College Sports

USC may have stepped into it this time.

Southern Cal is being investigated… again… in regard to the O.J. Mayo mess. All those surprised raise your hands.

Anyone?

I didn’t think so.

When Mayo declared his intention to attend USC, he did it in an unusual manner. According to USC head coach Tim Floyd, one day a stranger walked into his office. The stranger, Rodney Guillory, who is now at the center of the recruiting scandal involving Mayo.

Guillory asked Floyd if he was interested in having the best high school player in the nation come to USC. When Floyd found out it was Mayo, he thought it was a joke. Surely Mayo, a senior at Huntington High School in Huntington, W.Va., was going to attend a higher profile school, or one closer to home.

But Guillory let Floyd know that Mayo wanted to build his image prior to going to the NBA. He wanted to be in Los Angeles. But he didn’t want to go to UCLA… they had the championships and history. He wanted to come to USC and have a tradition built around him.

Floyd asked for Mayo’s number, and said he would call the high school senior.

Nope, said Guillory. Nobody has Mayo’s number. He’ll call you.

Sure, thought Floyd.

But later that evening, he got the call. “Coach, this is O.J. Mayo. I’d like to come play for your school.”

Mayo had never visited the campus, had no idea who else was on the team. Floyd was confused, but went with the flow, figuring that the verbal commitment was worth little. After all, at the end of the call, when Floyd asked for Mayo’s number, Floyd was told no, Mayo would get in touch with him.

But when signing day came months later, there was Mayo’s paperwork coming across the fax.

Now, not quite two years later, that serendipitous meeting with Guillory has a shadowy tint about it. It appears that Guillory is a runner, a person who serves as a go-between with student-athletes and agents. It is reported that Guillory, who was involved in the suspension of another USC athlete in 2000, gave Mayo money and bought him thousands of dollars worth of clothes… and that the money came from BDA, the agency of Bill Duffy, who represents numerous NBA and WNBA players. And on draft day, Calvin Andrews, an agent with BDA, will be representing Mayo.

The whole story came to light when Louis Johnson, a friend of both Mayo and Guillory, told all to ESPN’s Outside the Lines.

USC is cooperating completely in the investigation.

You bet they are.

Coming on the heels of the Reggie Bush scandal, USC is starting to have the appearance of a program on the edge. USC was well aware of Guillory’s past. Tito Maddox, a former player for Fresno State, and Jeff Trepagnier of USC, were both suspended for fully one-third of the 2000-2001 season because Guillory bought them plane tickets and gave other inducements while working as a runner for Franchise Sports out of Las Vegas.

The man has a history, and USC should have been aware. Heck, Guillory didn’t try to hide his role in the saga, he regaled in it. He boldly walked into Floyd’s office and worked the deal. I have to believe that most other coaches would have said, “Thanks, but no thanks.” Can you imagine Mike Kryzewski even letting this guy in his office?

When CBSsportsline.com tried to ask questions prior to Mayo’s signing, no one at USC would talk, or even return phone calls. Now, coaches aren’t allowed to discuss the recruitment of specific athletes until they sign. But athletic director Mike Garrett did let the coaching staff know, and they passed the word to Guillory… who told the interviewer from CBSsportsline.com.

Hmmm.

So what’s with USC? Do they think they are in the proverbial bubble out in LaLa Land and this will all slip through the cracks? Are they so incredibly confident that the NCAA will never whip out the “Death Penalty” that they are willing to sacrifice probation for one year of potential success?

By the way, USC finished 21-12, earned a six seed in the NCAA tournament, before losing to 11th seed Kansas State.

The prior year, without Mayo, the Trojans went 25-12 and advanced to the Sweet 16, upsetting Texas in the second round before losing to North Carolina.

Guess Mayo wasn’t the answer after all… and USC may pay a high price in the end.

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