Judge Vindicates O’Brien: Former Ohio State coach Jim O’Brien won a lawsuit against the university for breach of contract. O’Brien seeks $3.5 million in lost wages and benefits after the school fired him in June 2004 for violations, including a $6,000 gift to a former recruit. The judge will determine the damages that Ohio State must pay O’Brien later.
O’Brien said he gave the former recruit $6,000 to pay for a funeral for the recruit’s father. The player was no longer eligible to play college basketball because he had played professionally in Europe, which O’Brien knew before giving him the gift. The judge ruled that O’Brien acted in good faith and did not violate the terms of his contract. Ohio State fired O’Brien before the NCAA had completed its investigation, and O’Brien’s contract prohibited such action.
In addition to the $6,000 gift, the NCAA investigation uncovered other violations that led to a self-imposed scholarship reduction and post-season bad last season. The NCAA reviewed the case recently and will soon decide whether to levy further sanctions on the school. A likely high-seeded NCAA Tournament, another post-season ban would be devastating to morale in Columbus. [2/15/06]
