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      Bush: USC investigation “the closest thing to death without dying.”

      June 16, 2010 /

      For the first time since USC received a two-year bowl ban from the NCAA, Reggie Bush spoke openly about how the situation has affected him.

      From the New Orleans Times Picayune:

      “For the people who say … well I’ve heard people say that I don’t really care about this too much and I just brush it off my shoulders. Those people don’t know me. Because this thing regarding USC and the NCAA is to me the closest thing to death without dying,” Bush said in his opening statement. “Because I have such a great love and respect for the University of (Southern) California, this has been one of the toughest things I’ve had to deal with in my life. But at the same time whether it’s all true or all wrong or whether we’re guilty or not guilty, it’s still my responsibility and I have to accept that. And I have to deal with it as it is and try to manage it as best as I can. With that, we plan to aid USC as much as possible in the appeal with the NCAA. I’m gonna do everything I can to make it right, to make it better, and that’s really all I can do.

      “It sucks because like I said I have such a strong love and passion for USC. It’s almost like shaming your dad in a sense. You know, you go through life trying to represent the different companies or sports marketing companies or USC or whatever it is that you represent as best as possible. So when things like this happen it’s really unfortunate. It’s terrible that this was brought on USC. Another reason why it hurts so much is that I come from a strong family, I was raised well, I was raised to do the right thing. And the fact that this happened is unfortunate. So when my family name is at stake or USC or the New Orleans Saints or whoever it is that I represent, because of me, it hurts.”

      Some people want to blame Bush for everything that has transpired at USC over the past two weeks. But the blame is three-pronged: USC, the two agents that supplied Bush and his family with the gifts, and Bush himself are all to blame here.

      Bush should be held accountable for what happened because even though he was only a kid in some respects, he was old enough to know right from wrong. He had to have a suspicion that something was wrong, seeing as how not every player’s family was receiving free housing. And shame on his family for taking advantage of the situation and not insisting that Bush go to the university right away and being open about what was going on.

      Since Bush chose to accept the gifts, he should be punished, just as USC was punished for not having a better grasp of what was going on. Bush was the most recognizable athlete on their campus during his playing days – somebody should have known that he and his family were receiving gifts and put a stop to it.

      What cracks me up about this is that guys like Bush and Pete Carroll are surprised about how this situation went down. How else could it have ended? The kid was getting free shit for years and nobody did anything about it.

      Nothing in life is free.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      College Football, External Sports, NFL

      Redskins to Haynesworth: We want our money back.

      June 16, 2010 /

      Per Adam Schefter at ESPN.com, the Redskins will try to recoup the $21 million option bonus that they recently paid Albert Haynesworth, who has decided to skip all team activities this offseason because he’s a gigantic crybaby he thinks Washington will waste his talents in a 3-4 defensive alignment.

      Before Haynesworth made the decision not to report to the Redskins mandatory minicamp that kicked off Wednesday, the NFL Players Association assured him that the bonus money on the contract he restructured on March 12 would be his to keep, one source said.

      But another knowledgeable NFL source that reviewed Haynesworth’s contract and the collective bargaining agreement Wednesday morning said this issue is “open to interpretation” now that the defensive tackle has declined to report to a mandatory minicamp and the Redskins are expected to pursue whatever money they can. The source added, “this is the type of case where a longshot may be given an extra hard look because it is so egregious.”

      The egregious part is that Haynesworth is basically stealing from the Skins. They paid him for his services and instead of honoring his contract, he has decided to throw a hissy fit about playing in a defense that he doesn’t like. Talk about a backwards situation.

      Perhaps the most interesting part of Schefter’s report is this little nugget:

      It also puts the NFLPA in a difficult spot, since it will have to take a stand publicly defending Haynesworth. While players such as Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson and New England Patriots guard Logan Mankins want lucrative new deals, Haynesworth became the highest paid player in history at his position — and then chose not to honor the contract because he didn’t like the way he was going to be used in the Redskins defense.

      In the end, the NFLPA will have to defend Haynesworth. But that will not endear it to the public at a time when it is gearing up to battle the NFL on a new collective bargaining agreement.

      No kidding. Haynesworth was paid $21 million to sit on his ass, while Johnson is actually in line for a raise and is getting nowhere with the Titans. The NFLPA won’t come out of this situation smelling like the bread aisle of a grocery store if it’s forced to back Haynesworth, who is clearly unappreciative of his current situation and who is just looking for an easy way out. I don’t care if it is a long shot – I’m glad to see that the Redskins are taking a proactive approach to the situation and trying to get their money back.

      External Sports, NFL

      Pete Carroll, do yourself a favor and close the open hole on your face

      June 16, 2010 /

      Pete Carroll is like that friend who eats the leftovers that you had been saving in your fridge, then denies it, then says, “Are you kidding me? Why would anyone steal your leftovers? That just isn’t right. Whoever did that is a bad, bad person. I’m disgusted that somebody would do that to you – just disgusted.”

      It was you, Pete. We can’t prove it was you, but it was you. And since we can’t prove that it was you, you might as well just move on and shut your mouth.

      Last week, Carroll released a non-convincing video saying he was “absolutely shocked” and “disappointed” about the sanctions that were levied against USC’s football program. This week, he’s actually going as far as to suggest that the NCAA can start a witch hunt against a player without reasonable cause.

      From ESPN.com:

      “There’s nothing there,” he said Tuesday of the investigation into his program’s knowledge of former Trojans running back Reggie Bush’s improper benefits and relationship with an agent.

      “Now the word’s out. You can do this,” he said. “One person can do this, go after a university and a kid. And nothing has to be true. Nothing has to be true. They just have to make claims, and then the investigations and all that are under way.

      “I just hate the thought that that can take place and we can do nothing about it.”

      I may actually throw up – is he serious? The NCAA doesn’t investigate unless there’s something to investigate. Does he actually think that they just target random programs and punish them without cause? How does USC not being able to play for a national championship help the NCAA? It hurts them if anything because USC is one of the most recognizable programs in the country. They want them to have something to play for so that the sport prospers. They didn’t want this, but what went on was wrong and USC has to be held accountable since it happened under their watch.

      Truth be told, Carroll should be held accountable as well. But since he got out of there at the right time, he should let it go and move on. Considering he’s coaching in the National Football League now, he should have plenty on his plate. I know he wants to save face in So Cal, but he should do the smart thing and stop commenting on the subject before somebody actually proves that he’s a liar.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      College Football, External Sports

      Dwyane Wade likely to stay put

      June 16, 2010 /

      Unlike LeBron James, who has been essentially silent about his intentions come July 1, Dwyane Wade has made it clear over the last few weeks that he would very much like to stay in Miami, provided the Heat can find him a suitable running mate.

      “It’s going to be fit with me first,” Wade said. “I’ve made that very clear. Do I want to leave? Nope. Mmm-hmm. I want to be in Miami. That’s where it starts.”

      “I don’t do recruiting. Not now, anyway.”

      “I don’t look at it as recruiting. I’ll gauge and see if guys want to be [in Miami], who wants to be with me.

      “It’s about who can come to Miami, it’s about who do you trust, who can fit the organization, who best fits you as a player, things of that nature.

      Chris Bosh would be ideal, and while LeBron would be an odd fit, I think a Lebron/Wade dynamic could work. After that, it’s not clear what free agents — Nowitzki, Amare, Boozer, Joe Johnson — would be the best fit. Wade could use a big man to run the pick and roll/pop and to be a force in the post to take some pressure off of him offensively. He had that in Shaq when he won the title in 2006.

      After LeBron, it appears that Bosh will be the next domino to fall in free agency. He is more coveted than Dirk (age), Amare and Boozer (dependability), so there are a number of teams with and without cap space that would love to have him.

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Albert Haynesworth and his agent should start a comedy tour together

      June 16, 2010 /

      I don’t really feel like working today, so I won’t. My writing talents are wasted on a blog like The Scores Report, so I think I’ll just sit at home, fire up re-runs of “Married With Children” and wait for my boss to find me another place of employment.

      If you think that sounds ridiculous, then you should hear some of the things Albert Haynesworth is saying through his agent.

      This is from the Washington Post:

      “The Redskins are trying to establish a new regime with new schemes at Redskins Park, and it is not an organization that Albert would have ever been attracted to just a short year ago – regardless of the money,” agent Chad Speck said in a phone interview. “He has made it clear to me that he does not want to play for the Washington Redskins.

      Once I re-attach my spleen from laughing too hard, I’ll get back to this post.

      He would have never been attracted to the Redskins a year ago, regardless of money? Who is Speck trying to fool with that comment? It was all about money last year when Haynesworth signed with the Redskins. If he were looking for the best situation, he would have re-signed with the Titans for less. Regardless of the money? Oh God, my spleen is giving out again…

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

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