Kurt's Thoughts

UPDATE: 4/9/2009

Whoops… looks like an update has hit ESPN today!
The NCAA has combined its investigations of two former USC star athletes into a single probe of the Trojans’ athletic program, the Los Angeles Times reported.

In separate investigations, the NCAA has been looking into allegations that Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and NBA lottery pick O.J. Mayo both received improper benefits while at USC.

• http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=4055102

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Given USC Football’s dramatic success in the 2000 decade:

• University of Southern California’s Football program is arguably the most successful this decade
• USC’s Head Football Coach Pete Carroll, hired in 2000, is the “winningest” coach in College Football
• USC’s Football program won National Championships in 2003, 2004 along with Heisman Trophies for both Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush
• USC Football in Coach Pete Carroll’s first year as head coach, finally beats UCLA 27-0 in 2001-02 ending an 8 year losing streak to the Bruins beginning a 7 year streak of wins in the new millenium.

And USC’s upstart success in basketball starting with the 2005 season:

• USC constructs the new Galen Center, home of USC basketball
• USC signs nationally-acclaimed recruit O.J. Mayo in 2007
• USC signs nationally-acclaimed recruit Demar DeRozan in 2008
• USC signs nationally-acclaimed recruit Renardo Sidney in 2009
• USC Head Basketball Coach Tim Floyd, hired in 2005 after a many years of losing seasons, suddenly puts together 3 straight winning seasons and 3 straight NCAA Tournament appearances

Also seeing that recent news has been bubbling to the surface about the NCAA’s multi-year activities:

• USC Football is “being quietly looked at by the NCAA over allegations of improper oversight in the Reggie Bush situation”
  http://collegehoopsnet.com/seven-day-stretch-usc-troubles-creighton-streaking-dukeunc-more-165895
• USC Basketball is rumored to “being investigated by the NCAA over the OJ Mayo recruitment of last year”
  – http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2008-05-11-mayo-allegations_N.htm
  – http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3390757&sportCat=ncb
  – http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Lisa%20H/2008/05/11/Mayogate_OJ_Mayo_named_as_recipient_of_cash_and_perks
• USC Basketball is may have their hands full with Renardo Sidney, USC’s latest high profile hoops recruit
  – http://www.bruinbasketballreport.com/2009/03/bruin-recruiting-prep-news-roundup-39.html
  The same Renardo Sidney that UCLA Basketball, just 48 hours before his choosing a college, suddenly “lost interest” with no explanation:
  http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/basketball/la-sp-sidney-ucla20-2009feb20,0,6040937.story
• USC is allegedly being investigated by the NCAA as a whole.
  – http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3390757&sportCat=ncb
  – http://www.bruinsnation.com/story/2006/6/26/113925/426
  – http://www.3rdstringsafety.com/2009/updating-the-usc-linebackersteroid-story/

April 3rd, 2009:
The following suddenly came down the wire yesterday from Scout.com inside reporter, Tracy Pierson, who over the past 2 years has been very quiet on this topic:

• “I’m hearing that NCAA sanctions against USC are coming.  I’ve heard that they were supposed to be handed down recently, but were delayed because more evidence was discovered.”
  (http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=12&f=1014&t=4177274)

Wow.  Film at 11.