tOSU Compliance Has Eyed Photog Since Last Year

((HT: WBNS-TV Columbus))

Our love for 10Investigates continues...

According to our friends at WBNS-TV, Ohio State University's compliance office says it was looking into freelance photographer/memorabilia salesman Dennis Talbott as far back as a year ago.

Apparently, the university was looking into an anonymous tip and a possible connection between Talbott, Pryor and the local car dealerships that have come into play with Terrelle Pryor's penchant for switching out cars with a decent amount of speed during his time on campus.

Andrea Cambern tosses to Paul Aker...

Report: Pryor and Photog had long business arrangement, Pryor: Not true

Terrelle Pryor

((ht: sportsbybrooks/columbus distpatch))

Well, we keep saying the rabbit hole gets deeper and we believe it does. Our friends at SportsbyBrooks are again reporting on the appearance of a questionable relationship between now former Ohio State qb Terrelle Pryor and Columbus freelance photographer Dennis Talbott.

Brooks already reported on the NCAA finding cancelled checks from Talbott to Pryor in their initial investigation (one, not previously reported). Now, there is more.

The latest report has found a Facebook page and former website, run allegedly by Talbott for the specific purpose of selling signed Ohio State memorabilia. All with references...and photos of various Ohio State players, while they were eligible, signing stuff for Talbott to sell.

Please read the SportsbyBrooks story RIGHT HERE

On the flip-side, the Columbus Dispatch quotes Pryor's local attorney as saying "I can tell you on the record there were no checks from Dennis Talbott in any Terrelle Pryor bank account.""And there was no money from Dennis Talbott to Terrelle Pryor."


Read the story from the Dispatch, which also talks of Pryor's future RIGHT HERE

**Update**--Mr. Talbott spoke to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer and said essentially the reports of him paying and profiting off Pryor were "Bogus". The story goes on to detail some new facts on Talbott's relationship with Pryor.


Read the Cleveland Plain-Dealer story RIGHT HERE


We don't believe Pryor's attorney or Talbott. For a minute. 1st off, we believe Pryor bailed on Ohio State ahead of the NCAA coming down on his activities. Less doubt about that with every story.

2nd, Brooks has documentable proof. And while we know people have skated by even with video or photo evidence to the contrary, that won't be the case here. While we believe Pryor's attorney, Larry James believes what he's been told, we don't believe he's been told everything.

For his part, young Mr. Pryor appears to be delusional. Stories have been leaking out about his "Prima Donna", high maintenance attitude at Ohio State, one he is probably going to regret. In today's Dispatch story, attorney James also mentions Pryor not wanting to play in the Canadian Football League and looking into hiring a quarterback coach for him. This is why we think Pryor is delusional. He wasn't a very good QB at Ohio State, winning partially on the talent around him. And he wasn't a good leader. But he appears to consider himself both things.

His legacy at Ohio State isn't going to be kind. The buzzards are circling and the dirt keeps getting piled on, with the paper trail not far behind. However he won't suffer for it, the kids going to OSU behind him...they'll be the ones paying the price.

Report: Terrelle Pryor trying to outrace paper trail ((UPDATE: But he has suitors))

Terrelle Pryor/ File

((ht: SportsbyBrooks))

It's bad enough to report on all the stuff going on with now former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor's decision to leave the school. It worse to find out there might have been a really, really good reason for it.

Our friends at SportsbyBrooks report that Pryor's money connection for signed photos as reported on by ESPN, had been going on for a long time. And the NCAA new about it...as did the school.

Read the excellent report RIGHT HERE

If correct, and Brooks does a pretty good job, so we are quite sure he's not making this up, the rabbit hole is far deeper than has been reported at this point.

It does reinforce that this is...and has been a systemic problem and one that appears, at least on the surface, to show Ohio State tried sweeping this under the rug.

The fact that Mr. Dennis Talbott apparently didn't even hide his attempts at fan worship and selling memorabilia is all the more disturbing. The fact Ohio State told Mr. Talbott to disassociate and the school was cited by the NCAA and nobody new it, that is far scarier.

This doesn't bode well for the Buckeyes and we think they are going to have a really hard time proving there has been any Institutional Control going on. The question is who else will be taking the fall.

UPDATE: The Saskatchewan Roughriders have placed Pryor on their teritorial list of eligible draft players for 2011. There's also talk that Pryor could end up in the United Football League on the off chance that he would be interested in learning from coaches like Dennis Green, Jim Fassel, Jerry Glanville, or Marty Schottenheimer.