Former Ohio State wide receiver Ray Small, who played for the team from 2006-2010, told the Ohio State school newspaper that he sold Big Ten championship rings and other memorabilia for cash, and apparently received special deals on cars. Small says that “everyone was doing it” when he played, and this only adds more fuel to the fire that is burning in Columbus right now.
Small says he didn’t use the money he received to pay for typical expenses like making car and living payments for his apartment:
“We have apartments, car notes,” he said. "So you got things like that and you look around and you’re like, ‘Well I got (four) of them, I can sell one or two and get some money to pay this rent.’ "
Small basically said that Ohio State players were given special discounts at car dealerships, which is where the best benefits came from. Not only that, but at a local tattoo parlor owned by an OSU fan, apparently players were offered 50 percent off some tattoo designs, offers they weren’t going to pass up.
“They explain the rules to you, but as a kid you’re not really listening to all of them rules,” Small said. “You go out and you just, people show you so much love, you don’t even think about the rules. You’re just like, ‘Ah man, it’s cool.’ You take it, and next thing you know the NCAA is down your back.”
“Everywhere you go, while you’re in the process of playing at Ohio State,” Small said, “you’re going to get a deal every which way.”
Small was known in his time at Ohio State for continuously being in Jim Tressel’s doghouse, and his career there was nothing short of a disappointment. Still, his actions make you wonder what kind of operation Tressel has control of right now, and how much longer he will maintain that control.