Ties Between Bush, Parents, and House May Be Coincidental - Bush To Associated Press

Hold on Cal and Vince Young fans. USC may not be in danger of losing scholarships, and Vince Young may not be given the Heisman that currently rests somewhere in the home of Reggie Bush.

Read this


Bush says Parents leased house being scrutinized by Pac-10
USC star says story has been blown out of proportion

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Former Southern California star Reggie Bush said there was nothing inappropriate about his family's living arrangement at a home owned by a man who reportedly sought to market him because they leased the house.

"It's kind of funny how this whole story is getting blown out of proportion," Bush said in a live ESPN interview Monday.


The Pac-10 said Sunday that it will investigate whether any NCAA rules were violated when Bush's family, including mother Denise Griffin, stepfather LaMar Griffin and brother Jovan Griffin lived in the Spring Valley, Calif., house while Bush was still playing for USC last season.

Bush declined to say who paid the rent.

The home was owned by Michael Michaels, who reportedly attempted to steer Bush toward signing with San Diego agent David Caravantes, and sought to handle Bush's marketing with a new firm he had founded, Yahoo.com reported Sunday.

NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes and their families from receiving extra benefits from agents or their representatives.

"When this is all said and done, everybody will see at the end of the day that we've done nothing, absolutely nothing wrong," said Bush, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner.

Bush chose to turn pro after his junior season with USC and is expected to be the No. 1 pick in Saturday's NFL draft. He eventually signed with a different agent and marketing firm; his agent, Joel Segal, and Mike Ornstein, who handles marketing, did not immediately return telephone messages left Monday by The Associated Press.

Yahoo reported that the family moved out last weekend after questions over its ownership arose. Bush suggested that the timing of the move was coincidental.

"That's the funny thing," he said. "We've been looking for a house for two to three months. Now that I'm in the position of buying my parents a house, we've even made a bid on another house, but it ended up being too steep for my pocket."

Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen said Monday that a Pac-10 investigation could start soon, but gave no specific time frame. USC could forfeit its 2005 Pac-10 football title if Bush is ruled ineligible, he said.

"I'm not a rules expert, but I think one of the available penalties would be forfeiture of games if you compete while ineligible," Hansen said at the Bowl Championship Series meetings in Phoenix. "I want to caution that that's a long way from where we are now. And I think all of us have seen that so often there are allegations made and when you get to the heart of the matter there' s nothing there."

Any violation could also put Bush in a precarious position with the organization that awards the Heisman Trophy; the award ballot states that the winner must be in compliance with NCAA rules. Heisman officials will wait until the Pac-10 investigation is complete before deciding if any action needs to be taken, said Heisman Trophy Trust spokesman Tim Henning.

The Trojans went 12-1 last season, losing to Texas in the national championship game at the Rose Bowl. USC coach Pete Carroll was on the road recruiting Monday and was unavailable for comment.

The two-story house sits on a corner on a steep hill in an unincorporated area outside San Diego. The back yard is bare dirt and the pavement of the driveway apron is inscribed with the words "The Griffins '05.'"

San Diego County records show the 3,002-square-foot home has an assessed value of $339,394, including $99,394 for the land. State records showed construction was completed in early 2005 and Michaels purchased it for more than $757,000 in late March.

In a statement to the AP on Monday, William David Cornwell Sr., attorney for Bush and his mother and stepfather, said the tailback had no connection to the house.

"Reggie Bush was a full-time student at the University of Southern California and never lived in the house," Cornwell said. "As is the case with most 20-year-old college students, Reggie was not aware of personal or financial arrangements relating to his parents or their house. Mr. and Mrs. Griffin now realize that, given Reggie's profile, their personal decisions can reflect on their son."

Bush did not answer a question about his relationship with Michaels.

"There will be a later time for details," he said. "As of right now, it's still early and we don't want to get into all that."

In Crack-Induced Haze, ESPN's Michael Smith Writes That The Texans Should Take Mario Williams Over Reggie Bush

I love ESPN's Michael Smith. At Super Bowl XL in Detroit I asked him who his favorite team was "No one. None of 'em" was his quick witted response. I also enjoy his straight on conversational take on the NFL's Minority Hiring Problem.

But I don't agree with his latest column, which goes like this:

"Let me begin by assuring you that, to my knowledge, I never have suffered a head injury, not even a minor one. I've never used/abused recreational or prescription drugs. And it has been well over a week since I last consumed any alcohol. Also rest assured that when I wrote the following, I did so with a straight face.

With the first pick of the 2006 NFL draft, the Houston Texans should not select running back Reggie Bush of Southern California. And my reason has nothing to do with the recent report that his family allegedly accepted extra benefits during Bush's junior season.

And sorry, Houstonians, this isn't another plea for the Texans to pass over Bush in favor of University of Texas quarterback (and hometown hero) Vince Young.

They shouldn't trade down, either, or they might miss out on the player they should take. Mario Williams, the North Carolina State defensive end, should be the Texans' pick.

Choosing Williams over Bush is the smart choice if not the most popular. It isn't that Williams is the better player; a college scouting director whom I swear by told me that Bush is the best player he's ever evaluated, that Bush received a rating one point below perfect on his scale, while Williams graded out one point behind Bush. So I believe the Texans are in fact torn between Bush and Williams, whom they have rated equally atop their draft board."

The statistic that only four Super Bowl winners had running backs drafted in the first round is misleading. Yes, offense sells tickets and defense wins championships, but the vast majority of Super Bowl winners have had record-setting defenses made up of a collection of mid-first round and mostly-late round draft choices. Plus, the stat leads the uninformed and unsophistocated person to assume that every Super Bowl winner was able to draft a running back with the first pick in the first round.

No.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say this: Mario Williams will never be the difference maker that Reggie Williams can be because a team can game plan to go away from him. They cvan use his speed against him. And as long as there are other weaknesses on the Texans defense, one player will not make the difference.

But a defense that keys on Reggie Bush can be hurt by play-action. Nuff said. That defense will then have the chore of just trying to catch lightining in a bottle. What Smith and others forget is this: speed kills.

In this election, I vote for Bush.

Maryland TE Vernon Davis - A Video Look Before the NFL Draft

Vernon Davis, Maryland's tight end and one of the top picks in the NFL Draft is causing many GM's to change who's near the top of their leader boards.

At 6'3 263 pounds and posting a blazzing 4.38 time in the 40-yard dash, Davis is not only an even better athlete than last year's TE pick Matt Jones, who went to Jacksonville, but unlike Jones played at that position in college, rather than being converted to it.

Several teams can benefit from Davis' right away: the Titans, 49ers, Packers, and Raiders for starters. It's not likely he's last beyond the 4th pick.

Here's a video of Vernon Davis at work:

Reggie Bush's Parents Abruptly Move From Home - Yahoo! Sports Robinson Reports House May Have Been Purchased By Bush's Agent

This will not impact his Draft position, but it may harm his level of expenses. Nice work by Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports

Yahoo! Sports report: Reggie Bush's family home
By Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports
April 23, 2006


SPRING VALLEY, Calif. – In this sprawling hilltop community with a breathtaking view of Sweetwater Lake, it was no secret who lived in the 3,000-square-foot house at the corner of Apple Street and Luther Avenue.

That home, residents would tell you, was where Reggie Bush's family lived.

That is, until this weekend, when the family abruptly packed up and vacated the residence – less than 24 hours after Yahoo! Sports approached Bush's mother about information linking the property to Michael Michaels, a man who is alleged to have tried to play a role in steering Bush toward an agent and who also has ties to a sports marketing company.

Days before Bush is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, unanswered questions about the residence and how his mother, stepfather and brother came to live in it within the last year have prompted the University of Southern California to refer the matter to the Pacific-10 Conference for an investigation.

NCAA statutes prohibit student-athletes or their families from receiving extra benefits from professional sports agents, marketing companies or their representatives. A breach of these statutes could result in an athlete being ruled ineligible, and games in which they played could be forfeited.

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USC finished 12-1 last season, its 35-game winning streak and national championship bid both ending with a loss in the Rose Bowl to Texas. Bush, a junior running back, won the Heisman Trophy and elected to skip his senior season and turn pro in January.

In response to reporters' questions about the matter late last week, USC athletic department officials said they would look into it.

"Rather than jumping to conclusions, we need to determine the facts before commenting on this report," Trojans athletic director Mike Garrett said in a statement released by the school on Friday. "We have asked the Pac-10 to look into this."

State records show the Apple Street home was built in late 2004 and early 2005, then purchased by Michaels on March 29, 2005 for $757,500. Around that time, neighbors say Bush's family moved in. Whether they had visited the house while it was being built is unknown, but there is an inscription in one of the cement slabs in the driveway reading "The Griffins '05."

Michaels is the only person who has been listed on the deed to the home.

Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, was approached in the driveway of the house on Thursday, but declined to comment.

"I have absolutely nothing to say," Griffin said when asked about ownership of the property, which is where Bush's mother, stepfather LaMar and brother Jovan lived during USC's 2005 season.

Before moving to the house on Apple Lane, Bush's family was listed as living in an apartment elsewhere in Spring Valley, a community located about 13 miles east of San Diego.

At some point after Bush's family moved into the residence, Michaels and an associate named Lloyd Lake are said to have contacted San Diego-based sports agent David Caravantes and offered to facilitate Bush's recruitment. A source with intimate knowledge of the meeting said it took place during the 2005 college football season and that Michaels was looking for a local agent to handle the contract negotiations for players he intended to sign to his marketing firm.

Michaels and Lake told Caravantes they were planning to start a sports marketing agency with Bush as their anchor client. It was also during this meeting that Michaels and Lake mentioned the potential name of the agency: New Era Sports & Entertainment.

The pitch to Caravantes was said to have been simple: He would be Bush's agent and Michaels' marketing creation would handle the promotion of the USC star. At some point after pitching this idea, Michaels informed Caravantes that Bush's family was living in a home Michaels owned. Caravantes isn't believed to have met with Bush and was never considered to be in the mix before the USC star hired Reebok adviser Mike Ornstein and agent Joel Segal of Worldwide Football Inc. as his representatives.

Repeated attempts to reach Segal and Bush were unsuccessful.

While it's unclear what official role Michaels played in New Era Sports, indications are that the company barely got off the ground – if at all. According to corporation filings in California, paperwork for New Era Sports & Entertainment was drawn up on Nov. 23, 2005, and records list the business address in Los Angeles under an attorney named Phillip M. Smith Jr.

Contacted late last week, Smith Jr. refused to talk about New Era Sports – even declining to give public details such as a phone number for the company, where the New Era offices were located or who was serving as the company's current president or manager.

Asked why he wouldn't provide such information, Smith ended the brief telephone conversation, saying, "That's really not an issue that I want to deal with." He has failed to return multiple follow-up messages left at his office.

Further attempts to identify New Era produced a single web page with a company logo (http://newerasports.tv/) that contains no active links to indicate where New Era is located, what services are provided or how the company could be contacted. Searches also produced the internet blogs of three self-proclaimed employees of New Era Sports. One such blog included the company logo of New Era and pictures of several NFL players. That blog was taken down shortly after Yahoo! Sports obtained a hard-copy of the page.

Contacted about his alleged meeting with Michaels, Caravantes declined to comment.

Michaels – who is a member of the Sycuan Indian Tribe and works as a business development officer for the tribe's development corporation – failed to return multiple phone calls and was unavailable when Yahoo! Sports visited his home on three occasions this weekend.

The Sycuan tribe, which owns a casino and resort and is engaged in a number of business enterprises in the San Diego area, denied any knowledge of Michaels' relationship with the Bush family.

"The tribe is not aware of his involvement," said spokesman Adam Day, who had been approved to speak for the Sycuan's tribal government. "Any involvement that he has in this situation is his personal involvement. It has no connection or correlation to the tribe, its businesses or Mike's employment by the tribal development corporation.

"What tribal members do on their own time is their own business. It's not the business of the tribe."

Back at the house on Apple Street on Saturday afternoon, the moving trucks had come and gone. A flier offering cleaning services for movers was hung on the front door, and all the shades had been drawn shut. Through a garage window, only a few empty cardboard boxes and straggling trinkets were visible.

Across the street, neighbor Grant Sitton could only shrug.

"I don't know, I guess it didn't work out," Sitton said. "Oh well. They have a big payday coming next week anyway."

Charles Robinson is the national NFL writer for Yahoo! Sports. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

Fired CIA Operative Mary McCarthy Was A Democratic Supporter (Yeah!)

Just One Minute Blog has a great expose on the contributions of fired CIA operative Mary McCarthy

Fired CIA Operative Mary McCarthy Was A Democratic Supporter (Yeah!)

Just One Minute Blog has a great expose on the contributions of fired CIA operative Mary McCarthy

Letterman's Top Ten Bush Moments - He Forgot The China Press Conference

I must open by stating that I do feel sorry for President Bush in that he's only human and can't be enjoying the constant stream of negative information and views on his presidency. That written, we all do funny things, and in America, the president is not immune from coverage of his more comedic moments, especially as he presents them for us.

David Letterman presents the "Top Ten" Moments of President George W. Bush. The Letterman video is below. But Letterman totally forgot the one time President Bush was holding a press conference and China and tried to litterally escape the media via a door that didn't open for him!

That video's below this one and both are from You Tube:



Here's the now famous China Press Conference Video:

NFL COMMISSIONER SEARCH COMMITTEE HIRES KORN / FERRY FOR SEARCH PROCESS

I guess Roger Goodell -- while still the front runner -- isn't out of the woods yet.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

NFL-25 4/21/06
COMMITTEE SELECTS KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL
TO ASSIST IN SEARCH FOR NEW COMMISSIONER

The eight-member ownership committee leading the search for a new NFL
commissioner has selected the executive search firm of Korn/Ferry International to assist in
the process, committee co-chairs Jerry Richardson and Dan Rooney announced today.
Korn/Ferry International (NYSE:KFY) is one of the world’s leading executive recruiters,
having conducted more than 100,000 senior-level searches since its founding in 1969. Based
in Los Angeles, Korn/Ferry has 70 offices worldwide and has worked with many of the world’s
top companies. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Paul Reilly will lead Korn/Ferry’s team
on the NFL search.

The members of the search committee, in addition to Richardson and Rooney, are Al
Davis of the Oakland Raiders, Lamar Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs, Woody Johnson of the
New York Jets, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots,
and Mike McCaskey of the Chicago Bears.

The committee will consider in the search process individuals of diverse experiences
both inside and outside the NFL and assist the league’s full ownership in reaching a
consensus on the person to be chosen as the league’s next commissioner. The selection of a
new commissioner requires the approval of 22 of 32 clubs.

The committee will report to the clubs on a regular basis during the search process,
including at a regularly scheduled league meeting on May 23-24 in Denver.
Paul Tagliabue, who has served as NFL commissioner since 1989, announced on
March 20 that he is retiring.
# # #

Lavar Arrington Becomes A NY Giant; Signs Deal For 7-Years At $49 Million - AP

NEW YORK -- LaVar Arrington signed with the New York Giants on Saturday, giving him a chance to play twice a year against his former team and helping fill a huge gap at linebacker for the NFC East champions.

Arrington agreed to a $49 million, seven-year deal late Friday, according to Kevin Poston, one of his agents. Poston didn't say how much was guaranteed but Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi indicated that it includes performance bonuses.

Arrington reportedly had been seeking as much as $18 million guaranteed and a $58 million deal, one reason Arrington stayed on the market while dozens of other players signed during the first few weeks of the free-agent period.

"We needed a big, power player to add to our defense and LaVar Arrington is that," Accorsi said. "He has a presence about him and he makes us a better football team.

"The agreement is a fair deal for the player and a fair deal for the organization."

Arrington, the third overall pick in the 2000 draft and a three-time Pro Bowler, bought his way out of Washington in March for $4.4 million after a tempestuous final two seasons in which he suffered from knee injuries and was benched by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams for freelancing. He took a physical with the Giants on Thursday to ensure that his knees were healthy.

He joins a defense that features the defensive end tandem of Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, who last year combined for 26 sacks. Both made the Pro Bowl and Umenyiora, in his third year, was an All-Pro.

Arrington also fills a huge hole for the Giants, who lost all three starting linebackers late last season to injuries and went into the playoffs with a backup and two recently signed free agents.

Last week, the Giants signed free agent Brandon Short, who played for them from 2000-2003. The addition of Arrington means the team could turn its attention to another position in the first round of next week's draft, perhaps cornerback or defensive tackle.

Poston said Green Bay, Jacksonville and Miami all were in the running for the 27-year-old Arrington. But in the end, he said, his client decided that he wanted to play against Washington twice a season and for Tim Lewis, New York's defensive coordinator.

"It came down to LaVar feeling most comfortable going to a good team in a familiar division with a defensive coordinator that he loves," Poston said.

Texans Now Talking Contract With Reggie Bush...And Mario Williams

A bit interesting this Houston Chron story, because just a day ago, Bush said he didn't want a $30 million signing bonus. A comment I'm sure sent his agent in search of Pepto Bismal.

April 22, 2006, 1:30AM
NFL
Bush, Texans try to hash out a deal
Team negotiator, USC star's agent exchange ideas

By JOHN MCCLAIN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

One week before the NFL draft, the Texans intensified negotiations with running back Reggie Bush in an attempt to get the Heisman Trophy winner from Southern California signed in time to make him the first overall pick.

Vice president of football administration Dan Ferens, who handles negotiations, exchanged contract proposals with agent Joel Segal. There are expected to continue negotiations as the Texans try to sign Bush before the draft.

Although no one in the organization will admit it publicly, owner Bob McNair prefers the top pick to be signed by the time commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces the Texans' selection at 11 a.m. on April 29.

Neither side would comment Friday on the negotiations.

The primary issue will be guaranteed money. Quarterback Alex Smith, taken first by San Francisco last year, received $24 million in guaranteed money. Segal is expected to argue that Bush deserves more because players almost always get an increase from the previous year.

How much more could be a sticking point. The Texans, known for overpaying players, will argue that Bush is a running back and doesn't deserve a huge increase over what a quarterback was paid the previous year.

The Texans also are interested in North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams. He's the best defensive player in the draft. Ferens has been in contact with Ben Dogra, who represents Williams.

Apple I-Pod - Video Introduction By Steve Jobs

The Apple I-Pod is as common and present as the car, and far easier to maintain. But seriously, it's fascinating to see the impact -- for good and bad -- this product has on American society. Some people use it to litterally tune out the World -- especially at the gym. Others buy it to download and liten to podcasts.

But with all this, it's easy to forget that the I-Pod was introduced with little fan fare in 2001. In this Video, Steve Jobs not only introduces the then-new device, but presents us with the simple and powerful business logicv behind it.

For example, he states that music is something we all consume to some degree. He's right.

Here's Steve Jobs presenting the I-Pod.

The Great Chinese Fake-Out

When I first saw this title, I thought it was a Chinese CIA-type leak. But it's a pretty interesting take via Maureen Dowd. By the way, how is it that the New York Times manages to have op-ed columnists who's writings constantly reach the top of Technorati searches? What's up?

The Great Chinese Fake-Out
By Maureen Dowd
The New York Times


Dick and Rummy are in Karl's old office, eating Chinese leftovers.

"Serves Karl right, by golly," Rummy says. "He's so arrogant. Won't listen to anybody about anything. Goodness gracious, imagine having somebody in such an important job who doesn't take any advice or pay attention to dissenting opinions. An autocrat ruthlessly ruling over his own little kingdom. Even Laura can't stand his peacock-preening."

Dick grunts his assent, his mouth full of ginger-scented dumplings.

The Bush mandarins are feeling more sweet than sour. It's been a fun week, sidelining Rove, firing the C.I.A. officer who was a source for reporters (including for The Washington Post's Pulitzer-winning articles) on the agency's overseas gulag, plotting against Iran, messing with China's head, rolling like a Tiananmen tank over the retired generals who tried to lead a democratic uprising against Rummy.

"Here's to winning the Battle of the Potomac," Rummy said with a wolfish grin, clinking Scotch glasses with Dick. "Another tactical mistake by the military."

The Kid whizzes down the West Wing hall on his Razor scooter. "Hey, dudes, listen to my fortune cookie," he calls out. " 'Though effective, appear to be ineffective.' " Dick and Rummy exchange knowing looks.

"Hu's on first?" Rummy howls, and cracks up, as he does every time he makes the joke. "Those Commies got what was coming to them. They're still trying to figure out how we could ruin Hu's trip by letting some woman with a press pass from The Falun Gong Gazette onto the White House lawn to heckle him.

"How the Dickens do they think? We let her in! That little Commie thought he could come here and act like we're the second-rate power, like we're supposed to kowtow to him just because China can call in its marker anytime on hundreds of billions of our national debt. This is America! We love dissidents on the press platform, as long as they're dissing the president of some other country."

"Hu let her in?" Dick says out of one side of his mouth. He may be laughing, or it may be a coronary.

"You let her in!" Rummy yelps, never tiring of their Abbott and Costello routine. "Boo-hoo," Dick growls. "Poor Hu."

"If we can let a male prostitute into presidential press conferences, why not a Falun Goolagong propagandist?" Rummy says. "What a gas that was, having the White House announcer call the People's Republic of China the Republic of China, as if we didn't know the difference? We know, all right. Taiwan's our democratic ally.

"What have the Commies done for us? They're killjoys who tolerate negotiations without end. They opposed the Iraq war. They're worthless on North Korea. They don't want us to bomb Iran. They support Chavez, or any other left-wing, U.S.-hating nut with the oil they need. They think we shouldn't be throwing our military might around to run the world. They believe in all that Sun Tzu 'It is best to win without fighting' piffle.

"They flood our markets with junk, knowing that Americans will spend all their savings on SpongeBob SquarePants dolls, video games and DVD's, while the Chinese people save their money because the Commies don't allow them to buy our junk.

"If Hu wants somebody to kiss his ring, he should have stayed in that other Washington. Those computer geeks and coffee beanheads treated him like a conquering hero. They're such die-hard liberals, but they don't seem to give a good google about a little censorship or mind collaborating with the state's crackdown on human rights crackpots when it comes to their Chinese meal ticket. They saw him coming and said, 'Ya-Hu!' "

They hear an echoing "Ya-Hu to you!" yodel coming from the hall, and the scooter races into the room. "Is Hu-Man mad at me for manhandling him?" the Kid asks pleadingly. "Is Karl mad at me for unmanning him?"

Dick shakes his head reassuringly.

"I like Josh!" the Kid says. "He did a good job in the 2000 campaign heading up Bikers for Bush."

He pops a wheelie and is off.

"The Kid thinks it's a real staff shake-up," Dick scoffs.

"Yeah," Rummy chuckles. "Throwing overboard a press spokesman who we'd been throwing overboard every day for three years. How painful was that? We might have shuffled the cards — including Andy — but we're still dealing. The Kid's wheeling and we're dealing."

They spooned into their leftover dessert from the Hu lunch, "Good Fortune melon three ways," sure that it would always be their way or the highway. They knew they would be hungry for power again an hour later.

Photo credit: Maureen Dowd (Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)