Things aren't looking so good for USC....

The Prowler · « **on:** May 13, 2009, 12:15:15 AM »

The NCAA is combining the Football (Reggie Bush) & Basketball (O.J. Mayo) violations...

Here's the new breaking story on the Basketball side of the violations (bammers you might want to read what I've put in bold letters).

Quote

Floyd gave cash to Mayo handler
By Charles Robinson and Jason Cole, Yahoo! Sports

O.J. Mayo with USC basketball coach Tim Floyd in 2008.
(Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

More: USC probe centers on lack of control

LOS ANGELES – USC men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd made a direct cash payment to a man who helped deliver O.J. Mayo to the Trojans program, according to Louis Johnson, a former member of Mayo’s inner circle.

Johnson, a one-time Mayo confidant, has told both NCAA investigators and federal authorities – including the FBI, IRS and U.S. Attorney’s Office – that Floyd gave at least $1,000 in cash to Rodney Guillory, a man who allegedly lavished Mayo with improper benefits while the guard starred for the Trojans.

Such an act would constitute a major NCAA violation for USC, which is the subject of an ongoing three-year investigation into alleged improprieties in both the football and men’s basketball programs.

Approached by Yahoo! Sports at his California residence on Friday, Guillory declined to comment. A message left on Floyd’s cell phone Tuesday was not immediately returned. The NCAA and USC also declined to comment.

“As you know, USC can’t comment on any issue that’s the subject of an ongoing NCAA and Pac-10 investigation,” USC general counsel Carol Mauch Amir said.

The revelation involving Floyd is the latest allegation put forth by Johnson, who described Guillory to Yahoo! Sports as a long-time “runner” who steered Mayo to the Bill Duffy Associates (BDA) sports agency. Johnson said Guillory received between $200,000 and $250,000 from BDA Sports for his efforts, which resulted in Mayo initially signing with BDA when he left USC after one season for the NBA in April 2008.

BDA spokesperson Ilana Nunn declined to comment on the relationship between BDA and Guillory.

Johnson also said Mayo received approximately $30,000 in extra benefits from Guillory while playing for the Trojans. He first made those allegations to ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” in May 2008, producing a litany of receipts to back up his claims, including purchases of food, clothing and a 42-inch flat screen TV for Mayo. Mayo broke off his relationship with BDA Sports shortly after the ESPN report aired. Mayo denied those allegations to reporters on several occasions. His agent, Leon Rose, didn’t return calls to his office and cell phone.

Floyd’s alleged financial involvement with Guillory is a potentially damaging new twist for USC, and was disclosed to Yahoo! Sports last week by Johnson’s attorneys, Anthony V. Salerno and David Murphy. The attorneys confirmed that Johnson had gone on the record with his account of the payment twice: first in a group interview in front of the FBI, IRS and U.S. Attorney’s Office on May 28, 2008, and then again in the second of two interviews with NCAA investigators, which took place last week. Two members of USC’s outside counsel also took part in the second NCAA interview and heard Johnson’s account of Floyd’s alleged payment. Salerno added that Johnson’s account to federal authorities carried the threat of potential prosecution if Johnson was found to be lying.

“Louis knew that if he didn’t tell the truth in that meeting, he’d be in the same boat that Martha Stewart was in for deceiving federal authorities,” Salerno said. “The agreement that he was under, the explicit agreement was that he had to be completely truthful in his statement. Lying to a federal agent is a whole crime unto itself. If you’re going to talk to them at all, you have to tell the truth.”

Johnson also confirmed his allegation of Floyd’s payment to Yahoo! Sports.

“It’s a complete and accurate depiction of the event I observed between Tim Floyd and Rodney Guillory,” Johnson said.

Johnson told the NCAA and federal authorities the payment took place in the week leading up to the 2007 NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas – three months after Mayo committed to USC while finishing his final year of high school. His attorneys said Johnson perceived the payment as an extension of Floyd’s gratitude for Guillory’s delivery of Mayo to USC.

“It was clearly money in contemplation of inducing O.J. to go through with the decision [to play at USC],” Murphy said. “That was the understanding that Louis had – that this was money from Floyd to Guillory for them to go out and have a great weekend. It was the inducement for Guillory’s efforts in delivering [Mayo to sign with USC].”

The following is Johnson’s account of the payment as told to Yahoo! Sports.

On Feb. 14, 2007, Johnson and Guillory packed up Guillory’s black Infiniti SUV and were preparing for the drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to attend the NBA All-Star weekend. Before they left, Guillory informed Johnson several times that he had to meet with Floyd so the coach could give him cash for the trip. Sometime between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Guillory and Johnson headed toward Beverly Hills to meet with Floyd. During the drive, Johnson listened as Guillory and Floyd exchanged several cell phone calls as Floyd explained where the meeting would take place.

Upon arriving in Beverly Hills, Guillory pulled up to a stretch of cafes in the downtown shopping district, where Floyd was waiting on the sidewalk. Because there were no parking spaces, Guillory asked Johnson to circle the block in the SUV until Guillory was ready to be picked up. Johnson exited the passenger side of the vehicle, at which point Johnson saw Floyd and the two exchanged greetings. Johnson then got into the driver’s seat and proceeded to circle the block while Guillory and Floyd met.

After approximately 15 minutes, Johnson saw Guillory waiting on the curb in front of the stretch of cafes and pulled over to pick him up. Once Guillory was inside the vehicle, he produced a white envelope with cash inside. Guillory told Johnson that Floyd had given him “a grand,” and Johnson was able to view $100 bills inside the envelope. He said he believed there appeared to be “substantially” more than $1,000, although he did not count the bills.

A former sports writer who worked for the Long Beach Press-Telegram for 16 years, Johnson told Yahoo! Sports he befriended Guillory while covering the prep basketball circuit in California in the late 1990s. That bond eventually extended into a friendship with Mayo, whom Johnson said he got to know through Guillory in the summer of 2006. Johnson said he took several trips with Guillory to spend time with Mayo during the player’s senior year at Huntington High School in Huntington, W.Va. in the 2006-2007 season. And once Mayo arrived at USC, Johnson was a consistent member of the player’s inner circle along with Guillory.

However, Johnson’s relationship with Mayo and Guillory deteriorated in March 2008. He said his eventual break from the inner circle – and his decision to go public with allegations of extra benefits – occurred for two reasons. First, he became increasingly disturbed by what he viewed as Mayo being “pimped” by Guillory, who Johnson alleged was receiving thousands of dollars on a monthly basis from BDA Sports. BDA declined to comment. Second, Johnson said he feared retribution from other members of Mayo’s inner circle who he believes felt threatened by Johnson’s relationship with Mayo.

“The problem that happens in these situations is G-R-E-E-D, first and foremost, and then P-O-W-E-R,” Johnson said. “Those two things kill these types of situations all the time. People get greedy and people get power-hungry. Once that happens, that’s it.

“I tried to talk to Rodney about putting an end to what was going on [around Mayo] before it got anymore out of hand. But he had no interest in that. He had blinders on. The money was all right there and he didn’t care necessarily what was going to happen.”

It was that fallout that led to Johnson’s appearance on ESPN’s “Outside The Lines.” He told Yahoo! Sports that he withheld the information about the payment from Floyd to Guillory at that time because he has family in Southern California and didn’t want it to appear that he was “taking down USC.” However, the information about the alleged Floyd payment was divulged to federal authorities, who sought an interview with Johnson as part of an investigation into Guillory and his dealings with Mayo.

The allegation regarding Floyd could be a significant point in the NCAA’s probe of USC. The NCAA could determine that the school showed lack of institutional control or failure to monitor. According to NCAA guidelines, any cash payment from Floyd to Mayo or one of Mayo’s associates would be considered an extra benefit. And a payment to Guillory would appear to be particularly damning because of Guillory’s prior history with the NCAA(Coach Midget).

Guillory was previously investigated in 2000 for his involvement with former USC basketball player Jeff Trepagnier and former Fresno State basketball player Tito Maddox. USC briefly suspended Trepagnier for his involvement with Guillory in 2000, but Trepagnier was later cleared of any charges. However, the NCAA found that Guillory had broken NCAA rules by purchasing airfare for Maddox. Later, Maddox painted Guillory as the go-between who helped arrange delivery of cars and cash payments – some payments coming directly from Guillory, according to published reports.

Multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports that Guillory is currently under investigation by the FBI, IRS and U.S. Attorney’s Office for his alleged dealings with Mayo. Sources have told Yahoo! Sports that federal authorities are particularly interested in Guillory’s use of a credit card linked to a fraudulent sickle cell foundation. Johnson said the card linked to the foundation was used to make purchases for Mayo after BDA Sports stopped providing Guillory with funds. The foundation was set up by one of Guillory’s friends, Tony Hicks, who is also being investigated by the FBI for his involvement. Hicks could not be reached for comment.

Spokespersons for the FBI, IRS and U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=Aj1MRalXBTuP0xv_W39DxEs5nYcB?slug=ys-floyd051209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Now just imagine if USC was in the Repeat-Repeat Offender Window like uat. There's a very good chance that USC will be slammed like uat was back in '02.

El Guapo · « **Reply #1 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:51:51 AM »

Their program is corrupt in the big 2.

I want their football to get nailed more though... Oh how sweet it would be to see Golden Boy Pete get pounded in the ass by the NCAA, but that will never happen.

ssgaufan · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2009, 10:08:21 AM »

Quote from: El Guapo on May 13, 2009, 01:51:51 AM

Their program is corrupt in the big 2.

I want their football to get nailed more though... Oh how sweet it would be to see Golden Boy Pete get pounded in the ass by the NCAA, but that will never happen.

That would be a great day indeed. Although, Kurt IlikePetesmanmeat Herbstreit would deflect the blame away from Carroll.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2009, 11:22:49 AM »

What does it take to nail a school like that? The Reggie Bush house and cash and bling and whatever deal just got swept under the rug. That shit's been out there for a couple of years at least and the NCAA is nowhere to be found. With the OJ Mayo stuff coming out, it may finally be too much to ignore. I guarantee St. Pete won't be touched but Tim Floyd will be tossed under the bus.

The Prowler · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:08:52 PM »

The Bush case is ongoing.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #5 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:24:45 PM »

I guess what chaps my butt cheeks is how long it takes to investigate a fairly simple claim. Were he or his parents provided a house by the coaches, a booster, an agent etc.? Yes or no? Not that hard to check out. Seriously. If they were, BAM.

Birmingham · « **Reply #6 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:28:21 PM »

Prowler, what exactly are you referring to of Nick Saban's history with the NCAA? Winning Championships? As far as I know, and I may be wrong, he's never brought a program under probation in his entire career. Just wondering what you meant.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:37:50 PM »

Quote from: Birmingham on May 13, 2009, 01:28:21 PM

Prowler, what exactly are you referring to of Nick Saban's history with the NCAA? Winning Championships? As far as I know, and I may be wrong, he's never brought a program under probation in his entire career. Just wondering what you meant.

You just wait, buddy boy. You'll get your answer. It's comin'!!

Thrilla · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:48:57 PM »

I am amazed that that dipshit Guillory used a fradulent credit card linked to a bogus sickle-cell anemia foundation. The sports agency stops providing his funds, and he uses that thing instead to purchase goodies for Mayo!

Blinded by money and power, indeed. Could he actually have thought that he wouldn't get caught for this?

It all started with Reggie, and the snowball is rolling downhill...and it's getting faster and bigger by the day.

Kaos · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:52:33 PM »

Caught ten minutes of Colin Cowherd this morning. His take?

USC needs to fire Tim Floyd. He's an idiot. Pete Carroll? He built that program. One of the great coaches of this or any era. The football stuff is nothing. It was outside USC's control and Pete knew nothing about it. If USC will mop the floor with Floyd, the NCAA will forget all about the football stuff -- which it should -- and USC can come out of this smelling like a rose. Rose Bowl, that is. Swimming pools and movie stars...

Saniflush · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:55:58 PM »

Quote from: Kaos on May 13, 2009, 01:52:33 PM

USC needs to fire Tim Floyd. He's an idiot. Pete Carroll? He built that program. One of the great coaches of this or any era. The football stuff is nothing. It was outside USC's control and Pete knew nothing about it. If USC will mop the floor with Floyd, the NCAA will forget all about the football stuff -- which it should -- and USC can come out of this smelling like a rose. Rose Bowl, that is. Swimming pools and movie stars...

This will be the extent of it.

El Guapo · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2009, 02:22:23 PM »

Quote from: Kaos on May 13, 2009, 01:52:33 PM

USC needs to fire Tim Floyd. He's an idiot. Pete Carroll? He built that program. One of the great coaches of this or any era. The football stuff is nothing. It was outside USC's control and Pete knew nothing about it. If USC will mop the floor with Floyd, the NCAA will forget all about the football stuff -- which it should -- and USC can come out of this smelling like a rose. Rose Bowl, that is. Swimming pools and movie stars...

The problem is that everyone on Earth thinks that Pete is a fucking saint. When you've fogged over the US media, you pretty much have to rape a baby and have CNN there with cameras for people to believe it's true. Hell, even then people would say that it was altered to look like him.

Peter has built up so much with ESPN and the like that they will NEVER, NEVER say a bad thing about the guy. USC drops 11 players, not Tennessee, and it's spun like they just couldn't hang with Pete's NFL squad.

People say that Saban has us blinded? Nagga please! Pete could bust a nut on the whole country and they would ask for more.

Saniflush · « **Reply #12 on:** May 13, 2009, 02:27:08 PM »

Quote from: El Guapo on May 13, 2009, 02:22:23 PM

The problem is that everyone on Earth thinks that Pete is a fucking saint. When you've fogged over the US media, you pretty much have to rape a baby and have CNN there with cameras for people to believe it's true. Hell, even then people would say that it was altered to look like him.

Peter has built up so much with ESPN and the like that they will NEVER, NEVER say a bad thing about the guy. USC drops 11 players, not Tennessee, and it's spun like they just couldn't hang with Pete's NFL squad.

People say that Saban has us blinded? Nagga please! Pete could bust a nut on the whole country West of the Mississippi and North of Louisville and they would ask for more.

Fixed that

The Prowler · « **Reply #13 on:** May 13, 2009, 03:12:20 PM »

Quote from: Birmingham on May 13, 2009, 01:28:21 PM

Prowler, what exactly are you referring to of Nick Saban's history with the NCAA? Winning Championships? As far as I know, and I may be wrong, he's never brought a program under probation in his entire career. Just wondering what you meant.

While at MSU, he recruited Albert Means.

While at LSU, the University self imposed stiff penalties because of the Academic Scandals regarding two professors getting fired for not "helping" Coach Midget's players.

Birmingham · « **Reply #14 on:** May 13, 2009, 03:23:28 PM »

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While at MSU, he recruited Albert Means.

While at LSU, the University self imposed stiff penalties because of the Academic Scandals regarding two professors getting fired for not "helping" Coach Midget's players.

You didn't answer my question. In your original post you said "prior history with the NCAA(Coach Midget)." Again, I may be wrong but what history has Nick Saban had with the NCAA. I'm not familiar with the entire Albert Means case. Did that bring them under probation? Did the LSU deal bring them under probation? Lawsuit from the fired professors?

Pell City Tiger · « **Reply #15 on:** May 14, 2009, 09:00:08 PM »

Quote from: Birmingham on May 13, 2009, 01:28:21 PM

..... Nick Saban's history with the NCAA? Winning Championships?

OK, here’s a bud clearly in need of nipping. There are some things that, if they happen, we do want to make a big deal out of them; a cure for cancer, teaching dogs to talk, and bama fans telling the truth. Unfortunately, you failed. You used the plural rather than singular form of the word.

You've disappointed me and caused the sun to set on my glorious day. Now, please excuse me. I need a moment of silence so I can get into a meditative state where I block out any irritating white noise. I call it my happy place. There are no bama fans there.

Birmingham · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2009, 09:06:31 PM »

Pell, since you've made a good point I'll use the only out I have. Here't goes...

... Does winning the SEC Championship not constitute as a Championship also?

(that's all I got)

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2009, 09:14:44 PM »

He's got a point there. Rebuttal?

Pell City Tiger · « **Reply #18 on:** May 14, 2009, 10:11:14 PM »

Quote from: Harvey Birdman on May 14, 2009, 09:14:44 PM

He's got a point there. Rebuttal?

Or…we could skip the day-trip to unnecessary land and instead simply concede that his reply to me addresses more of a SEC accomplishment than NCAA. The last time I checked, I didn't see where the NCAA awarded conference championships.

Birmingham · « **Reply #19 on:** May 14, 2009, 11:15:27 PM »

Quote

Or…we could skip the day-trip to unnecessary land and instead simply concede that his reply to me addresses more of a SEC accomplishment than NCAA. The last time I checked, I didn't see where the NCAA awarded conference championships.

Unless I'm mistaken, the NCAA doesn't award National Championships either.