Ugly Ted Ginn Jr. Rumor

I'm hesitant to even post this because I have a hard time believing it's true, but it's out there already so I feel like I'd be remiss to not bring it up.

Ohio State blog Buckeye Battle Cry has a post up alleging that the author was informed by an inside source that Ted Ginn Sr. forced Ted Ginn Jr. to stay out of the National Championship game:

The rumor says that Ginn's father, upon seeing his son ready to play again, sought out Junior and told him that he would NOT be entering into the game again. Words along the lines of "you're in the draft after this game" and "it's not that important". Ginn sported a pair of crutches in the 2nd half.

There's obviously little doubt that Ginn Jr. is leaving for the NFL, which certainly gives the story added credibility. And I've been reading Buckeye Battle Cry since it's inception, and it's not that I don't trust the author (I do) ... I think it's more that I just don't want to believe this.

I wouldn't find fault with Ted Ginn Jr. in the above scenario. I've read repeatedly in numerous places that he wanted to go back in the game, but coaches wouldn't allow it. I'd just be saddened that Ginn Sr. would do something like that. He's a guy for whom I have a lot of respect, for a variety of reasons, and I wouldn't have thought this would be the kind of thing he'd do. But it's his son, and everyone has the capacity to do things they wouldn't otherwise do because of their children, so I don't know.

It'll be interesting to see if this rumor has any legs, or if it just kind of melts away.

More: A nasty little rumor - Buckeye Battle Cry