You’ll have to forgive me for not falling out of my chair when news of O.J. Mayo and improper payments from an agent scrolled across my screen. If there was any surprise at all, it was mostly due to the fact that A) the details of Mayo’s involvement with an agent actually went public, B) this news went public before the NBA Draft, and C) USC said they knew nothing about it.
Rewind to the summer of 2006. Reports were swirling that O.J. Mayo, one of the top prospects still un-committed at that point, was suddenly interested in playing at USC. Mayo never met with Tim Floyd face-to-face. He sent a representative to talk with Floyd one afternoon who explained to the Trojans' head coach how Mayo’s desire was to “market himself to the NBA," and that Los Angeles was the perfect platform to do so. But, Mayo wanted all the attention, and therefore shied away from the shadows of Bill Walton, Lew Alcindor, and the 11 banners hanging in Westwood. Instead he wanted to be the focal point at USC. When a dumbfounded Floyd asked to call Mayo, the man said, “O.J. doesn’t give out his cell, he’ll call you.” The call came from Mayo later that night, and a verbal commitment followed. Who was the man that was representing Mayo that day? None other than Robert Guillory.
Floyd had questions but never asked. Therefore, he is just as guilty as the rest.
You may have heard the name Robert Guillory this week. He’s the guy who orchestrated Mayo’s recruitment to USC. He also allegedly paid Mayo $30,000 in cash and gifts for the past four years, including a flat-screen TV for his dorm room, cell phone bills, hotel rooms, and clothing according to a report from ESPN’s Outside the Lines. Guillory was funded by Bill Duffy Associates (BDA), a sports agency based in California. To get their hooks into Mayo early, BDA provided Guillory with over $200K, some of which he passed on to his young client, but most of which he kept for himself.
USC says they have no knowledge of Mayo receiving payments from Guillory, and you have to presume that they were in the dark. I mean, their star freshman from a poor area in Huntington, West Virginia having a giant flat-screen TV in his dorm room couldn’t have tipped them off. Neither could the fact that Guillory, who was around Mayo 24/7, was also involved with former USC player Jeff Trepagnier, who was suspended in 2000 for accepting plane tickets (from Guillory). Despite those infractions, USC did nothing to keep Guillory away, as he continued to attend sporting events and be around the basketball program.
So who’s to blame for the Mayo situation at USC? The answer is everybody. Bill Duffy and his slimy agency is guilty for funding their own chicken-hawk Robert Guillory. Guillory is guilty for setting up fake non-profit organizations to open up credit cards to fund his and Mayo’s lavish lifestyles. Mayo is guilty for turning a blind eye to the rule book and accepting payments when he knew it was wrong. Tim Floyd is guilty for not being curious as to why the recruitment of one of the nation’s top players took only a few hours before falling right in his lap. And USC is especially guilty for both refusing to investigate the stink surrounding Mayo’s fishy situation, or for being overwhelmingly stupid (and negligent) for not knowing what was going on right under their noses.
You know, I can’t help but feel I may have wasted my time writing this, and you may have wasted your time reading it. Despite Pat Forde’s call for the NCAA Death Penalty, we all know that nothing is going to come of all this. Sure, Guillory could be arrested, especially for the fraud he committed with the fake non-profit organization. Bill Duffy will probably take some heat in college basketball circles, but ultimately this will all go away for him in some time, as it does for all agencies linked to stories like these. Since nothing came of the situation involving Reggie Bush and his improper benefits, why would USC get punished this time around? They are a college football superpower in the 2nd largest market in the country. Squashing that athletic program would take a lot more guts than it took to crush SMU in the late 80’s. Maybe USC will get a slap on the wrist, but don’t hold your breath.
Reggie Bush was basically paid per back-flip during his time at USC
As for Mayo, he will lose nothing. Perhaps his meaningless records in his one season at USC will get wiped out, as will their forgettable first round NCAA Tournament appearance. Maybe they’ll take his pictures down at the Galen Center. Maybe his two high school state championships will get erased as well, which I’m sure will have Mayo crying himself to sleep. No, everything is fine and dandy for this kid, just like everything is peachy for Reggie Bush. ESPN NBA Draft guru Chad Ford spoke to an NBA General Manager this week who said that Mayo’s improper benefits were “a non-issue” and that if they “started eliminating prospects based off accusations that they’ve taken money or gifts, there wouldn’t be anyone left to draft.” Is that enough of a telling statement that this is taking place on a much larger scale? Another said, “You’ve got a poor kid who had a man come into his life and offer to buy him things. We’ve got to quit making these kids into criminals.” See, that right there is exactly the problem. Are these kids targeted and used by scumbag sports agents and agencies? Yes. Are they preyed on by chicken-hawks like Robert Guillory? Definitely. But, the bottom line is they know what they are doing is WRONG, and they should be held accountable for it. Instead of punishing them, we go after the agencies and the schools, and overly-sympathize with the kids for being the “victims” in the situation. Man, I would love to be the victim in a case where I got a free flat-screen TV. I would love to be the victim in the case where my parents were given a $750,000+ house. I would love to be the victim in a case where I received a diamond chain worth thousands of dollars for nothing. I would love to be victimized by Ed Martin, who shelled out over $600,000 to Michigan players like Chris Webber and Robert "Fatty" "Tractor" Traylor.
Victim? Please. Let’s call it what it really is.
One-and-done.
Or in Mayo’s case, one-and-take-the-money-and-run.
SHOOTING THE REST OF THE SPORTS WORLD: Swish: Dominic Rhodes
Colts fans should be happy to see Rhodes, one of the most overlooked keys to the Colts' 2006 Super Bowl run, back in Blue. Dom rushed for over 600 yards during the 2006 season, and turned in what should've been an MVP performance in Super Bowl XLI, rushing for 100+ yards and a score in the Colts' 29-17 victory. His off-the-field issues, which include a DUI and a domestic dispute, are a concern, but he fills a major area of need for Indianapolis. Joseph Addai has not yet proven that he can be an every-down back, and he has run out of gas in the 2nd half of each of the last two seasons. His backup Kenton Keith is a nice #3, but can't be relied on in big situations. Mike Hart is an intriguing prospect, but because he was on TV and played for a high-profile program at Michigan, Colts fans are overrating him. I don't often live-and-die with 40-times but when you run a 4.7 and you're 5'9, 195, that is molasses-slow. An average 40-time for someone that size should be in the 4.3-4.5 range. The good news is that Hart is a great pass-catcher/blocker, but It will take at least a year for him to get acclimated with the offense - something that Rhodes already knows well. Dom was one of the most well-liked and well-respected players in the Colts' locker room and his return should only help this team.
Rhodes is a fan-favorite who should've been MVP of Super Bowl XLI
Brick: James Hardy
What is it with wide receivers and guns lately? Well unlike the shooting involving Marvin Harrison's gun, at least Hardy's gun wasn't fired. The former IU football standout and Buffalo Bills draftee reportedly got into an argument with his father, James Hardy II, and it escalated to the point where the younger Hardy pulled out a gun. No one was injured in the incident, and Hardy does have a permit to carry the firearm, so no charges will be filed. Still, this is not good news for a player that had issues with domestic abuse and suspensions during his record-setting time at Indiana. Hardy's immaturity and lack of common sense could cause his NFL career to be derailed before it starts. Let's hope that he can get everything straightened out, because with the current situation in Buffalo, Hardy is talented enough to win that #2 job alongside Lee Evans right out of the gate.
Air Ball: Road teams in the NBA Playoffs
Who knew that home-court advantage would mean so much in this year's NBA Playoffs? That is perhaps the only reason that the Boston Celtics still have a chance at an NBA Championship. The C's fell to 0-5 on the road this postseason after an 88-77 loss to Cleveland on Monday night. But, Boston is not alone. San Antonio and New Orleans have each kept serve at home during their series, now tied at 2-2. Ditto for Utah and Los Angeles. In fact, the only team that has shown any ability to win on the road during the playoffs thus far are the Detroit Pistons. After a Game 4 win in Orlando without Chauncey Billups over the weekend, Detroit improved to 3-2 on the road during this postseason. The rest of the teams still alive are just 8-22 combined away from home.
The Lakers and Celtics can't rely on homecourt to pave their way to a Championship
Swish: Scott Dixon
Dixon took the pole with a four-lap average of 226.366 mph in what was seemingly the only non-rainy day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dixon, as well as teammate and 2005 Indy Champ Dan Wheldon, made it a clean sweep of the top two positions for Chip Ganassi. Dixon has never won the Indianapolis 500, falling just short of Dario Franchitti last season in both the race (2nd) and the points standings (-13). Don't sleep on Ryan Briscoe, who will start third. The newest member of Team Penske ran well at Indy last year and could be a potential darkhorse in a field that includes several favorites.
Brick: LeBron James
After I write this, LeBron will probably turn in a performance similar to his 48-point outburst in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season in Detroit. But, despite his play not reaching that legendary plateau, LeBron's team has rallied to climb back into their series with the Celtics. James saved a little bit of face by shooting 7-20 in a Game 4 win, but for the series he is just 20-78 (26%) from the floor, and has scored just 75 points, 30 of which have come from the free throw line. If there is one aspect of LeBron's arsenal that still needs fine-tuning, it's his perimeter shooting. Give credit to the Celtics for forcing LeBron to make shots and keeping him away from the hoop. That being said, if you told me before the series that LeBron would shoot 26% for the first four games and average under 20 points per game, I would've picked Boston to sweep. Cleveland has to be THRILLED with where they are at right now.
Air Ball: Mother Nature
Rain caused cancellations of practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and qualifying on Sunday. So far, non-rookies have only had two days of track time, counting Saturday's Pole Day. The IMS refused to let drivers on the track on the scheduled off-days of Monday and Tuesday despite perfect weather. Rain is in the forecast for Wednesday, when practice re-opens, and over the weekend.
It's been a frustrating start to the Month of May
The Shots Fantasy Update:
Robinson Cano & Co. II def. *, 6-4 - Fantasy Baseball
Robinson Cano & Co. II def. Stewie, 5-4-1 - Fantasy Baseball Two straight weeks and two straight winning outcomes - that's what matters right now. My overall record is just 21-28-1 but at least the team is starting to show some signs of life. With Alex Rodriguez on the DL, other players needed to step up, and finally Russell Martin (HR, 5 RBI, .302) and Brad Hawpe (2 HR, 8 RBI) are starting to come around. The bullpen has been a nice surprise, and I think I did a good thing letting Gagne go and grabbing Washington’s Jon Rauch (3 SV, 7 scoreless appearances). The Wilson boys- CJ and Brian - have been nice late-round pickups as well (18 SV combined).
Up to 5th place, 570 points the last two weeks – Fantasy NASCAR It has taken just a month to climb from 11th to 5th thanks to another 300+ point performance last week and a solid 260 point output on Saturday. Denny Hamlin led 381 laps, crashed late, but still got me a respectable 74 points two weeks ago, and Saturday he scored 88 more points. Meanwhile, my B Group drivers, Mark Martin and Martin Truex, Jr., both scored top-five finishes last week, and C Group stud Travis Kvapil (16th, 8th) has been great. I still may be in 5th place, but I’m only 56 points from the podium, and 106 points out of first – that deficit can be made up in two weeks.
Chuckie Three Stick-Up, 174 points the last two weeks – Fantasy Golf I made up 98 points last week because the dude in front of me didn’t set his lineup. Every little bit helps. One more week of that, and I’ll only be five points out of the basement. This week we basically broke even, despite him having Tiger Woods (out) in his lineup.
The Shots What to Watch this week:
Utah at LA Lakers, Wednesday
Call me crazy, but I originally picked the Jazz to take this series, and I'm sticking by it. After the Lakers rallied from a double-digit deficit with three minutes to go to force overtime in Game 4, I thought Utah was dead in the water. But, the Jazz overcame the momentum swing, and still were able to close out the Lakers and tie the series. The Lakers aren't accustomed to playing the physical style of basketball that Utah employs. However, if the referees continue to call the games in Los Angeles as closely as they did in Games 1 & 2, then Utah isn't going to be able to win at the Staples Center.
Tampa Bay at St. Louis, Friday-Sunday
I'm sure this is an Interleague matchup that you had circled on your calendar at the start of the season. Entering play on Tuesday, the red-hot Rays had won five straight while the Cardinals have been one of the pleasant surprises in the National League. Both of these teams early success can be attributed to the pitching staffs. St. Louis and Tampa Bay are both in the top ten in baseball in ERA and WHIP.
Break up the Rays!
NY Mets at NY Yankees, Friday-Sunday
Two of baseball’s bigger disappointments meet in the Bronx this weekend for Big Apple bragging rights. Unlike the Mets, at least the Yankees have injuries to blame their slow start on. They have been without the middle of their lineup - Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez - over the past few weeks. Though the Mets did lose Pedro Martinez, their lineup has mostly been intact, but Ryan Church is the only regular batting over .280. The Yankees won’t go anywhere unless they get something out of youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy (combined 0-6, 8+ ERA) in the starting rotation, and the Mets aren’t a playoff team if Jose Reyes’ OBP doesn’t improve dramatically from its current .335 clip.
The Shots YouTube clips this week:
Sports related -
I was going to put a clip up of Kirk Gibson's dramatic 1988 World Series homer, but apparently MLB issued a copyright on the video this past week. So instead, I'll give you this... By the way, this isn't me. But, I do have that jersey (and that's a sweet Giants banner in the background). I have done the starting lineups before in my basement, but that was when I was like 10 and not some 20-something. This is indeed the lineup for the 1997-98 Knicks. Just to one-up this kid, I can do the complete starting lineups dating back to the 1988-89 season. If that doesn't totally impress you, then I give up.
Non-sports related -
The Christmas in which I got a Nerf Arrowstorm may have been the best day of my life up to that point. If this commercial wasn’t 90’s enough for you, you may recognize the kid in it…he’s Junior, Quarterback in the Little Giants, and later on, Dave in Slackers (very underrated flick).
The Shots Chick Pick this week: Leslie Bibb
It's a shame that she's only on TV shows that old people watch (CSI: Miami, ER), but you can check her out on the big-screen in the new release of Ironman as well as Talladega Nights (seen here).
See you next week (I promise).
Listen to Derek as he hosts the Xtra Large Lunch, every weekday from noon to 1 PM on XL 950!
