The issue of current and/or former Ohio State football players selling awards/trinkets/memorabilia has reared its head yet again, although this time the news comes from a very unusual source -- The History Channel.
Specifically, the cable network’s show Pawn Stars.
As relayed by our buddy at SportsByBrooks.com, a new episode of the (my description, not his) highly-addictive show that aired Monday night featured a man who came into the Las Vegas pawn shop looking to sell a two pairs of gold pants. And not the kind that MC Hammer wrought on the nation, either.
For those who are unaware of the trinket’s meaning, each member of the OSU football program is awarded a pair of the pendant-sized gold pants pictured on the right for beating archrival Michigan. The selling of those particular items was part of what led to the Buckeye Five’s five-game suspensions for receiving impermissible benefits. And, based on this latest literal episode, could lead to further NCAA scrutiny.
The man attempting to sell the items claimed that one pair of the gold pants was from 2008 and belonged to former OSU defensive lineman Doug Worthington. The other pair belonged to someone with the initials “L.B.” and “Bob the seller” claimed they were for an ex-player with a surname of Boone, although he was uncertain of the first name. Those pants were from the 2002 Ohio State-Michigan game, so they would be of little interest (for now) to the NCAA given the length of time that’s passed.
The pair from 2008, however, would definitely fall within the NCAA’s four-year statute of limitations and will likely result in additional probing.
“Bob the seller” claimed he “bought those off a private collector. He had bought several of them (gold pants) and I bought a collection off of him a few years ago.” Regardless of where the man acquired them -- and how asinine the bylaw is that prevents players from selling something that’s theirs -- we suspect the NCAA will be very interested in this latest development.
That’s provided, of course, it can be proven Worthington -- if they were his -- did the selling and the sale occurred while he still had eligibility.
