greasywheels121 Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Ohio State Fires Basketball Coach O'Brien School Says His Program Committed NCAA Violations By RUSTY MILLER, AP COLUMBUS, Ohio (June 8) -- 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 was later ruled ineligible because he had been paid to play basketball in Europe. ''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.'' O'Brien received a letter Tuesday morning informing him he was fired, he said in a statement. ''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,'' O'Brien said in the statement. ''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.'' 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. He took the Buckeyes to the 1999 Final Four in his second season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 good -- I can't keep both jim O'brien's separate. Now it's easy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted June 8, 2004 Author Share Posted June 8, 2004 Who's the other one? The NBA coach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Who's the other one? The NBA coach? Wasn't he the coach of the Celtics that got fired too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redandwhite Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Jim O'Brien's a great coach, should have never left BC, got what he deserved. and yes the other o'brien is the former Celtics coach considered by many the second worst professional coach of all time behind no other than rick pitino.. steve floyds number 3 ;o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted June 8, 2004 Author Share Posted June 8, 2004 OSU named the assistant coach, the interim coach for now. Do you think OSU alum, Bobby Knight would ever consider leaving TT and going back to the Big Ten? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 OSU named the assistant coach, the interim coach for now. Do you think OSU alum, Bobby Knight would ever consider leaving TT and going back to the Big Ten? No, he's "God" down here and everyone up there knows the BS he's all about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palehosefan Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 He's not leaving Lubbock, atleast I would be shocked if he did. He has places to hunt and its low key so he can stay out of the press hopefully. He's not as bad of a guy as everyone thinks he is. He gave all of last years salary back to the university because he felt the team didn't play well enough. He makes his players do their school work first and if they don't, they don't play. He just has a personality problem lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 OSU has been spotty at best since Randy Ayres left. They had the one year of lightning in a bottle with Scoonie Penn and company, but other than that nothing. It was time for a change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted July 6, 2004 Author Share Posted July 6, 2004 They mentioned on PTI that former Purdue assistant Steve Lavin is interested in the OSU job. It'll be interesting to see if they give him the time of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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