More Smoke at USC as Mayo Implicated

It seems players are choosing USC for more than the exposure. A former friend of O.J. Mayo's, Louis Johnson, is alleging that Mayo accepted $30,000 in cash, as well as numerous gifts, from Bill Duffy Associates in exchange for a verbal agreement that BDA would represent Mayo during his pro career.

These allegations are similar to those that continue to dog Reggie Bush, whose parents were allegedly the beneficiaries of an interest-free loan while Bush played football at USC with the understanding that Bush would select New Era Sports and Entertainment (not the hat makers) as his representation.

The good news for USC, though, as far as NCAA sanctions are concerned, is that the university was not implicated in either set of allegations. If a coach or athletics department were complicit in such arrangements, even the death penalty would be on the table. That's especially true given the repeated nature of the conduct and the fact that it spans multiple sports. However, it is possible that the NCAA will eventually decide there is enough smoke to impose "lack of institutional control" sanctions on the university as a whole, or on specific programs.

SPACER

These aren't the first allegations involving USC. In 2005, immediately before the legendary USC-Texas Vince Young Rose Bowl, star alumnus linebacker John Papadakis ('71) was caught influencing recruits at his Greek restaurant. As a former player, he is not allowed to contact recruits. If that name looks familiar it's because his son Petros Papadakis hosts Pros v. Joes on Spike.

Of course, in February 2007 Reggie Bush was again on the violation radar after USC recruit Joe McKnight made press conference comments indicating he was influenced to choose USC by Bush. Again, that would be a violation.

blahblahblah The type of "assisting the runner" the NCAA is known to overlook

In Matt Leinart's senior year the groupies got to be too much for Leinart's dad to handle, so he moved his son into a $3,866/mo downtown L.A. apartment. (Classes? We don't need no stinking classes!) That's fine, as Leinart is allowed to be the object of his father's bounty. What isn't fine is that Dwayne Jarrett lived with Leinart. Leinart paid $500/mo, Jarrett paid $650/mo, and Mr. Leinart paid the remaining $2700 or so. Reportedly Jarrett and Leinart shared the apartment equally, making Jarrett the improper cash beneficiary of Mr. Leinart's. No one is alleging that Mr. Leinart had any intention of breaking NCAA rules, but it is another incident that points to "lack of institutional control." To make matters worse, or at least further show Bob Leinart's naivete, Mr. Leinart has stated that Jarrett would have to repay over $10,000. Oh, excuse me Mr. Leinart, we didn't realize you had just made an interest free loan to Dwayne Jarrett. That's MUCH better.

And lastly, not all vioations are created equally. This one just goes to show what happens when the 10,000,000 candlepower NCAA searchlight is on your school. Last month, at the USC Spring Game, USC's compliance department noted that an outside stadium vendor was selling t-shirts declaring "Viva Sanchez!". This is, of course, a violation because it is using an NCAA athlete's name for profit. Anyone who went to a Division I college knows that these t-shirts are made by enterprising students all the time (Bruce "The Hurricane" Perry, Lamont for Heisman, etc. etc.).

(On the other hand, it is refreshing to read something about Sanchez that doesn't include him raping a chick or hurting himself.)

blahblablahblah Willisms gives the USC scandals some perspective

SPACER

All told, the violations are piling up and the NCAA is likely going to have to take action just so they can be justified the next time they destroy a middling program like Iowa State or DePaul. The Reggie Bush issue is particularly hard to stomach, because the NCAA really doesn't want to strip USC's championship (yes, singular) or put pressure on the Downtown Athletic Club to rescind Reggie's Heisman. The course of conduct justification, on the other hand, is wonderfully convenient for the NCAA because they can punish USC for "lack of institutional control" as a whole and not focus on any one violation. I foresee this working out as a backdoor deal relatively soon.