Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Clarett faces multi-game suspension

The_Dude · 08-22-2003, 04:37 PM

Quote:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Maurice Clarett was cleared to resume practicing with national champion Ohio State, but faces a multi-game suspension, the university said Friday.

The NCAA supplied Ohio State with a list of allegations against Clarett on Thursday. Members of the university discussed the allegations with the sophomore on Friday, athletic director Andy Geiger said in a statement.

The NCAA and university had been investigating allegations about Clarett's academic performance and the player's acknowledged overstatement of the value of items stolen from a vehicle he had borrowed.

The suspension handed down Friday was only for non-academic allegations. A 10-person university panel probing charges of academic fraud is completely separate from Clarett's open-ended suspension.

Clarett remains ineligible for games, but could rejoin practices as early as Sunday, Geiger said.

Clarett would do so on Sunday, coach Jim Tressel said Friday.

``He said, 'Can I practice tomorrow (Saturday)?' and I said, 'Well, you'll be alone; I'm giving the guys the day off.'''

Tressel said he didn't know how long the suspension will be.

``Our next step is to make a recommendation to the NCAA concerning the length of Maurice's suspension,'' Geiger said. ``Then, we wait for their reply.

``We have no way of knowing how long this process will take, but it will be a multiple-game suspension.''

Kay Hawes, a NCAA spokeswoman, said the organization doesn't have the authority to suspend Clarett, and it is up to Ohio State to determine the player's eligibility.

Clarett remains on scholarship. Classes resume Sept. 24.

Clarett's mother, Miechelle, and the player's attorney, Scott Schiff, did not immediately return phone messages seeking comment.

Ohio State began an investigation after a New York Times article in which a former teaching assistant accused Clarett of receiving preferential treatment in class. Norma C. McGill said Clarett walked out of a midterm exam last fall, but passed the class after professor Paulette Pierce gave him an oral exam.

That prompted Ohio State to form a 10-person committee to look into charges of academic fraud involving several athletes.

Meanwhile, the NCAA was investigating Clarett's claim that more than $10,000 in clothing, CDs, cash and stereo equipment was stolen in April from a car he was borrowing from a local dealership.

Schiff acknowledged many of the items belonged to the dealer, not Clarett, and that Clarett exaggerated the value of the items. In a statement issued last month, Clarett apologized to his teammates and Ohio State for ``any embarrassment this incident may have caused.''

University officials then announced they would hold Clarett out of team activities ``until and unless'' his eligibility matters were resolved.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?s...v=ap&type=lgns

looks pretty certain that he will miss some games (my local sportsman said 6 games) but that would definately be a blow to OSU.