The Fall of Troy and the Frigid Penalties of NCAA's USC Summertime Spanking

Today, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions announced the punishment to be exerted upon the University of Southern California, South Central for violations in men's football and basketball as well as women's tennis.

The verdict is not pleasant and the penalties are just frigid.

Best way to describe how USC shall fair on the football and basketball fronts for the next few seasons...totally fucked.

Due to the disregard of NCAA rules and regulations involving student athletes, coaches, and professional agents; USC shall weather a four year probation under the NCAA.

And that's not the worst.  The Trojan bandwagon is sure to lighten it's load over this...

Lane Kiffin's Trojans won't see the post-season for two years due to an NCAA ban.
He'll also be operating with 10 less scholarships for the next three seasons each season.

Nothing quite like karma eh?  Promise a swift victory to troubled Tennessee over the Gators the next season only to jump ship and hop coasts?  We'll Lane, you would have played in bowl games during 2010 and 2011 waving the Volunteer's flag, but now you'll just have a longer vacation while sporting the Maroon Stain...joy!

Yet the fun continues to roll on...

According to the report, "student athlete 1" most likely Reggie Bush, in association with his parents and "partners" formed a sports agency from October 2004 to November 2005.  Receiving benefits from cash to cars, travel expenses and hotel lodging, and housing (with a washer a dryer!); Bush and company through these transactions and proven by the receipts accomplished nothing more than sealing his ineligibility for the 2005 season (post season included).

Remember what happened to Reggie Bush in 2005?  Or rather, at the end of the 2005 season.
He received the Heisman Trophy.

Now, it's time for some conceptual math.

Heisman Trophy season - Ineligibility = No Heisman Trophy...right?

Well no wonder Bush has already released a statement on the matter.

"I am disappointed by today's decision and disagree with the NCAA's findings. If the University decides to appeal, I will continue to cooperate with the NCAA and USC, as I did during the investigation," reported USA Today.

However, if Bush does "continue to cooperate" as he did during the investigation, he may find himself losing more than his trophy and the illustrious victories the team must forfeit due to his involvement (14 in total from the 2005 Orange Bowl throughout the 2005 season).

Here's how the NCAA stated Mr. Bush cooperated, "Although the former football student-athlete participated in an interview with the enforcement staff, he refused to cooperate fully with the investigation. He failed to provide the requested information that, if it existed, could have substantiated his claim that he was not involved in NCAA rules violations."

Nothing like saving face by shaving grace huh?

And after all that jive and jargon L.A., with Petros driving down this issue like a railroad spike, who was right in the end?  Vague bandwagon assumptions?  Or educated assumptions tethered by misinformation and half-assed cooperation?


...more to come, the report is 67 pages which can be found here.