ESPN paid the SEC something like 2B for all TV rights not claimed by CBS. So to talk about it like ESPN has no connection to the SEC is downright inaccurate.
I'm not saying at all that they have no connection. I am saying that ESPN has either complete or at least a share of the first tier rights of every single BCS conference, except the SEC. So claiming that ESPN is going to protect the SEC because of that contract is you simply talking out of your Maurice Clarett hole. The simple fact is that if the #1 and #2 teams in the country for a regular season game play, whether it's Ohio State - Michigan, Oregon-USC, Texas - Oklahoma, Florida State-Va Tech(lol!), Whoever is left in the Big East v. Someone else in the Big East, that game will be on ESPN (well, ABC, but the point exists - they own that). But LSU - Alabama? That was on CBS. So while, of course, ESPN has a big financial interest in the SEC, they have a more compelling interest to "protect" the other conferences.
For what it is worth, and I guess I'll have to state it again, OSU DID self report. They self reported. They told the NCAA what happened. ...
Lastly, your 'that is what happens when...' line is well, not actually right! Looking at precedent, it is NOT what happens! It is simply what happened in this case.
Auburn self-reported too. North Carolina self-reported. Pretty much everyone self-reports whenever they find something out because otherwise they are going to get hammered. As far as your comment, the NCAA notice of allegations itself said that Tressel lied to the NCAA (well, "falsely attested that he had reported"... etc.). You lie to the NCAA, you get hammered, period (ask Dez Bryant). Show me a precedent where a coach was caught flat out lying and covering up known violations and not getting hammered, and I'll believe you. Good luck with that. (The closest thing I can think of is that Bruce Pearl's sanctions didn't add to what UT had already self-imposed, but they had pretty much self-imposed a one-year ban on him recruiting).
About Bush, ya, USC did not directly give him benefits, I guess it was just a coincidence that had nothing to do with USC in the least, just like none of the stuff going on with OSU players had any connection to Ohio State....that is called blissfully ignorant. You also speak about this as if it is impossible for someone to hide conversations, destroy records, what not. Sure that is speculation, but, only to a point. The NCAA has no investigation powers at all, they get to work with what the university gives them and that alone. So if the Uni gives them nothing......then it surely must not have happened!
Who in the University tipped off the NCAA about Bush or Nevin Shapiro? Heck, it took an FBI sting to get the tOSU to "self-report" in advance of SI blowing it out for them.
Claim 13 months all you want, but the guy was suspended and then reinstated less than 24 hours after. If they still had an investigation ongoing, he should have been held out. It is funny how Ohio State is being chastised by you guys for playing people they 'knew' were ineligible prior to the ncaa ruling coming out. Nice how one school can wait for the ruling and another has to do it before. Wonder what you would say had Cam been found guilty this October.......
You're comparing apples to dog turds. There were "allegations" that Cam Newton's dad asked for money; there has never been anything to show he did anything that would violate his eligibility. So they reported what they knew, the NCAA found no reason to *immediately* declare him permanently ineligible, so his eligibility was restored. Then they spent another year investigating the claims and if they had found anything, sanctions would be coming. Now, in the tOSU's case, Tressel *KNEW* these guys were ineligible and personally and intentionally covered it up.