Ohio State football: Father disputes Simon's inclusion in 'SI' article

By The Columbus Dispatch  • 

The father of Ohio State football player John Simon said he is angry about his son being mentioned in a Sports Illustrated article this week as one of the Buckeyes alleged to have dealt memorabilia for tattoos or other considerations.

The elder Simon, also named John, denied his son was involved.

"It's just more or less disbelief on how something like that can come out, how a reputable publication can write something like that without any proof at all," the elder Simon said. "He was never there, never even close to the place. He didn't get his tattoos from there; he got them from a place here in his hometown (Youngstown)."

The junior defensive end and eight other players reportedly were interviewed in the past couple of days by Ohio State compliance personnel and NCAA investigators. Five Buckeyes already have been suspended five games each for similar NCAA violations: quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running back Daniel Herron, receiver DeVier Posey, left tackle Mike Adams and defensive end Solomon Thomas.

The accused players have not been made available to the media this week.

"I knew he hadn't done it, and when I texted him (Monday), I asked, 'What can we do to fight this?'" the elder Simon said. "By that time, his support group of coaches and others were already involved with him, so he was in good hands."

That day started with the resignation of coach Jim Tressel because of the mounting fallout from his NCAA violation, for not sharing his knowledge of his players' transgressions nor mentioning it on an NCAA compliance form.

"What a sick feeling," Simon said. "My wife and I, and John for sure, we are huge supporters of Jim Tressel. If I could be just half the man he is, I'd have a happy, successful life. It's horrible. And it's seemed like a witch hunt - that's the word I'm using, because it seems like the game has been taken off the field and thrown into the media."

Then came the Sports Illustrated article.

"Basically that first night we were all upset and angry," Simon said. "Then you start to think about it more and more, and you're just hurting. John probably does something for outreach once a week where he is with kids at a school, or a church, or at Special Olympics, things like that. And as he said, 'How are those kids or those people going to think of me?'

"You know, John gets kidded by his buddies and stuff for being too straight at times. I think it hurt him really deep inside, like, 'What do I have to do? Why are you picking on me?'"

License reinstated

Pryor's driving privileges were reinstated yesterday.

He visited an Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles office on Alum Creek Drive about 12:30 p.m. and provided proof that he had vehicle insurance when he was stopped for a stop-sign violation this year. The BMV, which suspended Pryor's license after he previously failed to prove he was insured, immediately reinstated his driver's license, a spokesman said.

Also, sources said Pryor was interviewed by NCAA investigators this week about his use of several loaner cars from dealers the past couple of years.

Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow contributed to this story.