Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

12/29/2010 at 9:01am

Naturally, Ohio State lobbied to keep five players who violated NCAA rules eligible for the Jan. 4 Sugar Bowl against Arkansas.

All the violators, including starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor, are draft-eligible juniors. It’s possible they never serve a five-game suspension levied for 2011.

Planning for life without them would be much easier for the 2011 season than for the upcoming bowl game. So Ohio State wanted the Buckeyes in uniform and fought to make that happen.

Surely, it helped that Sugar Bowl president Paul Hoolahan was also lobbying for the five to play. Below is a quote from Hoolahan to the Columbus Dispatch:

"I made the point that anything that could be done to preserve the integrity of this year's game, we would greatly appreciate it," Hoolahan said. "That appeal did not fall on deaf ears, and I'm extremely excited about it, that the Buckeyes are coming in at full strength and with no dilution."

Hoolahan’s point is easy enough to understand. He admitted his lobbying came from “selfish” motives. Who can blame him? A lot of money is on the line with a BCS bowl game.

Granted, tickets are sold. Hotel rooms are booked. But Arkansas-Ohio State is likely a better TV draw with both teams at full strength.

Fighting to preserve the matchup makes sense. Hoolahan’s word choice, however, could have been better considering Ohio State players are guilty of selling memorabilia and trading autographs for tattoos.

“Integrity" of the game? Um....

Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, Paul Hoolahan, The Ohio State Buckeyes, Allstate Sugar Bowl