OJ MAYO: MO MONEY, MO PROBLEMS

Quotable: "I would just like to know if I did [get money], where did the money go? I was a struggling college student like everyone else. I bicycled to class. The truth will come out, even though the perception is reality." O.J. Mayo


There's something about Mayo.

And these days it's not about where he will fall in the first round when the NBA Draft rolls around on June 26th. Like many student athletes before him, Mayo seems to have fallen into the pitfall of taking gifts,money and or other favors from agents and or their representatives. According to NCAA rules and regulations, student athletes cannot receive any form of gifts, cash or benefits while attending a college or university and in California it’s a misdemeanor for agents to bestow gifts of any sort to a student athlete. It has long been a “hush-hush” standard in college sports recruiting for college athletic programs and agents scouting for that next NBA eligible mega star to woo them into signing with them by making the money, gifts and other perks rain. Agents and other bottom feeders being paid to befriend rising high school and college athletes is as classic to sports as is the All-American football hero from a small town or the basketball phenom from the ghetto turned Franchise megastar.

Recently ex-confidant, Rodney Guillory, a Los Angeles event promoter, came forward alleging that he showered Mayo with $30,000 dollars in cash, various gifts and benefits including a flat screen TV for Mayo's dorm room, cell phone service, clothes, a hotel room and meals with a few similar benefits being bestowed upon one of Mayo's relatives and a few friends during Mayo’s senior year in high school and during his one year tenure at USC. Mayo ofcourse denies receiving any money or benefits from Guillory, stating, "I don't know anything about it. It caught me by surprise. I've got to get to L.A. to see what's going on. I'm just focusing on the draft."

In a statement released on Mother's Day, the NCAA commented,"The allegations of improper benefits received by O.J. Mayo before and during his enrollment at the University of Southern California -- as outlined in ESPN's May 11, 2008, segment of 'Outside the Lines' -- are new to the NCAA. This information was not available when the NCAA examined Mr. Mayo's academic and amateurism status prior to his collegiate enrollment, and we will review the information in conjunction with the institution and the Pac-10 Conference."

Lou Johnson, an associate of Guillory, revealed to ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” that Billy Duffy & Associates, whom Guillory reports gave him a total of $200,000 split up into monthly payments along with a new $50,000 Infiniti SUV, denies knowing Guillory or Johnson, let alone putting Guillory on payroll. Johnson even provided store receipts to the news show as proof. Considering that the receipts are from purchases made with a credit card from a non-existent charity organization called, The National Organization of Sickle Cell Prevention and Awareness Foundation, I’d hardly be flashing those around town to prove my credibility.

"We didn't give O.J. one dime. I was told that O.J. had an exemplary year on campus and was riding his bike to class. We've got 80 clients who we put our heart and soul working for and we're not in a position where we have to buy clients." Billy Duffy of Billy Duffy & Associates commented.

Sort of gives a new definition to the term “snake in the grass.” You’d be hard pressed to convince me that this isn’t a vendetta in a sweet deal that went south. With Mayo hiring Billy Duffy & Associates’ agent, Andrews and foregoing his sophomore year at USC to enter the NBA Draft, it seems awfully convenient timing that Guillory and Johnson would unload their “guilty” consciences on the media now. While Mayo certainly isn’t a saint, he did his due diligence when he accepted Denver Nuggets’ tickets from Carmelo Anthony last season and donated $460 (the value of the tickets) to charity. He probably did what many other kids do from broken homes whose talents can carry them further than any hustle the streets or even sometimes a job from a college education can often afford them, take the gifts being offered. It’s certainly not illegal nor the first time this has happened.

Is it me or does this story seem redundant like Hilary Clinton’s campaign attempts for presidency? Similar accusations have been thrown at Heisman Trophy winner and breakout Oakland Raiders quarterback, Reggie Bush also an USC alumnus and countless others such as Fresno State’s, Tito Maddox to name a few. Where is the accountability by the educational institutions, the college athletics department and staff? Hell! What about the agents and their representatives who paint the picture of the “Great White Hope” (or in Guillory’s case, “Great Black Hope”) coming down off Mt. Messiah to save a young promising kid from the hood from the hard knock life by supplying them with all the “bling”, cash and perks their hearts desire in exchange for a big payday when they hit the big time?

The jury is out. And if Mayo is founded to be liable, the cost to pay the boss could be vacating of games and records while he attended USC and North College Hill Highschool. The question is did USC know? Honestly, how could they not? Certainly, flashy new clothes and kicks and a flat screen TVs are blood red flags if you’re known for pedaling around campus on a bike! Let the investigations by the NCAA, the Ohio High School Athletic Association and USC begin! As even NBA commissioner David Stern acknowledges more is needed to be done to “protect student athletes,” if not from themselves but from predatory hustlers that prey on their talent.

If anything don’t hate the player, hate the game

Related Articles:
Mayo Demonstrates That NBA Rule Is A Disaster
Mayo Got The Money, But Others Cashed In
NCAA Has “New” Information On Mayo
Mayo Denies Ex-Confidant Claims Of Gifts, Including TV and Cash