H*****r
发帖数: 764 | 1 COLUMBUS -- Terrelle Pryor, who announced through his attorney Tuesday that
he would bypass his senior season at Ohio State, made thousands of dollars
autographing memorabilia in 2009-10, a former friend who says he witnessed
the transactions has told "Outside the Lines."
The signings for cash, which would be a violation of NCAA rules, occurred a
minimum of 35 to 40 times, netting Pryor anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000
that year, the former friend says. The source spoke to ESPN under the
condition that his face not be aired on TV and that his name not be
published.
He said Pryor was paid $500 to $1,000 each time he signed mini football
helmets and other gear for a Columbus businessman and freelance photographer
, Dennis Talbott. Talbott twice denied to ESPN that he ever paid Pryor or
any other active Buckeye athlete to sign memorabilia. He said last week he
has only worked with former players to set up signings. On Tuesday evening,
he declined to comment whether he had ever operated a sports memorabilia
business and said he was not an Ohio State booster.
Pryor's former friend also told "Outside the Lines" that the player often
received preferential treatment in the Columbus community, receiving
thousands of dollars in free food at local restaurants and convenience
stores, free drinks at bars and free tattoos. In addition, he said the
quarterback had access to free loaner cars from local dealerships. The
source said he spent nearly every day with Pryor before their relationship
soured when Pryor began taking on a more "arrogant" attitude after his 2009-
10 season.
He said Pryor would get the merchandise to sign from Talbott, who would "
bring it to TP, and he would sign it and he would bring him cash. Dennis
would give him cash." He said he witnessed the transactions occur about
three to four times a week at Pryor's apartment.
The former friend said Pryor would spend his money lavishly at times, that
the player had a "shoe fetish" and bought many expensive hats, belts and
pieces of jewelry. He said he was particularly fond of Gucci items. ESPN
independently confirmed Pryor made multiple such purchases.
Pryor's attorney, Larry James, denied the allegations against his client.
"Terrelle did not sign memorabilia for cash," he said.
Pryor may not have been the first active Buckeye player to collect cash for
signatures from Talbott. The parent of one former Ohio State player told "
Outside the Lines" that he saw Talbott provide what he called "stacks of
money" to active Buckeye players, including a player now in the NFL.
Pryor's former friend said he was wary of Talbott: "He's the type of person
that ... I think he really took advantage over TP because he was that person
, and he would bring him, he would bring TP like memorabilia to sell for
other people. So Dennis is not a good guy for college athletes. That's the
guy you really don't want to be around."
Talbott, 40, shot photos of the major sports teams in Ohio, including Ohio
State and the Cincinnati Bengals, as a freelance photographer. He has sold
images to ESPN.com in the past.
On Tuesday, he denied that he ever received game tickets from players,
though records from Ohio State show that he and his wife were on a player's
will-call ticket list multiple times throughout the 2008 season. When asked
about those records, Talbott said he couldn't remember if he had received
such tickets.
According to public websites, Talbott claims to have earned an undergraduate
degree from Kent State University and later attended Ohio State briefly.
He has managed or owned staffing and employment recruiting businesses over
the last decade, though a search of public records reveals a series of liens
and financial judgments against him. The most substantial include an
Internal Revenue Service lien filed in 2009 for $278,875 in unpaid federal
taxes, followed by a state of Ohio tax lien in 2010 for $74,227.
The latest news about Pryor comes just eight days after Buckeyes coach Jim
Tressell was forced to resign for not reporting information he'd received
about players receiving improper benefits.
Pryor's career at Ohio State, which started with so much promise and
potential, came to an abrupt and scandal-ridden end Tuesday evening, when he
announced through his attorney that he would not play for the Buckeyes this
season. He had already been suspended for the first five games for breaking
NCAA rules by accepting improper benefits from the owner of a tattoo parlor.
"In the best interests of my teammates, I've made the decision to forgo my
senior year of football at The Ohio State University," Pryor said in a
statement issued by James.
James said entering the next NFL supplemental draft is Pryor's "desire." But
James acknowledged labor uncertainty could lead to consideration of the
Canadian Football League or working with a personal quarterback coach first. | b**j
发帖数: 20742 | 2 TP交友不慎啊。搞了这么个"former friend"...
that
a
【在 H*****r 的大作中提到】
: COLUMBUS -- Terrelle Pryor, who announced through his attorney Tuesday that
: he would bypass his senior season at Ohio State, made thousands of dollars
: autographing memorabilia in 2009-10, a former friend who says he witnessed
: the transactions has told "Outside the Lines."
: The signings for cash, which would be a violation of NCAA rules, occurred a
: minimum of 35 to 40 times, netting Pryor anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000
: that year, the former friend says. The source spoke to ESPN under the
: condition that his face not be aired on TV and that his name not be
: published.
: He said Pryor was paid $500 to $1,000 each time he signed mini football
| o****3
发帖数: 5100 | 3 That happened when TP got "arrogant" or wehn he stopped sharing money with
his "friends".
【在 b**j 的大作中提到】
: TP交友不慎啊。搞了这么个"former friend"...
:
: that
: a
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