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Newly hired Southern California athletic director Pat Haden says Reggie Bush apologized to him and expressed regret in a phone call last week about the NCAA’s sanctions that resulted from findings that he received improper benefits while playing for USC.
“He’s really contrite,” Haden told USA Today of Bush. “He knows he made a series of mistakes. It wasn’t just one mistake. It was a series of mistakes.”
Bush, a running back for the New Orleans Saints, has not been stripped of the Heisman Trophy he won in 2005, though USC has returned Bush’s Heisman given to the school. Two trophies are awarded for each recipient.
“He told me, ‘If I could turn the clock back, I would. If I could give the Heisman Trophy back, I would,’ ” Haden told the newspaper.
In Louisiana for the start of the Saints’ training camp, Bush said he was focusing on football but admitted he is bothered by the way the university has distanced itself from him.
“I think I’d be lying if I said it didn’t,” Bush has said publicly. “Obviously, it does, but at the end of the day it is what it is. All I can really do now is focus on the New Orleans Saints and just try to move on. It bothers me and it sucks. The whole situation is terrible and nobody feels worse about it than I do.
“But, at the same time, I can’t dwell on the negatives because I do have a job to do and I have a whole organization and a city riding on my back, not necessarily my back, but the team’s back.”
Haden said Bush was barred from visiting the Los Angeles school.
“I wish I could ask Reggie to come talk to our football team. I can’t,” said Haden, who replaced ousted AD Mike Garrett on Aug. 3. “He’s not allowed on the campus. But I think he would tell them what a big mistake he made and how sorry he is.”
Bush said he hopes his relationship with USC doesn’t remain fractured forever.
“I hope someday at some point it can be repaired,” Bush said when training camp started. “We’ll see what happens. That’s all I can do.”
Charles Barkley wants Lebron James to know that he isn’t through puttin’ his foot up his (James’s) butt.
On Wednesday the renown TNT analyst and former NBA All-Star weighed in on a recent Twitter statement by LeBron James.
Barkley, said he hopes James remembers his critical comments and called a couple of James’ more significant actions this summer “punk” moves.
“I heard about LeBron’s little tweet that he’s remembering everybody who said anything bad about him,” Barkley said Thursday on ESPN Radio 103.3 FM in Dallas/Fort Worth. “And he said ‘everybody.’ Well, I want him to make sure that he puts my name on that (list).
“I thought that his little one-hour special was a punk move. I thought them dancing around on the stage was a punk move, and I thought he should’ve stayed in Cleveland. Him joining Dwyane Wade’s team was very disappointing to me.”
Barkley spoke on “Galloway and Company,” hosted by Randy Galloway, Ian Fitzsimmons and Matt Mosley. He also took the time to light into Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade and their antics at the Miami Arena when the three were introduced.
“Them jumping around on stage like punks, that wasn’t cool to me.”
Tyler Perry is not to happy after being clowned in a recent episode of The Boondocks. Aaron McGruder’s popular adult animated show recently aired an episode about a media mogul who plays a famous character in drag and always surrounds himself with handsome men in his movies. Sources say a former staff member who was fired from Tyler Perry Studios started the controversy. That former staffer now works for The Boondocks. McGruder’s show regularly pokes fun and roasts popular celebrities. The show airs on the Turner Network affiliate Cartoon Network, which is a sister company to the cable network that runs Tyler’s shows House Of Payne and Meet The Browns. Insiders say Perry is very upset with the Turner Network because they let this show air without any warning to him. The subject of Perry’s private life is a sore spot, and people don’t talk about it.
Eric Snow has dumped his wife. The former NBA basketball star has walked out on his wife DeShawn Snow. DeShawn was featured on the first season of The Real Housewives Of Atlanta. She only lasted one season because producers felt she was too nice and not enough of a drama queen. Eric Snow filed for divorce, and he says there is no hope for reconciliation. Friends say he just wanted out. The Snows were married for 12 years, and they have three children.
Landslide MVP Vote for LeBron James. LeBron James looked out at the sea of faces from his past and present. There’s no knowing if they’ll be in his future. Scanning an audience which came to celebrate his second straight runaway NBA MVP award, James pointed out his former high school coaches and best friends. He praised his mom, Gloria, who somehow raised him after giving birth when she was just 16. He had a special message for his girlfriend, Savannah, and their two young sons, LeBron Jr. and Bryce. James thanked them all, and then singled out one special group. “I’m sorry,” he said Sunday, halting the ceremony at the University of Akron’s James A. Rhodes Arena. “But all my teammates, you have to come up here with me, man.” He was soon surrounded on the podium by Shaquille O’Neal, Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team he led to 61 wins during the regular season and is determined to take all the way to an NBA championship. Each of the Cavs hugged James before forming a half-circle around him. A few players used video cameras to record the all-for-one moment. “My name may be put on the front of that trophy,” James said, pointing at the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. “But these guys have a lot to do with it.” Dominating the voting just as he dominated on the floor all season, James became the 10th player in league history to win consecutive MVP awards, and he made sure to share it with the people closest to him, the ones who can never imagine him playing anywhere but Cleveland. “Since I was a kid, I always said I’d find a way to put Akron on the map,” James said. “It will always be my home and it will always be my life.” James’ comments seemed slightly ominous for a player on the eve of a big decision. He has given few clues about his intentions for when free agency opens on July 1, but James almost sounded as if he was preparing to say goodbye.
LA Lakers Lock Down Kobe Bryant. The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Kobe Bryant to a three-year contract extension, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. “We are extremely pleased that we were able to reach an agreement and come to terms on the extension at this time,” said Kupchak. “Kobe has been a cornerstone of the Lakers for well over a decade, helping to lead us to four NBA Championships and in the process developing into one of the greatest players in basketball history.” “Two of our main goals heading into this season were to sign Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol to contract extensions,” continued Kupchak. “With the signing of Pau earlier this season and the signing of Kobe today, we were able to accomplish those goals, helping to keep the core of this team intact for the foreseeable future and in turn help to ensure the franchise’s continued success over the years to come.”
S. Epatha Merkerson to Leave “Law & Order”. Turns out twenty years is enough for S. Epatha Merkerson. After starring on NBC’s “Law & Order” for two decades – longer than any other cast member on the series – the actress has asked producers to release her after the current 20th season. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Merkerson made the request before the cop drama was to enter production on the last episode of the season so her character could be given an appropriate send-off. The TV veteran joined “L&O” midway through season one and has appeared in almost 400 episodes playing no-nonsense supervisor Lt. Anita Van Buren. Merkerson did not have a deal in place for next season’s “Law & Order.” That season is still up in the air as a pickup by NBC depends on the network’s ability to ink an off-network deal with TNT. The cable channel, which carries “L&O” reruns, has no obligation to pick up more seasons beyond Season 20. NBC has been looking to the TNT license fee to offset the cost of production in order to renew “L&O” for a record-setting 21st campaign. The chances for that happening have increased recently as TNT has reportedly made an offer to NBC.
I LOVE THIS WOMAN, SHE IS SUCH AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING.
One-time Philadelphia Eagles teammates Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens are back together again for an upcoming basketball-themed episode of Spike TV’s reality series “Pros vs. Joes.” The quarreling quarterback and wide receiver will be featured on an episode that pits former NBA stars against NFL players that played college basketball. McNabb (Syracuse), Owens (Tennessee-Chattanooga) and Antonio Gates (Kent St.) will face Hakeem Olajuwon, Kenny Smith and Rick Fox. T.O. helped McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles reach the Super Bowl in 2004, but a feud ended their relationship. Shortly afterward, Owens demanded a new contract, criticized management and ripped McNabb before he was ultimately cut midway through the ‘05 season. Owens is a free agent after spending last year with Buffalo. He caught 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns in his only season with the Bills. Owens played three seasons with Dallas after he was released by Philadelphia. McNabb has been the subject of trade rumors since the Eagles lost to the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs. He’s led Philadelphia to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl in 11 seasons.
Chris Rock Gets Handsy with Gabby Sidibe. Chris Rock incurred the wrath of Gabourey Sidibe’s father Thursday when he took liberties with the actress’ backside during the third annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood event. The “Precious” star, who is nominated for a Best Actress Oscar at Sunday’s Academy Awards, got a shock when Rock gave her the two-handed booty grab as she made her way to the stage. The actress laughed and brushed it off with a playful slap, but Gabby’s daddy wasn’t so forgiving. She tells ET Online, “As I go up to get my award in a room where my dad is, because he’s one of my dates, Chris Rock grabbed my butt with both of his hands – and then I slapped him back. I didn’t think too much of it at all, but my dad was super p**sed.” As for Rock copping a feel at her expense, Sidibe quips, “Some dudes gotta have it – it’s my own fault for being too damn fine.”
A federal appeals court ruled Monday that California’s ban on gay marriage will remain in place indefinitely as judges consider whether it is constitutional.
The decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturns the order of judge Vaughn Walker last week that would have permitted same-sex couples to marry as soon as this week.
The three-judge panel that issued the decision said the 9th Circuit will expedite the challenge to California’s voter-aproved ban on gay marriage, though the case will not be heard in court until December.
Earlier in the month, U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the ban, known as Proposition 8, amounts to unconstitutional discrimination. Just last week, Walker ordered it to be lifted on Wednesday, Aug. 18.
Opponents of same-sex unions responded harshly to Walker’s decision, saying it reflected his judicial activism.
“When a lower judge makes an unprecedented ruling that totally overturns existing Supreme Court precedent, the normal thing for that judge to do is to stay his decision, and let the higher courts decide, in an orderly fashion that respects the rule of law, if he’s right or if he’s way off-base,” said Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage.
The appeals court decision is a further setback for gay rights advocates, many of whom were planning wedding ceremonies for 5 o’clock on Wednesday, when same-sex marriages would have resumed for the first time since November 2008, when voters approved Proposition 8.