Jim Tressel blew it. Yes he was trying to address the reality that one or more of the players penalized for selling merchandise and receiving improper benefits could easily play in the Sugar Bowl and then enter the NFL draft--and therefore go unpunished--by passing on his right to disallow them from suiting up for the bowl game in exchange for a pledge that they return next year. And, of course, they all made that pledge. But he should suspend players for the bowl game if he feels they deserve it, or not suspend them if he feels it is not justified. Using the chip of playing in New Orleans to encourage these players to return is unseemly. And it is wrong. As soon as he heard about what they did he should have suspended them immediately. Then the NCAA would have added 1-3 games next year on top of it. Instead we have a circus.
Let me also address the notion that the rules the players broke are light ones as they owned the items they sold. And yes this is not as bad as their breaking into someone's apartment and selling stolen material. But, like the Cam Newton situation, if you do not crack down on this behavior you are encouraging other student-athletes to do the same and encouraging boosters from loading up prize athletes with money. And selling items they earned from football is making them quasi professional athletes. And, finally, the lack of respect they showed OSU football was a disgrace.
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