COLUMBUS, Ohio — Now that the NCAA has finalized its ruling that five Ohio State football players who took improper benefits are suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said he wants the same punishment.
On Thursday night, the NCAA denied Ohio State’s appeal on behalf of the players, including star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, reasserting they must sit out the first five games this fall for selling autographed memorabilia and receiving discounted tattoos.
Tressel had been handed a separate two-game suspension by Ohio State after a later investigation for not notifying the NCAA, his Ohio State bosses or the school’s compliance department that he was aware for more than nine months of the players’ improper benefits.
“Throughout this entire situation, my players and I have committed ourselves to facing our mistakes and growing from them. We can only successfully do this together,” Tressel said.
Pryor, along with starting offensive lineman Mike Adams, leading rusher Daniel Herron, first-team receiver DeVier Posey and backup defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, acknowledged they sold rings, trophies and apparel in 2009.
The Buckeyes face the University of Colorado on Sept. 24, the fourth week of their season.
• Murray Warmath, who led the Minnesota Gophers from a last- place finish in the Big Ten in 1959 to a national championship the next season, died Wednesday in Bloomington, Ind. He was 98.
Irving to return to Blue Devils
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke guard Kyrie Irving, who has been out since Dec. 4 with an injured big toe on his right foot, is expected to return in the Blue Devils’ NCAA Tournament opener today against Hampton.
• Purdue backup guard Ryne Smith has been cleared to play in today’s NCAA opener against St. Peter’s after being hit in the head in practice and missing two days of drills. Also cleared to play but still wearing a walking boot was guard John Hart.
• Perry Jones will miss the first five games next season if he stays at Baylor after an NCAA reinstatement committee upheld a ruling that declared the standout 6-foot-11 freshman ineligible.
Footnotes.
Paul Casey fired a 7-under-par 64 that gave him a two-shot lead over former CSU standout Martin Laird, Nick Watney, Garrett Willis and Scott Stallings after one round of the Transitions Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.
• A federal judge barred the jury at Barry Bonds‘ perjury trial from hearing angry voicemails the home run king left with his mistress during a stormy nine-year relationship. The trial begins Monday in San Francisco.
• The duel between Lindsey Vonn and Maria Riesch for the women’s World Cup overall title was put on hold when the super-G races were canceled by poor weather in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Today’s races — a women’s slalom and men’s giant slalom — are in doubt with more rain, wet snow and poor visibility forecast.
The Associated Press
