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Message: [QUOTE="orangetrojan, post: 621809, member: 1454"] Clearly I have a vested interest in this particular piece, and I highly doubt any minds will be changed here, but here goes an abbreviated version. Reggie was recruited to USC and began play in 2003, he did not start receiving benefits from the agent (who was not affiliated in any way to the university) until 2005. He wasn't paid to go to USC as in the Oregon or Auburn cases, he was being paid so that the agent could represent him in the NFL. By 2002 Pete Carroll already had the Trojans near the top of college football at 11-2 finishing #5 in the BCS, a full year before Bush got to campus. So, by the logic that USC benefited all those years with Bush (1) there is only a portion of his time at USC where he was ineligible (<1 year of 3) and (2) with or without Reggie Bush the program was already well on the rise or, more appropriately, at the top of college football. As far as the scholarships go, I have to disagree that the loss of 30 over a 3 year period isn't significant, not to mention absurd when compared to what Ohio State got and what Oregon and/or Auburn will probably get for their transgressions. By no means am I a Lane Kiffin apologist, I did not like the hire right from the start, but going from recruiting up to 25 kids a year down to 15 has significant implications on the depth chart. I wouldn't expect that you ever followed USC football, but anyone can tell you to be one of the best programs in the country, you need more than 22 good starters. With 30 lost scholarships, every injury to any starter, no matter how good, became devastating. From a coaching standpoint you're forced with the difficult decision of either having no tackling in practice but likely not having your defense as prepared for actual games (believe me, the open field tackling was atrocious last year), or you keep tackling but risk injury. Very much a damned if you do, damned if you dont scenario. I still dont think he's the right head coach for the job, but make no mistake about it, even Nick Saban wouldn't be winning national titles with 10 less scholarships a year. I still agree with the overall premise: the NCAA is comprised of nothing but crooks who make billions off athletes who get cafeteria food for 1-4 years. God forbid they see any of that money. [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?