USC Self-Imposed Sanctions Include Post-Season Ban and Forfeiture of Wins

Los Angeles, Calif. - The University of Southern California (USC) today announced that it has implemented self-imposed sanctions on its men’s basketball program for violating NCAA rules. 

The sanctions are a result of a University investigation that found NCAA rules violations related to O.J. Mayo, who played for the USC’s men’s basketball team during the 2007-2008 season.

“USC takes allegations of NCAA rules violations very seriously.  When allegations were made regarding our men’s basketball program we immediately began an investigation and worked closely with the NCAA and the Pac-10 in an attempt to ascertain the truth,” said USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett.  “When we’ve done something wrong, we have an obligation to do something about it and that is exactly what we are doing here.”

The self-imposed sanctions for the men’s basketball program include a one-year ban on post-season competition following the 2009-2010 regular season, including the Pac-10 Conference basketball tournament; a reduction of one scholarship for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years; a reduction by one of the number of coaches permitted to engage in off-campus recruiting activities during the summer of 2010, and a reduction in the total number of recruiting days by twenty days (from 130 to 110) for the 2010-2011 academic year.

In addition, because of Mayo’s involvement with Rodney Guillory, whom under NCAA rules became a USC booster due to his role in Mayo’s recruitment, USC will vacate all wins during the 2007-2008 regular season, which was when Mayo competed while ineligible.  USC will also return to the NCAA the money it received through the Pac-10 Conference for its participation in the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. 

These self-imposed sanctions impact only the men’s basketball program, and do not affect any other program.

“We have very high standards for our faculty, athletic department, staff and students,” said USC Senior Vice President Todd R. Dickey.  “We expect and demand that everyone associated with the University live up to these standards.  Nothing is more important than the integrity of this institution and its people.”

Mr. Garrett said, “We believe the self-imposed sanctions are consistent with penalties imposed at other NCAA member institutions which have been cited with similar rules infractions.  Although we are disappointed that rules were violated, we look forward to moving past this matter and to the future success of our men’s basketball program.”

Kevin O’Neill, head men’s basketball coach for USC added, "I think the University did the right thing in self-imposing sanctions.  I respect and understand the action that was taken. Our players have risen to many challenges already this season and I am proud of what they have accomplished.  I am confident that they will rise to this latest challenge. 

“As their coach, I will do everything in my power to make our program better on and off the court every day,” he said. “Our job as a team now is to move forward in a positive manner.  We have 16 games left to play this season.  I have no doubt that our players will prepare and play well in those games. While it is unfortunate that our players won't have the chance to compete in the post-season, that just makes every game for us now a post-season game.”

Mr. Garrett concluded, “While we recognize there may be additional questions about our announcement today or other alleged NCAA infractions, until the NCAA concludes its inquiries, we cannot make any further comment.”

Iverson Experiment On The Verge Of Blowing Up In Memphis

Well, that didn't take long. Less than a week into his Memphis Grizzlies career, Allen Iverson is not exactly happy with his current role of bench player. And who could blame him?

He's one of the 50 greatest players in the history of the NBA. Heck, you could even argue that pound-for-pound, inch-for-inch, he is THE greatest.

After playing only 18 minutes in his season debut--a loss in Sacramento--AI dropped the following quote on reporters after someone asked about his apparent sixth man role.

“No. I’m not a bench player. I’m not a sixth man,” Iverson said. “Look at my resume and that’ll show I’m not a sixth man. I don’t think it has anything to do with me being selfish. It’s just who I am. I don’t want to change what gave me all the success that I’ve had since I’ve been in this league. I’m not a sixth man. And that’s that.”

You know what? He's absolutely right. He's not a sixth man. He's a bonafide starter in this league, even after 13 bruise-filled seasons. I know that. You know that. He knows that. And the Grizzlies should have known that.

However, if for some reason, Memphis management actually thought AI couldn't deliver like the AI of old, they certainly didn't tell him that during the recruitment process, as Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace recently revealed on WHBQ-AM in Memphis.

“We had some discussions with him, but basically it’s like it is with all players," said Wallace. "You come in, lets see what you can do, let’s see how it fits in, maybe its starting, maybe its coming off the bench, let the coach determine how he feels like he can best exploit your talents and we’ll go from there."

You had discussions? Let's see how it fits in? Maybe it's starting, maybe it's coming off the bench? Uh, you kind of left that whole thing a little open-ended, didn't you Chris?

If what Wallace says is true and I'm the player in question, what he just said tells me that if I can prove to the coach that I am good enough to start, then I will start. Seems pretty plain and simple, and I am fairly certain that's exactly how Iverson read it as well.

However, it doesn't seem that Lionel Hollins quite sees it that way, or he's been told to see it another way. OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay have been penciled in as the foundation for this franchise going forward--that is, if the Grizzlies can sign Gay to a long-term deal.

These two young phenoms could be some of the best players of their generation, but their time is not now. It's in the future. In other words, the Grizzlies are smack-dab in the middle of a rebuilding process--something that AI never heard from Memphis, but something he wasn't trying to hear either.

"Nobody ever said anything about rebuilding. You know I wouldn't have come to a team, at 34 years old, that was in a rebuilding process," Iverson said. "I'm trying to win a championship. I thought I would have won a championship by now. I didn't come here for no money. I didn't come here for another scoring title or an All-Star game. I've done all that stuff. I want to win. If we are not trying to win, I have a problem. I'm assuming we are trying to win."

Evidently, Iverson and the Grizzlies don't share that assumption, or much else for that matter.

(Iverson and the Grizzlies play the Lakers Friday night on FS West HD and the Clippers Saturday night on Prime Ticket HD.)

Eric Gordon Named To NBA All-Rooke Second Team

Despite finishing 3rd among all rookies in scoring, Eric Gordon did not make the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Instead, the Clippers guard had to settle for Second Team honors, as if that is something to be ashamed of.

Gordon averaged 16 points a game for LA, while shooting 46% from the field and 39% from 3-point range. I thought there would be a chance that he would make the first team considering his consistent production, but there was quite a bit of competition this season among a strong rookie class.

Chicago's Derrick Rose and Memphis' OJ Mayo were unanimous selections to the First Team.

NBA Names All-Rookie Teams

OJ Mayo Whistleblower Not Done Yet

Now that OJ Mayo has made the leap to the NBA, he will likely not have to deal with the allegations that he received improper benefits during his one season at USC. However, that doesn't mean that this story is going away.

See for yourself in this Sporting News article by Victoria Sun, who recently spoke to the man who blew the whistle on Rodney Guillory.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=428460