First glance at the dreaded "Bush Book"

UPDATE: For those coming here by a direct-link, a second, more thorough review is available by clicking here.

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I just picked up my mail and found a review copy of the new book on Reggie Bush.

It doesn't look good.

The jacket cover claims point-blank, "With the explosive information revealed in Tarnished Heisman, Bush stands to be ruled ineligible -- a decision that could cost his alma mater the 2004 national championship title, force the forfeit of every game Bush played in after losing his eligibility, and potentially strip Reggie Bush of the shining prize of his college career: the Heisman Trophy."

Of course, that's to hype the book and create sales. Notice the phrasing "stands to." What does that really mean? We know the NCAA investigation has been underway for a while. Now we get to see some of the evidence that they're weighing.

I get the impression that there's limited original research in "Tarnished Heisman." I've just started reading, so I could be wrong on that part. My quick-glance found that the author never got a response from Bush, his family, USC or the NCAA. A lot is based on an accumulation of third-party research (all from reliable sources such as newspapers). Then there are the people like Lloyd Lake, who is currently suing Bush. He was cooperative but had to be compensated for tape recordings that he provided.

Back on the negative side for USC fans, the book's accounting says $47,000 went directly to Bush out of the overall $291,000 that went to his family. That makes it hard to deny he knew what was going on. While the photo section lacks any photocopied receipts, bank statements, or otherwise, the Author's Note says that a website will publish much of it. As of this blog post the site (www.tarnishedheisman.com) has not gone live. According to a "WhoIs" search, it's reserved under the name of a company run by the book's author, Don Yaeger. It's going to be tough to doubt the validity of something from Yaeger (a former associate editor and an investigative reporter for Sports Illustrated) and publisher Pocket Books (a division of Simon & Schuster). Expect the hard evidence's release to coincide with the book's on Jan. 15.

Adding to the situation's shady factor are a pair of references to characters guaranteed to make the Trojan nation uneasy ... memorabilia dealers and Suge Knight.

Bush has gotten himself out of some tough spots in the past, but this is a whole new ballgame. Instead of quietly refuting things and replicating his on-field elusiveness, maybe he could pull a Roger Clemens.

More to come as I get through the book, confirm what's "embargoed" with the publisher, and line up some Q&A with the author. Drop a comment or e-mail me if you have any questions you'd like me to ask.

Click here to vote in the Reggie Bush poll.

Comments

[Andrew Masset]

I'm pretty sure Bush goy his fingers caught in the cookie jar. I don't condone his or his families behavior. However, let's look at the 'BIG' picture. How much $$$$ do College sports make off the backs of these atheletes? They court, entice, promise and 'bribe' these young men and women to attend their school on atheletic scholarships. Boosters do backdoor deals with jobs. clothes, tickets etc. These are 'kids' with lots of attention coming at them and most have come from low income families. I feel it is unfair to give with one hand while striking with the other. If you punish the athelete, you must also punish the offender who started the 'give away' goodie bag.

[LPB]

Andrew, your comment seems to imply that you think USC is getting let off by the NCAA. It seems to me that they are facing sanctions in this deal.

Don't you think that stripping USC of its National Title and causing it to forfeit its victories for that year would constitute punishing them as an "offender"? Not to mention potential scholarship limitations that could be added as penalties?

[John]

Frankly the concept of a student athelete not being compensated is a bit strange, and the NCAA appears to be holding onto a concept that is outdated.

Punish Bush and USC if they are indeed guilty.

Yet consider that the Reggie Bushs' are now paying for entire NCAA athletic programs, including the women's bowling teams giving out full ride scholarships in order to meet Title IX Federal requirements. From the bookstore selling $50 jerseys to the $165 face value ticket price, no one can reasonably deny Division 1 schools whored themselves to football's success generations ago. It's unreasonable to punish the prostitute and madam but not the NCAA pimp and their customers as well.

The true talents will ultimately bypass the NCAA system, jumping from high school directly (like Kobe) to the NFL if the systems isn't sorted out soon.

Maybe the BCS folks could work out a good settlement!

[Diana]

Even if Reggie took money, USC would not necessarily face sanctions. This is because the alleged benefit came from an Agent. The NCAA rightfully makes a distinction between Agents and Boosters. Reggie could be ruled ineligible, but USC not made to forfeit games, much like Michigan in the Charles Woodson case.

[Schmenkman]

Sounds like the Big 12 and the SEC don't like that SC has a few National Championships and should have had another in 2008.

John great post!

[James Monroe]

Until anyone can provide and show cold hard proof that any of these allegations are even remotely true, this is all speculation. But it is a great way to sell books, movie rights and anything else commercial! It also gives USC haters a great forum to express their hate. If it is proven that Reggie Bush did indeed violate NCAA rules, then he should face the consequences of his actions. However, USC should not be stripped of their National Championship or penalized. If anything, Reggis Bush should be stripped of the Heisman Trophy.

[Mike]

He not only defrauded the football program, he defrauded the school and entire student body.Frankly, I think he should be sued by the school and student body. Further, if you can, please take him away from New Orleans while your at it. HE REALLY IS NOT THAT GOOD! Frankly, Young deserved that trophy anyway.

[Gerrrg]

There would have to be proof of a lack of institutional control on USC for sanctions to be handed down, right? Therefore the only thing the NCAA would do is rule Bush ineligible and strip all the wins during whatever seasons affected. That does not necessarily affect USC's BCS victory and Bush's Heisman. Remember, the NCAA is actually separate from both those organizations. There is no precedence for the revocation of either a BCS Championship or a Heisman.

A thought about this whole deal: This would be the first time I've read about Bush receiving direct money from anyone, as opposed to his parents. This might be what the NCAA is really concerned about, and rightfully so.

[Knute Rockne]

GO IRISH!

[Gerrrg]

Some interesting stats. Div-I schools with the most infractions:

Arizona State University 8
Southern Methodist University 8
Auburn University 7
Texas A&M University, College Station 7
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities 7
University of Oklahoma 7
University of Wisconsin, Madison 7
Wichita State University 7
Florida State University 6
Kansas State University 6
University of California, Berkeley 6
University of California, Los Angeles 6
University of Georgia 6
University of Illinois, Champaign 6
University of Kansas 6
University of Kentucky 6
University of Memphis 6
Baylor University 5
Michigan State University 5
Mississippi State University 5
North Carolina State University 5
University of Cincinnati 5
University of Colorado, Boulder 5
University of Miami (Florida) 5
University of Southern California 5
University of Texas at El Paso 5
University of Texas, Pan American 5
University of Washington 5
West Virginia University 5
.
.
Notre Dame 3

Total number of schools, all divisions, with at least 1 infraction: 272.

(from the NCAA website)

[Epphan]

NCAA's threshold for "lack of institutional control " is low. It's a circular argument and any infraction usually constitutes a lack of institutional control. Infractions committee has to justify themselves, right?

And, yes. I'm here in the midwest and it is all a conspiracy out of the Big 12 and SEC. Wait until you hear how we rigged the Stanford game.

[Angel]

Now it all makes sense. Atlanta talking to Pete Carroll. Reggie Bush, and probably USC, going to be dinged. I think Pete thinks it time to flee the sinking ship.

[Conquest Chronicles]

He probably did take the money.

The question - to us at least - hasn't been "were there any shenanigans with Bush and his family taking money?" - the answer to that is plainly yes. The question has been "is there any proof that USC knew and did nothing?" It doesn't sound like this book addresses that.

[Gabriel]

It is quite funny to read responses from Trojans here "indirectly" defending Reggie Bu$h. Typically skirting the issue, they claim instead that athletes deserve to get paid, so it really isn't that big of an infraction. Your shamelessness has no bounds. It doesn't matter if a rule is not fair, it only matters that it is the rule and everyone has to live by it. And it is not as if this is an isolated incident, the whole affair with Dwayne Jarrett getting free rent is somehow being disregarded as well.

Programs have been punished for far less egregious infractions. The NCAA is FAR from treating programs equally. Time to grow some...guts and bring down the hammer.

[jon good]

This is another example and reflection of corruption at the college level. and I believe that more people at staff levels knew about what was going with Reggie Bush and that USC football program. This is another sad day in sports that people can't win fair anymore. What is going on at USC is just another scandal in a string of many through out sports that shows that we can't have greatness in the field of sports unless we cheat. To much big commercial money and to much pressure to be number one at all costs has ruined organized athletics. Were has integrity gone?

[jmg]

who cares? when this story is followed by a reputable media source other than sorry @zz Yahoo...then i may listen but i still will not care. its football. the school didnt do anything wrong, so punish BUSH

[Truth]

All of you fans are blinded by the program. IF Reggie and his family did receive all the money and free housing that is being reported, TRUST ME, Usc would have known about it. I would bet that they brought him in to talk about it at least once or twice while he was there. But the fact that they didn't do more to turn him and the program in. This looks poorly upon Usc. To even try to believe that Usc didn't know about it is ridiculous, they probably even arranged it!

It doesn't matter if the schools make a ton of $$$, rules are rules and each school needs to abide by them. Jarrett, Bush, who else?

For the poster that said it is outdated and strange for the student-athlete to not get compensated is just trying to justify this one of many indiscretions. Student athletes do get compensated, it called a pricelss education! Its called free meals, free tuitions, free room and board, free tutors etc... The football program at these schools are a business. They need to and want to make money. Why else do coaches get paid $2million plus today? Players are temporary employees that are well compensated to do what they do. And if done right, they can leverage that into a lucrative pro career. If not, they can always take advantage of the great edcuational opportunity and join the real world. Don't feel sorry for these guys, you got to put it into perspective. Just look at your own self to understand perspective.

Bottom line, Usc and Bush must suffer the consequences for their actions. Why should they be held to a different standard than any other school? The problem is the "other" infractions and other players that will get exposed.

Run Pete, Run!

[Tim]

"He probably took the money" - I'm glad you looked into your crystal ball, oh wise one. What special inside information do you have. (NONE)

"the whole affair with Dwayne Jarrett getting free rent is somehow being disregarded as well"

He didn't get free rent. He paid something like $500 a month to share an apartment with Matt (about 20% of the actual rent). That was reasonable to me, because any dad could rent an apartment and charge his son's room mate whatever he wanted. That really seems like something available to any student, not just athletes. The NCAA disagrees. In any case it is not like boosters buying cars and paying athletes. It just isn't.

With that said. All parties that can be proved to be guilty should suffer the penalties for their infractions. Strong penalties.

[gmoney]

Who is Don Yaeger? Sounds like he's just trying to make some money off Reggie.

[Luke]

No one knows whether the NCAA will punish USC, no matter what the evidence is. Look at Ohio State and Maurice Clarett; he made it clear that there were violations when he won the National Championship for them, yet the NCAA did nothing. Same with Oklahoma, when Rhett Bomar and another player were found to be taking money from a booster. The NCAA didn't take away any wins or even punish the University, as long as the players were booted. I have no idea how the NCAA makes its decisions, and I think the worst thing for USC would be publicity and outrage; still, who knows if the most irresponsible and nonsensical organization I know of will react to that.

[Bobby]

Oklahoma here....uh, Luke, unfortunately for USC, you don't know what you're talking about.

[pk-in-the-mesa]

It all doesn't really matter, if the Ncaa takes away wins let them but what they are really doing is leting a writer and yahoo (a media outlet ) dictate how to run sports and that will be the downfall of college sports. The problem is that after this there will always be a ? to any champ so it will take years to figure out who cheated and who didn't. Just about every athelete cheats knowingly or not i mean they will always look for an edge it is human nature but to let some disgruted yahoo guy win in writting that really sucks because he is not down on the playing surfaces competing. And who is to say USC wouldn't have won games with or without Bush, last time i looked he can't win games in the NFL it takes a bunch of commited players to win or lose not just one guy. Yahoo sucks anyway googal rules

[Pecos 45]

College football players pull in so much cash for their schools that it is criminal that they are not being compensated. The football program at most schools funds women's softball, volleyball, etc. It is a cash cow, particularly when you consider the TV money. What is wrong is to have these young men play for their school and risk injury at little to no salary, while the schools pull in MILLIONS.
It's time to change this messed up arrangement.

[SC Champs]

Where's the proof?

No court has found anything wrong, why, because there is no proof. Because the media thinks its wrong, doesn't mean anything. This isn't the slow South where if the media says something, its true. This is a play to get money and feed Yahoo sports since they 'broke' the story. Nothing will happen to the USC Dynasty.

[Trojan Always]

I hate to say it, but our football program should suffer the same fate as the University of Michigan's basketball program due to the Webber situation - if the information is correct.

Fight On!

[Steve]

Here are a few "if"'s
If Bush took the payments he should be held accountable.
If USC kenw he took the payments they should be held accountable.
If Bush took the money and USC did not know then USC should not be accountable.
If the NCAA detrmines Bush took the money and USC did not know but still applies sanctons to USC then USC should take Bush to court to recover the loses.
College football is a big time business. Athletes are rewarded by a "free" education at a Univeristy. Yes the Univeristy is making money off them, but they know the deal when when they sign on the dotted line. The Univeristiy cannot supervise each and every "student/Athlete", their familes and freinds 24 hours a day for 4 years. The "Student/Athelete" and their familes need to be held accountable for thier greed.
Last if, If the Univeristy kenw then sancations are apportiate and USC will have to pay the piper.
I am a full USC supporter of the University and ALL it's programs.

[VenturaBruin]

If I were a recruit, I'd DE-COMMIT asap. Usc will face NCAA sanctions with a probable multi-year bowl ban and lose a few scholies over this, not to mention a possible forfeiture of past games including the National Championship for using an ineligible pro.

Why would a recruit want to walk into that firestorm? Unless maybe they could be paid too!

[Steve]

Ventura Bruin,

Do you have information that the NCAA does not have?
I find your bold statements a little hypocritical with the history of the coach the Bruins just hired.

[Gerrrg]

For the record, Jarrett's case was a secondary infraction, and the NCAA has a repayment schedule for such cases. Also, he had to apply for reinstatement, and he was forced to wait all summer for the Committee to meet and issue its ruling. The NCAA doesn't issue sanctions unless it believes the infraction should be classified as 'major'. Look it up yourself on their website for complete details of every major infraction.

Oklahoma's case was that of a booster, not of an outside interest - Lloyd Lake has never had an interest in USC, just Bush's family tie.

Just wait for the NCAA to complete its review.

[P STONE LOVE]

As for Bush the guy is young and will still be one of the greatest when it's all said and done. He needs to get out of New Orleans thats for sure they don't know how to utilize his talents. The Book is a farce just like Yahoo. Nothing will happen to USC and I know this makes all the haters of SC very angry. Dismantle them on the field thats your only chance to see this dynasty ever fall. A for me and the rest of the west Bush we support you 100%. 213, 323, 310,818,619, 714, etc. We got your back Jungle Love baby boy!

[Gc]

College kids are compensated... its called a Free Education. And at some places its worth 45-50 thousand a year. Look at what minor league ball players make, its laughably close. For all the fixation on the Bush's of the world you have to remember that 95% of those guys aren't going to the big time but they all had the opportunity to get a degree. Just my two cents.

[Friday Nite Scout]

Explain to me why this is any different to The University of Washington's "lack of institutional control" back in the early 90's? Coach Carroll probably had no knowledge of Reggie's situation. And I seem to remember that Coach James also had no knowledge of the $$ being given to one of his players back in the 90s as well. Yet the book was thrown at Washington. I think anyone who believes we will get a slap on the wrist may be fooling themselves.

[fartbert]

We live in a society were CEO's steal, Priests molest, the Prez lies, and college athletics is a big business that uses kids and spits them out. I hope he got paid. Screw the NCAA and spread the wealth. By the way Georgia would destroy USC. Peace

[Emil Calomino]

Assuming this is true and Bush and/or his family took money as long as USC didn't know then the punishment is simple, take away Bush's Heisman Trophy and any records he accumulated during this period. USC should not lose wins or National Titles if they didn't do anything or know anything. Punishing an entire University and 100 other athletes for a rouge acting on his/her own is senseless. Not that the NCAA hasn't been known to do senseless things!

The preceding being said, let's wait until we get all the facts before jumping to conclusion. Also, Pete Carroll with Atlanta could be nothing more than Pete asking for a raise without asking for one if you know what I mean.

[Gary]

My opinion here, being a Bruin that went through the DeShaun SUV days, is that whether the school knew or not, Bush should not have been playing so the school should forfeit the appropriate games. UCLA was undefeated that year until the news broke that Foster was "borrowing" the SUV. Foster was suspended and the season was torpedoed instantly. You could play all kinds of what-if scenarios had he not been suspended, but we'll never know because the consequences hit mid-season.

Had Bush been exposed and punished when it happened, you cannot say that USC would have won a national championship without him. He was to USC what Foster was to UCLA.

[Max]

THIS IS NOT GOOD. Think about how fast that ESPN jumps on these sort of things. The author of this will be on for a few days and there will be a lot of negative energy directed at us.....AND RIGHT BEFORE RECRUITING.

All good things must come to an end. 08 and 09 will be ok, but expect a few bad years after that. but we willl be back.

[Carl Van]

The entire argument that 'athletes make money for the school' is not only flawed, but utterly rediculous. First off, not ONE athlete makes ONE dime for any institution. Period. Not. One. Cent. None. Nada. They don't make money. Now, an athletic department may be part of an athletic conference that may be part of a TV deal that was born from the 1984 NCAA antitrust ruling, and hence, bring in dollars to RE- fund that same exact program to which many particular athletes belong. However, why not just shut the hell up, or liquidate every single benefit these athletes receive, and you will see that it will add up to the salaries well above the national average per capita. You people truly are morons.

[Jon K.]

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

GO BRUINS!

[john]

The NCAA will do what it always does when it's cash cows are found guilty as charged - put Prairie View A&M on probation.

[Kostas Kooky]

I think you need to read the whole book before you start blabbing your mouth with your un-educated opinions. Your opinions seem one sided. Get a life!

[Ted]

Does the book talk at all about possible knowledge of the benefits by the USC staff? Without that, SC won't be punished in any meaningful way.

[VenturaBruin]

Hey Steve,

Colorado was punished and had to forfeit a slew of games, and these were for minor violations (bumping).

Washington lost 5 scholies for violating the "quiet period" rule.

No hyprocritical info here. Please list what violations Neuheisel has committed at Ucla?

Usc and Reggie Bush made their own bed. No lie in it!

If Neuheisel commits any NCAA Violations at Ucla, I'm sure our program will pay for it as well, just as we did with DeShaun Foster's SUV.

The types of violations allegedly committed with Reggie Bush would most likely be MAJOR violations.

[VenturaBruin]

Hey Steve,

Colorado was punished and had to forfeit a slew of games, and these were for minor violations (bumping).

Washington lost 5 scholies for violating the "quiet period" rule.

No hyprocritical info here. Please list what violations Neuheisel has committed at Ucla?

Usc and Reggie Bush made their own bed. No lie in it!

If Neuheisel commits any NCAA Violations at Ucla, I'm sure our program will pay for it as well, just as we did with DeShaun Foster's SUV.

The types of violations allegedly committed with Reggie Bush would most likely be MAJOR violations.

[ccrfan]

My philosophy is this: If Carroll bolts for an NFL head coaching job this year, you can bet the bank that USC will get sanctions. What other reason would Carroll have for leaving with a team loaded with the kind of talent he has right now? Go to the Redskins? No way that Dan Snyder gives PC the control he wants. Falcons? What a nightmare that situation is, not to mention that Arthur Blankenship is not the kind of owner willing to let go of total control. Only reason PC leaves: He knows that SC is getting nailed by the NCAA.

[LA]

fwiw, the NCAA may not be USC's only problem. The PAC-10 itself really hammered UW back in the '90's (TV $ and bowl bans). Claimed they wanted to hold member institutions to a higher standard than the NCAA. And a further problem there is (or at least, was) that the PAC-10 punishments are voted/controlled by...the other PAC-10 schools. Obviously there is a vested interest in sticking it to a dominant rival.

[Scott]

Pete Carroll makes Bill Clinton look honest!

[DwLA5]

So will the NFL ban Bush because he entered the league on false pretences (that he was a bona-fide student-athlete)? Please. The ends (money) justify the means (money) once again in our society. It's just a shame that institutions like universities that should be "above the fray" and stand for a higher set of values are so corrupted. I recall being in Colorado when the highest paid state employees were the football and basketball coaches, far above number three, the head of neurosurgery at the medical school.

[biffbruin]

for those of you being critical of yahoo.com, have you read their articles and subsequent articles in other media? what's criminal is, given the paper trial any decent reporter could have uncovered, only sports writers at yahoo put 2 + 2 together (we're talking about you, l.a. times)

it's only a matter of time before all the benefits the bush family received become public. reggie bush will be ruled ineligible from the date benefits started and all games thereafter and USC would forfeit those games.

if the NCAA determines all this happened without pete carroll or football staff's knowledge then there probably won't be any other sanctions. trojans would probably still have the AP crown. however, it's likely SC's record would come with an asterisk affixed, explaining the all the wins were forfeit. kinda like all the baseball records once they figure out this steriod mess.

dominating football team but, as they displayed at the rose bowl, without class or dignity. and, as will disclosed shortly, cheaters too. what a surprise.

p.s. also mr. bush will come under scrutiny by the heisman committee and perhaps be first winner to have that honor revoked. nice football legacy trojans, you guys own the record book . .

[Rhymeister]

RB should look deep inside himself and wonder if karma isn't paying him back like a mofo.com cause he's having a tough time of it right now and his career is going straight to Nowheresville.

He should fess up, cause convering it up isn't going to help his beloved alma mater once he's cold busted, the NCAA should come down hard on USC for not being cooperative but I somehow doubt the media darlings that they are will. at the very lease he should be banned from watching games from USC's sidelines until this is done!

This is a lesson for other major programs, best not to, à la Oklahoma, volunteer info on player indiscretions when it comes to receiving booster money and the like.

[Don Highley]

I would not only like to see the NCAA get to "the bottom" of these allegations but also see the FBI look into bribery, coercion, and slander charges against the wannabe sports agents who allegedly fronted the money.

[jad]

Angel, by the "sinking ship" that you believe Carroll is fleeing, are you referring to the USC that ended up #3 in the BCS? (having "sunk" from, say, #1 or #2 perhaps?) or the other USC?

[Diana]

I find it funny that all the fans of other schools are deluding themselves into thinking USC will get MAJOR sanctions.

The NCAA differentiates between illegal benefits given by Agents and Boosters. How is USC supposed to know that a family in San Diego is living above their means. Are our compliance officers supposed to fly out to every student-athlete's house?

Look until there is proof that USC knew and did nothing the NCAA cannot and will not throw sanctions.

What happened with UW in the '90s had to do with boosters, what happened last year with OK had to do with boosters. This is where the NCAA will throw the book at you (unless you are ND).

[scott]

i must say, this is very entertaining!!
I find it funny that trojan fans are on the edge of their seats. its funny seeing them sweat.
*eats popcorn*

[Tim]

Hey - did you check the final 2007/8 polls ?

USC #2

UCLA - not ranked - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[VenturaBruin]

Pete Carroll created a culture of temptation at Usc by allowing famous, wealthy rappers with their Bling-Bling on the practice sidelines and agents roaming around practices.

What do you think the agents were there for? To see how many backflips the cheerleaders could do? It's all about business and $$$. I wouldn't be surprised if some of those agents and rappers had lunch to discuss business too. Those rappers know how to talk to the players.

Pure speculation on my part, but I'll bet some of the coaches knew that something was going on. Nice new impala with custom paint and aftermarket exhaust Reggie.

It won't be long until Reggie Bush hires one of OJ's lawyers to defend him. Too bad Cochran is no longer.

[Tommy Trojan]

Note to Bruins and Irish: Even if all of this is true, we at USC will still draw immense satisfaction from kicking your asses annually!

[Bomberboy]

Nothing will happen to USC. Years ago, Wahsington was REAMED by the PAC-10 for "lack of intitional control" that involved a player borrowing $50,000. to by a car and other things. It was confirmed that UW had no involvement and knowledge. So the PAC-10 (not the NCAA) including USC decided to ban them from bowls for two years and take away all TV revenue for the two years. HEre is this Bush deal and the PAC-10 doesdnt even get involved!!! It is joke and the entire PAC-10 knows it. Pete Carrol could commit murder and they wouldn't even get their wrist slapped. USC an do whatever it wants....except beat Stanford.

[George Allen]

Absolutely brilliant timing. USC benefits from a book hitting the stores (with attendant hype) just as they are at the point of signing another recruiting class. This has to be the most efficient non-denial denial in the history of non-denial denials. Ask yourself why any high school athlete with NFL potential in his right mind would not choose USC rather than another less competitive situation. Yeah, that's really going to scare them away: all that talk about how much money players are getting at SC, about how many agents and Hollywood types are at practice sidelines, about how many guys wind up in posh apartments while playing for SC. And you guys think Pete Carroll wants to bail out on this to go be at the mercy of the whims of some plutocrat NFL owner? He would have to be crazy. Who would you rather have signing your checks? Mike Garrett or the nutcases who run the Arizona Cardinals? Or you'd like to coach the Vikings, maybe? The NFL has all of maybe three benign owners (PIttsburg, Buffalo, Denver). Everywhere else it's narcissism central all day every day. You want to go get 20 phone calls a day from Jerry Jones? To have to set your cell phone to a special ring just so you can brace yourself for his input?

This book is literally wonderful for SC.

And NCAA enforcement? Yeah, right, the NCAA can hardly wait to consecrate tens of millions of dollars fighting O'Melveny or Gibson Dunn & Crutcher about how it wants to impose sanctions on the biggest cash cow in the history of college cash cows. What other NCAA member owns, and I mean owns, a media market the size of LA? Sure some others have really impressive stadia. Like Tennessee. 108,000 seats and every TV set from Bristol to Nashville. Or Michigan: 107,000 seats and the blind loyalty of all of Detroit. Or Penn State: over 100,000 seats and absolute dominance of both the Harrisburg AND Hershey metro markets.

They did not punish Miami, Nebraska had a guy winning the Heisman and then going off to do time for armed robbery and you guys think an agent putting up a San Diego house for his parents is big time sin? You have got to be kidding. You think the booster types in SD don't appreciate those 619 logos right on his face on the cover of the book.

What is really going on here is that at the absolute perfect time of year USC gets an incomparable recruiting tool: all about how much money a great kid can get if he goes to SC. As a proud SC parent, all I can do is stand back, put up the V and yell Fight On!

[Philip]

I will not follow college football if USC gets sanctions. The Pac ten is nothing without a good USC program. USC has helped all the other Pac Ten programs get richer by playing BCS games the last six seasons. To bad USC has to share that BCS money with other conference teams who are worthless. Its to bad that the only way haters can bring down USC is by looking to silly allegations. Thats right. Silly.

[Trojan Dude]

Provide the proof that these allegations actually occurred or STFU.

[Danny]

NCAA by-law 12.3.1.2 states that an athlete shall be deemed ineligible if he or she accepts benefits from agents or marketing representatives.

Dudes - NCAA is going to have to get it's head of the sand (that it has REALLY tried to make this go away). Every newspaper from Yahoo Sports to ESPN has been quoting the different money sources -- yet there has benn no libel suit by the Bush family - just 'no comment'. This book is just going to bring it out again...

Airline tickets, rent free, new suits, hotel stays.. (do a goole search - can get all the proof you desire..)

Suck it it up & take it like a man. Bush done wrong - now USC is screwed. Just hope that the NCAA doesn't start talking about 'loss of institutional control.".

[Ganmando]

If there is so much "evidence" why has this process taken so long?

Where there is smoke there is fire so I am sure something happened, but all of the SC haters are hoping it's something big because their program pales in comparison (Domers and gutty little bruins know who you are).

[pk-in-the-mesa]

VENTURA-BIFF AND JON K

ALL I CAN SAY IS
SAM GIBERT

SO I GUESS UCLA AND THE GREAT JOHN WOODIE

WILL HAVE TO GIVE ALL THE GAMES AND CHAMPIONSHIS BACK

YAH RIGHT

[Metalfan]

Where were all you Trojan fans when UCLA was beating you 8 straight years? Crying about how Miami was cheating to win championships would
be my guess.It Actually it was not that long ago and it may soon be coming back. UCLA put you in Rose Bowl contention when it beat Oregon so don't
come off like you had a great season. The fact of the matter is that your season sucked as this was suppsed to be one of the greatest teams ever.
The home loss to Stanford as a 41 point favorite was unprecedented and
you would not have even been in a BCS bowl had not abunch of Top Ten teams choked and Oregon (remember them?) had not lost their quarterback.
How about last year when UCLA beat you with a junior college QB?
My point is that you are not above the law and their are rules. If Carroll leaves for the pros you know he was as guilty as shit and your program
won because it cheated. It is just not USC it is all college sports. Since each
university sets it 's own academic requirements things will never be fair
or equal in the same way that life is not fair or equal. SC gets players into
school that most other schools in the Pac-10 cannot and that is why they are better. Sames goes in the SEC and everywhere else. Pete Carroll does not walk on water and my guess is that most SC fans were not to thrilled when he was hired. Your team was basically in the shits from 1989-2000. If you
are guilty of violations you should be punished just like any other school. I
would agree that the rules suck in many cases but without rules there would be anarchy without them. USC you are not above the rules and you may
have to go back to sucking (just like ND has) to realize that you are no better
than anyone else. FIGHT (CHEAT) ON!

[Stephen]

His Heisman was "Tarnished" when Vince and Texas owned his overrated ass in the championship game. This is just icing on the cake.

[Gerrrg]

whatever happened to the ucla handicap parking thing?

[pk-in-the-mesa]

They figured out that the whole school was handicap and that it was okay to part anywhere after taking your prozac and hitting your bong twice and then two times more.

[dwightkschrute]

I think the chickens may soon be coming home to roost for SC. As mentioned before the UW comparison is very apt. Same conference, both teams coming off three straight Rose Bowl's and a recent National Championship. As was mentioned before the Pac-10 imposed sanctions beyond the NCAA recommendations, to show they would not tolerate it. A key force from within the conference advocating that punishment was USC.

It was all because the member school exhibited a "lack of institutional control". UW was dealt a year of no tv revenue, and two years of reduced scholarships, reduced official visits, and a two year ban from post season appearances. What'd they do? Players working during the summer in LA got $17/hr instead of $10.50/hr and two players in Seattle got a free lunch per shift at the golf course they work at. All of which the school and coaching staff was unaware of.

USC has a player that reportedly gets $300,000 including hotel stays, cash for shopping sprees, and money to buy and customize a car. To enforce a "lack of institutional control" should it matter if it was from boosters or agents? And how do you draw a distinction between the two when it's been reported that the agents in question were allowed to attend closed USC practices and hard to obtain sideline passes for games. That's on campus, amongst the team access. Something like that couldn't have been granted solely by Reggie Bush, it had to come from USC.

It'll be interesting to see how the bar is set for determining "lack of institutional control" from one Pac-10 (or even NCAA) school to another.

[Steve]

Good luck Trojan fans. Dwight is right. Remember when Don James Washington Huskies were a Pac-10 Powerhouse? Remember what took the program down? I mean way down. Your LA Times did the investigating on the guys being overpaid working in LA, then found out Quarterback Billy Joe Hobert had BORROWED $40,000 from a booster in Idaho, promising to pay it back when he went pro (which is exactly what he did). None of which took place anywhere near the Washington campus or team.

Compare that with the stuff you are hearing about Reggie Bush and tell me how USC should be allowed to skate on this deal.

[pk-in-the-mesa]

Steve are you telling me you are prefect i think not, so you have never taking any advantage at all i think not all you UCLA and IRVINE jerks can go and dig a hole and stick your head in it and next you all come into my place on work wearing your Uof C garb i will ask you to leave and go take a flying leap.

If you see kay tell her i love you

[Steve]

pk...

I live in Arizona, have never set foot on the UCLA or UofC campuses. I graduated from Washington State (not Washington) and hate the Huskies more than you do. As much as I have enjoyed watching the Huskies struggle, I still thank that what happened to them was not fair. The LA times really went after them, and USC led the voting on their severe punishment.

I would think the conference would have to show some consistency in its sanctions. And if they do, the recent glory years at USC will be a fond memory for all of you very soon. Just talk to anyone in Seattle.

My wife says I have to stay away from Kay.

Steve

[pk-in-the-mesa]

Good retort but i still feel this whole thing is crazy about bush, i do feel he is a jerk for putting other people in harms way for his and his familys gains. But i never like the picture his stepfather was painting back in RBs last season. I feel from the character that coach Carroll has shown that he was not aware but you never know what NCAA will do and I played basketball with LO Romar at Cerritos college so i will pull for his teams and i also like all pac-10 programs except ucla-ariz.

[Charlotte]

"From reliable sources *such as newspapers*" . . . There's a hilarious phrase if I ever saw one. In case you haven't heard, *some observers say* newspapers aren't all that reliable.

[Howard Veit]

Long ago and far away, before Bush actually landed at USC, the "word" was out that his parents expected a "payday." A few West Coast schools dropped out of the bidding war and USC "won" because of an undisclosed agreement Carroll made with the parents. Face something awful: most parents of outstanding high school athletes see their kids as "meal tickets" and cannot wait for the day when they turn pro and can cash in. Think parents of Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, both of whom put their children on the market from the time they were five. This stuff as a way of coming back to you in bad ways.

[Howard Veit]

Long ago and far away, before Bush actually landed at USC, the "word" was out that his parents expected a "payday." A few West Coast schools dropped out of the bidding war and USC "won" because of an undisclosed agreement Carroll made with the parents. Face something awful: most parents of outstanding high school athletes see their kids as "meal tickets" and cannot wait for the day when they turn pro and can cash in. Think parents of Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, both of whom put their children on the market from the time they were five. This stuff as a way of coming back to you in bad ways.

[Bear]

Looks like USC may be staring down the barrel of the NCAA's gun just like Alabama........Have fun...

Alabama's NCAA Penalties

Five years on probation.

Barred from going to a bowl or playing in the Southeastern
Conference championship game for two years, which league officials
said could cost the university at least $3 million in bowl
revenues.

Ordered to reduce football scholarships by 21 over the next
three years. Must also reduce the total number of football players
on scholarship from 85 to 80 during each of those years.

Must distance itself from all former players, agents, boosters, and other individuals not directly employed with the university.

[BJ & The Bear]

The NCAA needs to vacate USC's 2004. When that happens, the Downtown Club, the AP and BCS will ask for their trophies back as well.

University of Sad Cheaters.

2004 BCS Champion: OU
2004 AP Champion: AU

[digital_dilemma]

What this will ultimately reveal is that Pete Carroll is just as human as the rest of us. We all look for an edge. Somewhere down the line, Pete looked the other way, hoping it'd go away, hoping it wasn't true. But in the end, he knows that it won't matter. He will be able to walk away from all of this and take over an NFL program, making more money.

The kids that are really without fault here are the one's who will pay the price. I hope those that lose their records and their championship, those that have already committed to play there and those about to commit to play there will be allowed to move to other schools without penalty. It would be an egregious error on the part of the NCAA to make the innocent suffer recriminations for the guilt of the few.

[Emil Calomino]

The funniest thing about the whole Bush thing is the UCLA Bruins fans praying something happens to USC. UCLA has always been USC's little brother on the football field, always has and always will be. The only time UCLA becomes relevant in football is when USC has a down period of a few years and then once USC is back UCLA is irrelevant again.

UCLA is good at one thing, basketball and they even found a way to lose the first game to USC this year. In baseball they're ranked very highly this year and even at that USC has 12 National Titles in baseball, double any school with Texas 2nd with 6. UCLA has won how many college world series?

The first to 100 thing is great, it includes girl's sports like gymnastics. I know I sound a bit too conservative for California here but if you only count Men's titles, no school has won as many NCAA Men's titles as USC and that doesn't even count the 11 they have in football since the NCAA doesn't award titles in D-I football. Hell, if USC has 1 football title taken away they would be left with ONLY 10, if UCLA had one football title taken away they would then have? Oh none....LOL

Bruin fans are too funny, Fight On!