Mayo in the news...again

[MADXSTER]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-mayo12-2008may12,0,49536.story

Allegedly taking money while at USC.....not that I think he's guilty or not but it wouldn't surprise me if he did take the money.

[Juice]

"I haven't gotten any benefits, nothing," he said before playing in the McDonald's All-American high school game in March 2007. "I still live in the same house, my momma drives the same car, she has the same job. ... As long as we have goals, we're not going to have time for the agents and stuff. We're all going to be focused. We all have the same goal, to win a national championship."


As Pat Forde said in his article, how come OJ is perceived as this "poor" kid with grew up with no money his whole life but he is able to afford a flat screen TV and the newest clothes? His "momma" has the same job, but yet she is able to afford new things for him? That cannot be explained nor can Floyd or USC claim innocence. From Reggie Bush to OJ Mayo, USC should be in some trouble. I personally dislike OJ Mayo from his days at NCH and he has done nothing to change my opinion. I know it is not right to root for the demise of a kid of this age, but I am. His ego is inflated and he is going to learn some lessons in the NBA next year.

ESPN has about 5 articles on this plus a video. ESPN claims they have copies of the receipts which will serve as evidence for this whole thing.

[wkrq59]

Juice & Madxter,
ESPN has uncovered the tip of the iceberg.
The UC Huggs lovers should be grateful, but they won't be, when this comes out if it does: before Ellis got into trouble and was ineligible, and long before Walker was ineligible and Mayo split for West Virginia, The Coiffed One had that trio all set to commit to UC. He, in fact, had a hand in OJ and Walker transferring to NCH. And Michael Beasley would have been here, too, even before he gave an oral to Charlotte and then broke it to go to KState.
ESPN apparently has this thing so tied down that NCH and USC and maybe even KState are looking at serious sanctions.
USC could get the death penalty if the Reggie Bush and Mayo things come in together. If either Carroll or Floyd knew anything about the Bush-Mayo situations that's all she wrote.
Oh, and don't feel sorry for NCH. The AD there let that guardian or "grandfather" run the show. All three of those guys were untouchables and several parents of girls they dallied with were bought off.
Just a few questions:
Why didn't the OHSAA check those three out thoroughly before the transfer was approved? Why didn't NCH officials from the school super to the principal to the Nichol to Mahaffey ask more questions? And finally, why didn't both newspapers--there were two then--have their preps beat men asking questions? Wondering why Barnes was allowed to control access to those kids?
The UC faithful can thank their lucky stars Nancy Zimpher was pushed into a corner by Huggs and forced to buy him out. Otherwise, UC instead of USC and maybe KState would be facing the NCAA probers.
Future student bodies and teams at North College Hill will probably have to pay for the greed that led them to bury their heads in the sand.
All that having been said, Mayo and by association Walker are innocent until proved guilty.
But here is one thing for sure that every single college and university in the country and every NCAA investigaator had better take a long look at: AAU summer basketball which sadly appears to have become a early minor league for the NBA and by association a developmental ground for the colleges.
You can be certain teams beaten by USC and maybe by KState, will be asking a helluva lot of questions.:D

[D-West & PO-Z]

"I haven't gotten any benefits, nothing," he said before playing in the McDonald's All-American high school game in March 2007. "I still live in the same house, my momma drives the same car, she has the same job. ... As long as we have goals, we're not going to have time for the agents and stuff. We're all going to be focused. We all have the same goal, to win a national championship."


As Pat Forde said in his article, how come OJ is perceived as this "poor" kid with grew up with no money his whole life but he is able to afford a flat screen TV and the newest clothes? His "momma" has the same job, but yet she is able to afford new things for him? That cannot be explained nor can Floyd or USC claim innocence. From Reggie Bush to OJ Mayo, USC should be in some trouble. I personally dislike OJ Mayo from his days at NCH and he has done nothing to change my opinion. I know it is not right to root for the demise of a kid of this age, but I am. His ego is inflated and he is going to learn some lessons in the NBA next year.

ESPN has about 5 articles on this plus a video. ESPN claims they have copies of the receipts which will serve as evidence for this whole thing.

Its easy to look at Mayo and say that you dont like him and root against him, but its hard to say what you would do as a young poor kid in that same situation. You have people throwing money at you when you dont have any yourself and you think hey what can be the harm in taking this. He made a mistake and USC should definitely noticed, but I dont hope he fails in life now. I blame USC and these damn boosters more than anyone.

[wkrq59]

I don't dislike Mayo, or Walker or the Ellis kid. But I firmly believe they've been used like whores and with a couple of 'em the check bounced.
As I said, the real culprits are the people who sponsor and run the so-called Amateur Athletic Union summer programs. Not the Books or any like them but the Sonny Vacaros and the other shoe and equipment hustlers. And like a lot of people, I wonder what's in those logo garment bags and equipment and uniform bags besides a jersey, underwear, shorts and shoes. How about a knockoff immitation Rolex or Tag Heuer watch. They don't cost thousands, just $250 minimum. Or the rooms in the casino hotels in Las Vegas? Or the meals? Do you believe those kids don't have access to the in-room movies??? Who pays for the air fare to and from? Who supplies the ground transportation? Is it limos or old school buses that aren't air conditioned in 100 degree heat--in the evening? That's what I don't like. O.J. Mayo I don't dislike or like. I surely don't like the way he has apparently been used? Or has he?:D

[Juice]

Most of my dislike for Mayo does not come from him accepting gifts off the court. You are right, I do not know what I would do in that situation, but hopefully I would realize that my payday would be coming soon enough and I should just hold off on screwing over the institutions that are allowing me to play for them. Anways, my dislike for Mayo comes from his on court behavior. His ego is huge and he has a terrible attitude when things were going wrong. Has anyone seen the youtube video when he dunks the ball on the Little Sisters of the Poor and then grabs the ball and wont give it back? Besides the youtube video, I have seen him play in real life on couple of occasions and he was a jerk in those games too. He is a jackass and really is not even that good. He is a tweaner gaurd who will face a hard reality in the NBA. His draft position is most likely outside the top 5, and I hope it drops even further. This coming from a kid who everyone anointed the next Lebron.

[Juice]

Here is an update from the Enquirer's Prep Sports Blog:

OHSAA: NCH can keep trophies

You've probably heard by now about the ESPN story regarding allegations that O.J. Mayo accepted gifts dating back to his North College Hill basketball days.

It appears NCH is in no danger of losing its 2005 and '06 state title trophies, based on Bylaw 11-1-1 which requires protests to be filed within a 42-day window of state title games.

Here is a brief I filed earlier:

North College Hill appears in no danger of having to forfeit any of its boys’ state basketball titles in the O.J. Mayo “gifts” case, an Ohio High School Athletic Association official said today.

OHSAA assistant commissioner Bob Goldring referred to OHSAA bylaw 11-1-1, which reads:
“Concerns relative to the eligibility of a player on a competing team shall be presented, when discovered, to the principal for investigation. A written request for investigation of eligibility may be filed with the Commissioner in any sport, but no requests will be considered which are filed more than 42 days following the last day of the state championship in that sport.”

Said Goldring: “I’m pretty sure that 42-day rule would apply, and there’s nothing we could do to go back on that.”

NCH probably would not be subject to any additional penalties, Goldring said, based on the 42-day rule.

Mayo played on NCH’s Ohio Division III state title teams in 2005 and 2006.

NCH athletic director Joe Nickel said he was surprised to learn of the new allegations about Mayo.

“We never saw any evidence of anything,” Nickel said. “The family had a pretty tight rein on him, so it’s quite surprising if in fact it is true.”



Well NCH will escape all punishment. Doesn't that rule seem dumb to anyone else? Only 42 days? A lot of time these things dont turn up until years later, like in this case. How would any one know the eligibility concerning a player only a month and a half after the game? And I find hard to believe that NCH was oblivious to any wrong doing by Mayo considering he was suspended from school on at least one occasion.

[MADXSTER]

The Mayo saga continues

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nationworld/wire/ats-ap_sports13may12,1,254501.story

And how about this....USC loses two schollys due to grades

http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-ncaa7-2008may07,0,350770.story

And how about Reggie Bush still being in the news

http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-bush3-2008may03,0,6764119.story

Hell, USC all by themselves can hold the NCAA ruling commity hostage with all of the crap their into.

[wkrq59]

If you'll all look at today's Enquirer (Tuesday), you'll find Goldring doing a 180 after talking with his associates, NCH ain't out of the woods.
But this story is just beginning to get interesting. Check out Paul Daugherty's column today in Enky. As I said in a previous post. ESPN's story just the iceberg's tip. I predict :
1)Other papers and news outlets will be involved and start digging. Fox News will blame every Democrat who ever lived and the New York Times will blame everyone, Republican and Democrat.
2)North College Hill will suffer some sanctions, probably suspension from post-season play to probation with slap-on-the-wrist.
3)As I've said before, if Reggie story is proved and Mayo is even further substantiated, USC will be the second school in NCAA history to face the death penalty...It's what they deserve but in all likelihood will avoid. But they'll take a hit it will take years to recover from.
4)There will be a congressional investigation complete with TV and much posturing. Hell, it's an election year and the economy is in the crapper. Why not another diversion?
5)The AAU summer tournaments and leagues will be heavily scrutinized, but really, nothing will come of it. Just warnings from concerned college administrators. And the good programs that actually help kids be noticed and eventually get scholarships they might not, will suffer. There's always an innocent bystander, it would seem.
And the sun will rise--somewhere--and Annie will sing her song and Bull Durham and Major League will continue to join Slap Shot in being replayed on my DVD.
Oh, and Kevin's Angel Family will continue to ever be at our sides. :)

[Stonebreaker]

Kids who put their schools in binds should be held liable for the damage they caused. I'd like to see schools go after them with a civil suit (not that it would happen). It would be one of the few times I support a lawsuit.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Kids who put their schools in binds should be held liable for the damage they caused. I'd like to see schools go after them with a civil suit (not that it would happen). It would be one of the few times I support a lawsuit.

Please, USC is more at fault here than Mayo. The Guillory guy is a regular around the locker room. I mean c'mon. I would guess USC did more than just turn a blind eye to it. USC could have stopped this easily, they deserve what they get. If they didnt call Mayo out on it while he was winning them games and making them money, then they sure as hell shouldnt have the right to call him out after he leaves.

[Juice]

Please, USC is more at fault here than Mayo. The Guillory guy is a regular around the locker room. I mean c'mon. I would guess USC did more than just turn a blind eye to it. USC could have stopped this easily, they deserve what they get. If they didnt call Mayo out on it while he was winning them games and making them money, then they sure as hell shouldnt have the right to call him out after he leaves.


I agree with you on this one. USC will claim innocence stating that they were oblivious to it at all but their track record proves otherwise. They did not have to take the kid in the first place, but they knew what they were getting and proceeded otherwise.

But Stoney does bring up a good point as well. A lot of these kids do not care about the reprecussions unless it affects them. If the school did act in good faith and had no reason to know, some kind of fine or punishment or whatever should be assessed on the kid. That would be the hardest punishment to enforce out of any of the parties that could be at fault.

One penalty some talking head on TV suggested would be for the NBA to fine or suspend any agency found to have illegal contact with these kids.