Bush caught on tape?

[Queasy]

Link

SAN DIEGO -- The existence of taped conversations between Reggie Bush or members of his family and an investor in a failed sports marketing agency could confirm the New Orleans Saints running back received cash and gifts while playing for Southern California, Yahoo.com reported Wednesday.

A federal investigation into extortion claims by Bush and his family revealed the existence of the taped conversations, according to the Yahoo.com report.

The U.S. Attorney's office in San Diego has issued grand jury subpoenas to multiple witnesses in the probe, Yahoo.com reported. According to a copy of a subpoena obtained by Yahoo, at least one of the witnesses was asked to hand over "any recordings in your possession of conversations between Lloyd Lake and Reggie Bush, Denise Griffin or LaMar Griffin."

Lake, who founded a sports marketing agency in hopes of landing Bush as its first client, is the subject of a grand jury probe into the extortion claims. Denise Griffin is Bush's mother, and LaMar Griffin is Bush's stepfather.

Yahoo.com, citing unidentified sources, reported LaMar Griffin spoke with federal investigators in the spring of 2006 and acknowledged the existence of the tapes.

"We're aware of an investigation into possible criminal conduct by Lake and others associated with him," Bush attorney David Cornwell told ESPN's Joe Schad on Wednesday. "We have and will continue to cooperate with the Department of Justice."

When asked in the past about the allegations of receiving inappropriate extra benefits, Bush has insisted that he and his family did nothing wrong.

Multiple sources told Yahoo.com that Lake made the tapes in late 2005 to protect his financial investment if Bush backed out of a deal to sign with New Era Sports & Entertainment, founded by Lake and San Diego businessman Michael Michaels. In January 2006, Bush signed with agent Joel Segal and marketing agent Mike Ornstein.

On Jan. 12, 2007, Lake's mother, Barbara Gunner, testified before a grand jury, according to the Yahoo.com report, that she had heard portions of tapes made by her son, in which LaMar Griffin states Bush intended to repay New Era Sports "their money," as well as for a car purchased for him.

Lake told Yahoo in August 2006 that he contributed a portion of the cash and gifts allegedly given to Bush and his family as part of an agreement to represent the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner when he signed an NFL contract. In September, Yahoo.com reported Ornstein also supplied Bush and his family with gifts while he was still at USC.

According to Yahoo.com, nearly $280,000 in cash, rent and gifts was allegedly given to Bush and his family.

The Pac-10 Conference and the NCAA are investigating whether Bush or his family broke NCAA rules and compromised his eligibility during the 2004 and '05 seasons by taking extra benefits.

If Bush is found to have violated NCAA rules, USC, which won a national title in '04 and played for the '05 championship, could be sanctioned.

Also, the Heisman Trophy Trust requires players be in good standing with the NCAA to be eligible for the award given to college football's top player. If Bush is ruled ineligible by the NCAA, he could be in danger of having his Heisman taken away.

 

[jhayx7]

At this point, do you think he cares?

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: jhayx7
At this point, do you think he cares?

No, but I'm sure USC does.

 

[krunchykrome]

Yea, I don't think he gives a hoot at this point in his career.

I remember hearing something like this about Lebron James when he entered the draft. Apparently his mother bought him an H2 Hummer while he was in high school. She claimed she'd been saving up for some time or someone loaned her the money.

 

[oogabooga]

I think he cares a little, I think every smart athlete knows that no matter how talented or how well they perform, if something like this surfaces it will mar everything they did and everything they will do.
And well... I don't think Reggie bush is stupid. Plus as much as I don't like USC, I don't think the school should have to go through what it will should this turn for the worst.

"Reggie bush returns his 10th kickoff to win the superbowl!!! Amazing, this will be the saints 4th straight win in as many hears! How does he keep running this well"
"Well Jim, it probably has to do with wise investments he made in college"
"250,000 and a new car wise?"
(chuckles)
.... then they break into a discussion about how he broke the rules in college...

 

[Pshawn5]

well i think he has to care, since if he's ruled ineligible then he might have to give back his heisman trophy.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Originally posted by: Pshawn5
well i think he has to care, since if he's ruled ineligible then he might have to give back his heisman trophy.

But the Heisman has already served its most immediate purpose. It isn't likely that the Saints are going to renegotiate his contract based on being stripped of it, and it certainly isn't going to change where he was selected in the NFL draft. It may impact his marketability in terms of endorsement deals, as most companies want someone squeaky clean, and it will mean an empty spot in his trophy case, but all in all, it will hurt USC more than it will Reggie Bush.

 

[Mucho]

College athletes are grossly exploited and should be paid, IMHO

 

[jhayx7]

Originally posted by: Mucho
College athletes are grossly exploited and should be paid, IMHO

Sorry to break the news to you but they already are being paid. Just not in the legal way...

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Mucho
College athletes are grossly exploited and should be paid, IMHO

4 years of tuition at USC - ~$120,000

Throw in several more thousand for room, food, general fees, free tutoring and more.

 

[Doboji]

Originally posted by: Mucho
College athletes are grossly exploited and should be paid, IMHO

I'd say a full scholarship = getting paid

 

[Doboji]

I fail to see any reason why college athletes can't make money off endorsements and gifts and whatever.... so long as it's not coming from the university itself.

 

[slpaulson]

Originally posted by: Mucho
College athletes are grossly exploited and should be paid, IMHO

I hope that is sarcasm...

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Doboji
I fail to see any reason why college athletes can't make money off endorsements and gifts and whatever.... so long as it's not coming from the university itself.

Because then they would be professional. It's like that in many other sports/leagues. Once you start receiving endorsements and "gifts", you are no longer an amateur. You are a pro.

It's keeps some parity in the game and it's the last line of marketing whore-ization defense that is left.

 

[Doboji]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: Doboji
I fail to see any reason why college athletes can't make money off endorsements and gifts and whatever.... so long as it's not coming from the university itself.

Because then they would be professional. It's like that in many other sports/leagues. Once you start receiving endorsements and "gifts", you are no longer an amateur. You are a pro.

It's keeps some parity in the game and it's the last line of marketing whore-ization defense that is left.

Parity how?! That doesn't make a lick of sense.... The player isn't getting paid by the team... he's getting paid for selling Reeboks... How does it make teams more or less equal?

Whatever happened to the free market? If an MIT student can make money selling software that he wrote in college why can't a Reggie Bush make money off of his achievements on the football field.

It's really quite ridiculous when you think about it. The University is profiting mightily off of these kids putting their bodies in harms way... And worse yet if the poor bastards get hurt they can lose their scholarships.

So

1) You strap their livelihood to their ability to play ball
2) You take away the ability to plan financially for their future

It just doesnt make any sense to me.

-Max

 

[Fingolfin269]

They should still get paid whatever the maximum a student worker can get paid on top of their full ride imho. When I was in school I believe it was 20 hours maximum at minimum wage. Hey, at least it's some extra legit spending cash.

 

[vi edit]

I say parity because recruiting the best talent is a huge deal. Booster club "gifting" and various other organizations surrounding the universities (like oh, a car dealer) already have their ways of swinging athletes to come to that school.

When you make it legal for student athletes to receive gifts and endorsements now, that fine line between what is a gift and an endorsement and what isn't becomes even more blurred.

Your powerhouses will become even more so because the surrounding businesses jingle shiney Hummer keys at recruits or embrace them with gold chains as they come off the plane.

It's bad now. Encouraging it just kicks the sport over the edge of materialistic oblivion.

 

[Doboji]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I say parity because recruiting the best talent is a huge deal. Booster club "gifting" and various other organizations surrounding the universities (like oh, a car dealer) already have their ways of swinging athletes to come to that school.

When you make it legal for student athletes to receive gifts and endorsements now, that fine line between what is a gift and an endorsement and what isn't becomes even more blurred.

Your powerhouses will become even more so because the surrounding businesses jingle shiney Hummer keys at recruits or embrace them with gold chains as they come off the plane.

It's bad now. Encouraging it just kicks the sport over the edge of materialistic oblivion.

There's got to be a way of legislating this... say no local endorsements.... I really don't think it's fair that every other student can make money off their achievements except athletes.

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: Doboji

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: Doboji
I fail to see any reason why college athletes can't make money off endorsements and gifts and whatever.... so long as it's not coming from the university itself.

Because then they would be professional. It's like that in many other sports/leagues. Once you start receiving endorsements and "gifts", you are no longer an amateur. You are a pro.

It's keeps some parity in the game and it's the last line of marketing whore-ization defense that is left.

Parity how?! That doesn't make a lick of sense.... The player isn't getting paid by the team... he's getting paid for selling Reeboks... How does it make teams more or less equal?

Whatever happened to the free market? If an MIT student can make money selling software that he wrote in college why can't a Reggie Bush make money off of his achievements on the football field.

It's really quite ridiculous when you think about it. The University is profiting mightily off of these kids putting their bodies in harms way... And worse yet if the poor bastards get hurt they can lose their scholarships.

So

1) You strap their livelihood to their ability to play ball
2) You take away the ability to plan financially for their future

It just doesnt make any sense to me.

-Max

Then the players go to whatever school has the best contracts. It would become an even bigger division in the haves/have nots of college sports.

Players make a good amt of money in college. They get spending money every month, free tuition/tutors/housing/food/parking and they make a couple grand in money and gifts everytime they go to a bowl game. Also, don't think the $100 handshake ever disappeared.

Say that MIT student wrote his software in the computer lab or in class. Do you really think he would keep 100% of the profits and the school would just let him? But when he got to the real world (NFL for college athletes) he would be able to command a higher dollar figure.

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: Doboji
I fail to see any reason why college athletes can't make money off endorsements and gifts and whatever.... so long as it's not coming from the university itself.

Because then they would have to cut the college football season to 4 games in order to provide time for football, studies, making commercials, and recording rap albums.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Next, he'll be caught on tape handing off the Heisman to it's rightful owner of that season, Vince Young.

 

[dyna]

It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Texas A&M was penalized quite harshly in 1994 to 1995 for a couple of players taking payment at amounts much less than Reggie Bush. I believe it was 2000 paid to 5 players.

How will the NCAA react and penalize USC?

TEXAS A&M U.

Violations: Extra benefits to football players, including wages from boosters for work not performed; impermissible financial aid to football recruits.

Penalties: One-year ban on postseason play in football in 1994-95; one-year ban on televised play in football in 1995-96; probation from January 1994 to January 1999.