The comparisons to the SMU of the '80s are not out of bounds. When the Clarett thing broke in 2004, I expected the NCAA to slap a "lack of institutional control" label on tOSU, but they got slaps on the wrist and Tressel wasn't seriously investigated. The thing is, the Clarett thing broke, and then people started talking in hushed voices about the basketball program, who was about to build a strong enough team to lose to Florida in the tourney finals.
The point is, OSU keeps getting told to stop, and they keep breaking the rules anyway. They think they'll never get the death penalty because they're too high-profile a school. They forget the bought teams of the '80s for SMU, the #2 undefeated team in 1982 who probably should have played Georgia for the national title, the class that won three of four SWC titles over the likes of Texas and Arkansas, the SMU who could recruit nationally and was nearly brought down by a player from outside Pittsburgh. People keep forgetting that SMU voluntarily shut down football operations in 1988; the NCAA could have shut them down for two years but elected to do so for only one. That second year probably set them back farther than the first year did.
Ohio State will not, I think, get slapped with a violation of the Repeat Offender Rule. Do they deserve the Death Penalty? Absolutely. They keep getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar this decade; it's time to slam it shut.
Red and Black, Win or Lose
