NCAA Acquits Self in Reggie Bush Case

They say that in a world of travail and cheap wine the ridiculous becomes sublime.  As in, how much Kool-Aid do we need to drink before we simply forget the fact that Reggie Bush took piles of cash while playing at USC?

Mr. Bush and his family have already settled half of Reggie's "business" partnership while at USC and he might well be on the hook for an additional $300,000.  Perhaps you've seen the documented proof that Reggie's family lived rent free (to the tune of $54,000) and many other sorted details found here.

So what if Reggie was on the take you say.  Why punish the University of Southern California (USC) both the PAC-10 and NCAA quip?  Well, they have this thing called Institutional Control which basically means that turning your eye on a problem doesn't make you any less accountable. It also implies that like the Olympics, there's an element of sport left to the game.  Otherwise, it's just another professional sports league and a weaker one at that.

Pete Carroll and or his staff gave locker room access to New Era sports.  Reggie, whose family was known to come from humble means, shows up to practice in a hot rod.  His entire family shows up at away games and parties with Reggie in Vegas.  Please tell me again that Pete Carroll and his entire staff had no idea?

Meanwhile, the NCAA floats PR stories about how hard they are working to resolve this and other cases.  Very serious, yes indeed, we are... just listen to us. Sorry if I laugh but the last infraction the NCAA imposed was in Oklahoma last year when an Oklahoma State booster purchased an auto dealership that happened to employ three Oklahoma football players under the table.  Total infraction: roughly $27,000.

The NCAA's reaction was to retract wins from 1995, the loss of four (yes, four) total recruits and apply the "self imposed" regulations Oklahoma had in place for helping the investigation.  If that's what $27,000 gets you I wonder what $750,000 plus an evasive response from USC should get you.  Note should.

I can only imagine the phone calls being exchanged between the NCAA, PAC 10, and the Judge Joan A. Lewis in this self-regulated investigation.  My guess is that a miraculous gag order is going into effect Aug. 1 and everyone will walk free. 

The NCAA will feign interest and tell us how sorry they are that they can no longer investigate because Reggie won't admit under oath that he took the money.  Just keep playing the game and unless we see an infraction in person from our offices here in Indiana you're free to do what you like.

So much for the spirit of sport and the ethics the NCAA purports to uphold.  The Heisman Trophy none-the-less. NCAA acquits self and says more Hollywood parties and gratuitous lifestyles for everyone.