USC won’t discuss Bush, Mayo allegations

Weeks have dragged into months, and months into years, since USC was rocked by allegations that star football player Reggie Bush broke rules by accepting cash, a car and free housing from two businessmen who hoped to profit from him after he turned professional. Now, the still-unresolved case has become a clinic in the limits to self-policing in college sports. The lesson that has taken on greater significance with more recent accusations against Trojans basketball Coach Tim Floyd and his former marquee player, O.J. Mayo, which also involve purported payments and gifts. USC finds its reputation on the line, not just as a sports powerhouse but as an institution whose academic achievements have come to eclipse its storied athletic traditions under the leadership of President Steven Sample. And yet Sample and others at USC have maintained an enduring silence on the allegations and have chosen not to directly interview some of the key accusers. – Los Angeles Times

Meyer to Get a Raise

University of Florida president Bernie Machen doesn’t think Urban Meyer should be the SEC’s third-highest paid football coach. “He should be [the highest],” Machen told the Orlando Sentinel. “He’s the best.” Meyer, who’s led the Gators to two national titles the past three years, earns $3.49 million annually, according to a recent analysis of coaching contracts by the AJC. That ranks below Alabama’s Nick Saban ($3.9 million) and LSU’s Les Miles ($3.75 million), but above Arkansas’ Bobby Petrino ($2.85 million) and Georgia’s Mark Richt ($2.8 million). Meyer’s contract could be adjusted within a month, Machen told the Sentinel. He did not seem worried about the perception of spending more on athletics in a time of university budget cuts. – Atlanta Journal Constitution