USC coach should have known more about O.J. Mayo

From the moment O.J. Mayo targeted USC, the potential for trouble loomed. Coach Tim Floyd didn't recruit the basketball prodigy; Mayo recruited him. Floyd wasn't allowed to call the kid; Mayo called him. It was an odd, shady alliance, but for victories and recognition, Floyd went along with this dangerous game.

And now Floyd is suffering the consequences. Mayo has unleashed a torrent of scandal on a school still running from Reggie Bush's mistakes.

In a clean, thorough and indisputable investigation, ESPN revealed Sunday that Mayo has been living like a professional athlete for several years. ESPN charges that Rodney Guillory, a Los Angeles event promoter, has been funneling cash and gifts to Mayo during the past four years, serving as a runner for Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management.

This is what happens when you allow an athlete to take over your program.

After the NBA invoked its 19-year-old age limit, Mayo needed a college to rent, a safe house to spend a year until he became eligible for the draft. USC was the ideal rental property: great location, great exposure, great need for star power. So, like any opportunistic tenant, Mayo snatched up the school.

The Trojans shouldn't be chagrined at this news. It was the most telegraphed incident in recent memory.

Floyd celebrated the story of Mayo's nonrecruitment with a gush this past season. If you recall the tale, the coach was sitting in his office when, out of nowhere, a man came to talk to him about Mayo.

"O.J. wanted me to come here today," the man said, according to a New York Times story. "He wanted me to figure out who you are."

Forty-five minutes later, the man left. His name: Rodney Guillory.

Floyd should've kicked out Guillory the minute he heard his name. Eight years ago, Guillory had gotten former USC guard Jeff Trepagnier into trouble for paying for a flight. Trepagnier was suspended, but later he was cleared. Floyd wasn't at USC then. Nevertheless, the coach should've done enough research to know never to invite Guillory into his office.

Floyd ignored both logic and evidence, however. The most-hyped player of the 2007 class wanted to come to USC. That's all Floyd cared to know. With the integrity of his program at stake, he closed his eyes and welcomed Mayo. The entire university enabled Floyd's recklessness, too.

Why didn't anyone at USC say no? Plenty of other schools did. After the NBA age limit became official, I remember talking to two prominent college coaches about whether they would recruit Mayo. At the time, he was considered a package deal with his high school teammate, Bill Walker, who wound up going to Kansas State. Get those two, and you're a legit Final Four threat. So I floated the idea to the coaches.

"It's not even a consideration," one coach said.

"You don't even understand how many problems that could cause," the other said.

Back then, there was much fear about Mayo's large circle of friends. There were whispers that he had already been bought, a common rumor about prep basketball stars. There was even speculation that he would skip college and play in the NBA developmental league for a year or play overseas or create some kind of shoe-sponsored traveling team.

I figured Mayo would never play an NCAA game. I figured I had a better chance of dunking on Dwight Howard.

Then he committed to USC. He became academically eligible with relative ease. And finally, when last season began, he was playing for the Trojans.

Actually, the Trojans were playing for him.

Battling critics all season, Mayo wound up having a good freshman year. The team didn't implode because of him, which was the fear, but it only performed well enough to make the NCAA tournament and exit in the first round. Still, Mayo cemented his NBA lottery-pick reputation and left the program on good terms.

Until this skeleton came tumbling onto the court.

Mayo isn't the only college athlete on the take; he's just the latest to get busted. The problem is so much bigger than him, but he's currently the face of scandal.

Although USC is playing the role of unknowing victim right now, it is at fault. It enabled Mayo to make a mockery of the system. It can't plead ignorance when a kid shows up on campus with a flat-screen television for his dorm room and enough clothes to make Giorgio Armani jealous.

Somehow, the Trojans have avoided NCAA punishment for Bush's misdeeds thus far. If the NCAA has any teeth remaining, it must do a better and quicker investigation into Mayo's improper benefits.

If there are no penalties, we won't even remember Mayo played for USC 10 years from now. And how's that for a sad commentary: Mayo will only have a USC legacy if the NCAA puts the Trojans on probation.

If a recruit ever targets Floyd again, he'd be wise to resist the temptation and remember what we all learned as children.

Don't open the door for strangers.

Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com. For his Extra Points blog, visit seattletimes.com/sports