Bush Family House

[LongJim]

LA Times

[VideoEagle]

I didn’t think it would be possible for me to feel sympathetic toward SC. But from what has come out so far, I don’t see how University did anything wrong. Yet, they are the one’s who will feel the NCAA’s wrath.

I suppose Universities should ask all scholarship athletes if their parents have moved each semester and who is paying the mortgage!

I also have to admit I’m like the author of the article - I only had the vaguest idea about the concept of “mortgage” when I was in college.

[LongJim]

I didn’t think it would be possible for me to feel sympathetic toward SC. But from what has come out so far, I don’t see how University did anything wrong. Yet, they are the one’s who will feel the NCAA’s wrath.

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I certainly don't disagree. Everything I've read about Pete Carroll screams "class". Hopefully for SC, this will turn out to be nothing, but if anything happens, it'll probably fall under the dreaded 'lack of institutional control' heading.

[MeanGreen61]

Transcripts allegedly tie Bush to sports agency

By Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports

April 26, 2006

Transcripts of parole violation hearings for New Era Sports & Entertainment associate Lloyd Lake not only detail alleged links between the marketing agency and USC running back Reggie Bush but also indicate contact with Trojan offensive tackle Winston Justice during the 2005 college football season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AvZ4...=yhoo&type=lgns

[Eagle1855]

One of the tie-ins to the tribe was Michael Michaels

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Now just where was John Johnson or Robert Robertson while all of this was going on? Thats what I want to know.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

I understand that a university must be penalized for the actions of its players. What concerns me is that all too often the athlete and his agent get off scot free. I believe that USC is trying to run a clean program and they have the resources to see that all of their players are clean as well. It's sad that we can't just trust the athletes to do the right thing. Surely, Reggie Bush must have known that all high profile athletes are going to continually be under a microscope.

If all of this turns out to be true, I hope that Bush is ineligible for the draft for two years and the agent is disbarred for life.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

I didn't think the Bush family had to move out until 2008!!! Opps, wrong Bush.

[Got5onIt]

Now just where was John Johnson or Robert Robertson while all of this was going on? Thats what I want to know.

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Don't forget Jack Jackson and the ever evil Will Williams.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

I understand that a university must be penalized for the actions of its players.  What concerns me is that all too often the athlete and his agent get off scot free.  I believe that USC is trying to run a clean program and they have the resources to see that all of their players are clean as well.  It's sad that we can't just trust the athletes to do the right thing.  Surely, Reggie Bush must have known that all high profile athletes are going to continually be under a microscope.

If all of this turns out to be true, I hope that Bush is ineligible for the draft for two years and the agent is disbarred for life. 

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---Even worse are these coaches that do everything wrong, get a university put on probation, then resign and start over with no penalities. Meanwhile the school the left is forfeiting games, has their scholarships reduced and banned from bowls. Penalities should be assssed against coaches and somehow and these overaggressive agents as well. There are no real penality against senors eithers other than hatred from other alumni because their college career is over and the pro sports just don't care.

[VideoEagle]

Back when SMU got the death penalty, there was a proposal in Texas to allow Universities to sue the individuals whose actions caused a University to get in trouble with the NCAA. Governor Clements - who certainly knew about the payments to the athletes, and might have been partially funding it - was in FAVOR of the law! He said it would have made it much easier to say “No” to others if such a law was in place.

But, it died in legislative committee.

[emmitt01]

"If all of this turns out to be true, I hope that Bush is ineligible for the draft for two years and the agent is disbarred for life."

Based on what authority? The NFL (and its teams) is a professional business and has the right to employ whomever they see fit. They don't fall under the NCAA. This is just preposterous. The kid will be a millionaire next year, the number one pick, and rightfully so.

[LongJim]

Now just where was John Johnson or Robert Robertson while all of this was going on? Thats what I want to know.

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That is funny, right there.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

"If all of this turns out to be true, I hope that Bush is ineligible for the draft for two years and the agent is disbarred for life."

Based on what authority?  The NFL (and its teams) is a professional business and has the right to employ whomever they see fit.  They don't fall under the NCAA.  This is just preposterous.  The kid will be a millionaire next year, the number one pick, and rightfully so.

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You're right, Emmitt. There is no authority but the NFL itself and they certainly can employ whomever they want. But, if they allow themselves to do whatever they want then why not come raid freshmen, sophomores, whatever. I think that it's because they have an agreement that they will abide by NCAA rules which prohibit that sort of thing.

Again, you're right. Reggie Bush will likely be a millionaire and USC will likely lose millions because he didn't follow the rules.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

You're right, Emmitt.  There is no authority but the NFL itself and they certainly can employ whomever they want.  But, if they allow themselves to do whatever they want then why not come raid freshmen, sophomores, whatever.  I think that it's because they have an agreement that they will abide by NCAA rules which prohibit that sort of thing.

Again, you're right.  Reggie Bush will likely be a millionaire and USC will likely lose millions because he didn't follow the rules.

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Sports agents are not NFL employees and the NFL has little control over them.....Some are just lawyers so I really don't know what the NFL can do except ban players from the draft and that isn't likely to happen. Since most are senors there isn't much else you could do to them... the university gets zapped even if they nothing to do with it and was completely unaware of it. USC really did not gain any unfair advantage either... he was already enrolled and wasn't leaving. No alums or school officials were involved...... big mess.... no good answers ...returning the Heisman would possible but now he knows he really won it anyway.

Edited April 27, 2006 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[LongJim]

The hits keep on coming...

***************************************

Michaels claims he's due $54,000; attorney preparing $3.2 million suit

By Brent Schrotenboer

and Jim Trotter

SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS

April 28, 2006

Reggie Bush's parents failed to pay $54,000 in rent for the year they lived in a house owned by an investor in a sports marketing agency that sought to represent Bush, the owner of the house said late last night in an interview at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Michael Michaels, who has been silent since questions surfaced about the Bush family's living arrangements at the Spring Valley house he owns, said the stepfather and mother of the Heisman Trophy-winning running back initially agreed to pay $4,500 per month in rent when they moved in last spring. He said when they failed to pay the first few months' rent, they said they would pay when Bush turned pro.

But when Bush signed with a different marketing representative early this year, relations deteriorated. Michaels' attorney, Brian Watkins, sent them a letter April 3 demanding they move out of the house. Bush's parents, LaMar and Denise Griffin, finally moved out last week. Watkins showed Union-Tribune reporters a copy of the eviction notice last night.

Watkins said he plans to sue Bush's parents, and possibly Bush, for fraud and will seek $3.2 million. That includes $300,000 in “out-of-pocket” expenses owed Michaels and another investor, Lloyd Lake, plus punitive damages.

Watkins said $54,000 of that is the unpaid rent. He said Michaels and Lake incurred additional expenses associated with starting the marketing agency, but declined to provide details. He also would not specify the extent of Bush's involvement in the agency, New Era Sports and Entertainment.

Bush has denied knowledge of any deal with Michaels and promised details would emerge later that would clear up the situation. He again yesterday declined to answer specific questions about whether his parents paid rent for the house.

The NCAA is investigating whether its rules of amateurism were violated by Bush or his parents, who may have improperly received extra benefits in their living arrangements at the Michaels house.

The NCAA has requested to interview David Caravantes, an agent contacted by New Era, in its investigation of Bush and the house next week. If the NCAA determines that Bush or his family committed a violation of its rules of amateurism, Bush could be ruled retroactively ineligible and USC could face sanctions, including the possible forfeiture of games.

Bush's marketing representative, Mike Ornstein, hung up when contacted for his reaction to Michaels' claims last night.

Michaels said he is a real estate investor and when the Griffins told him they were having financial problems at their previous residence, he allowed them to move into his newly purchased house in Spring Valley.

Michaels bought the 3,002-square-foot, three-bedroom home for $757,237 in April 2005, according to San Diego County records.

“I never agreed to let them live rent-free,” Michaels said.

Watkins said he sent Bush's family attorney, David Cornwell, a letter Feb. 13 threatening the family with the $3.2 million fraud suit. Watkins said he has been in regular contact with Cornwell, and that the two talked as recently as yesterday. Cornwell did not return a phone message last night and the Bush family could not be reached for comment.

“It was basically (left that) we can't come to a meeting of the minds on a number, so do what you're going to do and I'm going to do what I'm going to do, is basically what (Cornwell) said,” Watkins said. “He starts going to the press and throwing out words (like) 'extortion' and I never even wanted to go here. We were just preparing a lawsuit.”

Yesterday, ESPN reported that Caravantes was demanding $3.2 million from the Bush family. Watkins and Caravantes adamantly said that wasn't true. Watkins said it was he who was asking for $3.2 million in the fraud suit.

“If you want to call somebody on a lie, ask them where their canceled rent checks are, from this house that they leased from their 'friend' Michael Michaels,” said Watkins, who used the word “friend” sardonically.

The disagreement between Michaels and Bush's family began when Bush decided to hire another agent (Joel Segal) and another marketing representative (Ornstein). Watkins said he and Michaels were upset that Ornstein told the Los Angeles Times in New York this week that Michaels was a “longtime family friend of Bush's stepfather and mother” who offered to put them up in their house while they were having financial problems. Bush, a former Helix High star, is expected to be the No. 1 pick tomorrow in the NFL draft.

“Michael Michaels didn't even know them,” Watkins said. “Lloyd Lake and the Lake family are their friends. Lloyd Lake introduced Reggie to Michael Michaels. They don't even know Michael Michaels.”

Michaels, who also goes by the name Michael Pettiford, said he was approached by LaMar Griffin and Lake, who is now in federal prison in Victorville, to invest in a sports marketing company they were starting. They would share ownership in the company, New Era, and Bush was to be their primary client.

It is a violation of NCAA rules for an athlete, or his relatives or friends, to accept benefit from prospective agents “even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation,” according to NCAA regulations. If an athlete or his family commits such a violation, he would be ruled ineligible, even if it's retroactively.

Watkins said the idea for a sports marketing agency was conceived during the 2004 season, when USC went undefeated en route to the national championship. It was before Bush became a household name in college football and the darling of almost every sports and marketing agency in the nation.

Watkins said Griffin sought to line up possible endorsement deals for Bush, including one from the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

Michaels works for Sycuan as director of economic development. Sycuan General Counsel George Forman said last weekend he recalls Griffin making a pitch to Sycuan about joining a business venture, but that there was no interest from Sycuan. Watkins also said Sycuan was not interested.

Sycuan spokesman Adam Day said Sycuan had nothing to do with any potential deal involving Bush or Griffin.

The backgrounds of Michaels and Lake raised a red flag among NFL officials, who Wednesday questioned Bush about his relationship with them. Two general managers said yesterday the NFL sent a memo to each team in which Bush denied knowing about the backgrounds of Michaels and Lake. He also denied having an agreement with New Era.

Michaels was arrested under the name Michael Pettiford in October 1999 on felony charges of making terrorist threats and discharging a firearm in a negligent manner in an incident involving current Sycuan Tribal Chairman Daniel Tucker. Charges were dropped in 2000 for lack of evidence, records show.

Michaels' connection with Lake, a former Helix High basketball player with a history of gang and drug ties, goes back several years, FBI agent Allan Vitkosky wrote in a sworn affidavit in 2002. Lake, 32, has had a series of drug and firearm arrests, including felony convictions for false imprisonment in 1993 and possession of marijuana for sale in 1996.

San Diego Police Street Gang Unit records reveal that Lake was a documented member of the Emerald Hills Blood/Upside Sic street gang, according to Vitkosky's affidavit.