. . . .have any charitable notions of “absolution” for these ex-Trojans. We for sure have our boys’ back though- in the sense that:

a. everybody has their day in court.
b. they’re on no one’s time schedule, should be allowed to formulate defense plan both legally and in the media
c. be forthcoming and truthful
d. we hope that their dealings don’t shame our institution any more than what the public has already shamed us through opinion and assumption.

However, if any of what’s been said regarding payments, benefits, and deals- we’ll not begrudge the NCAA mandated sanctions and penalties, whatever they might be.

More importantly, we here at CC want closure, demand organizational review, accountability, and change, and the necessary space to “move on” from these unfortunate situations with Mayo and Bush. We really want to just move on and become a better institution for it.

Why

You’re ignorant if you think we, as a society, can pass judgment on any other public person and whom they may find comfort and direction in a Rodney Guillory. (I’m only talking about OJ Mayo, have been from the start in this thread. Reggie Bush- he blew it).

Rodney Guillory had been in OJ’s life for 5 years prior to OJ coming to USC. He nurtured and helped OJ through the better part of his pre-adolescent and young adult life. Why did OJ pick him? Better question is, why shouldn’t he pick him? His life was in shambles. His mom tried to keep him away from gangs (that’s how close he was from going one way or the other), OJ"s dad was a drug-addict and small time criminal who was never around. OJ had to get out to a private school to escape the trappings of getting “lost” into gang warfare, money-grubbing friends who might’ve tempted him too far to where it may have been an utter failure for OJ to get cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse prior to making it to USC, and with a man like Rodney Guillory in his life- it helped him IMMENSELY in just making it into USC and now the NBA.

Now, don’t say you’re not playing the morality card when you write that we “have to convince you why he had to let Guillory in to his private circle. Until you’ve walked a day in OJ”s teenage shoes, you will always sit on the side with the greener fence and things will always look Dubya-good from where you stand. (Just the thought of even asking such an elitist question like yours makes my blood boil. How’s it looking there Nuss, from “Judgment Central”? Pretty sunsets? Nice cars? Got your latte frappachino and ABBA album blaring, eh? Life must be nice over there.)