Answers, Part 6

Which video was the greater spoof? The walk-on video or the USC-Stanford game tape?

Q: Why don’t sports reporters understand that the NCAA and individual schools have little to no investigative power?
Lets say Floyd saw the LCD TV in Mayo’s bedroom and he said, “Hey man, where did you get that TV?”
Mayo, “My Uncle got it for me for a birthday present.”
What is Floyd supposed to do? Hack into the Uncle’s credit card account and verify that he bought the TV?
It seems to me that if the NCAA was serious about stopping these kinds of things they would lobby Congress and the Pro leagues to ban agents who are found to have provided improper benefits for life and to ban athletes that accepted improper benefits from being drafted/signed for a few years.
There needs to be a deterrent for the agents and players, as of right now all of the punishment falls on the school.
Why don’t the NCAA and schools like USC lobby for something like that and why do sports reporters ignore that part of the problem?
If colleges are going to be the minor leagues for the NFL and the NBA while at the same time attempting to have their athletes remain “amateur”, an agreement with the leagues on this matter seems to be the most logical way to go about combating this problem.

A: Pete Carroll’s actually been aggressive in preventing agents from contacting underclassmen, but it only applies to football. NCAA president Myles Brand said last week the organization cannot be policemen. It’s also difficult for USC to perform a similar function for all its athletes. But you should be wondering why Floyd actually associated with an NCAA identified “runner.” And as it turned it, Louis Johnson’s presence in the locker room meant a convicted drug dealer was also allowed access.

Q: Can you help me. I am trying to remember a Trojain football player from 3 to 5 years back, he was on defense I recall and came back from injuries and health issues. He had talent and was a projected NFL player before the health problems and injuries? I think he had the interception against UCLA between his legs. Was it Maurice and Marquis Simmons’ brother? What is his name and where is he now? Or is it someone else, can you please tell us about him. I forgot abou him I think he entered in the Hackett years.

A: You are thinking of Antuan Simmons, who is not related to the current Simmons brothers who have committed to USC. Antuan Simmons was playing arena football the last time I talked to him.

Q: Louis Johnson gets banished from the newspaper world and sports writing after a cocaine conviction. Louis hooks on with Guillory as part of Mayo’s inner circle. BDA cuts off funding to Guillory after it finds out Guillory is a thief. Guillory cuts off Johnson from Mayo’s inner circle. Louis threatens to go public with accusations about Guillory and Mayo.
Johnson, now unemployed again, tells ESPN he will give them the scoop. Louis gets national TV and Internet exposure, which will help him pimp his upcoming book. Money-money-money, money! Remember the old song? Some people will do anything for money, and apparently they have in the Mayo situation. Agree with all this or disagree … and why or why not?

A: Disagree. Sports agents routinely pay money under the table so I don’t think Guillory could be a “thief.” It’s pretty much an accepted practice. I could envision any sports agent saying $200,000 is enough, however. Louis Johnson does seem to be trying to make money off this situation, so I tend to agree with that part.