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College football notebook

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Published: August 9, 2008

Big Ten: No evidence games compromised

The Big Ten's investigation of two games involving an official with a history of financial troubles and casino gambling turned up no evidence to suggest the integrity of either 2007 football game was compromised, the conference announced Friday.

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Yahoo! Sports reported in December that Stephen Pamon, a Big Ten football official since 1988 and chief of a seven-man crew last season, and his wife filed for bankruptcy in 2002 and two of the creditors were casinos. Pamon's sister-in-law, Gina Banks, told Yahoo! that Pamon regularly gambled in casinos and the gambling he and his wife did contributed to their bankruptcy.

Pamon's crew came under scrutiny for its work in last season's Penn State-Purdue and Illinois-Ohio State games.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said the conference will now conduct annual background checks on all officials instead of a periodic review every few years.

•Ohio State suspends 2 players: Ohio State suspended starting cornerback Donald Washington and backup safety Jamario O'Neal for the first two games of the season for violating team policy.

Both players will miss the season opener against Youngstown State and the next game against Ohio University.

•McElrathbey to graduate: Ray Ray McElrathbey will graduate from Clemson today.

The football player gained national attention in 2006 for raising his then-11-year-old brother, Fahmarr, while their mother dealt with drug problems. An NCAA waiver allowed a fund to be established to help support Fahmarr.

McElrathbey, who studied sociology, made the academic honor roll in the fall semester.

He missed last season with a knee injury, but has two years of eligibility left. He will continue his football career at Howard this fall.

By The Associated Press

Related Topics: Sports, Football, College Athletics, College Football, Gambling