Why The O.J. Mayo Scandal and Reggie Bush Investigation Are Completely Different

Well, I think it is safe to say the University of Southern California will never recruit another athlete named O.J.

Today, USC issued self-imposed sanctions on their men's basketball program related to the recruitment and one-year college career of O.J. Mayo. Included in those sanctions are a one-year ban from postseason involvement, a reduction of one scholarship for two academic years, and recruiting restrictions.

In the coming days, we will read how this is evidence of a "lack of institutional control," hear questions regarding why the university has done nothing like this with regard to the Reggie Bush case, and how the school should get the NCAA "death penalty."

The problem with this talk however is the Mayo and Bush investigations are completely unrelated.

How so?

The allegations, partly admitted now by USC, regarding O.J. Mayo involved his recruitment to the school. These allegations include possible payments by former USC coach Tim Floyd to an associate of Mayo's that would have given the Trojans an improper advantage in obtaining Mayo's basketball talents for his one-year college career.

Rodney Guillory, a "friend" of Mayo, called Floyd, (who wasn't even recruiting Mayo at the time) asked if he would want O.J. to attend USC, and then guaranteed Floyd he would get Mayo, telling Floyd to not even bother calling him.

Certainly not the typical college recruitment story.

It is very easy to see where improprieties could have occurred.

Now you might ask, "Well how was Tim Floyd supposed to have know Guillory was dirty?"

Quite easily considering Guillory had already been implicated years before in actions which resulted in the suspension of former Trojan Jeff Trepagnier.

So how does the Mayo case vary from the Reggie Bush investigation?

Bush's alleged relationships with marketer/agents Michael Michaels and Lloyd Lake (Aren't they the main characters from "Dumb and Dumber?") did not begin until after his sophomore season at USC.

Meaning it had absolutely nothing to do with his recruitment or giving him an incentive to attend USC.

According to the Yahoo Sports timeline of the Bush allegations, Bush's step-father, LaMar Griffin, began talking with Michaels and Lake in the fall of 2004 (late in Bush's sophomore year) about forming New Era Sports & Entertainment.

During this time there is no record of Bush himself being involved. And again, unlike the Mayo case, these talks had zero bearing on his decision to become a Trojan.

The earliest the investigation asserts Reggie Bush became involved was Bush's supposed use of Michael's credit card in the spring of 2005, before his junior and final season at USC.

If anything, while Mayo's involvement with Guillory assured O.J. of being a Trojan for at least one season, Bush's association with Michaels/Lake meant there was never a chance of him staying at USC for his senior season.

While Floyd and the basketball program had everything to gain by Guillory's relationship with Mayo, Pete Carroll and the football Trojans gained nothing from Bush's with Michaels/Lake.

By imposing sanctions on themselves today, USC is admitting at least some wrongdoing or negligence in recruiting O.J. Mayo. Since the university also benefited from this wrongdoing and/or negligence, the sanctions are a wise decision.

As for Reggie Bush, the university did not benefit at all by Bush's alleged dealings with his own step-dad and two marketers. It did not keep Reggie Bush at USC for his junior year. He had to be there anyway.

Today's decision will be probably renew the call for USC to get the NCAA "death penalty," argued for most vociferously last year by ESPN's Pat Forde.

Let me just add this. What USC is being investigated for is nowhere close to what Southern Methodist did when they actually received the "death penalty."

Since so many fans of college football hear the term "lack of institutional control" thrown out there regarding USC, let's remember what true lack of control means by looking at SMU.

SMU was on probation five times from 1974 to 1985. USC has not been on probation in the Pete Carroll era.

SMU recruits were paid thousands of dollars directly linked to the coaching staff to get them to come to SMU. The Bush allegations involves nowhere near the amount of money, was not used to get him to the university, and was by people not associated in the least with the school.

SMU's chancellor and board of trustees admitted to maintaining a "slush fund" to pay athletes. In USC's case, no one, apart from maybe the men's basketball coaching staff, has been involved in paying players.

Should USC be punished for O.J. Mayo? Certainly. The school even said so by its actions today.

Should the football team lose its 2004 National Championship, its 2005 record, and Bush his Heisman Trophy? You can make a case for specific censorship of Bush, but what has happened in the football program is nowhere near the definition of a "lack of institutional control."

You can follow my random thoughts on the sports world and other topics on Twitter at @plh55.