Source: Lake, NCAA meet
The co-founder of a failed sports marketing agency met with NCAA investigators for nearly six hours Tuesday afternoon, apparently following through on last week's vow to turn over materials tying former USC running back Reggie Bush and his family to a string of improper benefits taken while Bush played for the Trojans.
A source confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that Lloyd Lake, one of the financiers of now defunct New Era Sports & Entertainment, spent much of Tuesday afternoon with NCAA investigators in the Pasadena, Calif., office of Lake's attorney, Paul Wong. When reached Tuesday night, Wong declined comment.
"I can neither confirm nor deny that a meeting took place," Wong said.
The meeting was expected to center on Lake's financial relationship with Bush and his parents.
Lake's attorneys said last week that they were preparing to meet with NCAA investigators, a summit that was expected to include Lake submitting to a wide range of questions, as well as agreeing to turn over documents and possibly even recorded conversations between himself, Bush and Bush's stepfather LaMar Griffin. Four sources have confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that such taped conversations implicate Bush and his stepfather in a financial relationship with Lake.
Tuesday's meeting came on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Lake's attorneys last week, which is seeking $291,600 for cash, rent and other services allegedly given to Bush and his family by Lake and Michael Michaels – co-founders of now defunct New Era Sports.
The meeting could push forward the NCAA's investigation into Bush's ties with New Era Sports. Investigators have been seeking interviews with Lake and others involved since Yahoo! Sports first revealed the relationship in April of 2006. But the investigation was stalled as both Bush, his family and New Era representatives refused to speak.
Lake's interview and potential submission of documents could help the NCAA determine what sanctions, if any, it can level against USC and Bush. USC's wins in 2004 and 2005 could be forfeited, which could call into question the BCS national championship captured by the Trojans after the 2004 season. The BCS committee would be left to determine whether to strip that championship should the NCAA negate USC wins.
Bush's Heisman Trophy also hangs in the balance, as the NCAA could choose to void his statistics for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, and retroactively declare him ineligible for those seasons. The Heisman Trust would have to determine whether Bush was eligible to receive the trophy after his 2005 season.
Jason Cole and Charles Robinson are national NFL writers for Yahoo! Sports.
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