Bush case break?
By Charles Robinson and Jason Cole, Yahoo! Sports
October 9, 2007
The NCAA appears to be on the verge of a major breakthrough in its investigation of Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush.
Two sources have told Yahoo! Sports that Lloyd Lake, one of the financiers of failed marketing company New Era Sports & Entertainment, has agreed to meet with NCAA investigators and turn over financial records and other evidence that would tie Bush and his family to nearly $280,000 in extra benefits allegedly taken during Bush's days at USC. Lake – one of two New Era financiers who allegedly delivered cash payments and other benefits to Bush and his family – is preparing to file suit against Bush and his family later this month.
Sources said that Lake's meeting with the NCAA could include discussion of Bush's relationship with New Era Sports – from financial records and receipts to how and when payments were made – and information about other parties who might have had financial involvement with the running back and his family. Such revelations would likely allow the NCAA's slowed investigation to move forward.
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Taped conversations between Lake, Bush, Bush's stepfather LaMar Griffin and others starting in December 2005 now could be examined as evidence by the NCAA. Sources have told Yahoo! Sports that those tapes provide proof of a financial relationship between the New Era financiers and Bush's family during his days at USC. The tapes could pave the way for significant penalties for USC and ultimately could lead to Bush losing the Heisman Trophy he won in 2005 when he led USC to the national championship game against Texas.
The conversations also could prove Bush's family started taking money from Michaels and Lake during the 2004 season, when USC went undefeated and won the national championship in a rout of Oklahoma.
