Cry Me a River

by Paragon SC on Sep 7, 2007 10:04 PM PDT in Football

When Oregon robbed Oklahoma of that victory last season I really felt for them, they had clearly put a weird off- season behind them and were on their way to the Big 12 championship. The Rhett Bomar/car dealership thing really put a wrinkle in their season with all the potential distractions. Their team played pretty good last season and it appears that they were on the comeback trail. Of course then the NCAA made them vacate the whole 2005 season because of the whole Bomar mess.

I hardly blame the team or the institution as a whole, as they attempted to address the situation by self-reporting the matter to the NCAA. Boosters as we all know can get way out of hand.

Well, it seams that their fans are still smarting from that 55-19 ass-kicking as they smell a conspiracy brewing.

From the L.A. Times:

Three members of the spirit group known as "Ruf/Neks" agreed to meet for Labor Day lunch at a restaurant not far from the Big Red Sports/Imports car dealership that fuel-injected Oklahoma football toward its sixth major NCAA probation.

One wore a T-shirt that read "We Only Came Here to Drink and Beat Texas."

The "Ruf/Neks" were formed here almost a century ago and their many duties now include cleaning up after "Boomer" and "Sooner," the ponies that pull the school's famous schooner during football games.

The Ruf/Neks think the probation is a load of you-know-what.

They want to know why Oklahoma was forced to vacate all eight wins from its 2005 season while No. 1 USC continues to play on without paying pipers.

Oklahoma self-reported its violations, punished itself, and yet the NCAA still descended.

Elsewhere, allegations swirl that USC may have defeated Oklahoma to win the 2004 national title while using an ineligible player, Reggie Bush.

"And we get our wins erased?" Justin Myers, a 21-year-old marketing major, asked. "I'm not saying it's a conspiracy, it's just not the proper allocation of rules and regulations."

Cody Busch, 19, who wants to be a sports agent, leans more toward grassy knoll scenarios.

What these pooper-scoopers for Boomer Sooner seem to miss is that the NCAA is far from finished with their investigation on the whole Reggie Bush mess. Any SC fan with half a brain can figure out that something is amiss but because no one is talking things are at a standstill.

I think its funny that the OU faithful think SC is getting a free pass as their program has been in and out of trouble with the NCAA for years.

Others, of course, are free to speak their minds.

Switzer called USC and Notre Dame the "sacred cows" of college football programs while, in terms of NCAA scrutiny, "Oklahoma's been their whipping boy."

Switzer said the alleged problems at USC are no more the fault of Trojans Coach Pete Carroll than Stoops is to blame for Oklahoma's monitoring woes.

"They got alumni out there doing things for their kids too, just like it happens here," Switzer said.

Switzer says the NCAA's order for Oklahoma to vacate wins is laughable, and would say the same if USC was forced to relinquish the 2004 national title it claimed with a 55-19 victory against Oklahoma.

"I still know who won the game and who's the best team," Switzer said. "And Stoops knows too. That don't change history. I don't think they want the trophy."

If the NCAA really wanted to punish Oklahoma, Switzer said, it could have ordered the kind of scholarship strip that devastated Miami and Alabama in the 1990s.

Switzer is way off base in some areas and dead on in others. There has never been any evidence or allegations that any USC "booster" was involved in the Bush mess. He may think that USC is a sacred cow but if there is evidence that the school knew the NCAA will come down on them and HARD. I agree with Switzer that even if they take titles away we all know who won that game and who is the better team.

OU has a chance to take control of the Big 12 with what appears to be a pretty good team they have a chance to beat both Nebraska and Texas and win the Big 12 all this whining from their fans about conspiracy theories and such only makes them look bad. They need to worry about their own house because in the end they still got bet like a drum by USC...you know 55-19.

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A couple of thoughts

I think OU got dealt a much harsher hand than they deserved.
OU did not self report. This is a misconception. OU found out about the car dealership simultaneously with the NCAA. The new owner of the dealship informed OU and the NCAA via email at the same time. Therefore, they did not discover the problem, or remedy it before the NCAA knew, so they should stop claiming that they did.
Reggie Bush's allegations stem from inproper benefits from an agent with no affiliation with the USC program. The OU problems came from a dealership that was owned by a booster and was the largest employer of OU student athletes in Norman.
The Bush case is still open. We could still get sanctions if someone decides to talk.

In closing, OU got the shaft because the NCAA believed that they should have kept a closer eye on the relationship between the car dealership and its athletes. Whether you agree with that or not, they do have a point. The USC and OU cases are very different in my eyes.

Its really sad that the actions of a couple of people on the football team negated all the hard work for those that were following the rules, but that is the rules we all agree to follow.

by frak on Sep 7, 2007 10:27 PM PDT 0 recs

I agree with all you have said here

<NM>

by Paragon SC on Sep 7, 2007 11:20 PM PDT up 0 recs

What makes an "agent"?

"Reggie Bush's allegations stem from inproper benefits from an agent with no affiliation with the USC program."

Actually, unless I'm missing something, wasn't the supposed "agent" really an old family friend who hadn't yet filled out his legal paperwork to become an agent?

He had no clients and was, instead, an ASPIRING agent.

I don't think this is a small nit to pick.

I think this story has become so distorted in the telling and retelling and the use by the SC haters to slam us that it's probably worthwhile for us all to go back and look at what we know to be true versus what everyone ASSUMES or wants to be true.

by Monroe on Sep 10, 2007 3:04 PM PDT up 0 recs

A refresher

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylt=AsN375whxneExLpHIjg1J7E5nYcB?slug=ys-bushprobe&prov=yhoo &type=lgns

by SuperBruinMan on Sep 10, 2007 5:41 PM PDT up 0 recs

Thanks "SuperBruinMan"

This helps.

So, Yahoo alleges that Reggie and his family took benefits from two groups: New Era and Ornstein (I forgot about him).

My point was just that New Era wasn't legally an agency. Was it? My understanding is that they weren't. No paperwork had been filled out or submitted to the state. Not only that, but they've never had a single client. Shouldn't you actually have clients in order to be an agency? If they aren't an agency, and they were friends of the family from before any of this went down, I don't think it falls under the category of a violation. Horrible judgement, yes, but not a violation.

The Ornstein allegations are the ones that would be damning, if true. It certainly looks bad, but, so far, nothing has been proven. (And after the Duke lacrosse debacle, aren't we glad we don't just use the news media to find people guilty?) Hey, if it is proven, then I'll be as angry as anyone with Reggie. Seriously, I'm not trying to defend him here (God knows I'm just as pissed at him as anyone for all this crap.) I'm just trying to think about it beyond just the trash talking.

by Monroe on Sep 10, 2007 11:32 PM PDT up 0 recs

Monroe

You couldn't be more wrong about New Era. Any monies that Reggie received HAVE to come from blood relatives or family. A "long-time" family friend is no different than an agent in this case. NCAA rules are very clear. If both New Era and Orenstein gave money to Reggie or members of his family, then they definitely are guilty of extra benefits. Both are equally damning in my eyes if true.

The only thing that could save SC if this ever gets cleared up is complete ignorance of what happened. The business deals need to be far away from any University official, coach, or employee, or we are screwed. Even if USC knew nothing we are probably screwed.

My personal belief is that the allegations are true. Seeing this case through a Trojan's perspective I hope that the team doesn't have to forfeit any games. I hope this because it would be a shame for Reggie to have ruined such a monumental season of play for all his teammates that followed the rules. So all I can hope for is that this one kid doesn't undo all that hard work.

This might seem unfair to other programs that have been dealt some harsh punishment from the NCAA like OU, and programs that just hate us like ucla, but thats how I feel.

by frak on Sep 11, 2007 12:12 AM PDT up 0 recs

Well, there you go

I can't remember the case I heard about last year that made me think this was an exception to the rule (some recruit had a relationship with an agent that seemed to be a violation, but turned out not to be), but it sounds like you've done your homework, so that's that.

Even if nothing happens at this point, I'm still disgusted by Reggie's behavior in all this. Guess this is where I agree with Petros.

by Monroe on Sep 11, 2007 11:31 AM PDT up 0 recs

You might be thinking of

USC guard- Jeff Trepanier

He got a car loan from an SC coach. He was suspended pending an investigation by the NCAA.

Solution?

Marry the coaches daughter, now hes your father-in-law. Now the loan is ok. So all Reggie has to do is marry into the Orenstein family, and we are all good.

by frak on Sep 12, 2007 12:29 AM PDT up 0 recs

House + Travelling expenses

These were paid for by Michael Michaels (allegedly), who was not a family friend.

I agree that the Ornstein stuff is more damning, especially since Bush ended up signing with him. The massive amount of money that is alleged is just icing on the cake.

"who could've possibly expected Reggie to do that??"

by SuperBruinMan on Sep 11, 2007 5:23 PM PDT up 0 recs

OH

And thanks for taking my quote COMPLETELY out of context in order to score a point. Typical.

Too bad that won't work for you on the field.

by Monroe on Sep 10, 2007 11:38 PM PDT up 0 recs

One more thing

If or when the Reggie Bush case has a major break, the NCAA will drop the hammer on USC if it is proved that we were complicit, or negligent in monitoring.
The NCAA does handle agents that tamper with players with more leniency if the school is not involved.

by frak on Sep 8, 2007 1:22 AM PDT 0 recs

once again agreed...

by Paragon SC on Sep 8, 2007 4:38 AM PDT up 0 recs

Never thought I'd see the day...

...when I agreed with anything that Barry Switzer would say - the part about vacating games, that is.

And, to echo the comments thus far, if the NCAA can prove something on the part of USC, then let the hammer fall where it may. If they can't, then I suppose the only downside is more whining from conspiracy theorists in Land-thief territory (TM Burnt Orange Nation).

by DC Trojan on Sep 8, 2007 6:50 AM PDT 0 recs

The OU finding

The big thing to remember here is that OU got busted for "failure to monitor"

Failure to monitor basically is a finding that OU should have kept a very watchful eye on the dealership, owned by a booster, that employed more OU athletes than any other business.

OU could have discovered the violation by simply looking at one of Bomar's time cards. He was being paid for hours at the dealership when he was across town at football practice. One timecard would have caught the thing before it blew up.

OU got busted because it did not do this.

OU also got busted because the new owner of Big Red is an Oklahoma State grad.

Note to self: When receiving extra benefits, don't get said benefits from dealership that is owned by, or employs arch rivals. Just ask Deshon Foster about that one.

by frak on Sep 11, 2007 12:18 AM PDT 0 recs