USC Anxiously Awaits NCAA Ruling

The NCAA Committee on Infractions and University of Southern Cal officials spent three days discussing an investigation into the Trojans' football and men's basketball programs. Now the wait begins, and one questions looms heavy:

Is USC, one of the country's most recognizable and powerful brands, perhaps facing charges of lack of institutional control?

The committee on infractions is expected to take between six to eight weeks to determine the fate of USC's athletic department, football program and men's basketball program.

The first two days of the hearings in Tempe, Ariz., focused on football, while basketball was the subject on Saturday's final day.

The labor of the multimillion-dollar, four-year investigation could be seen on an industrial luggage cart stacked with seven boxes of documents and two thick binders labeled as USC's response to allegations.

David Price, the NCAA's vice president of enforcement services, told the media the hearing was "the longest in my 11 years." USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett (pictured) said he was "glad it's over." USC President Steven Sample said, "I can't even say no comment on no comment."

Depositions Continue Michael Michaels is scheduled to give a deposition in a civil lawsuit against former USC running back Reggie Bush on March 5 in San Diego. Can Bush and former USC head coach Pete Carroll be far behind? San Diego attorney Brian Watkins, who is representing Lloyd Lake in his civil lawsuit against Bush, told FanHouse Monday afternoon the wheels are in motion to depose the pair. "We are working on that this week," Watkins said. Lake is suing Bush for failing to follow through on an agreement the three men (Lake, Michaels and Bush) had to open a marketing firm – New Era Sports & Entertainment. Michaels previously reached a settlement with Bush and has been unable to speak about the case because the settlement included a confidentiality clause. However, that clause does not apply to other legal proceedings if Michaels is subpoenaed. Watkins also believes the NCAA will want to review Michaels' deposition. "We are going to get to the heart of the (dealings) with Reggie Bush and what happened," Watkins said. "We are going to get what happened, the nature of his agreement with Reggie Bush and basically to see whether or not he can collaborate Lloyd Lake's claims." Watkins also believes it's unlikely that Bush will opt to reach a financial settlement with Lloyd. "We've had no conversations," Watkins said. -- Jim Henry

All involved, abiding by committee chair Paul Dee's orders, declined to comment on the particulars of the hearing.

Still, the first two days related to football, and allegations that former running back Reggie Bush and his family received extra benefits. Former head coach Pete Carroll was in attendance, as was new head coach Lane Kiffin. Trojans running back coach Todd McNair, accompanied by his lawyer, seemingly spent the most time being questioned.

Former aspiring agent Lloyd Lake has contended that McNair knew of Bush's relationship with both himself and former partner Michael Michaels. Lake has said that both he and Michaels not only attended USC home games but also went into the Trojan locker rooms after games.

Lake sued Bush and his parents in October 2007, seeking almost $300,000 in cash and goods he said was lent and spent on their behalf in a failed marketing venture. Bush reached an out-of-court settlement for reportedly $300,000 with Michaels in 2007 in which Michaels agreed not to publicly talk about the case.

Michaels, however, is scheduled to give a deposition in a civil lawsuit against Bush on March 5 in San Diego. The NCAA could include the deposition as evidence in its investigation of the USC programs.

USC has already imposed sanctions on its basketball program for violations that occurred during O.J. Mayo's one-season stay with the Trojans in 2007-08. The committee will determine if more are warranted, what penalties,

Former USC head coach Tim Floyd and two of assistants appeared before the committee Saturday. Floyd said it was the "right thing to do."

Most times when the infractions committee meets, it hears cases from several universities. Last weekend's was dedicated solely to USC.

In contrast, Alabama's case before the NCAA in 2002, which resulted in five years of probation, a two-year postseason ban and crippling scholarship reductions, took two days.

USC said its peace. Now it must wait.

"We do want to thank the committee and the NCAA staff and everyone involved for these proceedings," USC spokesman James Grant said.

"And [we're] pleased that we were able to present our side of the events and look forward to an outcome and to moving on."