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

[elliemae]

WOW! I just saw this! Finally some other school under the microscope!:tongue2:

 

[barlow1802]

the reason i pointed out housing values for the area is in columbus 750k would buy you a 90210 type house. a 750k house in columbus would be worth probably 8mil plus in san diego.

thomps heres just a random house in powell for sale at 759k
powell is one of the nicest areas in town and fits the new build as reggies parents place.

http://www.realtor.com/FindHome/HomeListing.asp?snum=30&mlsttl=Columbus&frm=bycomm&pgnum=3&mls=columbus&js=on&poe=realtor&st=oh&areaid=1004616&typ=1&mnprice=650000&mxprice=850000&mnbed=0&mnbath=0&mnsqft=0&ss_mitm=n%2Fa&sid=06842EA9CB48C&snumxlid=1051629836&lnksrc=00003

We cant compare there real estate market to ours.. the average house is 600,000 there.. the griffins 750,000 is only 3,000 sq ft.. while it's a place to live this isn't a nice home like the one above.. in comparasion in Columbus market the average salesprice is about 170,000..

plus the cost of living in cali cant be compared to columbus.. thus the huge boom in real estate in las vegas: you can spen 600,000 dollars and get a what would be a million dollar home here in columbus, or you can pay 600,000 in cali and have a small place. Also, arn't they paying 5 dollars a gallon of gas..

 

[jimotis4heisman]

We cant compare there real estate market to ours.. the average house is 600,000 there.. the griffins 750,000 is only 3,000 sq ft.. while it's a place to live this isn't a nice home like the one above.. in comparasion in Columbus market the average salesprice is about 170,000..

plus the cost of living in cali cant be compared to columbus.. thus the huge boom in real estate in las vegas: you can spen 600,000 dollars and get a what would be a million dollar home here in columbus, or you can pay 600,000 in cali and have a small place. Also, arn't they paying 5 dollars a gallon of gas..

i dont know about all your numbuers, but youre agreeing with me. i was just pointing that out to all of those who werent aware of the san diego and columbus market.

 

[buckeyeboy]

The whole Columbus housing market vs. California housing market is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is the income and assets of Bush's parents vis-a-vis the fair rental value of the property, as that dictates ability to pay and hence the ultimate question of whether an improper benefit was received.

As an additional matter, I find it a little odd that USC asked the Pac-10, which obviously is an interested party in this matter, to conduct an investigation. Why not an NCAA investigation? At least that wouldn't smack of partiality.

 

[Steve19]

I have a few thoughts about this.

Right now, it appears that a pro management company paid the rent on a house that Reggie Bush's family lived in, with the hope of tying his pro management down in the future. If that's the case, then it appears that this would violate NCAA rules. http://www.ncaa.org/agents/ncaa_summary.html

There's plenty to keep the press busy. Was the house rented or purchased? And it appears that they had a special feeling for the place. When you scratch your name into the cement, it's fair to say that most folks feel some sense of identification with the place that at least borders on ownership. Why did they move out when an alternative house purchase had fallen through? Where did they go?

After what happened to us, I hope that BP will remain open-minded until there is an investigation of these allegations. It looks bad, maybe it's not.

Second, Bush and USC can stop all of this right now by answering one easy question. Did Reggie Bush's family receive an improper benefit from someone who they were forbidden to receive a benefit under NCAA rules?

This is not multiple choice, it's a yes/no answer.

The credibility of the answer will be easily explained by a transparent disclosure of the conditions of the Griffin's occupation of the house and details of who paid the rent. If they fail to take that step quickly, then they will find that this blows up into a storm that will take years to blow out.

I'm with Deety, I hope for methomps that this is something that blows over. If not, hey guy, you still got us!

 

[Padraig]

The only thing that matters is the income and assets of Bush's parents vis-a-vis the fair rental value of the property, as that dictates ability to pay and hence the ultimate question of whether an improper benefit was received.

Not really. It doesn't matter if Bush's family (or any other recruits) are multi-millionaires...but whether or not they accepted money, gifts, free / reduced rent, etc. from someone because of their son's status as a college athlete (in essance making him proffesionalized).

If someone (booster, agent, etc.) put them up in the crappiest shanti in $hit-town, it would still be against the rules.

 

[buckeyeboy]

Not really. It doesn't matter if Bush's family (or any other recruits) are multi-millionaires...but whether or not they accepted money, gifts, free / reduced rent, etc. from someone because of their son's status as a college athlete (in essance making him proffesionalized).

If someone (booster, agent, etc.) put them up in the crappiest shanti in $hit-town, it would still be against the rules.

Right. My point was simply if there is an inability to pay for the rent, the odds that something illicit was going on (particularly when you factor in the fact that the home was owned by someone connected with an agent) go through the roof.

 

[Padraig]

I understand what you're saying, and you're right...income vs. rent/mortgage payment can definitely be a major "red flag", but it's still just that. It only illusrates the potential for a violation. But the same potential to prove a legit situation exists as well.

There were plenty of media-types and fans of other programs that looked at several "red flags" when a few young men at tOSU had their apartment robbed of thousands of dollars cash, DVDs, video game systems, watches, etc. "How do college students have this stuff laying around their apt.?" "Where does a football player at tOSU get a watch worth hundreds of dollars, dozens of DVDs worth thousands of dollars?" And many either passed judgment based on seeming impropriaties rather than completely explainable facts, or just ignored facts because they got in the way of a good story or personal agenda.

I'll try not to do that myself.

 

[jwinslow]

it is possible to debate the merits of the case without passing judgment on SC/Bush.

 

[ntd]

Also, arn't they paying 5 dollars a gallon of gas..

Completely off topic thread wise, but their gas isn't that much more expensive than ours, about 30 cents more per gallon, which isn't much when you consider the cost of living, the higher environmental demands, and I'm sure what are much higher taxes

On Topic:

I can't help but think that this is shady and against NCAA rules, Bush saying "It'll all come out in the end" shouldn't be comforting to SC fans

 

[methomps]

As an additional matter, I find it a little odd that USC asked the Pac-10, which obviously is an interested party in this matter, to conduct an investigation. Why not an NCAA investigation? At least that wouldn't smack of partiality.

It is standard operating procedure for Pac10 teams to pass on investigations to the conference.

 

[UGABuck]

Ouch...his dad owes $4K in past due bills but can afford the rent on a $700K property?


http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/college_football/20060424-9999-1n24bush.html

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Ouch...his dad owes $4K in past due bills but can afford the rent on a $700K property?


http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/college_football/20060424-9999-1n24bush.html

USC wants Pac-10 to review arrangement

By Brent Schrotenboer and Jim Trotter
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS April 24, 2006
<!--- BODYTEXT ---> <table align="right" cellpadding="2" width="284"> <tbody><tr> <td>

K.C. ALFRED / U-T file​

Reggie Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, and stepfather, LaMar Griffin, watched a USC game in December.
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> The USC athletic department has asked the Pacific-10 Conference to investigate financial dealings involving the Spring Valley house that the family of Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush lived in for a year until it was vacated this past weekend.
The 3,002-square-foot, three-bedroom home, which overlooks Sweetwater Reservoir, was purchased by Michael Chief Michaels for $757,237 in April 2005, according to San Diego County records.
<!-- begin:sidebar --> <!--startclickprintexclude--> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="5" width="220"> <tbody><tr> <td> <table bgcolor="#dfdfdf" border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td>

• <sidebar>Bush says nothing inappropriate about family's housing</sidebar>

</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!--endclickprintexclude--> <!-- end:sidebar --> Michaels, who also goes by the name Michael Pettiford, and partner Lloyd Lake, who is now in federal prison, had been trying to set up a sports marketing company called New Era Sports and Entertainment. They had hoped – but ultimately failed – to sign Bush as a primary client.
<!---------- BEGIN BIGBOXAD ----------> <script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.signonsandiego.com/scripts/oas_x32.js"></script>it is a violation of NCAA rules for an athlete, or his relatives or friends, to accept benefit from “any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability (or) an agent, even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation.” It is unclear the amount of rent that Bush's mother and stepfather paid to live in the house. If the sum was less than market value, the NCAA could determine the relationship to be a violation. Typically in instances where violations have been discovered, the NCAA ruled the athlete ineligible and stripped the team of any victories that occurred while the athlete was in violation.
The University of Southern California was 12-1 last season as Bush, in his junior season, wowed the nation with highlight-reel moves and earned the Heisman, considered the most prestigious award in college football. The former star at Helix High in La Mesa elected to turn professional and is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft Saturday.
Lake and Michaels had approached San Diego-based agent David Caravantes about possibly negotiating Bush's NFL contract, as well as joining their prospective agency.
“They were trying to get me in front of (Bush) during the interview process, which I was never a part of,” Caravantes said. “They didn't try to recruit him for me. They thought it would be a good idea to have everything in San Diego. I think their concept was that they were going to deal with marketing, and they (needed) an agent. “If things worked out, we were going to try to put something together (to become business partners). But everything was in waiting to see if they landed (Bush) to do the marketing. Nothing came of it.”
Bush ultimately decided not to enlist with New Era, which killed the plan of Michaels and Lake. Bush hired Miami-based agent Joel Segal in January and Mike Ornstein as his marketing representative.
On Dec. 2, Bush's stepfather, LaMar Griffin, had a brochure from New Era when he sat down for an interview with a San Diego Union-Tribune reporter in the Spring Valley home.
He described New Era as “a new company opening. They sent me a brochure. They're here in San Diego.” The company was set up in November, according to a filing with the California secretary of state.
Griffin also said at that time the family had lived in the house since about April 2005, the same month Michaels bought the home.
Michaels works for the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians as director of economic development. Sycuan General Counsel George Forman said he remembered Griffin approaching Sycuan about joining Griffin in a business venture.
“I think on at least one occasion he was on the reservation and made a pitch, some sort of pitch, but he came up dry,” Forman said. “There was no interest (by Sycuan).”
Sycuan spokesman Adam Day said Sycuan had nothing to do with any potential deal between Bush and Griffin.
“This is an entirely personal transaction involving Mr. Michaels of which the tribe has no knowledge and cannot speak to,” Day said.
Michaels was arrested under his Pettiford name in October 1999 on felony charges of making terrorist threats and discharging a firearm in a negligent manner in an incident involving current Sycuan Tribal Chairman Daniel Tucker. Charges were dropped in 2000 for lack of evidence, records show.
Michaels declined to come out of his El Cajon home to talk to two Union-Tribune reporters Friday. He also did not return several phone messages.
Lake received a 30-month prison sentence for a drug-related offense in January 2005. He was out on probation last year until it was determined he violated probation when he allegedly beat up his live-in girlfriend in November. He is back in prison and unavailable for comment. Lake played basketball at Helix in the early 1990s.
Griffin on Friday referred all questions about the matter to attorney David Cornwell. At that time, the house in question was being packed up by movers after reporters from several media outlets started inquiring about it earlier in the week. The service to Griffin's cell phone also was discontinued Friday.
“I have a lawyer to talk about that,” Griffin said when reached at another phone number. “I'm not even going to put my mouth on it.”
Cornwell did not return repeated calls.
The moving company that packed up the house said it could not say when the order was placed to pack up the house because the computer file for that client was locked and inaccessible.
Bush could not be reached for comment. Ornstein, his marketing representative, said Friday he has no knowledge of anything that might have taken place between Bush and New Era, and that Bush was probably not going to talk about it.
“This time of year, falsely or unfalsely, this is the stuff that comes up,” he said, referring to the days before the draft. “It's a bunch of BS.”
USC spokesman Tim Tessalone yesterday said that USC would have no further comment beyond its statement that it had asked the Pac-10 to look into the matter.
Griffin, who is married to Bush's mother, Denise, previously listed a 1,441-square-foot condominium in Spring Valley as his residence, county records show.
County records also show Griffin in previous years faced financial troubles for unpaid bills, including $4,251 to the state Employment Development Department. He has been employed as a security guard at Morse High School in San Diego. His wife works at a county jail.
Bush is expected to command a multimillion-dollar contract after this weekend's NFL draft. Many marketing experts previously said the running back had the transcendent athletic ability and personality to command lucrative endorsement and marketing deals.

ive tried three times to remove the ads sorry folks :edit: i got it

 

[Padraig]

Here's a question for someone more knowlegable about NCAA rules than I:

I've bought things on credit, "12 months same as cash!" "No money down, no payments until July of 2007!"...wall to wall carpeting, the new "sleep number" air mattress bed, etc., etc., and I know a house is a big difference to most of us, but most of us aren't (even 12 months ago) projected to go top 5 in the NFL Draft and be instantly worth tens of millions of dollars, so...

What would be the "legality" (NCAA rules) of an establishment (bank, real estate developer, etc.) leasing a house to a family, 12 months "same as cash", who is either a.) going to be multi millionaires from being drafted by an NFL team, or (in the case of injury) b.) have enough cash from an insurance policy to cover should a career in Football become impossible?

How long is too long to "loan" a car, house, etc. based on future value if an agreement is entered into eventually paying for such assets according to NCAA amature status rules?

 

[jwinslow]

the deal has to be available to every USC student, from what I've read.