MZone Exclusive: Brutus latest Buckeye busted in Tatgate

(from MZone wire reports) Columbus, OH - The Tatgate scandal in Columbus continues to grow.

Last week, five Ohio State football players - including star QB Terrelle Pryor - were suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season for receiving improper benefits, including tattoos for autographs.  Now, another Buckeye has admitted to improperly benefiting from his association to Ohio State football: Brutus Buckeye.

The MZone has learned that the long-time Ohio State mascot received free tattoos at the same parlor as the other busted Buckeyes in exchange for his autograph, the small white Tosu towel he covers his crotch with, and one so-called Akron Steamer.  As you can see in our exclusive photos below, Brutus got "sleaved" on both arms and had a "tramp stamp" tattooed on his lower back.

Brutus also sold his trophy for being named one of the eight finalists in the Capitol One Mascot of the Year contest and a urine-colored trinket the once-beloved Buckeye mascot gets each season if he doesn't get his ass kicked by another mascot.  He sold the trophy for $63.89 cents and his 2009 urine-colored-jewelry thingee for $11.95 on eBay. 

While many Buckeye fans said Brutus should immediately be banned from the OSU sidelines and not be allowed on the field for the team's upcoming Sugar Bowl appearance, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith was quick to leap to the mascot's defense, saying the punishment should be mitigated because of how Brutus used the money he received.

“The time this occurred with Brutus was a very tough time in our society. It’s one of the toughest economic environments in our history,” Smith said. “The decisions that he made he made to help his family, feed the poor, and cure childhood illness in Somali.”

Smith also started to say some other ridiculous shit but was cut off by school officials before he could further make an ass out of himself.

Et tu, Brutus?

What else would Brutus's tramp stamp say?