Them Californians Are Lucky...Reggie Bush

[The Outlaw]

SPRING VALLEY, Calif. – In this sprawling hilltop community with a breathtaking view of Sweetwater Lake, it was no secret who lived in the 3,000-square-foot house at the corner of Apple Street and Luther Avenue. That home, residents would tell you, was where Reggie Bush's family lived. That is, until this weekend, when the family abruptly packed up and vacated the residence – less than 24 hours after Yahoo! Sports approached Bush's mother about information linking the property to Michael Michaels, a man who is alleged to have tried to play a role in steering Bush toward an agent and who also has ties to a sports marketing company. Days before Bush is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, unanswered questions about the residence and how his mother, stepfather and brother came to live in it within the last year have prompted the University of Southern California to refer the matter to the Pacific-10 Conference for an investigation. NCAA statutes prohibit student-athletes or their families from receiving extra benefits from professional sports agents, marketing companies or their representatives. A breach of these statutes could result in an athlete being ruled ineligible, and games in which they played could be forfeited. USC finished 12-1 last season, its 35-game winning streak and national championship bid both ending with a loss in the Rose Bowl to Texas. Bush, a junior running back, won the Heisman Trophy and elected to skip his senior season and turn pro in January. In response to reporters' questions about the matter late last week, USC athletic department officials said they would look into it. "Rather than jumping to conclusions, we need to determine the facts before commenting on this report," Trojans athletic director Mike Garrett said in a statement released by the school on Friday. "We have asked the Pac-10 to look into this." State records show the Apple Street home was built in late 2004 and early 2005, then purchased by Michaels on March 29, 2005 for $757,500. Around that time, neighbors say Bush's family moved in. Whether they had visited the house while it was being built is unknown, but there is an inscription in one of the cement slabs in the driveway reading "The Griffins '05." Michaels is the only person who has been listed on the deed to the home. Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, was approached in the driveway of the house on Thursday, but declined to comment. "I have absolutely nothing to say," Griffin said when asked about ownership of the property, which is where Bush's mother, stepfather LaMar and brother Jovan lived during USC's 2005 season. Before moving to the house on Apple Lane, Bush's family was listed as living in an apartment elsewhere in Spring Valley, a community located about 13 miles east of San Diego. At some point after Bush's family moved into the residence, Michaels and an associate named Lloyd Lake are said to have contacted San Diego-based sports agent David Caravantes and offered to facilitate Bush's recruitment. A source with intimate knowledge of the meeting said it took place during the 2005 college football season and that Michaels was looking for a local agent to handle the contract negotiations for players he intended to sign to his marketing firm. Michaels and Lake told Caravantes they were planning to start a sports marketing agency with Bush as their anchor client. It was also during this meeting that Michaels and Lake mentioned the potential name of the agency: New Era Sports & Entertainment. The pitch to Caravantes was said to have been simple: He would be Bush's agent and Michaels' marketing creation would handle the promotion of the USC star. At some point after pitching this idea, Michaels informed Caravantes that Bush's family was living in a home Michaels owned. Caravantes isn't believed to have met with Bush and was never considered to be in the mix before the USC star hired Reebok adviser Mike Ornstein and agent Joel Segal of Worldwide Football Inc. as his representatives. Repeated attempts to reach Segal and Bush were unsuccessful. While it's unclear what official role Michaels played in New Era Sports, indications are that the company barely got off the ground – if at all. According to corporation filings in California, paperwork for New Era Sports & Entertainment was drawn up on Nov. 23, 2005, and records list the business address in Los Angeles under an attorney named Phillip M. Smith Jr. Contacted late last week, Smith Jr. refused to talk about New Era Sports – even declining to give public details such as a phone number for the company, where the New Era offices were located or who was serving as the company's current president or manager. Asked why he wouldn't provide such information, Smith ended the brief telephone conversation, saying, "That's really not an issue that I want to deal with." He has failed to return multiple follow-up messages left at his office. Further attempts to identify New Era produced a single web page with a company logo (http://newerasports.tv/) that contains no active links to indicate where New Era is located, what services are provided or how the company could be contacted. Searches also produced the internet blogs of three self-proclaimed employees of New Era Sports. One such blog included the company logo of New Era and pictures of several NFL players. That blog was taken down shortly after Yahoo! Sports obtained a hard-copy of the page. Contacted about his alleged meeting with Michaels, Caravantes declined to comment. Michaels – who is a member of the Sycuan Indian Tribe and works as a business development officer for the tribe's development corporation – failed to return multiple phone calls and was unavailable when Yahoo! Sports visited his home on three occasions this weekend. The Sycuan tribe, which owns a casino and resort and is engaged in a number of business enterprises in the San Diego area, denied any knowledge of Michaels' relationship with the Bush family. "The tribe is not aware of his involvement," said spokesman Adam Day, who had been approved to speak for the Sycuan's tribal government. "Any involvement that he has in this situation is his personal involvement. It has no connection or correlation to the tribe, its businesses or Mike's employment by the tribal development corporation. "What tribal members do on their own time is their own business. It's not the business of the tribe." Back at the house on Apple Street on Saturday afternoon, the moving trucks had come and gone. A flier offering cleaning services for movers was hung on the front door, and all the shades had been drawn shut. Through a garage window, only a few empty cardboard boxes and straggling trinkets were visible. Across the street, neighbor Grant Sitton could only shrug. "I don't know, I guess it didn't work out," Sitton said. "Oh well. They have a big payday coming next week anyway.

Source - http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns

Interesting...

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Oh well he got caught. Plenty of violations happen all the time so I won't put too much stock into this like other people. They might get the Pac10 title stripped because of this though. At the sametime nothing is proven yet though, pretty obvious how he his family got it but they might be able to use some type of proof to show otherwise.

[Skippord]

Michael Michaels What the fuck were his parents on?

[The Outlaw]

Oh no doubt it hasn't been proven yet. USC are the NCAA's golden child though so ya know.

[The Outlaw]

Strip them of their 1 National Championship.

[BCWWF]

LSU was the rightful winner

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Originally Posted by The Outlaw Oh no doubt it hasn't been proven yet. USC are the NCAA's golden child though so ya know.

I believe that title can go to Norte Dame

Especially since Mark Sanchez, one of the USC's QBs, just got arrested for Sexual assualt. Whether he ends up being guilty or not, the image of USC is getting more and more cloudy either way.

[The Outlaw]

Yeah, ND/USC are basically co-golden childs. That's weird because I haven't seen it on any of the news stations.

I would comment on what would happen if this took place at 'Bama, but I am biased.

[Kris P Lettus]

Originally Posted by BCWWF LSU was the rightful winner

The BCS is bullshit..

[The Outlaw]

Doesn't matter if the BCS is crap or not, the coaches agree to play by the system.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

USC won a share of the national title though, they just didn't win the BCS title.

[BCWWF]

I see Notre Dame more as the nations poster child than ESPN's though. If Notre Dame had the contract with ABC though...

[The Outlaw]

Yeah true.

Some more intriguing stuff. LOL @ Bush's family BTW

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_...yhoo&type=lgns

NEW YORK – Assertions by Michael Michaels – the lead investor in a doomed sports agency and the owner of a Spring Valley, Calif., home occupied by the family of Reggie Bush – could cost the University of Southern California its 2004 Bowl Championship Series national championship. BCS officials told Yahoo! Sports on Friday that if Bush is ruled ineligible by either the Pacific 10 Conference or the NCAA for even one game during the 2004 season, the BCS will discuss amending its rules to allow it to force the Trojans to vacate the national championship. "This is the type of thing the BCS might have to look into if other governing bodies, the conference and the NCAA, take action," BCS administrator Bill Hancock said. Previously, Bush's eligibility for the 2005 season, which saw him win the Heisman Trophy and lead USC back to the BCS title game, had been questioned because of Michaels' statement that Bush's family failed to pay $54,000 in rent from April 2005 to April 2006. Michaels' claims, which he has promised will be backed up by corroborating evidence, moves the timeline of Bush's potential ineligibility back to the Trojans' 2004 undefeated BCS national championship season. In a statement released to Yahoo! Sports on Friday, Michaels' attorney, Brian Watkins, said that in October 2004 Michaels was approached at a San Diego Chargers football game by Bush's stepfather LaMar Griffin about investing and partnering in New Era Sports & Entertainment, a new sports agency. In November 2004, Michaels then met with Griffin, longtime Bush friend Lloyd Lake and Bush himself to discuss the plan where the USC running back would be the firm's central client when he turned pro in the spring of 2006. "In November 2004, in San Diego, Reggie Bush, recruited by his stepfather to validate Mr. Griffin's company, convinced [Michaels and Lake] of its viability," Watkins said in the statement. "There was the representation that Reggie would come with his stepfather," Watkins told Yahoo! Sports on Friday. "Reggie ratified that." Michaels said that soon thereafter Griffin asked him to pay off $28,000 of Griffin's personal debt, which Michaels obliged. In April 2005, Griffin said "they were having housing problems" and Michaels allowed them to move into a $757,000, 3,000-square-foot home he owned in Spring Valley, a San Diego suburb. According to Michaels, Griffin and Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, failed to pay any of the agreed upon $4,500 monthly rent on the property before Michaels evicted the family last week. Michaels also told Yahoo! Sports that he paid for Bush's family to travel to some USC road games during the 2005 season. Bush, who is now projected to be the second overall pick in Saturday's NFL draft, has denied knowledge of any deal his family may have had with Michaels. Meanwhile, Michaels has said he will file a lawsuit against Bush and his family to recoup "approximately $300,000 in out-of-pocket costs alone, over 1½ years." He is also seeking damages to a total of $3.2 million. Michaels and Bush had tried to reach a settlement on monies owed over the past few months. A Feb. 13, 2006 letter obtained by Yahoo! Sports from Watkins to Bush's attorney, David Cornwell, that discusses settlement talks contains the following passage: "Please advise if it is your intention to involve the University in these settlement negotiations. We would not object to their participation as we understand their wanting to be involved due to the fact that this matter was on going during their championship season of 2004 as well as the entire season of 2005, and any lawsuit filed might have an adverse effect on them." Bush's NCAA eligibility would have been compromised by any gift that either he or his family received from the aspiring agents, either Michaels or Lake. The paying off of the $28,000 loan, the exact date of which is not known, is a clear NCAA violation. Also, a source inside the NCAA's compliance office said simply setting up the New Era partnership could be deemed an "extra benefit." Officials at New York's Downtown Athletic Club, which award the Heisman Trophy, have said that they could take back Bush's honor if he is deemed ineligible by the NCAA. Now the 2004 season, which USC went 13-0, is under question. The NCAA itself does not crown a champion in Division I-A football. Officially, USC captured the 2004 BCS national championship, which is administered by a consortium of major football conferences. As a result, while the NCAA could strip the Trojans of all their victories in 2004, it could not force USC to vacate its title because the BCS championship is administered outside of NCAA jurisdiction. The BCS currently has no policy on possibly forcing a school to give up its championship, according to Hancock. "The BCS is not a governing body," said BCS coordinator Mike Slive, who is also commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. However, in the wake of the latest details involving Bush, discussion has occurred within the BCS that if the NCAA or the Pac-10 were to rule that USC must forfeit any or all games from the 2004 season – including its Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma – the BCS could rewrite its bylaws and retroactively take away the Trojans' championship. Only seven times has the NCAA forced a school to vacate a national championship but never in any of its marquee sports. The most recent examples are 2002 with the Hawaii men's volleyball team and 1995 with the UCLA softball team, both for using ineligible players.

[YOUR Hero]

I don't follow college football, but none of that matters to Bush now anyway. He's a pro. He couldn't give a shit.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

It's kinda tough to say no though. Some dude comes up to you and says you can live in a sick house for free, kinda hard to say no even though it againest the rules. I am not even factoring in his family's financial status either, I dunnow how well off they are.

[Pete]

NCAA rules are fucking retarded, how much money does the football team make for the uni? I'd fucking take the house too.

[The Outlaw]

I would think it would be pretty easy to say no. "No, I can't do that, it's against the rules." Sounds pretty simple.

It doesn't matter how much the football team makes for the university. How much money does the college athlete get by getting his tuition, books, and god knows what else paid for? I used to think the same way, and then reality called.

Hero, the thing is...this could get his Heisman taken away, their 1 National Championship, all the games they won while he was ineligible, etc.

LOL, it keeps getting worse.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/s...e=NCFHeadlines

LOS ANGELES -- USC officials are investigating whether an upscale apartment that wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett shared with former teammate Matt Leinart violated NCAA rules, according to a published report Sunday. Leinart's father, Bob, put the duo on the lease at the secured apartment complex downtown after Leinart moved out of his former residence near campus because he was constantly hounded by fans. Leinart -- the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback picked 10th by the Arizona Cardinals in Saturday's NFL draft -- and Jarrett each paid $650 a month for the apartment that cost $3,866 a month, according to the Los Angeles Times. Leinart's father paid the difference and said he's been told Jarrett might have to repay him about $10,000, the newspaper reported. University compliance officials are looking into whether the football program received an unfair advantage. While Bob Leinart would have been allowed to make up the difference for his son, he might not have been allowed to do so for another player. Tim Tessalone, USC's director of sports information, confirmed Sunday that an investigation involving Jarrett's living arrangement was under way. "At this point, we're still gathering information," Tessalone told The Associated Press, declining further comment. The investigation is the latest cloud over the Trojans football program. The Pac-10 is looking into the living arrangement of 2005 Heisman winner Reggie Bush's family, who lived in a house owned by a man who reportedly sought to market him while he played for USC last season. NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes and their families from receiving extra benefits from agents or their representatives.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

lol give me a break, hes gonna own Leinharts father some money when he gets out of college. NCAA rules are ridiculous - Leinhart is obviously Jarrett's friend and his father loaned Jarrett some money, so what? How do they even know this was football related. If some random kid from the swimteam lived with Leinhart and recieved money from Leinharts dad then nobody would care. They are just trying to make an example out of USC's football program because it is a high profile team.

Plus, Outlaw, pretty easy to say you'd turn down a free house while you are getting your college dorms paid for but what about your parents back home struggling to make ends meet every month? It's definetly not "pretty simple" to some people to say no to free things, maybe for me or you it would be but you don't know his family's situation. Also, USC would get to keep both of its National Championships and their one BCS title since Bush's infraction only inccured during the 2004 season. NCAA Football is the most corrupt sport when it comes to ameture athletes, you are gonna tell me if some booster came up to you and handed you an enevlope with 500 dollars cash in it you wouldn't take it? Yes you would

[The Outlaw]

Assertions by Michael Michaels – the lead investor in a doomed sports agency and the owner of a Spring Valley, Calif., home occupied by the family of Reggie Bush – could cost the University of Southern California its 2004 Bowl Championship Series national championship. BCS officials told Yahoo! Sports on Friday that if Bush is ruled ineligible by either the Pacific 10 Conference or the NCAA for even one game during the 2004 season, the BCS will discuss amending its rules to allow it to force the Trojans to vacate the national championship. "This is the type of thing the BCS might have to look into if other governing bodies, the conference and the NCAA, take action," BCS administrator Bill Hancock said. Previously, Bush's eligibility for the 2005 season, which saw him win the Heisman Trophy and lead USC back to the BCS title game, had been questioned because of Michaels' statement that Bush's family failed to pay $54,000 in rent from April 2005 to April 2006. Michaels' claims, which he has promised will be backed up by corroborating evidence, moves the timeline of Bush's potential ineligibility back to the Trojans' 2004 undefeated BCS national championship season.

Looks like they wouldn't.

I would turn it down without even thinking about it. It doesn't matter if the rules are ridiculous or not, you break them - you pay. Ala Antonio Langham/Albert Means/Crimson Tide/etc. Don't try to tell me that the rules are ridiculous, I've seen it first hand.

There's a lot of guys who have been in that same family situation and have done things the right way. They have waited untill they got to the league, and THEN they provided their families. See Vernon Davis on draft day? Good example.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Whos to say Bush even had anything to do with it though? He didn't even live in the house. The guy could have just approached his mother and she did it. Not saying its right, or that the punishment shouldn't be administered. I just think the NCAA rules are the biggest joke in sports. Try to be hard asses when they can actaully catch somebody doing something, but in reality they let so much shit slip that it is probably the most corrupt ametuer sport in America.

[The Outlaw]

In November 2004, Michaels then met with Griffin, longtime Bush friend Lloyd Lake and Bush himself to discuss the plan where the USC running back would be the firm's central client when he turned pro in the spring of 2006. "In November 2004, in San Diego, Reggie Bush, recruited by his stepfather to validate Mr. Griffin's company, convinced [Michaels and Lake] of its viability," Watkins said in the statement. "There was the representation that Reggie would come with his stepfather," Watkins told Yahoo! Sports on Friday. "Reggie ratified that." Michaels said that soon thereafter Griffin asked him to pay off $28,000 of Griffin's personal debt, which Michaels obliged.

We'll see what happens. Innocent until proven guilty.

[el fregadero]

Eh, Bush should just pay him back, say it was a loan-type situation and all is good. There is more important stuff to worry about that who is paying for who's momma's house or whatever even happened exactly.

[Crimson]

It's funny how reporters from other states say stuff like' OMGG Reggie's parents were living in a 750,000$ house!!' as if it was a mansion. It's just a regular 3 bed 2 bath around here dopes.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Originally Posted by el fregadero Eh, Bush should just pay him back, say it was a loan-type situation and all is good. There is more important stuff to worry about that who is paying for who's momma's house or whatever even happened exactly.

That is still againest NCAA rules though. That would be a benefit which was avaiable to him/his family due to his football skills.

[el fregadero]

I can get a guy to front me money for a house easily and I don't play college ball.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Originally Posted by el fregadero I can get a guy to front me money for a house easily and I don't play college ball.

Not in the NCAA's eyes

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

What's worse..Helping your family get a house? Or having 5 pounds of weed? hahah

Still gonna get USC's "bad image" shoved down our throats now though

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9439128

[The Outlaw]

Pretty obvious which one is worse...

[The Outlaw]

Keeps getting better...

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_...yhoo&type=lgns

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

lol I love how they are showing this shit about how he got $100,000 like it is a big deal or something, nothing has been done about the stuff that was discovered in May so I really don't give a shit anymore.

Reggie Bush took more money and another Texas player got caught with weed and a gun

Never ending cycle it seems

[RP]

Its fucking college. I think it'd make more sense to arrest the fuckers who dont have weed in college. Those are the suspicious sons of bitches.

[DrA]

Originally Posted by sTiMa34 lol I love how they are showing this shit about how he got $100,000 like it is a big deal or something, nothing has been done about the stuff that was discovered in May so I really don't give a shit anymore.

You know, if they're going to bust Bush for this they probably should bust probably most players ever to play football for a college, since this is not a rare thing to happen in the NCAA.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

NCAA is just trying to save its asses by taking down a high profile athlete to make it look they have control over shit like this, when in reality they do not. They love handing out NCAA violations and suspensions but they cannot stop and will never stop big time NCAA athletes from recieving special benefits. They try to make it seem like they have it under control, but they do not. Does anyone really care if Reggie Bush gets his Heisman "taken away"...not really, everyone will still remember he was the best player in college football that year - stupid title or not. (Also that isn't going to happen either since the Heisman committee does not have any real ties with the NCAA or their rules)

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Hold up I am a rich guy and you are a poor kid who is good at football, let me hand you this envlope with 5 100 dollar bills. You aren't going to take it though

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

2 GAME SUSPENSION

You punched your girlfriend? Ahh its up to your coach bye

[The Outlaw]

They have to do something though. There really is no way to cleanse the NCAA unless all teams want to be like Vandy and get rid of all boosters/etc.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Nothing is going to happen though. Nothing has even happened with that whole free house thing, I haven't heard anything about that shit in months. Now this pops up, it'll get shoved down our throats for a little while then everyone will forget about it.

[The Outlaw]

Pretty sure this has been proved though. The last was just speculation.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

If he got out of that then I am sure he'll be able to get out of this. The house was in the name of a dude who worked at a market agency and Reggie still got out of it. I don't know how they can prove he took money, unless they have copies of checks or something.

[RoXer]

Reggie Bush Claims He Made $100,000 Through USC Work-Study Program
September 21, 2006 | Onion Sports

NEW ORLEANS—Saints running back and former Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush refuted charges Monday that he accepted gifts, money, and other benefits exceeding $100,000 in value while playing football for the University of Southern California, claiming he earned that money "fair and square through constant hard work" at various on-campus work-study jobs.

"During my time at USC, I managed not only to carry a full 12-unit course load every semester while playing Division I football, but I also worked as many as 15 simultaneous work-study jobs that allowed me the opportunity to provide food, clothing, and shelter for my family with a little spending money left over," Bush said, reading from a prepared statement at the Saints training facility. Bush also added that, on average, the university's work-study jobs paid $6.50 an hour. "I did not, I repeat, did not earn a dime for my play on the field."

Bush added: "I used the same focus, intensity, and relentless effort to shelve over 450,000 books as a librarian's assistant at the East Asian Library, Gerontology Library, and Hoose Library Of Philosophy that I did to help lead the Trojans to the 2004 national championship."

According to Bush, the librarian's assistant jobs, along with transporting television sets, DVD players, and overhead projectors across the campus for the school's audio-visual department, allowed Bush to purchase new suits for his stepfather and brother, a makeover for his mother, and limousine service to and from the Downtown Athletic Club for his Heisman Trophy ceremony.

"Whenever I would show a clip and the sound wouldn't work, it was always Reggie who would sprint the 40 yards from the audio-visual center in 4.2 seconds flat," said history professor Niles Langford. "And since I'm a real dumbbell with these electronics, believe me, he earned his money."

Bush said that he was able to purchase a 45-inch high-definition flat-screen television, rent his posh downtown apartment, and buy his friends the newest pair of Air Jordans by "working [his] butt off at the Carl's Jr. in the student union, taking lecture notes for disabled students six times a week, and working the Sunday-morning shift as a security guard at Trojan Hall."

"Reggie paid strict attention to those who entered and exited the dorm, making sure the guest policy was upheld and honored," said dorm supervisor Alex Valinsky. "Under his watch, nearly 17,000 guest violations were recorded."

"Easily a school record," Valinsky added. "Better even than O.J.'s work guarding faculty parking."

In addition, Bush said he worked after football practice from midnight until 5 a.m. for USC's Campus Cruiser Program, in which students who were out late and fearful of their general safety could call Bush's brand-new Motorola Razr cellular phone and be driven back to their dormitories in Bush's 2005 Cadillac Escalade with headrest television monitors.

"He was always very kind, polite, and never asked any embarrassing questions about what we had been doing," said USC junior Rebecca Meuthing, adding that in each of the nearly 1,160 times he escorted her home, Bush waited outside the dormitory listening to the newest rap CDs until he was sure she got in safely. "Sometimes we talked about football, but he mostly talked about how, after he dropped me off, he had to get to his work-study job entering grades into the USC School of Architecture database."

The money from that particular job, Bush insists, went a long way in providing his relatives with round-trip airfare so they could watch him compete on game day.

The biggest charge against Bush—the question of his family's ability to move from their small San Diego apartment to a $757,000 home in Spring Valley during Bush's junior year—could, according to Bush, be explained by his "cushy" job in the Student Activities Office, which Bush admits was "pretty easy," saying he "literally did nothing for $11 an hour."

"When I find the shoebox with all of my time sheets and pay stubs, I will be vindicated of any wrongdoing," Bush's statement concluded. "Unfortunately, most of these hundreds of boxes seem to contain new pairs of shoes, but they have to turn up sooner or later."

Trojans head coach Pete Carroll, who took reporters' questions as an opportunity to praise his former running back's "impeccable work ethic," said he was unaware the running back was making so much money, adding that he assumed the Hummer limousine in which Bush arrived at practice every day was simply provided by his agent.


http://www.theonion.com/content/node/53083