Bored 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 This was posted in the College Football thread but I think it's going to need it's own thread. http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylt=Ap...o&type=lgns But documents and on-the-record interviews with sources close to the situation reveal that Bush and his family appear to have received financial benefits from Ornstein and a business associate. Those benefits include: $595.20 in round-trip airfare from San Diego to Oakland in November 2005 for Bush's stepfather, LaMar Griffin, his mother, Denise Griffin and younger brother to attend the USC-California game at Berkeley. The fees were charged to the credit card of Jamie Fritz, an employee of Ornstein. The document detailing the charges was provided by Lee Pfeifer, an estranged business associate of Ornstein's. $250.65 for limousine transportation from the Oakland airport to the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco that November weekend for the Bush family, charged to Fritz, according to a document. Ornstein acknowledged both he and Bush's family stayed at the luxury hotel. Additionally, New Jersey memorabilia dealer Bob DeMartino alleges that Ornstein provided: Suits for Bush's stepfather and brother to wear during the Dec. 10, 2005 Heisman ceremony in New York, a makeover for his mother for the event and limousine transportation; Weekly payments of at least $1,500 to the Bush family. Documents and multiple sources also link Bush and his family to receiving benefits from New Era's financial backers, including: $623.63 for a hotel stay by Bush at the Venetian Resort & Casino in Las Vegas from March 11-13, 2005, charged to Michaels, according to a document signed by Bush. $1,574.86 for a stay by Bush at the Manchester Hyatt in San Diego from March 4-6, 2005, paid for by Michaels, according to a hotel document, a hotel employee and a source. Approximately $13,000 to Bush from New Era to purchase and modify a car, three sources said. As reported by Yahoo! Sports in April, $54,000 in rent-free living for a year at Michaels' $757,500 home in Spring Valley, Calif., according to Michaels and San Diego attorney Brian Watkins. Also from previous Yahoo! reports, $28,000 from Michaels to help Bush's family settle pre-existing debt, according to Michaels and Watkins. Thousands of dollars in spending money to both Bush and his family from the prospective agents, according to multiple sources. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 As any team ever been stripped of their championship? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cabbageboy 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 Honestly, I don't think they even could strip USC of a title, mainly because college football doesn't have a legitimate title. It's a sponsored type deal with the BCS. If the NCAA had a sanctioned title then they could strip them of a title. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Felonies! Report post Posted September 15, 2006 HAS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teke184 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 As any team ever been stripped of their championship? Technically, the NCAA can't do that. If so, then I'm sure Miami would have had to give up one by now because they spent a LOT of years in the 80s and 90s on bowl probation IIRC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 Stripping titles, wins, records, etc. has always been utterly pointless in the end as if people are to pretend they never exsisted (see Michigan and The Fab Five). Anyways considering USC was not direclty involved in any of the benefits given to Bush there is no chance their titles will be taken away, nor should they. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 HAS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teke184 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 Stripping titles, wins, records, etc. has always been utterly pointless in the end as if people are to pretend they never exsisted (see Michigan and The Fab Five). Anyways considering USC was not direclty involved in any of the benefits given to Bush there is no chance their titles will be taken away, nor should they. If USC committed a Lack Of Institutional Control by turning a blind eye to agents in the locker room, the NCAA can say that the university deserves to be punished. As far as the actual stripping of a title, the BCS said right before the NFL draft that they''ll cross this bridge when they come to it... If the charges against USC are sustained by the NCAA investigation, they'll vote on how to handle it. Until then, they won't comment on possible fallout. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 I've heard talks of stripping him of the Heisman. They said that on ESPN. All in all I think whatever punishment comes down will be unfair because it will affect the school and not Reggie. He's in the NFL making millions. Meanwhile his school would be slapped with the scholarship limitations and what not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teke184 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 I've heard talks of stripping him of the Heisman. They said that on ESPN. All in all I think whatever punishment comes down will be unfair because it will affect the school and not Reggie. He's in the NFL making millions. Meanwhile his school would be slapped with the scholarship limitations and what not. It's nothing new for the NCAA. Guys like John "Hot Rod" Williams make money shaving points and go to the NBA while the schools get stuck with penalties as a result. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iggymcfly 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 I wouldn't feel bad if they stripped Reggie Bush of the Heisman as long as they award it to Vince Young. He deserved it over Bush anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 Well if USC knew about this and knowingly turned a blind eye to it then yeah they should be punished because it's probably not the only problem they would have in the program. HOWEVER if it's one of those situations where Carrol is in the dark and his staff is in the dark then fuck no USC shouldn't be punished. Imagine if the NCAA decided to try and make a point b/c of all the recent scandals coming out and slapped USC with a harsh penalty that screwed up recruiting and messed up the program. Would USC fans turn on Bush? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted September 15, 2006 Just take away the Heisman. It wouldn't be fair to take the national title away, as that was won with a TEAM effort and not one of an individual. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Felonies! Report post Posted September 15, 2006 The Heisman doesn't fall under the NCAA's jurisdiction, at least I don't think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 As much as I hate USC I'm still against the school being punished if they had nothing to do with this. I don't know about the Heisman or the national title but the NCAA can take wins away and scholarships and that would suck for the program. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Felonies! Report post Posted September 15, 2006 If the NCAA doesn't observe a national champion in D1A football, which is why we have all this BCS nonsense, doesn't that mean their title is safe? Keep in mind I know fuck-all about college sports. How often do you see me in here? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
USC Wuz Robbed! 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 I think the AP side of the title would be safe, not sure about the actual BCS side. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 That's a very good point. I don't think their title's in jeopardy anyway, if all the allegations are only for stuff from 2005. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted September 15, 2006 I don't think the NCAA has ever officially crowned a national champ. Thus, I don't know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 As much as I hate USC I'm still against the school being punished if they had nothing to do with this. I don't know about the Heisman or the national title but the NCAA can take wins away and scholarships and that would suck for the program. how many times must you repeat yourself in threads? Jesus. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 I don't think the NCAA has ever officially crowned a national champ. Thus, I don't know. No, they haven't. That's the thing I don't understand the most about college football. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
USC Wuz Robbed! 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 What's there not to understand? You can't really crown a real champion when some years you'd have a few teams finishing with undefeated records. What makes one undefeated team a champion over another? They're just hedging their bets and letting the "people" (read: computers and media) choose. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 As much as I hate USC I'm still against the school being punished if they had nothing to do with this. I don't know about the Heisman or the national title but the NCAA can take wins away and scholarships and that would suck for the program. how many times must you repeat yourself in threads? Jesus. How hard is it for you to just put me on ignore so we don't have you starting dumbass fights? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted September 15, 2006 As much as I hate USC I'm still against the school being punished if they had nothing to do with this. You must not be a real USC-hater. I would love to see this. Anything that hurts, tarnishes, or ruins USC is a great event for any Bruins fan. If you grew up in or near the LA area you'd understand why we hate them, as well. Also hate UMiami kids as badly as the USC ones for much the same reason. Stupid private school douchebags. Anyways though, what's the worse that can really happen to Bush in this matter? I'm sure he couldn't give a fuck at this point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
USC Wuz Robbed! 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 As much as I hate USC I'm still against the school being punished if they had nothing to do with this. You must not be a real USC-hater. I would love to see this. Anything that hurts, tarnishes, or ruins USC is a great event for any Bruins fan. If you grew up in or near the LA area you'd understand why we hate them, as well. Also hate UMiami kids as badly as the USC ones for much the same reason. Stupid private school douchebags. Anyways though, what's the worse that can really happen to Bush in this matter? I'm sure he couldn't give a fuck at this point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AboveAverage484 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2006 If this was Alabama they would have received the "death penalty." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted September 15, 2006 It's a great event for a Bruins fan because UCLA can't win any national titles in football themselves. USC losing a title would be their championship. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted September 15, 2006 Yes, exactly. I mean, when you have Cade McNown as your most memorable QB in recent memory, that's not saying a whole lot. Not even Troy Aikman could lead em to a championship. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jericholic82 0 Report post Posted September 16, 2006 USC didnt win the national title last year guys, Texas won the game remember? I enjoyed that, simply cuz I was annoyed by all the bandwagon jumping sc fans sprouting in cali (where I still lived at the time) Plus I root for UCLA (cuz my dad went there for a time, and we went to a lot of games in Pasadena,, plus I enjoyed my trip there my senior year of high school more than my trip to USc in my junior year) the only time I rooted for USC was 2003, cuz my old classmate Keary Colbert (now of the Carolina panthers) was on the team anyhow I can see them stripping the trophy, but man the NCAA is strict, they expect the players to live in poverty while the schools make millions off of bowl games, and March Madness games Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teke184 0 Report post Posted September 16, 2006 USC didnt win the national title last year guys, Texas won the game remember? Bush was getting money as far back as October 2004, meaning they may have to forfeit their last few games of 2004 as well as all their games in 2005. Forfeiting any games from the 2004 season, ESPECIALLY the Orange Bowl shellacking of Oklahoma, would be cause for the BCS to vacate USC's title win. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites