Ohio Football Topic
Topic: Concerning story from The Post
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catfan28
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Posted: 7/13/2017 5:22 PM
I know his family pretty well. Have been debating whether to chime in...but decided it was worthwhile.

There was absolutely no money taken. At issue was a membership roster for the O Zone that had to be submitted to the NCAA. The record keeping was poor, but he compiled together a roster to send in. Some of the names were inaccurate, and then OU audit started looking into it.

The only reason he took the deal described in the article was, ironically, to avoid any press coverage. Everyone knew if this went to trial, it would turn into a circus (especially given anti-athletics venom in Athens). The deal keeps his record clean and then the case gets dismissed in 2 years. Lawyers thought there was an 80% chance of getting exonerated in court. It was obvious that there were elements on campus that wanted to make mountains out of molehills, perhaps to cause problems for athletics. A very strange sequence of events.

Couldn't have happened to someone who put more of their heart and soul into the school. He chose the least painful route for the university by avoiding trial.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 7/13/2017 5:41 PM
catfan28, if these are the real facts, it's even more upsetting than I thought. A guy shouldn't lose his job over an error in submitting roster information. Boy, there should be heads rolling all over the place in the AD's department if that was the case. I'm somewhat indignant over the way this went down, assuming again, that your facts are accurate.
catfan28
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Posted: 7/13/2017 6:53 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Boy, there should be heads rolling all over the place in the AD's department if that was the case. I'm somewhat indignant over the way this went down, assuming again, that your facts are accurate.
No doubt. There could have easily been some other heads rolling if he opted to go that route. He took the high road instead and decided not to hurt the department.
SBH
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Posted: 7/13/2017 8:27 PM
Well, at least Jim Schaus is standing behind his people...way behind.
shabamon
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Posted: 7/13/2017 8:43 PM
catfan28 wrote:expand_more
I know his family pretty well. Have been debating whether to chime in...but decided it was worthwhile.

There was absolutely no money taken. At issue was a membership roster for the O Zone that had to be submitted to the NCAA. The record keeping was poor, but he compiled together a roster to send in. Some of the names were inaccurate, and then OU audit started looking into it.

The only reason he took the deal described in the article was, ironically, to avoid any press coverage. Everyone knew if this went to trial, it would turn into a circus (especially given anti-athletics venom in Athens). The deal keeps his record clean and then the case gets dismissed in 2 years. Lawyers thought there was an 80% chance of getting exonerated in court. It was obvious that there were elements on campus that wanted to make mountains out of molehills, perhaps to cause problems for athletics. A very strange sequence of events.

Couldn't have happened to someone who put more of their heart and soul into the school. He chose the least painful route for the university by avoiding trial.
Why does the NCAA need a student section roster if the money is not the center of the issue?
Alan Swank
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Posted: 7/13/2017 9:28 PM
The Ozone account, as I've been told, was an outside account. And I'm not editing this post as I was requested to do with an earlier one.
Last Edited: 7/13/2017 9:29:23 PM by Alan Swank
catfan28
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Posted: 7/13/2017 11:41 PM
I can definitely confirm there was no outside account. Stand by my story 100%.

Also, the NCAA apparently collects hundreds of forms each year...I had no idea. It's part of an annual review they do in D1.
JZ
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Posted: 7/14/2017 5:45 AM
The only reason I can imagine that the NCAA would require a roster of OZone members is if it was used somehow for attendance purposes, like their membership counted as a season ticket and thus counted in attendance for all games. Otherwise that information is irrelevant to them. It would have more likely come up on an internal audit.
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Posted: 7/14/2017 6:44 AM
catfan28 wrote:expand_more
I know his family pretty well. Have been debating whether to chime in...but decided it was worthwhile.

There was absolutely no money taken. At issue was a membership roster for the O Zone that had to be submitted to the NCAA. The record keeping was poor, but he compiled together a roster to send in. Some of the names were inaccurate, and then OU audit started looking into it.

The only reason he took the deal described in the article was, ironically, to avoid any press coverage. Everyone knew if this went to trial, it would turn into a circus (especially given anti-athletics venom in Athens). The deal keeps his record clean and then the case gets dismissed in 2 years. Lawyers thought there was an 80% chance of getting exonerated in court. It was obvious that there were elements on campus that wanted to make mountains out of molehills, perhaps to cause problems for athletics. A very strange sequence of events.

Couldn't have happened to someone who put more of their heart and soul into the school. He chose the least painful route for the university by avoiding trial.
If this was strictly a record keeping error,why was he required to pay O.U. "restitution" ?

The article doesn't go into what that was for.
C Money
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Posted: 7/14/2017 7:17 AM
rpbobcat wrote:expand_more
If this was strictly a record keeping error,why was he required to pay O.U. "restitution" ?

The article doesn't go into what that was for.
I've seen restitution ordered for something as simple as using public funds for gratuity at a restaurant, even when the meal itself was legitimately reimbursed. It's feasible that, say, Ozone money was used to pay for pizza, which is fine, but the tip to the delivery driver isn't. Without the dollar figure or the context, the fact that restitution is ordered is impossible to weigh.
Last Edited: 7/14/2017 7:17:28 AM by C Money
SBH
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Posted: 7/14/2017 7:58 AM
Was Drake let go by Ohio Athletics? I certainly hope not.
rpbobcat
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Posted: 7/14/2017 8:57 AM
C Money wrote:expand_more
If this was strictly a record keeping error,why was he required to pay O.U. "restitution" ?

The article doesn't go into what that was for.
I've seen restitution ordered for something as simple as using public funds for gratuity at a restaurant, even when the meal itself was legitimately reimbursed. It's feasible that, say, Ozone money was used to pay for pizza, which is fine, but the tip to the delivery driver isn't. Without the dollar figure or the context, the fact that restitution is ordered is impossible to weigh.
According to the article,the restitution amount was $6000.00.
That's a lot of tips.

The only thing I could think of was that O.U. hired an outside firm to conduct an audit and this was the cost.
Speaker of Truth
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Posted: 7/14/2017 9:13 AM
The NCAA doesn't care about the Ozone. The Ozone is always a fishy a situation. Thousands of kids sign up for it, so it gives OU Athletics a nice little slush fund to spend the money(Promotions, tailgates, etc). While great for athletics, I'm sure that causes some headaches from a financial standpoint of keeping track and justifying what is appropriate spending.
C Money
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Posted: 7/14/2017 10:16 AM
rpbobcat wrote:expand_more
If this was strictly a record keeping error,why was he required to pay O.U. "restitution" ?

The article doesn't go into what that was for.
I've seen restitution ordered for something as simple as using public funds for gratuity at a restaurant, even when the meal itself was legitimately reimbursed. It's feasible that, say, Ozone money was used to pay for pizza, which is fine, but the tip to the delivery driver isn't. Without the dollar figure or the context, the fact that restitution is ordered is impossible to weigh.
According to the article,the restitution amount was $6000.00.
That's a lot of tips.

The only thing I could think of was that O.U. hired an outside firm to conduct an audit and this was the cost.
I guess it would help if I actually read the article...
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Posted: 7/14/2017 10:23 AM
Bobcat Love wrote:expand_more
Also, this board is totally stale.

LOVE
Indeed it is, as is often the case in July. The only prescription... is more cowbell... OR... Bobcat Love bringing the pain.

I haven't felt very rant-y lately so I think we need a good one from you.
catfan28
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Posted: 7/14/2017 10:46 AM
SBH wrote:expand_more
Was Drake let go by Ohio Athletics? I certainly hope not.
He decided to resign on his own. It's safe to say most of us would too if this sort of circumstance came out of the nowhere.

The restitution was to pay for the "time" internal audit and OUPD put into investigation. That probably could have been fought harder, but he just wanted to get it over with and move on. The family isn't hurting for money...so that wasn't a huge deal.
sargentfan
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Posted: 7/14/2017 11:18 AM
Well this has become a very depressing tale of what sounds like a quality individual and a mistake that has been blown out of proportion. I really hope Schaus is using his contacts to set this guy up for another job.
Bobcat Love
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Posted: 7/14/2017 11:30 AM
sargentfan wrote:expand_more
Well this has become a very depressing tale of what sounds like a quality individual and a mistake that has been blown out of proportion. I really hope Schaus is using his contacts to set this guy up for another job.
.....or speaking to him.
catfan28
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Posted: 7/14/2017 12:24 PM
sargentfan wrote:expand_more
Well this has become a very depressing tale of what sounds like a quality individual and a mistake that has been blown out of proportion. I really hope Schaus is using his contacts to set this guy up for another job.
Bobcat Love wrote:expand_more
.....or speaking to him.
+1 on both accounts. Let's just say the old expression "CYA" applies here.

Don't underestimate the power of anti-athletics vitriol on campus. With McDavis out, they will keep pushing the envelope.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 7/14/2017 10:02 PM
the123kid wrote:expand_more
The NCAA doesn't care about the Ozone. . . .


You'd be surprised about what the NCAA cares about. According to Schaus and company they cared about the now defunct GWC. They are concerned about any group that they consider an "outside booster organization." Since, as I understand it, the Ozone is not run by the university but is technically an independent student booster organization, I believe the NCAA would want to monitor it. I've been told that the NCAA's paperwork for D-1 programs rivals the IRS in complexity and incomprehensibility.

I've been in contact recently with several people very close to this situation, and I believe Drake acted very honorably in every thing he did. I think he's leaving with his good name intact, and I would not rule out that he could get another job at OHIO at some time in the future when this whole episode is put in proper perspective. I'm confident that an objective analysis of this situation a few years down the road will look a lot different than it does today. Things are often seen more clearly in retrospect than in the heat of the moment. Again, Drake acted honorably and in the best interests of OHIO. He is still and will always be an OHIO man!
Last Edited: 7/14/2017 10:05:08 PM by OhioCatFan
chauncey1
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Posted: 7/15/2017 8:52 AM
+1
BobcatSports
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Posted: 7/15/2017 5:01 PM
LOVE the Drake!
Alan Swank
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Posted: 7/15/2017 11:16 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
The NCAA doesn't care about the Ozone. . . .


You'd be surprised about what the NCAA cares about. According to Schaus and company they cared about the now defunct GWC. They are concerned about any group that they consider an "outside booster organization." Since, as I understand it, the Ozone is not run by the university but is technically an independent student booster organization, I believe the NCAA would want to monitor it. I've been told that the NCAA's paperwork for D-1 programs rivals the IRS in complexity and incomprehensibility.

I've been in contact recently with several people very close to this situation, and I believe Drake acted very honorably in every thing he did. I think he's leaving with his good name intact, and I would not rule out that he could get another job at OHIO at some time in the future when this whole episode is put in proper perspective. I'm confident that an objective analysis of this situation a few years down the road will look a lot different than it does today. Things are often seen more clearly in retrospect than in the heat of the moment. Again, Drake acted honorably and in the best interests of OHIO. He is still and will always be an OHIO man!
If the NCAA had any concern about the Green and White Club, that's news to me. Our books were annually audited with no findings - ever.
BobcatSports
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Posted: 7/16/2017 10:39 AM
I'll say it again and again and again why the ragging on the GWC is about continues to baffle me. I had nothing but respect and admiration for such a group of loyal, hardworking,supportive volunteers that provided exceptional value and service to OHIO athletics.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 7/16/2017 4:30 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
The NCAA doesn't care about the Ozone. . . .


You'd be surprised about what the NCAA cares about. According to Schaus and company they cared about the now defunct GWC. They are concerned about any group that they consider an "outside booster organization." Since, as I understand it, the Ozone is not run by the university but is technically an independent student booster organization, I believe the NCAA would want to monitor it. I've been told that the NCAA's paperwork for D-1 programs rivals the IRS in complexity and incomprehensibility.

I've been in contact recently with several people very close to this situation, and I believe Drake acted very honorably in every thing he did. I think he's leaving with his good name intact, and I would not rule out that he could get another job at OHIO at some time in the future when this whole episode is put in proper perspective. I'm confident that an objective analysis of this situation a few years down the road will look a lot different than it does today. Things are often seen more clearly in retrospect than in the heat of the moment. Again, Drake acted honorably and in the best interests of OHIO. He is still and will always be an OHIO man!
If the NCAA had any concern about the Green and White Club, that's news to me. Our books were annually audited with no findings - ever.
You were apparently not at the board meeting when we were told that the NCAA had issues with "outside booster groups," which we were considered to be. The OBC, controlled by the university, is the much desired type of booster organization from the perspective of the NCAA.
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