Under Fire, USC Drops Ball in Sports Perks Probe

NCAA doles out harsh penalties on Reggie Bush no-nos

(AP) - The NCAA threw the book at storied Southern California today with a two-year bowl ban, four years' probation, loss of scholarships and forfeits of an entire year's games for improper benefits to Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush dating to the Trojans' 2004 national championship.The report, following a four-year investigation, cited numerous improper benefits for Bush and former basketball player O.J. Mayo, who spent just one year with the Trojans. More»

Running back returns 2005 award

(NEWSER) - Reggie Bush says he will give back his 2005 Heisman Trophy over allegations that he received improper benefits while playing for USC . "While this decision is heart-breaking, I find solace in knowing that the award was made possible by the support and love of so many," said the New Orleans Saints running back in a statement. "Those are gifts that can never be taken away." The Times-Picayune has the statement here . More»

(NEWSER) - The Congressional Budget Office, eager for new sources of income, is considering taxation options for the nation’s collegiate athletic franchises, the Economist reports. Among the proposals are curtailing deductions for charitable donations to college sports programs; limiting tax-exempt bonds; and, most drastically, stripping the programs of their traditional tax-exempt status. But only the first idea will produce any real revenue. More»

College faces sanctions if star accepted illegal benefits from future agent

(NEWSER) - USC star OJ Mayo received tens of thousands of dollars from the agency that would eventually represent him, a violation of NCAA rules, according to former friend Louis Johnson. The money was allegedly funneled through one Rodney Guillory, who lavished on Mayo just a fraction of what the agency gave him. If the allegations prove true, USC could face NCAA sanctions, the Los Angeles Times reports. More»

Cops hunting killer of two Chinese grad students

(NEWSER) - Two Chinese graduate students at the University of Southern California were killed near the Los Angeles campus just after midnight yesterday. Ying Wu, 23, was shot in the chest as she sat in a BMW with Minq Qu, who would have turned 24 today. He was shot in the head, but made it to a nearby house where he pounded on the door seeking help. He collapsed and died later at a local hospital. Police believe a lone gunman was responsible, and suspect he was trying to rob the pair, the Los Angeles Times reports. More»