had gone to the other forums himself, though, he'd be lacking credibility. Also, JJHuddle is pretty small potatoes. The OSU rivals site, BuckeyePlanet, and the O-Zone would be the places to go, but it would be more credible if he depended on visitors from those forums here, to carry the rumor to there.

I'm not accusing him of this, but anyone who isn't very highly skeptical of anonymous postings in internet forums is going to get played for a sucker constantly.

[Rightupinthere]

If he had gone to the other forums himself, though, he'd be lacking credibility. Also, JJHuddle is pretty small potatoes. The OSU rivals site, BuckeyePlanet, and the O-Zone would be the places to go, but it would be more credible if he depended on visitors from those forums here, to carry the rumor to there.

I'm not accusing him of this, but anyone who isn't very highly skeptical of anonymous postings in internet forums is going to get played for a sucker constantly.

Understand, McFate, that most people know BO (for better or worse ) so your argument that he wishes someone would take this over to another board is unfounded. I believe he was just letting us know about it. Besides, we're just lowly little BG. Why would any conker fan seek us out for this sort of information?

[Bleeding Orange]

Yeah, I definately wasn't thinking that this would become some big thing. I'm amazed that so many people actually check this forum - I know I rarely do myself anymore. And honestly, I just wanted some advice on what to do. I mean, it was pretty clear to me that this was all very organized (and that it probably moved to another bar after the hour or so at the Ironwood), and the mere fact that I was the only one in the bar who seemed concerned over the ethical ramifications of the situation dismayed me more than anything, I guess. I certainly have nothing against Troy. The kid is an amazing athlete, and of any Heisman candidate that I have seen for years, Troy is far and away the most deserving. Still, I can't help but be disappointed when I see something like this happening.

I certainly didn't mean to start an Internet rumor, though. I probably should have considered that before posting it, but you have to remember that I was at a bar ( ), so the ole' judgement probably wasn't what it should have been... Plus, there are enough people around here that know me enough to know that I'm not the type to go around making stuff up like this.

Ah, screw it. Oh Grant...

[redskins4ever]

What Bar... I'll go down tonight and scope it out... I have a contact with Bud Select... let me see where they are going tonight!

[h2oville rocket]

The OSU rivals site, BuckeyePlanet, and the O-Zone would be the places to go, but it would be more credible if he depended on visitors from those forums here, to carry the rumor to there.

OSU has a web site? And people post on it?

[SaxyIrishTenor]

My cousin saw the same thing at another bar in Cleveland a night or two later. I think she might have mentioned that Ted Ginn was with them, but I am not sure about that one. She said he WAS promoting Bud Select.

[soccerstud01]

Ted Ginn was at the Cleveland Chapter of the OSU Booster Club dinner on Wednesday, and was at home with his family on Thanksgiving.