For all the justifiable criticism of those who run big-time college athletics, you’ve got to give ’em this: They don’t make much of an effort to hide the hypocrisy.

The bowl system is convoluted and unfair? Sure, but the major conferences couldn’t care less since they’re the ones benefiting at the expense of the little guys.

The student part of student athlete is nothing but a ruse? Of course, but English 101 is irrelevant as long as they can dunk a basketball or throw a football like a laser.

And now, our latest offering from a septic tank of a system that’s unlikely to be flushed out in our lifetime.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was suspended for two games Tuesday after it was learned he had been tipped off nearly a year ago about a federal investigation into questionable activities involving some of his players, including a memorabilia-for-tattoos arrangement with a very seedy parlor owner.

Problem is, Tressel didn’t bother telling anyone about it, even though that requirement is underlined in his contract. He’ll also get a $250,000 fine, a public reprimand (whatever that means on top of a suspension and fine) and have to make a public apology, no doubt ghostwritten by some combination of lawyers and public-relations folks.

“I plan to grow from this. I’m sincerely saddened by the fact that I let some people down and didn’t do things as well as I possibly could have,” Tressel said, tears welling in his eyes.

Cry me a river.

This is nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

Why did the school decide to sit Tressel for only two games, while the players involved in the illicit behavior, including star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, received a five-game ban from the NCAA?

Because this is college athletics, where doing what’s right is usually way down on that honey-do list, certainly far behind whatever it takes to keep the money rolling in to those school coffers. (Which, of course, is why the players must remain pure amateurs, or at least work out their own side deals without getting caught.)

The Ohio State players got caught bartering football memorabilia for money and tattoos. Their coach knew about it. Yet, the thing that surely took precedence over all that ugliness was Tressel’s record on the field: 106-22 in a decade of coaching the Buckeyes, including a national championship back in 2002.

There was absolutely NO chance that Ohio State might actually do the very thing it had a right to do under Tressel’s contract: Fire him for failing to report any information related to violations of NCAA, Big Ten or Ohio State bylaws and rules. Heck, according to athletic director Gene Smith, that step wasn’t even seriously considered.

Why?

Have you not been listening? Remember, this is college athletics, where the overriding consideration is nearly always the bottom line. Tressel’s program has made tens of millions of dollars for Ohio State. Might as well ride that gravy train a little longer, especially if it means beating Michigan every year and contending for Big Ten championships.

No matter that he committed a very serious breach of that very implicit trust.

At some point Tuesday night, Ohio State President Gordon Gee also was asked whether he considered firing Tressel.

“Are you kidding?” Gee said with a chuckle. “I’m just hoping the coach doesn’t dismiss me.”

No one else is laughing.