Cornerback Donald Washington has been ruled eligible for the BCS Championship game against LSU. After word leaked that Washington and fellow defensive back Eugene Clifford had been suspended for the game, the university later clarified that only Clifford had been suspended and that Washington was potentially appealing his suspension.
We still don't know why the two were suspended in the first place, nor do we know any more today, thanks to the noise-canceling walls the Vest has erected around the program -- that and because The Dispatch is essentially the Pravda of Columbus, but the Buckeyes will have the services of Washington for the big game.
It's great to have him available, but is this an instance of us fans putting aside our standards and ideals for the sake of a "W"? Do we even have any right to know what went down?
Comments
I'm torn on the whole "right to know" thing, but wonder if this isn't a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and not snitching when appropriate. I like to think The Vest wouldn't relax discipline for the sake of a "W," no matter how badly the program needs it.
A fellow who officiates at the OSU practices works in the same office I do, and he's pretty close to the program. He told me that Washington was expected to tell someone something about what he'd seen, and didn't.
Take that for what it's worth.
So.. Washington didn't tell on Clifford for hitting a bong?
hmmmm.....do you think his appeal took so long because they were waiting on drug test results to see if he "didn't inhale?"
Failing a random drug test is the reason I heard for Clifford though I doubt well ever get some kind of official announcement other than the "breaking team rules" catch all
A few observations. Gene Smith said that Washington "is eligible", not "is ruled eligible". On the record, OSU never indicated Washington was ever suspended, nor did they ever officially say that he appealed his "suspension".
The Dispatch article could also be written to say, "Donald Washington is not suspended, as we reported."
I think the Dispatch got caught up in a rumor and reported said rumor as a fact when they obviously got it wrong, and it burned their backsides. Remember, they came out and said Washington was, without question, suspended for the game. I think they're trying to cover their backsides instead of admitting they made a mistake.
Although this is not a nationwide story, this is exactly what happened to Herbie. They shouldn't have ran with the story unless they could verify it through the university somehow. Otherwise, the Dispatch is just a rumor rag.
If no law was broken, I don't think they should or need to tell anybody what he did. As a nosy fanatic, I would like to know. I am just bored with this crap in general. Thank God the Dispatch wasn't reporting on any of us during our college years.
Good points Tom.
I'm in agreement with most in that we don't have a right to know, but it sure would be nice. Still, it's cool that I don't have to worry about some pesky reporter wanting to know why I'm running wind-sprints and doing mountain-climbers for writing buggy software.
"I think the Dispatch got caught up in a rumor and reported said rumor as a fact when they obviously got it wrong, and it burned their backsides."
This is absolutely spot on.
If Washington deserved a suspension, we should have done what scUM and SEC schools do: wait until we play a lay-up game, like Y-State next year or Troy, and suspended him for that game.
Of course, there would be a national media uproar if tOSU did that.
Glad to have him back! None of our business why! SCREW THE DISPATCH!
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