Redd or Bacon: Someone is seriously mistaken
USC is disputing the section of John U Bacon's Fourth and Long book which deals with the USC "recruitment" of Silas Redd when he decided to leave Penn State. The story in the book mentioned that Redd flew to LA on a private jet and Snoop Dog/Lion (whatever he was named at that point) picked him up at the airport and drove him to campus.
USC claims that Lane Kiffen picked up Redd at the airport after he flew commercial.
Someone's got some splainin' to do and I'm guessing it isn't Bacon (ummm. Bacon).
August 21st, 2013 at 2:29 PM ^
As good as this gem?
August 21st, 2013 at 3:21 PM ^
That's Rick James, bitch!
August 21st, 2013 at 11:15 AM ^
Why are you ummm'ing Bacon??
August 21st, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
I think he was trying to mmmmm bacon.
August 21st, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^
he failed
August 21st, 2013 at 1:24 PM ^
Correct - typo
August 21st, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
Hold on, am I hearing this right. Shady and suspicious stuff happens in college football recruiting???
August 21st, 2013 at 11:24 AM ^
Paging Section 1.
August 21st, 2013 at 4:00 PM ^
What do you want me to say?
I don't know how Silas Redd got to Los Angeles. So there's that.
I'd suggest doing a FOIA to USC, but they don't have to respond. Like Notre Dame, homey don't play FOIA. They are both private schools, not susceptible to state freedom of information act requests.
The last time I heard of anybody FOIA-ing airplane records, it was the Freep, when they were trying (in vain) to prove that Michigan had improperly given air travel to the outside-business partner of Rich Rodriguez, who defrauded Rodriguez and a half dozen other coaches in a real estate deal. They got records, but no story. (It is so much fun, FOIA-ing the Freep's FOIA requests.)
So yeah, I'd be very happy to have somebody settle this in an equivalent fashion. But I don't think it will happen.
I am looking forward very much to John's book.
August 21st, 2013 at 6:14 PM ^
August 21st, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^
Are we honestly having a debate over the truthfulness of Lane Kiffin?
August 21st, 2013 at 11:28 AM ^
August 21st, 2013 at 11:39 AM ^
August 21st, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
Bacon is trying to sell a story. He is trying to sell his constructed account, an unscientific, solipsistic telling of events. There is no peer review. He selects what to report and how to report them, what meaning to give them. It is up to you to give his narratives whatever credence you think they warrent.
August 21st, 2013 at 12:17 PM ^
That you?
August 21st, 2013 at 12:20 PM ^
August 21st, 2013 at 12:36 PM ^
My only problem is with how Bacon's accounts seem to be treated. In academia, we have a domain of research called sociological, qualitative research. Bacon is not a qualitative researcher, and his work should not be confused with such.
August 21st, 2013 at 1:25 PM ^
MGo Word Of The Day. Nice.
(Admittedly had to look it up on the interwebz).
August 21st, 2013 at 2:43 PM ^
Does it still have my picture next to the definition?
August 21st, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
I'm inclined to believe pretty much any accusation about shady recruting tactics made against just about any school. USC is certainlly no exception.
August 21st, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^
I'm guessing Pat Haden isn't dumb enough to volunteer a flatly false statement about this. All he/Redd need to do is produce a receipt for the commercial ticket, and everyone knows this. Here's guessing they will. Otherwise, why say stick your neck out to say something that can so easily be proven false?
August 21st, 2013 at 12:31 PM ^
All current SC ball boys should pray the truth never surfaces.
August 21st, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^
August 21st, 2013 at 1:08 PM ^
I would assume that Bacon was confident enough in his source(s) to print that quote. He's been around the game long enough to understand publishing something like that could end Redd's college career and could crater the USC program. He's also been in the publishing business long enough to understand that if the quote wasn't accurate the potential blowback of a libel/defamation suit from an institution with a $4 Billion endowment behind it. At the least Bacon must truly believe that is the story.
We know USC has at least one booster who is happy to provide use of the corporate jet to the football team.
Lane humblebragged on Colin Cowherd about using Fletcher Jone's Mercede's corporate jet to go recruit Redd. If you didn't read or hear about it back then, it's worth the 2 minutes.
August 21st, 2013 at 3:01 PM ^
It isn't hard to imagine that USC flying its coaches around the country on a private jet to recruit Redd could balloon into Redd flying to LA on the jet.
It also wouldn't be surprising if Snoop was involved in the visit somehow (which could presumably be allowed), and that could also blow up into his picking Redd up at the airport.
I would hope Bacon has evidence other than college students telling stories.
Is it a major infraction to fly a kid in on a private jet? I don't know. I assume it is. I find it hard to believe USC would do something so easily found out -- "Hey Silas, we're going to fly you in on a private jet, but you can't tell anyone about it." It just seems absurd.
August 21st, 2013 at 7:02 PM ^
time I sent my private jet to pick up a player, he was just there for the return trip. I had already dropped a package off in his hometown, no sense flying back empty. I'll be happy to submit my costs, but you may also be assured that the cost was far less than a commercial flight, and there was that whole timing thing. His school-work is important to us, even if the NCAA doesn't care about it. Okay, go back and look at stretching or some other insidious infraction.
August 21st, 2013 at 1:18 PM ^
It's Kiffin. With an I. Not an E
August 21st, 2013 at 1:54 PM ^
August 21st, 2013 at 5:52 PM ^
More importantly, did he meet Michael Jackson on the trip?
August 21st, 2013 at 7:15 PM ^
... I don't want to be right.
From a local burger joint, coincidentally called Red(d) Mill
August 22nd, 2013 at 12:36 AM ^
Well, Bacon makes everything taste better, and some ice-cold Redd's Apple Ale to wash it all down doesn't sound bad on a hot summer day or night, either.