Whoa! OSU fires Jim O'Brien.....

[Drbio]

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State fired basketball coach Jim O'Brien on Tuesday, alleging the program committed NCAA violations under his watch that included giving money to a recruit to send to his family overseas.


At a news conference on campus, athletic director Andy Geiger said a recruit was given $6,000 five years ago. The recruit, Aleksandar Radejovic, was later ruled ineligible because he had been paid to play basketball in Europe.


O'Brien's attorney, James Zeszutek, said O'Brien sent the financial assistance to Radojevic's mother, who was still dealing with the aftermath of the Serbian war.


"We consider these matters to be very severe," Geiger said. "I am troubled that a rule was admittedly violated and it took five years to find [out] about."


Geiger said he asked O'Brien whether he knew that he violated NCAA rules.


"He admitted he knew that it did," said Geiger, who didn't disclose the source of the money. Geiger said he gave O'Brien the option of resigning, but the coach refused.


According to Zeszutek, O'Brien received a letter by hand from the university stating that he was being fired for alleged violations of NCAA bylaws.


O'Brien released the following statement through Zeszutek:


"I learned this morning, by letter, that I was being fired as head men's basketball coach at Ohio State University for alleged violations of NCAA bylaws. I am advised that my firing is because I was asked to and tried to give assistance to a young man's family who was in dire financial straits. The assistance in no way influenced the young man in his decision to attend OSU, and, indeed, the young man did not enroll at OSU.


"My lawyers have asked to meet with OSU administrators and their counsel to explain the details of what occurred, but OSU unfortunately refused to do so. I am grateful for the support I have received from the people in Columbus and throughout the State of Ohio while I have been coaching at OSU."


The Buckeyes finished 14-16 in 2003-04, missing the postseason for the first time in six years, their worst showing under O'Brien.


O'Brien was 133-88 in seven seasons at Ohio State and 368-305 in a 22-year head coaching career.


O'Brien, who had coached the Buckeyes' since the start of the 1997-98 season, guided Ohio State to four 20-win seasons and a school record four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.


He led the Buckeyes to the Final Four in 1999, two Big Ten regular-season co-championships (in 2000 and '02), and the 2002 Big Ten tournament championship.

[Drbio]

If he is standing on the defense that it doesn't matter because the kid ended up not coming to OSU then he is an idiot.


I'm surprised by the news though.