Finally(!) the turning point in the NCAA investigation into the USC football program is here. Yesterday San Diego County Superior Court Judge Steven R. Denton ordered Reggie Bush to give a deposition under oath on April 23 as part of a civil suit filed against him by a former sports marketing agent.
Why is that the turning point? Because the man suing Bush, Lloyd Lake, claims to have financial documents and audio tapes that prove Bush took improper benefits from him and his company worth $291,000 while Bush was still at USC.
While Bush has denied the allegations, the USC Heisman Trophy winner, according the Yahoo Sports, paid Lake’s partner Michael Michaels $300,000 in hush money as part of a settlement that included a confidentiality agreement.
But, as reported by the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, Lake’s silence allegedly was considerably more expensive than was his partner Michaels, at least according to Bush’s attorney David Cornwell.
Cornwell also called an initial $3.2 million settlement demand (by Lake) “extortion.”
Of course it’s extortion, but if Bush’s attorney is telling the truth, then had Reggie Bush written Lake a check for the alleged $3.2M, this whole thing would be over. At least as it pertains to Bush. The current NFL player would’ve never be questioned under oath in public about anything regarding the USC football program
Amazing when you consider that one of the main focuses of the NCAA investigation into the USC football program was spurred by alleged violations committed by Bush and his family.
But with no settlement in sight with Lake, Bush will be confronted, under oath in a courtroom, with audio tapes that Lake claims includes Bush and Bush’s stepfather, LaMar Griffin, talking about the alleged improper benefits.
Now you know why the NCAA has waited this long to hand down a judgement against the USC football program. Up until now Bush, citing his legal dispute with Lake, had refused to talk to the NCAA.
The L.A. TIMES reported in February of Bush’s repeated refusals:
“There are attorneys, there are lawsuits, there are all those things that keep you from being able to talk,” Bush, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, said during a promotional stop at a sponsor’s office in Vancouver, adding, “I’ve tried to do everything I can, on my part, to help USC out.”
When asked for details about how he helped USC, Bush said, “I can’t really speak on that because of pending things, but I’ve done everything I can and I will defend ‘SC until the day I die. . . . That’s just because I felt USC was so good to me. . . . I am USC and I represent USC.”
The NCAA, thanks to Bush not paying Lake the alleged $3.2M settlement, will now be hanging on the Heisman Trophy winner’s every word on April 23. That day, Bush’s Heisman Trophy, Pete Carroll’s legendary USC coaching legacy and the future of the Trojans football program will hang in the balance.
What will Bush’s truth cost USC? I’m betting more than $3.2M.
2:11 pm on April 14th, 2010
Finally! If there is any justice in the world, U$C will get put on probation and have to vacate victories and titles.
2:22 pm on April 14th, 2010
over/under on “I don’t recall” ……………………..26
2:27 pm on April 14th, 2010
You anti-USC honks are so delusional and tiresome. So you prove Bush took benefits from Michael Michael….and Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam too. So freaking what?! Where’s the proof that Carroll or Garrett or any USC brass knew or should have known about it? As I recall, Bush was driving an Impala or something else unimpressive, and the house provided for the parents was in San Diego.
So shove it up your a%%, anti-Trojan honks.
2:38 pm on April 14th, 2010
might want to read the yahoo coverage of this kjetil. lake and michaels had access to usc locker room, and pics with carroll. and coaches attended their parties.
get real dude. it’s over.
2:39 pm on April 14th, 2010
why do you think carroll sprinted to a crap job after turning down better nfl jobs over the years? if that isnt a HUGE red flag, nothing is.
3:03 pm on April 14th, 2010
1. depositions aren’t typically given in a courtroom, though the witness will be sworn to an oath.
2. bush can still settle this in advance of the deposition, and i would be shocked if they did not settle it, with accompanying Non Disclosure Agreement, in advance of the deposition.
3:20 pm on April 14th, 2010
Its too late to do anything. They already had the meeting over violations with USC anyway, and have probably already made their decision over the punishment. Even thought there is no NCAA rule about double jeopardy, like i said before, they have already had the meeting with SC and if it wasnt evidence in their investigation on the days that they met it cant be used against SC. The brunt of the damage will be given onto the B-Ball program, which no one really cares about anyway. Everyone other than delusional SC haters has already accepted the fact that the NCAA wasnt able to prove that any of the coaches knew anything about Bush’s dealings. As far as pictures go, do you know how many people NCAA head coaches take pictures with? What if it was at a booster meeting or just a SC sponsored get together? Does it look sketchy that they were there? Of course, but without concrete evidence that they knew who they were and what their relationship with reggie was, it doesnt matter. All you SC haters need to get real.
And i’ll clear this up before someone says it. The NCAA can’t make Reggie give back his Heisman, so don’t get your hopes up. Yes, the Heisman committee can make it happen, but think about it this way, OJ has been in and out of jail and allegedly killed someone, and he was never asked to give it back, so theyre not going to ask Reggie to give it back. Killing someone is worse than taking money in my book.
3:35 pm on April 14th, 2010
“Its too late to do anything. They already had the meeting over violations with USC anyway, and have probably already made their decision over the punishment.”
Wrong.
3:47 pm on April 14th, 2010
Seantrell Henderson…. ahha ahhhaaaaa
3:55 pm on April 14th, 2010
Really Brooks? that’s youre answer? just “wrong”? At least explain why i’m wrong. If there is something in the guidelines I where they can use evidence after the meeting i would really like to know.
4:19 pm on April 14th, 2010
Wow, this idiot is going to compare OJ killing someone, which he was aquitted of but thats besides the point, he did do it by the way, to Bush receiving money WHILE still attending school at USC. Wow, just wow. Take your USC homer glasses off
4:20 pm on April 14th, 2010
By the way, see SMU and the death penalty, thats what should be handed to USC
4:59 pm on April 14th, 2010
Death penalty? Dont be stupid. In the past, yes the death penalty would have been the first option, but you have to look at the circumstances of lets say SMU, the only Football program to get the Death Penalty. They had huge infractions that seriously showed the lack of institutional control. There were MULTIPLE players being paid to play by boosters, not just one player. In this case, athletic department staffers knew exactly what was going on and it was proven that they did, not speculated that they did like the Bush case. Not to mention that the SMU program had already been on Probation 7 times, USC, from what i can gather, none before the Bush incident. Dont get me wrong, im not denying that they wont be punished, i’d be stupid to even think that, but it definitely wont be the death penalty. Although there is a chance that if they make even one tiny violation while being on probation, they could be given the death penalty like Alabama almost was given in 2002.
5:30 pm on April 14th, 2010
I like these guys who say: so what? USC didn’t know. Ignorance is not an excuse. Michigan didn’t know the Fab Five were getting all that cash, but they had to forfeit all of those games, titles and take down banners anyway because those players were ineligible.
Just like Reggie Bush was ineligible. Every game he played in should be forfeit. National Title forfeit. That doesn’t mean the other team is given the trophy, they’re not. It just means USC does not get credit, banner, trophy etc for it. They should also be made to pay back the millions they earned from BCS bowls…just like Michigan and other schools are made to do.
Other schools have been punished severely on 10% of the evidence that there is against Bush. Yahoo sports can prove it, why can’t the ncaa?
5:46 pm on April 14th, 2010
No one made Michigan pay that money back, that was self imposed by Michigan upon itself. Please tell me what other programs have been told to give their money back from post-season play.
5:58 pm on April 14th, 2010
Being a SC fan, I really don’t understand why all the haters. All colleges do what they have to, to get the top recruits. Some colleges are better at covering up then others. Personally I think the players who cause the infractions should be sued by the university to reclaim all losses. They seemed to always skate by with nothing ever happening to them while they make there millions in the pros. They should have to repay the scholarship first of all, then any money lost due to no tv time or bowl appearances, plus any fines the schools is given.
7:24 pm on April 14th, 2010
ONLY 3.2 million. Even for a guy like Reggie making 15+ million on salary and endorsements, after taxes, managers, posse, and bling, theres probably not even close to 3 million in cash leftover.
7:29 pm on April 14th, 2010
BarRedOuT asked if any other school had been required to pay back post season play profits.
Most recent answer: Memphis not only lost the ‘right’ to tout that their Basketball team made it to the Final Four, they also had to pay back the expenses given to them by the NCAA and the profits they temporarily made. This was about (snark) the time that Coach Calipari departed for Kentucky.
7:46 pm on April 14th, 2010
Why didn’t somebody get Jerry Buss etc. on the phone and have them pony up to help with the $3.2 million payment? That’s what friends are for.
8:03 pm on April 14th, 2010
Is that a female i hear trying to talk about sports?
8:08 pm on April 14th, 2010
If sanctions weren’t coming Sark would have taken the job… every insider know that.
8:15 pm on April 14th, 2010
Oh ok, so 2 BASKETBALL programs that were in an NCAA controlled tournament gave their money back, while the precedent for that to occur to a football school certainly is there, the chances of them trying to get back money from a post season that pays out MILLIONS of dollars to EACH school compared to a post season that pays out millions to each conference, theres too much money there for an acquisition of past funds to occur.
As far as what ron said, youre right that money can certainly be raised, even any money that they will apparently be forced to pay back (probably not going to happen).
8:17 pm on April 14th, 2010
No one is denying that there are sanctions coming, but some of these USC haters requests for paying money back to the NCAA and that USC deserves the death penalty are just plain dumb, its not going to happen.
9:02 pm on April 14th, 2010
Why does anyone think Bush paying $3.2 million will end it? First, on basic law, the contract is unenforceable because it’s an for unlawful (not illegal) act. An unlawful act isn’t necessarily a crime. Second, the NCAA doesn’t need “proof” beyond a reasonable doubt, or anything close to it. Bush making a settlement, is on it’s face, “proof” that he had an arrangement for consideration.
Bush was ineligible and USC allowed agents in the locker rooms and on the sidelines. They can’t say they brought a snake to practice and didn’t expect it to bite anyone.
10:00 pm on April 14th, 2010
Note: Antwan Woods recently visited Washington and attended a practice!! Read the tea leaves.
10:50 pm on April 14th, 2010
Even if the deposition goes forward, which I doubt it will notwithstanding a Court Order, on the “juicy” questions, Mr. Bush’s attorney will simply instruct his client not to answer. What does this mean? It means Mr. Bush will not be answering any questions about the USC football program. Mr. Lake’s will have to go back into Court to obtain another Order, dragging the process out even longer.
11:20 pm on April 14th, 2010
Alabama had to forfeit 21 games including a bowl win.
Florida state had to forfeit games, ask Bobby what he thinks about that.
frankly I don’t care about money paid back when it comes to USC. it’s just part of
any penalty like this. Trophies returned, banners taken down, credit for wins forfeited,
scholarships cut… shame and embarrassment is the penalty. And yea, a lot of
athletes get stuff while the school looked the other way. But a HOUSE? rules
are quite clear when it comes to gifts from agents and eligibility.
11:23 pm on April 14th, 2010
So stupid. Just think for a minute. An ex-fellon may have given Reggie’s parents a deal on a house in San Diego…..the purpose of which ultimately was to convince Reggie to leave early and declare for the NFL and hire the fellon as his agent. So people, not friends or boosters of the USC program are trying to convince Reggie to LEAVE. In what way does this help USC? Think, people! USC knew nothing of this and Reggie’s refusal to be extorted means more likely that he’s confident that he did nothing wrong. You haters just defy logic. It’s hilarious. Besides, even if the NCAA makes USC vacate wins for so-called “lack of institutional control,” they still won those games and everyone knows it. Hahaha!
5:03 am on April 15th, 2010
Wow, thanks for sharing, I have learned so much here on your site, thought I’d let you know your efforts are
appreciated.
10:21 am on April 15th, 2010
Truth,
You are throwing out false facts. Who said that the agents were convincing Reggie to leave? And even if they were, that is irrelevant. Here let me explain it to you in simple terms. If agents give houses to players at a school, it entices them to come to that school. Even if that player leaves early, other players will be enticed due to illicit benefits. If you don’t think the players talk amonst themselves, you have got to be kidding. You are ignoring logic.
1:10 pm on April 15th, 2010
RexLex - Ex-felon or not, the problem is he is a USC booster.
I know, you say “no, he’s a dirtbag street agent”.
Well then, Pete should not have allowed him to attend practices and have full access to the SC private quarters (Locker rooms, offices, etc). When someone can duck the press at a basketball game by walking past security into the locker room he is not “some guy” with Zero connection to the team, as you would suggest.
3:20 pm on April 15th, 2010
Reggie Bush is gay and is the biggest Dueche-bag in Sports.
6:16 pm on April 15th, 2010
USC guilty of cheatting when recruiting football players? Say it isn’t so. At least not this century. Yes they did it blatently in the 1900’s, but they have cleaned up their act in the 2000’s, haven’t they? Oh, they haven’t ??????
8:25 pm on April 15th, 2010
Papaw,
Learn how to spell douchebag, douchebag!
5:00 am on April 16th, 2010
Why are you guys still following this. USC will not be penalized, Bush won’t be penalized, it will all be a white wash. The most severe sanction will be an order that the women’s tennis team has to play with used balls.
3:01 pm on April 16th, 2010
I find this whole thing hilarious. It would not even be mentioned at ANY school had those players who had infractions not have been any good. Guess you could say why would they get paid if there werent any good but regardless. Boosters giving a hand to a poor kid who is good at a sport who later becomes a millionare in the sport seems just to have some one go OOOOOoooo you won all this and that so now what you did was bad is crap any way. no i am NOT a USC but with this kinda stuff going on in the NCAA ANY school could be in the fire next.