Maybe you heard about this. Who am I kidding, of course you did. For some unknown reason, several incoming Ohio State football freshmen decided it would be a good idea to purchase and wear black wristbands with a bright red "JT" emblazoned on them. There was a chance the "JT" was to show support for former Ohio High School Player of the Year, Justin Turner. But no. No there wasn't.
[Freshman Defensive Lineman] Steve Miller was also wearing a JT wristband. He said it means a lot to him coming here and he misses coach Tressel. He said someone on the coaching staff gave him the JT wristband. He was not sure if they will wear them all season.
Kids say the darndest things, don't they? What does he mean "someone on the coaching staff" gave it to him? I'm sure he meant that he and his friends had the idea all by themselves and got them by sewing them together out of old sweater vests. No? That's not how it happened? Aw schucks.
What I love most about this is that an Ohio State coach handed these things out to freshmen to wear around. Freshmen. Kids who barely knew Tressel. Further, the coach had no concept that this could, apparently be a BAD idea with the pending NCAA investigation or a separate potential violation. And finally that he CHARGED the kids for the wristband. "Hey kids, I'm your coach for the next four-five years, would you like to buy one of my wristbands? I promise I won't hold it against you if you say 'no', but you know in your heart that I will. Want one?"
Officially, Ohio State has asked the players to hand in their "JT" wristbands and will refund the $15 they paid for them. Wait what? I thought Miller said they were given them by a member of the coaching staff? Orson wins the internet with this comment:
The refunds are believed to be valued at somewhere between $15 and $18,000, depending on who you ask.
Luke Fickell was apparently unaware that a member of his staff was responsible for distributing (and charging people for) these wristbands. Shocker.
Only in Ohio folks. Let's honor a guy who resigned in shame on May 30 for covering up major NCAA violations involving players trading memorabilia for tattoos, cash and other benefits. Yeah. That makes sense.
I would also like to suggest a couple of other nice wristbands that Ohio State's coaching staff can sell to their freshman:
MB - "Bernie Madoff was like a father to me. Such a nice man. Always asked me, "How are you doing?" with a smile on his face before he went to go shred documents and buy Rolex's with other people's money. It's a travesty that people are making him follow the law."
KL - "Kenneth Lay was framed. He was an honest businessman who played by the rules as the were written, in 1926. He threw the nicest parties and helped orphans."
CM - "Charles Manson has the most beautiful singing voice. If you're going to go, go when he's singing 'Tuesday's Gone', it'll bring tears to your eyes. That and him eating you."
KS - "It's not Kelvin Sampson's fault that all those texts went out from his phone. The man uses his phone a lot. Occasionally all those numbers will turn into letters and other things that are recognizable as words and sentences. It's simple probability math, people!"
RM - "Just because Rupert Murdoch built a media empire based on hostile takeovers and created a cutthroat organization that treated privacy laws like a puppy uses a chew toy doesn't mean we should hold that against him."
There are space for more in the comments. Enjoy the weekend folks....