Up in Smoke
AllegedlyThat 2008 Buckeye defense we’ve all been daydreaming about just took a bit of a hit. The rumors from earlier in the day proved to be correct and Donald Washington, Jamario O’Neal and Eugene Clifford are in a bit of trouble.
The three have allegedly been caught with weed-flavored urine and are facing suspensions or outright dismissals from the team. All three were held out of spring practice and were seen conditioning while the rest of the squad participated in pads.
The coaching staff and athletic department officials aren’t saying anything, but the following quote from Hartline seemed to give away the offense:
“And I know the kind of guys they are, and they’re great guys. But it just like dumbfounds you, because I hang out with them all the time but I never see it happen, so it’s like, `When?’. . .
The buzz is that Clifford is gone, Washington may be and O’Neal will probably stick around — but on thin ice.
The loss of Clifford would be no real surprise, considering he was suspended for the MNC game for likely the same offense. A tremendous talent, we were hoping a move to safety would be the fresh start he needed to get his groove-on. His loss would suck, but it’s not like he’s Beanie, you know.
Washington’s loss, on the other hand, would be a tremendous blow to the team. A junior with a ton of quality starts under his belt at corner, his future was bright. All of the snaps that Chekwa received last year are huge all of a sudden.
O’Neal had always been more hype than ability. He is a senior backing up a junior, after all, but you never like to see anything like this happen in a guy’s final year.
If things unfold as expected, the current secondary features Jenkins, Chekwa, Coleman and Russell. Three returning starters and the nickel guy from last season. The team should still be in incredible shape back there, but if that group gets hit with injuries, things could get delicate.
What a week — the entire Brew Crew is on the shelf and now this. Any chance these guys can get the Manningham treatment and see the field before USC?
(On a side note, props to Dotting the “I” for breaking this before everybody. And I mean everybody. Blogs, FTW!)
28 Responses
i think i speak for everyone when i give the preverbial ‘fuck!’
blazers - April 11th, 2008 at 11:11 pm - #
hey baby, don’t forget everyone’s favorite, famous andre amos.
bup bup bup - April 11th, 2008 at 11:16 pm - #
Its hard to feel sorry for someone when they do something like that. You know its illegal, you know what happens when you get caught, and its possible that you were caught a few months ago. It will suck for the defense, but they knew the consequences of the actions.
Spivan - April 12th, 2008 at 8:49 am - #
(My comment was removed because I’m racist!)
Andrew - April 12th, 2008 at 11:27 am - #
Stupid just stupid, but come on you think these guys are gone? for weed? get real, Troy Smith took money and just missed out on two games… they’ll be there for USC.
Oh and come on you know the coaching staff give these guys a heads up when the tests are coming. They should have drank the “clear” to mask the T in there urine.
Plus they still get a chance to fight the accusations and take a second test. So everybody needs to come down. Really, chill. they’re in college. Football Players at The Ohio State University, but still college students.
Kris - April 12th, 2008 at 1:01 pm - #
Kris, I hope you’re right. I honestly don’t know how long they’ll be gone (if all this turns out to be true). As I pointed out above, Manningham saw a one-game suspension for the bionic, so who knows.
The prevailing sentiment among forums (and we all know the forums are NEVER wrong) is that because of the second offenses for Clifford and Washington, the punishment could be a little longer than what you’d see on a first offense.
Jason - April 12th, 2008 at 1:25 pm - #
Who will be available for USC. That’s the question.
Brian - April 12th, 2008 at 3:05 pm - #
its just weed come on this is 2008. In many people’s eyes a dui is a much bigger deal. They didn’t get caught selling it or growing it or even with it on their person. If anything clifford is gone because this is twice, but the other two haven’t been in trouble. Legalize it! nice looking buds by the way im going to pack one right now in protest.
tampa buckeye - April 12th, 2008 at 3:20 pm - #
Is this the same Ohio State U., that had Pot leaves as game awards in lieu of Buckeye decals on their helmets? Check out S.I. photographs of 1970’s, including Archie Griffon and the boys - - -
Mike - April 12th, 2008 at 4:44 pm - #
Maybe Tress should take a page from the Les Miles playbook and put them all on double secret probation ( a la Perriloux).
Seriously though, come on guys. Keep out of trouble. You get one, but two is a pattern of bad decisions.
Kyle - April 12th, 2008 at 5:10 pm - #
Last time I checked, Tampa, it was illegal. Everyone knows it, everyone who uses should be ready to accept the consequences if caught.
I think they should all be dismissed. They have been given too many chances already and learned nothing. Time to move on.
TLB - April 12th, 2008 at 7:43 pm - #
I’m with Tampa… :D
Dave N - April 12th, 2008 at 8:51 pm - #
Illegal does not mean wrong. With pot in particular the circumstances leading to its illegality are dubious, and the current justifications defy Reason. it’s fairly harmless, especially compared to alcohol or tobacco.
I concede these guys may have broken a team rule, and that is not something that ought to be tolerated. But among sins, this ranks quite a bit below busting a beer bottle over someone’s head, or even taking money from a booster. I see privileges being lost, and a game or two of suspension. But I don’t expect any of them to be asked to leave the team because of a positive drug test.
In terms of being illegal, on a small scale (not talking about Nate Newton), it’s a $100 fine. To put in perspective, it’s %40 the penalty for parking in a handicap spot. Or the same punishment that Jaywalking in C-Bus can get you.
Dan Isaacs - April 12th, 2008 at 10:23 pm - #
Not to get into a debate about whether or not pot should be legal because I agree that the current laws are pretty silly and ineffective, but the bottom line here is that these guys knew this was part of the deal when they signed up to play football at Ohio State.
They receive a ton of perks in exchange for not smoking up for the better part of four years and they know that coming into the relationship. They’ve let their teammates, the fans and most importantly, themselves down.
Jason - April 13th, 2008 at 1:04 am - #
http://www.thebuckeyesreport.com
I say we give them the Mario Manningham treatment.
joe - April 13th, 2008 at 1:06 am - #
“They receive a ton of perks in exchange for not smoking up for the better part of four years and they know that coming into the relationship. They’ve let their teammates, the fans and most importantly, themselves down.”
word, you don’t have to like the rules, but they’re there because Tress wants them to be there, and if he wants them to be there it’s because he thinks they’re good rules that should be followed. i’d hate for him to turn into les miles or bobby bowden and go “welp, rules are rules unless you’re talented in which case they aren’t really rules”
bup bup bup - April 13th, 2008 at 9:28 am - #
Part of me wonders how good some college football teams could be if the players abstained from all the usual vices. A lot of these guys have all the talent coming in, but sometimes kids love their weed, love their liquor, love their high cholesterol diets, and like goofing off, all of which compromises both academic and athletic performance.
Oh well. Them’s the breaks, I guess.
vico - April 13th, 2008 at 11:34 am - #
BUP BUP BUP: you really think Coach T gives that rule a lot of thought? Is there any coach out there willing to forego the rule completely? I know its easier to get around it or ignore it. But what would the alumni says if the football coach says: “Ya know, its not that big a deal. We’re taking that out of the team rules.”
IMHO the rule stays for two reasons. Enough use to test positive may impair performance. Unwillingness to forego use shows a lack of commitment to the team.
Arkansas Buckeye - April 13th, 2008 at 4:57 pm - #
i think Tressel views drug use as a statement about someone’s moral character, and i don’t think he’s inclined to give anyone who breaks a rule about pot use much more than a second chance
bup bup bup - April 13th, 2008 at 5:08 pm - #
Kids will be kids. D! scholarship athletes sould know better. DUMB-ASSES, take the scholarships away and give them to someone who will respect them. scUM sucks!
Buckeye N Texas - April 13th, 2008 at 7:22 pm - #
Yeah, to be sure Tressel and I disagree about many things. But I don’t think any less of him for it. :)
Dan Isaacs - April 13th, 2008 at 9:18 pm - #
Two Game suspension, they’ll be back for USC…….Thats from an inside source with the team
In the Know - April 13th, 2008 at 11:35 pm - #
That picture looks mighty tasty
Pappa Hippie - April 14th, 2008 at 8:38 am - #
I’m not sure what’s more depressing - scholarship players incapable of resisting the lure of a brain-killing carcinogen for a few years, OSU’s reluctance to part company with folks doing blatantly illegal things, members of the public pontificating endlessly about the benign nature of the offense, or OSU “fans” worried primarily about the players’ availability for the USC game. Sad.
I do like this line in the article: “O’Neal had always been more hype than ability.” Considering how highly touted he was by Rivals and Scout, perhaps he can serve as exhibit A, perfectly illustrating why Rivals’ and Scout’s rankings don’t necessarily mean *one bloody thing.*
Joe Fox - April 14th, 2008 at 9:08 am - #
I don’t think kicking them off the team is the answer. Tressel promises parents he will take care of their son and help make him a man. Sometimes kids need more than one chance before it sinks in and JT realizes that.
Whatever they did, it will stay internal and the Vest will handle it properly, this is why parents and players trust in him so much. Hopefully they learn and we move on.
Corey - April 14th, 2008 at 10:33 am - #
Strip NC. Use it, love it.
Lloyds Apple - April 17th, 2008 at 8:21 pm - #
Do you mean to tell me that college kids smoke weed? Next you’ll tell me that underage college kids drink. Both of which are some serious performance enhancers that will unbalance the playing field…. In all seriousness I’ll support whatever the Buckeye decision is on this one, but as an ex-college student I can’t help but laugh that this is even an issue.
Jeff - April 18th, 2008 at 12:10 pm - #
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