Former USC running back Reggie Bush has been accused of accepting multiple financial gifts totaling nearly $300,000 while leading USC to the top of the BCS polls between 2003 and 2004. The allegations range from demanding monthly cash payments in the amount of $3,000 to facilitating the purchase of a $750,000 home for his family by New Era Sports Management owners Michael Michaels and Lloyd Lake. This story has been in the news now for nearly two years. Investigations by the NCCA and PAC-10 have been stalled because Bush, no longer an NCAA athlete is not compelled to cooperate with NCAA or PAC-10 investigators and one of the sports agents involved, Michael Michaels has recently settled with Bush for an amount reported to be over $200,000. Part of the out of court settlement agreement prohibits Michaels from disclosing the details of the settlement. In other words, Bush bought Michaels silence.

The other wannabe sports marketer Lloyd Lake has recently filed a $291,000 lawsuit in an effort to recover what he claims Bush owes him for direct out of pocket payments.

Lake claims he personally paid Bush:

• $13,000 in cash to purchase a Chevy Impala (see photo insert) plus another $8,000 to customize the vehicle with tires, rims, paint, stereo and engine enhancements.
• Monthly cash payments of $3,000 for ‘living expenses’.
• Paid airfare and hotel accommodations to Las Vegas and Southern California vacations for Bush and his family.
• A home valued at $750,000.
• $28,000 in cash to help the family settle pre-existing debt.

Lake appeared this week in the HBO series Real Sports in which he provided details to interviewer Bernard Goldberg about his assertions. Part of the segment included tape recordings between Lake and LaMar Griffin, Bush’s stepfather, that clearly stated Bush agreed to repay the money given to him and his family during his eligibility at USC.

I watched the broadcast and believe that the segment unquestionably substantiates many of the claims made by Lake. When asked about his thoughts following the interview Goldberg stated he found Lake’s claims to be credible, particularly in light of the content of the tapes. Bush has repeatedly refused requests for interviews other then to issue a statement “I did nothing wrong”.

Is this how an innocent person responds to such accusations? At this point Bush has nothing to gain by protecting USC, but he potentially has millions of endorsement dollars at risk if his image is tarnished. By settling with Michaels he paid for shutting him up, preventing Michaels from offering any details to investigators due to the non-disclosure agreement.

What did USC coaches/administrators know and when did they know it?According to Lake he was at Griffin’s house (the one purchased by Lake and Michaels for the Bush family) during a telephone conversation between Pete Carroll and LaMar Griffin. The discussion was centered around how to document the housing arrangements for Reggie’s parents in the newly purchased home. Carroll, apparently unaware he was on speaker phone, told Griffin to make sure that there was a lease agreement in writing.

It is hard to believe that Carroll was not aware that the home was provided to Bush’s parents under questionable circumstances. Carroll should have asked himself why LaMar Griffin would seek his advice on how to document the purchase transaction. Carroll’s advice to the Griffins, if accurately reported, was irresponsible at best and possibly fraudulent.

Yahoo Sports reported USC running backs coach Todd Mcnair was aware of Reggie’s relationship with New Era Sports Management prior to the National Championship game vs.Texas.

During his freshman and sophomore years at USC Bush drove an older model Toyota pickup with a camper cab on the bed of the truck . Sometime during his Heisman Trophy season he showed up at school driving a newly customized Chevy Impala outfitted with expensive rims, wheels and stereo equipment. Part of Lakes deposition scheduled for Feb 12th, 2008 will include testimony that he provided among other things, over $20,000 for the vehicle and it’s amenities.

Someone please explain how NO ONE at USC noticed their prized athlete was suddenly driving a new car and had a pocket that was now regularly lined with cash.

Reggie came from a working class family. While growing up he lived with his mother and stepfather in an inner city apartment complex in south San Diego county. The family had fallen behind in debt and needed financial assistance. It is easy to understand how the opportunity to help his parents and improve his own standard of living would be too much to resist. All the while continue to improve his stock as a super star college athlete in one of the nations elite football programs at USC. The pressure on young athletes to perform and provide for their families is sometimes a very strong motivator for excersing poor judgement. Who can blame him for wanting to financially help the family?

Let’s not forget that the NCAA (and BCS) is a billion dollar industry. Television contracts, merchandise, advertising dollars and gate revenue are all at stake in the annual college football bonanza. Careful not to jeopordize the integrity of the system that feeds the greed, the NCAA has refused comment during the investigative process.

It is possible that Bush will settle with Lake before Feb 12th in order to avoid providing deposition testimony under oath. The last thing he needs is purgery charges. This will effectively buy Lakes silence and prevent the NCAA or PAC-10 from completing a full and fair investigation. Lake makes no bones about his motive - he wants his money back. Money that he borrowed from family and friends based on promises made by Reggie to sign with New Era and repay his debt. Lake has no interest in helping the NCAA in their investigation except to leverage his position in the lawsuit. Lake’s attorney Brian Watkins has said that they will turn over testimony provided through depositions to the NCAA. If Bush allows that to happen USC will possibly face stiff sanctions and he may lose his Heisman Trophy.

Sometimes there is a big difference between innocence and not guilty.

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