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!