Weekly Answers, Pt. 5
Check after the jump for this round of Answers...
1) Any take on why Seantrel Henderson chose to make a big-splash NYC-televised verbal commitment to U$C near the end of NSD, then within hours we find out it's just a verbal while he and his family/handlers wait to see if there are NCAA sanctions against U$C? - Tim Warren
A take? Here's a take: This whole recruiting crap has gotten out of hand with verbal commitments and silent commitments and super-silent commitments and mute commitments. It's all a joke. Kids want to make a splash and then they end up flaming out. I applaud him taking his time to make a decision, but to go about it in such a manner is disturbing.
2) What kind of sanctions do you expect USC to receive from the NCAA? Why hasn't the university imposed any sanctions on themselves? What impact will this have on the Bruin program? - TennesseeBruin
I don't expect the sanctions to be anywhere near as big as UCLA fans think. The alleged violations weren't recruiting violations, and while it is clear that Pete Carroll didn't run the cleanest program in the world, to expect the guillotine is wishful thinking. Unless the sanctions are for future restrictions - missed bowl games, losses of scholarships, etc - it doesn't impact the Bruins at all.
3) Whats your take on the ucla fans that keep bringing up sanctions on usc and ucla boards? Don't you think it would be more beneficial to worry about one's own program then wish for the worst on another team? - Anonymous
Directly related to the previous question, and the answer is yes, but I understand the hatred between the two schools. It does get tiresome having to swat away USC fans and instigators.
4) What exactly do the 1-star/NR players (other than Embree) contribute to the team. Are they all "Rudy's" who get their clocks cleaned at practice? - BostonBruin
Some are projects, some weren't properly evaluated because they committed so early, some are practice contributors.
5) What is Ben Olson's day job? - anonymousHe works in sales but is interested in pursuing radio at least on the side.
Dude,
He's being an objective reporter. If you need to find an irrational "homer" you'll have to find a less professional reporter.
Is this going to be like when Gold said he didn't think the Trojans were out of line at the end of the most recent football rivalry game?
Just about everybody called for his head. It reminded me of the USC posters who jump all over Scott Wolf.
The NCAA Committee on Infractions hearing is scheduled for Feb 19-21st in Tempe, AZ. You have to wonder if Garrett can handle the tough questions. (HINT - he can't) We all know from Kiffin's pressor that he can't handle TJ Slimers' tough questions, so how can he handle the NCAA COI's questions???
The NCAA had folded the two basketball and football investigations into one so it can review the entire athletic department's culpability in any possible infractions. That is par for the course in investigations since a failure to monitor can be applied to the entire department.
The NCAA will make public the committee on infractions report when a decision on any punishment is rendered. That can be six to eight weeks after a hearing, meaning that it might not be until the spring when more details emerge on the violations that were uncovered in the football and basketball case.
Getting nervous, trogans? LOL
For those of you who want to see some of the results of the yahoo investigation of Reggie Bush and his family, check this site:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ys-bushdocuments011008&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
USC didn't impose any sanctions because they didn't want to impact this last recruiting class. Will the sanctions be severe?...not likely. Let's face it - it's all about the Benjamins and the NCAA is not going to bite the hand that feeds them. USC is one of the premier teams and brings in a large LA and national following. If this were Washington State, maybe the hammer comes down a little harder. USC, nope...although I think the Kiffin hiring makes it a bit more difficult to talk down the sanctions that do get handed out, imo.
cranium - did Wolf go to USC? Did Gold go to UCLA? Therein lies the difference, me thinks.
Oh my Gawd! Just read a story that good 'ole Reggie has reneged on delivering promised scholarship funds!
Here's the link to the story:
http://www.10news.com/news/22481252/detail.html
What a douche! Typical of a trogan.
For one, the NCAA denying USC's request to self-sanction is a 100% internet fabrication.. Never happened, totally fictitious, nowhere near the realm of reality. Second, as a lifelong UCLA fan and graduate I am sick and tired of coming to places like this site and seeing USC-related questions... If we focused more on the UCLA program and how to win more than 50% of our games, and less on the guys across town, perhaps we'll get the program to a prominent level... But to drone on and on and on about USC, sanctions, what should be done, what will be done, asking a UCLA blogger about USC serves no purpose... I'm sick of hearing "USC fans wake up in the morning and are concerned about what's going on at USC.. UCLA fans wake up in the morning and are concerned about what's going on with USC"... This obsession just has to stop.
Scott Wolf did go to USC.
I guess you don't think.
Looking at the rivals link and even putting on my favorite UCLA hat here, I fail to see how Reggie's self-dealing ties directly to the SC program. No doubt he and his family were on the take and SC will likely vacate wins because of this, but I just don't see any evidence which shows SC knew of it. Without that sort of evidence, I don't expect anything heavy from the NCAA for the program moving forward.
What is with the fixation on what, if any, sanction(s) u$c is going to received. Jon is the UCLA beat reporter, not u$c. Asking him to predict what the NCAA is going to do with u$c is like asking him to predict who will win the next presidential election. This is like in high school where the unpopular kids are fixated on the popular ones and are always trying to over-analyze everything that the popular kids do and say and trying to justify why they are not popular. Let it go already!!!! Lets concentrate on UCLA!!!!
My favorite comment in the second link was:
"What about all that money he earned while playing for Pete Carroll at USC?"
haha...what a douche
We should talk about USC more.
"Anonymous said:
Whats your take on the ucla fans that keep bringing up sanctions on usc and ucla boards? Don't you think it would be more beneficial to worry about one's own program then wish for the worst on another team?"
So by that logic, if the police arrest a suspect/criminal, we shouldn't be pleased that the suspect/criminal cannot further perpetrate alleged crimes against us or others, nor should we hope they are found guilty and sentenced accordingly. SoCal logic?
Clearly I touched a nerve, and with the NCAA hearing only days away in this recruiting offseason, this is a relevant question. Any true Bruin could probably state 5 Wooden quotes about why we shouldn't obsess over USC but we may have an opportunity, however small, to gain ground on our number one opponent. If we're a "for profit" program, just like the NCAA and USC, then we need to capitalize on any USC weakness. This is competitive business and it's beneficial to UCLA. The same is true for car companies who benchmark against Toyota and offer trade-in specials for recalled vehicles.