NCAA punishes USC - Reggie Bush, OJ Mayo, Dwayne Jarrett, Joe McKnight investigation

[methomps]

So the agent lets the parents live there rent-free ($54,000 in benefits) and does not evict them until after it's clear Bush is signing with another firm. That can't be good in the NCAA's eyes.

First I think you need to consider how you would define 'agent'. Michaels is not a registered agent for the NFL and did not start an agency of any kind until November (Griffins moved in somewhere around April).

I see a lease agreement gone horribly wrong. The Griffins allegedly never paid Michaels. Michaels never paid any taxes on the property.

Now Michaels alleges that an agreement was reached several months into the lease. It was apparently based on the Griffins paying up once Reggie turned pro.

Now, whether such an agreement truly existed or not becomes the issue. Perhaps it did. There is evidence to support it (the Griffins being allowed to stay even though they allegedly failed to pay the agreed upon $4,500 rent).

At the same time, it is possible that there wasn't an agreement. It is possible that Michaels sat down one day to look into evicting the Griffins, but then realized a potential opportunity. If he evicts them, they're gone and any hopes he has of collecting off them are questionable.

However, if he tolerates their staying, maybe he can convince Reggie to pay up in January. Better yet, maybe he can get in their good graces (or use the debt as leverage) to get in on the action.

At this point, I speculate that major NCAA infractions are not in order unless something else comes up. Even if there was an agreement, that falls in the line of secondary violations.

We won't hear the Griffins/Bush side of the story until after the draft. Of course, every day seems to bring things more into focus. Who knows what the next 24 hours hold in store.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

nice post....

Who knows what the next 24 hours hold in store.

That is exactly the way the OSU fanbase felt for almost two years.....:(

It will be very difficult for the NCAA to prove their was an agreement, but then again, they play by different rules.

 

[Steve19]

I really don't think the NCAA will feel that there is a lot of gray area here. Whether these guys registered as agents or not, their future actions and the meetings they held with the tribe make it clear that they intended to become agents.

The Griffins weren't your average tenant and it really seems unreasonable to assuem that the Griffins did not know that Michaels was trying to attract their son into his firm or that Bush would not have known the benefit was being given. It is also unreasonable to expect that anyone would let the Griffins run up a year's rent without evicting them, especially when both hold jobs from which their wages could be garnisheed.

Bush's knowledge, of course is irrelevant. The NCAA will want to ascertain if (a) a benefit was received and (b) if it was given with the intent to persuade Bush to allow representation, even if through his family. Every day, it looks more like the answers to these questions are not what USC fans will want to hear.

 

[sandgk]

Having Your Cake and Eating it Too - But Which Cake?

Man - these recent reports raise some interesting scenarios.

On the one hand, if Michaels is to be believed, big if, but what the hell, then the Griffin's had a lease arrangement. This is potentially great news for USC. All the Griffins would need do is produce the original lease document and all those questions Pac-10 or NCAA might be pondering could go away.
Of course, that would mean the Griffins would be admitting a failure to live up to the lease, which leaves them open to paying back-rent plus any interest or penalties for such late payment contained in a typical lease.

On the other hand, if Michaels is not to be believed then we might have the following ...
A - No lease document because no lease arrangement existed between Griffin and Michaels.
This would let the Griffins off the hook for the claims now being made by Michaels.
But be careful if you bite into that cake, for it would give ammunition to the low-rent or rent-free improper benefits line of inquiry.

Have your cake and eat it too?

Depends which cake the different parties want.

There may be other twists here, (Bush as the victim, the threats and counter-claims) but the above is I think the most important issue from USC's perspective.

 

[Steve19]

Man - these recent reports raise some interesting scenarios.

On the one hand, if Michaels is to be believed, big if, but what the hell, then the Griffin's had a lease arrangement. This is potentially great news for USC. All the Griffins would need do is produce the original lease document and all those questions Pac-10 or NCAA might be pondering could go away.

Of course, that would mean the Griffins would be admitting a failure to live up to the lease, which leaves them open to paying back-rent plus any interest or penalties for such late payment contained in a typical lease.

On the other hand, if Michaels is not to be believed then we might have the following ...
A - No lease document because no lease arrangement existed between Griffin and Michaels.
This would let the Griffins off the hook for the claims now being made by Michaels.
But be careful if you bite into that cake, for it would give ammunition to the low-rent or rent-free improper benefits line of inquiry.

Have your cake and eat it too?

Depends which cake the different parties want.

There may be other twists here, (Bush as the victim, the threats and counter-claims) but the above is I think the most important issue from USC's perspective.

I agree. However, in either case, even if there is a lease, the non-payment of rent is supposedly accepted because of the future pro earnings of Bush.

So, Michael's is supposedly taking a risk on Bush's ability to finish the season without any serious injury, etc. So, even if there is a lease, nonpayment is predicated on the son's football play and the lease is with an agent.

Even if you are Michael's and you don't evict because you believe that Bush can pay in the future, the fact that you are an agent (even if you are not formally registered yet), will interest the NCAA because you have given the Griffins the use of the cash without interest. I submit that the value of that interest could be equivalent or more than the $6000 someone we used to know and love gave to a Serbian player!

If you are USC, that doesn't look very good either with the NCAA.

It also is reported today that the agent folks are alleging that the Bush stepfather approached them to set up the agency and then made subsequent requests for cash payments. Furthermore, that no payment was ever made. Not good news if true.

The real bad news if you are a USC fan is something we all know from experience. The can of worms just keeps opening.

Every newshound in the area will be digging, digging, digging and other stuff undoubtedly will out, and always breathlessly. "The news team confirmed today that Reggie Bush knew a man who knows the man who is responsible for [name crime here]. No comment was available from..." It won't go away soon.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Its getting ugly....

"Let me be clear about this: We never wanted to do this in the press," Watkins said. "I was going to file the lawsuit after the draft so it didn't create a hoopla. I figured, after the draft, if he gets his big contract, Reggie is more likely to settle, because he knows they owe this money. They defrauded my client. [Michaels] did all the work, gave the lion's share of the money.
"The only reason we went public now is because the allegations have gotten so outrageous that I have to speak. When someone throws out the word ‘extortion', we've got to speak. All that other bashing, we took it like men and smiled and prepared the lawsuit. Until they came out with this allegation of extortion. They brought this to the press. We didn't bring this to the press. We're going to be the plaintiffs in the case. They are going to be the defendants."

 

[methomps]

Lord (Myles Brand),

Take away all our scholarships. Make us play in pink uniforms. Give us the death penalty. But whatever you do, spare us the inhumanity of having to relive the 2004 offseason.

LSUFan1950
Registered User
Posts: 100
(4/28/06 6:22:37 am)
Reply

What should the NCAA do to USC if...?<hr size="1"> What should the NCAA do to USC if what is being reporting on ESPN is true about Reggie Bush? What ESPN is reporting is that the Bush family was living in a upper class home. ESPN is also saying that the back rent is over $50,000 dollars.

This is my opinion on the whole deal When something like this happens. I think that the Head Coach and the A. D. should get fired, and they are banned from Coaching or being a A. D. at least for 5 years from the NCAA. The School always get the short in of the deal.

If the NCAA comes down hard on USC, all Pete Carroll has to do is just go to another school and leave USC high and dry. Now I am just saying this if everything that is being reporting is true. I am hoping and praying that it is not.

 

[3yardsandacloud]

One giant shit sandwich. I wonder who is going to be forced to eat it? Probably everyone involved.

Sadly for USC fans, this has MORE media appeal than the whole MoC saga AND it will be far more accessible to the media. Just wait until lawsuits are filed and lawyers start digging. This won't be the NCAA and a closed investigation with months of silence.

Great theater though:

• Heisman Winner and most likely #1 NFL draft pick.

• His mom and stepfather, who are either good upstanding people (dad is clergy, mom in law enforcement), or of shady character and riding the financial coat tails of their son.

• USC and "Petey", the darlings of the media for 3 seasons.

• Accredited sports agent and his less than upstanding business partners.

• The NFL and NFLPA (thanks for sticking your noses in, you are now a party to this mess)

• Enter everyone's legal team

• And whoever else enters the stage tomorrow ... and the next day ... etc.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Cowherd just reported that the Bush family also had trips for road games paid for by the land lord.

edit: Cowherd is saying that the land lord isn't a booster. What defines a booster? (I know this should be fresh in my mind )

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Lord (Myles Brand),

Take away all our scholarships. Make us play in pink uniforms. Give us the death penalty. But whatever you do, spare us the inhumanity of having to relive the 2004 offseason.

The people who say garbage like that are probably the inbred cousins of the Miami fans singing that particular song during the OSU situation.

 

[FKAGobucks877]

Booster: I'm pretty sure that's a person who steals cars. But I could be wrong.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Information All Alumni, Fans and Friends of Duquesne University Must Know Who is considered a representative of Duquesne University's Athletic Interests ("Boosters")?
According to NCAA regulations, a representative of Duquesne University's athletics interests ("booster") is any person who:

• Has ever been a member of any former Duquesne University Athletic Department Fan Support Group,
• Has ever made a financial contribution to the Department of Athletics or any of our former Athletic Fan Support Groups,
• Is or has ever been a season ticket holder in any sport,
• Has ever helped arrange employment for or employed a current or prospective student-athlete, or
• Has ever been involved, in any way, in the promotion of Duquesne University's athletics program.

change du to whatever school
http://goduquesne.cstv.com/school-bio/duqu-school-bio-compliance-role.html

 

[Folanator]

Cowherd just reported that the Bush family also had trips for road games paid for by the land lord.

edit: Cowherd is saying that the land lord isn't a booster. What defines a booster? (I know this should be fresh in my mind )

Can someone smarter than I please answer:

I thought that with the Troy Smith debacle we established that a booster does not have to be formally associated with the university.

If the family gets benefit based on who their son or daughter is, then it is a benefit and a violation. If not, what would prevent either boosters or people having interest in the careers of the kids to be paying for everything from food to rent?

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Cowherd just reported that the Bush family also had trips for road games paid for by the land lord.

edit: Cowherd is saying that the land lord isn't a booster. What defines a booster? (I know this should be fresh in my mind )

i answered above, but the issue with that is that likely the capatilizing on his status will come into play if that is true.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

i answered above, but the issue with that is that likely the capatilizing on his status will come into play if that is true.

and since im on the page scrolling through it ill add this here.

MPORTANT REMIDER:
Only a college coach, who has been certified by his/her institution and the NCAA, may recruit a prospect. Alumni and other representatives of an institution's athletics interests may not contact a prospect to encourage the prospect to attend a particular institution. What is an extra benefit?
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional staff member or a representative of the institution's athletics interests to provide a prospective or enrolled student-athlete or his/her family with a benefit not specifically authorized by NCAA regulations. Extra benefits that are not authorized by NCAA regulations would include, but are not limited to:

• Cash or loans of any amount,
• Co-signing or arranging a loan,
• Gifts of free services (e.g. airline tickets, restaurant meals, use of an automobile, etc.),
• Rent-free or reduced cost housing,
• Employment of a student-athlete at a rate higher than the wages paid for similar work, or
• Payment to a student-athlete for work not performed.

Any provision of an EXTRA BENEFIT to a prospective or currently enrolled student-athlete by an institutional staff member or athletics representative jeopardizes the athletics eligibility of that student-athlete. We urge you not provide a prospective or enrolled student-athlete with any benefit without first contacting the DU Athletics Compliance Office and Rick Christensen, Compliance Coordinator, at (412) 396-4917, to determine the permissibility of your actions.