Former USC tailback Anthony Davis’ supposed bleak financial condition is well-known here in Southern California. Davis has been so desperate for attention in the past that he agreed to have his gastric bypass surgery televised. So there Davis was last Saturday, set up at a tailgate area before the USC-UW game, selling his autograph for $10.

(Can’t we save the long knives for another former USC tailback?)

Lucky for Davis that T.J. Simers of the LOS ANGELES TIMES also happened to be there, ready to drop the hammer on his dastardly activities.

When Simers asked Davis, “is it really cool to charge for your autograph?”, everything would’ve been fine is A.D. had just answered, “Hell yeah! Mind your own damn business.”

Sadly, Davis didn’t though.

Excerpt:

“It goes to the Anthony Davis Foundation,” says Davis, and while he’s none too happy with the question, there isn’t any mention of the foundation on the table or the box.

“I put six kids through school who otherwise couldn’t afford to go to school,” Davis says. “I wouldn’t be out here without a reason.”

So what’s more pathetic, Davis charging $10 for his signature, or Simers’ unearthing his tax returns to check his claim?

The kid pulls up a 2006 return for the Davis Foundation. It starts in July and runs through Dec. 31, taking in more than $31,000 — $13,250 going to scholarships and the rest to expenses.

Maybe 2007 was better, because it’s got to take more than $13,250 to get six kids through USC, but the kid couldn’t find a tax return for 2007.

Now I’m no rookie when it comes to the Internet, so I do a Google search for “Anthony Davis Foundation” and it brings me to “Notre Dame Killer,” a site dedicated to Davis. The site offers signed helmets for $265 and autographed footballs for $150.

I wonder whether all that money goes to the foundation. There’s no mention.

In fact, I couldn’t find any place on the site where someone might donate to the foundation. And no mention of the six needy kids. The guy sure is humble.

I know it’s L.A., and Anthony Davis still rings a bell for the six cigar-sucking old timers who still take the LAT, but does that really justify nailing Davis’ a$$ to the floorboards on this? Sure the guy exaggerated, and for all we know, he might’ve kept some of damn money. Who cares?

If you’re going to haul out the long knives, isn’t there a slightly more deserving target lurking in the Silver State?

(Photo: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)