April 29, 2006

USC's 2004 BCS Championship Could Be In Jeopardy: All thanks to Mr. Bush, if he his ruled ineligible for as much as one game the BCS could look to take away USC's 2004 championship. Funny how that potential three-pete could turn into only a share of a championship.

posted by MassNole to football at 09:01 AM - 22 comments

So what, his family used a greedy agency to live a little, it's the agency's own fault for approaching a college athlete without putting anything in writing and had no direct affect on Reggie. I would hate the actions of some member of my family to have any bearing on me if what they did had nothing to do directly with benefiting me such as an endorsement deal, and no matter what anyone says or what a nosey report digs up or what stupid rules they have, USC is a great team and they can't ever really take away their championships other than some asterik in the record books, everybody will always know who really won.

posted by mrj171 at 09:54 AM on April 29, 2006

I disagree with mrj171, if you are a major athlete your family has as much to do with it as you do. The rule has always been you or family will do nothing to jeapordize your future. If you think it will hurt your future you don;t do it and you let your family know know the same thing. If you read the rule completely, not only can they take away the championship but they can really mess up recruiting for the next couple of years.

posted by vetteman at 10:06 AM on April 29, 2006

For those too lazy to click on the link, here is the article in its entirety: NEW YORK - In light of allegations of improper conduct by Reggie Bush's family, Bowl Championship Series officials told Yahoo! Sports if Bush is ruled ineligible by either the Pac-10 or the NCAA during the 2004 season, the BCS will discuss amending its rules to allow it to force USC to vacate the national championship it won over Oklahoma. "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. FWIW, this controversy has already spawned an FPP, and I don't think a new post linking to an article the size of my pinky nail is worth making.

posted by thatweirdguy2 at 10:43 AM on April 29, 2006

Weirdguy; Although there IS an earlier FPP about the house, the entier article (HERE) goes into depth that suggests that the problem predates what was reported in the original FPP and does indeed suggest that not only was Bush's family involved in dealings that were against NCAA regulations, but seem to intimate that his step-father was the instigator in the dealings with Michaels. There is also a further article HERE that suggests that in addition to the housing arrangement, for which the Griffins have allegedly paid no rent that was due and were subsequently evicted from ( the reason for their late night departure?), they also received over $100,000 in cash disbursments dating back to November, 2004. If this is true the games that Bush played in in 2004 could also be in jeopardy. The interesting thing is that the NCAA has no say over whether or not the National Championship is vacated, that is up to the BCS Committee, an independent body. The BCS currently has to system in place for revoking a National CHampionship, but could change their bylaws and retroactively strip USC of their title.

posted by elovrich at 11:37 AM on April 29, 2006

I hate USC and dont really care for Reggie Bush, but I think this is a load of CRAP.They need to change some of the rules in college anyways, I think people like him deserve alittle extra. If someone gives u a million dollars, take it no questions asked!!! Reggie Bush is a bad ass, hes going to the NFL anyways. This was brought up by some loser who has nothing better to do with his life, I have no respect for people like that. But rules are rules so if he did it pay the piper. The rules of college will change, but until then I guess u should walk the line. If I was in his shoes I doubt I would have!!

posted by LonghornFaN at 01:19 PM on April 29, 2006

Poetic justice....I would be pissed if my RB didn't do that to help my QB get in. If the refs would of called that push by Bush, that would of been the biggest, gamechanging calls ever next to the refs at the OU VS. Texas Tech game last year

posted by sgtcookzane at 02:16 PM on April 29, 2006

I'm sure the BCS will take the title away....just part of the East Coast Bias in College sports. All of these teams have cracks in their programs. It's just a matter of which snot nosed reporter trying to make a name for himself finds the cracks and reports them. I wish we had political reporter who investigated our government as much as they do a college athlete.

posted by Tom5467 at 02:46 PM on April 29, 2006

I look around on my campus and see athletes driving SUVs that I know they can't afford. How'd they get them? Probably on loan from a car dealership. They have the newest, fanciest electronic gadgets (cell phones, etc). I don't think they ALL paid to have the same nice cell phone. The helping hand that LonghornFaN mention is already in place... we just aren't aware of it. This doesn't include the free passes guys get legally. Rhett Bomar, anyone?

posted by igottheblues at 03:02 PM on April 29, 2006

I think most people are jealous. These athletes bring in MILLIONS to their schools. So what if they take advantage here and there. Bomar has got no free passes. He is still pending on that citation. If anything he got singled out because everyone knows his face and knows he isn't 21 yet.

posted by sgtcookzane at 03:40 PM on April 29, 2006

You get a guy who gets caught twice for underage drinking and he's still the starting QB of one of the most successful college football programs in the nation? Seems like he's getting a free pass to me... and I go to school with the kid. I love my team, but all we ever hear is "Coach Stoops will handle it internally" and we never hear about the issues again. If coach would have been tough with him the first time, I doubt that second MIP would have happened.

posted by igottheblues at 04:39 PM on April 29, 2006

I don't hope they take the title away but if rules were violated they should. Punishment for USC should be no different than for Ohio State, Oklahoma or any other program that has been found guilty of violations. There are alot of comments off the subject of the thread. Underage drinking is not only a football problem or college problem it is societies problem. Athletes should be paid a set amount across the board but that would not stop someones parents from accepting a house or money. The problem is with elite athletes and in many cases their parents in almost all the sports. They are spoiled put on a pedestal and given preferential treatment from the day they show talent.

posted by dbrown41 at 04:58 PM on April 29, 2006

So who is going to foot the bill for paying college players? Do you tack on charges into all of the other students' fees and tuition to pay athletes? Do you raise ticket prices and take on more advertising? Are you going to pay ALL athletes, all the way down to members of the gymnastics team? Would this apply all the way down the line to NAIA schools? Ultimately, you can't do for some what you wouldn't do for all because it's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Colleges certainly wouldn't pay every student or even every athlete a stipend. That's why there will never be outright payment of student athletes.

posted by igottheblues at 07:11 PM on April 29, 2006

Question: If USC has to give up its 2004 championship win, do the Sooners get to claim it then? As Texas fan, I hope not.

posted by AKD2486 at 07:48 PM on April 29, 2006

Let's stop the hipocrasy. Just pay these athletes to represent the school and get rid of this crap about the student athlete. If they want to study and graduate let them, if not just pay them. College basketball and football are developmental leagues for the NBA and the NFL. Many of them leave school before graduating anyway. And in some cases it's a good thing because they probably wouldn't graduate.

posted by joromu at 09:03 PM on April 29, 2006

Raising ticket prices and more advertising sound good. Also, how about some of the millions made in TV revenue. College sports is a multi-million dollar business. Let the money made in football and basketball supplement the lesser sports when it comes to stipends for athletes.

posted by joromu at 09:11 PM on April 29, 2006

Question: If USC has to give up its 2004 championship win, do the Sooners get to claim it then? As Texas fan, I hope not. I also would hope not, because OU was taken behind the woodshed for an old fashioned butt kicking (55-19). If the championship reverts to another team, it ought to be Auburn, which went 13-0 that year.

posted by TerpFan at 12:26 AM on April 30, 2006

look, what did anyone do in this investigation that would have dramatically altered the fact that the sooners got there asses handed to them by USC. it was bush's family that did the wrong, and either way, how does a home have anything to do with the results on the field. can anyone contest that USC did not deserve that title? you have to rememeber were not talking about steroid allegations or shady boosters to players. the ncaa needs to get real and cut through all this bullshit (personally i think the media is feeding the fire becuz controversy sells, and i hope thats true).

posted by SleepingChicken at 09:05 AM on April 30, 2006

I would hate the actions of some member of my family to have any bearing on me ... Bush had to be aware of the sweetheart house deal. If he didn't report it to the NCAA and the school, he knowingly hid a huge violation of the rules. I think college athletes should share in the millions they generate for their schools. But until they do, they have to follow the rules on the books. One of my favorite schools growing up in Dallas was SMU, whose death penalty helped kill the Southwest Conference. So I'm not going to shed a tear for USC or any other big program that has to suffer consequences of cheating.

posted by rcade at 10:02 AM on April 30, 2006

Many of you are overlooking the other issue besides the house. There were allegedly over $100,000 in cash payments made to the Griffins since November 2004. It is these payments that would put USC's 2004 title in jeopardy.

posted by elovrich at 12:12 PM on April 30, 2006

I myself think that the NCAA has some stupid rules concerning sports and I think that after two years an nothing was said till now just leave it alone and move forward. Sounds like SOUR GRAPES to me.

posted by LPDREPORT at 08:20 PM on April 30, 2006

Actuelly, sounds more like an attempt by the BCS to throw off attention from the real problem with college football, as in the BCS. And again, his family comitted the violation, not Reggie Bush.

posted by SleepingChicken at 08:13 AM on May 01, 2006

Ditto, sleepingchicken, this whole thing about Bush is just a bunch of shit. Reggie did nothing, his family bought the house from the agent, so they brought on the violation. Plus, they can't take away the title. What would they do, give it to the losing team? USC deserved the championship and this whole controversey is just over some guy trying to weasle in a few bucks for himself.

posted by shadyboy15 at 06:41 PM on May 02, 2006

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