Source: USC football gets 2-year ban

ESPN ^ | Jun 10, 2010 | ESPN

[commish]

The USC football program will receive a two-year postseason ban, a reduction in scholarships and a forfeiture of wins from at least the 2004 season when the NCAA releases its sanctions on Thursday, a source told ESPN's Shelley Smith.

The Los Angeles Times reported the NCAA sanctions include the loss of more than 20 scholarships.

ESPN The Magazine's Bruce Feldman confirmed the two-year postseason ban and a reduction in scholarships from a second USC source.

USC will respond Thursday to the NCAA's findings following its investigation into possible violations by the Trojans' football and men's basketball programs, a source told ESPN's Joe Schad.

[ohioman]

Well...At least Nick Saban never got a program put on probation like Pete Carroll, Calipari, and a host of others.

[thefactor]

You got that line from Kramer.

[ohioman]

As a Bama fan myself, you have my sympathy. I am sure you detest the NCAA as much as us Bama fans. Trying to defend yourself in front of the NCAA is about as fair as a Stalinist show trial. Also, Myles Brand was the biggest liberal-turd to ever head the organization.

[whence911]

Reminds me with all the slobberiong about John Wooden how he let Sam Gilbert roam the locker room and practice court handing our money in envelopes, co-signing car loans, and other wise "taking care" of the UCLA basketball team.

I vaguely remember a story from the 70s of a player whose job was to go to the stadium Mon-Thur and make sure the sprinkler system was working.

The NCAA should grow up and recognize the business aspect of major college sports. Playing college sports is a full time job and a playa's got expenses.

[Fiji Hill]

The ncaa investigated USC for almost 5 years, and all they got was ONE family of ONE athlete got illegal benefits, and that athlete may (it’s disputed) have gotten benefits, too. The benefits did not come from any booster, or anyone connected with the university. The only one who said the university knew, is a convicted perjurer, who fingered one assistant coach, who denies all this.
Oh yes, there was the football player who drove his girlfriend’s car, where the car was financed by her employer who is not an agent or a “booster”.
What a farce. USC’s real sin was winning.

Agreed. Did the NCAA present any evidence of wrongdoing by the university or its boosters? This is a bunch of CS, as Paul Le Mat, in American Graffiti, would have put it.

Fight on!

[Fiji Hill]

[uscabjd]

You mean the punishment is justified b/c of bad deeds we, and the ncaa, don’t know about and have no poof of?

[dfwgator]

Now we know why the Pac-10 is so gung-ho to get Texas.

Texas can name their price now.

[dfwgator]

I don’t get it. Lane left a Tennessee program that is one of the premier programs in the country, 100K+ for every home game, in the premier conference.

[commish]

For all those whining about the penalties — Understand this:
These penalties are not about the Bush family living in a $750,000 home or Reggie Bush getting money — The penalties are because the Benefits came from a REGISTERED AGENT, and that is a clear violation of NCAA Rules.

The defense the school did not know about it is also bogus - IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SCHOOL NCAA COMPLIANCE STAFF TO KNOW WHAT EVERY SINGLE PLAYER IS DOING AND RECEIVING - Period end of story.

USC was at fault exactly because THEY DID NOT KNOW! How hard is that to understand?

The same thing happened to Alabama with Antonio Langham. As soon as he SAT DOWN at a table with an AGENT he became ineligible. As soon as Reggie Bush talked to this guy he became ineligible.

Sorry, but USC is at fault plain and simple because they did not police their players, and most importantly their stars.

[dfwgator]

I hope Tennessee wins it all this year just to rub it in his face.

Let's not go too far there, Rocky Top.

[commish]

You mean the punishment is justified b/c of bad deeds we, and the ncaa, don’t know about and have no poof of?

100% positively without a doubt YES. it is the responsibility of the school's compliance staff to monitor all players and report all violations immediately.

To say that USC did not notice what was going on is either niave, stupid, or blatant homerism.

[LadyPilgrim]

"Yeah, about as stand up as Nick Saban."

Are you a TN/AU/LSU/FL fan by any chance? :-\

[brownsfan]

“Are you a TN/AU/LSU/FL fan by any chance? :-\”

Nope. Buckeyes!!!

I just remember Saban telling LSU he was happy to be there, and not going anywhere, just before he bolted to the Dolphins. Where he didn’t complete a season before he bolted to Alabama. He’s a great coach, and my be an otherwise good guy, but I wouldn’t trust a promise from him.

[LadyPilgrim]

Well, don’t know if he promised....but....I wouldn’t lump him with the other guys either.
And he hasn’t “promised” to stay with the TIDE that I know of....but of course to say that out loud might give some of my good friends and Bama fans heart failure!

Besides that I am a Crimson Tide fan, and I hear that kind of stuff all the time from the teams AND fans of those teams.

But....as you and I know....envy abounds in life in general and sports specifically and fans always make it worse because they don’t have anything better to talk about. :-)

[Despot of the Delta]

Here is the 67 page report.

http://ncaa.pr-optout.com/ViewAttachment.aspx?EID=IHepzZCQPdH1AR50%2boeR8d6e/hIfTVcpMlzU0JhqOeU%3d

[uscabjd]

First - this “investigation” covered the years from 2001 to present. After 5 years of this, they arguably found ONE corrupt athlete. You punish that - not things you have no proof, or reason to believe, ever happened.

[A CA Guy]

Don't know about that, because though the landlord made all kinds of claims, he had no names if I remember correctly.
Most thought Bush would have been smart enough to settle this years ago.

I agree that if schools direct things they should go down.
Seems to me though that schools are being held responsible for the dumb things on the side players do and that isn't IMO the same thing.

I don't think schools know all things and control everything at all.
In this case Bush's parents were involved in this circus.