The "Reggie Bush case" dates back to early 2006, so you no doubt have heard something about it before. (And if you haven't, I'd be fascinated if you could email me and let me know how you stumbled upon this site.) Nevertheless, the length of time this saga has dragged out makes it easy to lose track of exactly what happened. For purposes of understanding the content on this site, here is a brief (by my long-winded standards), bare bones recap:
Reggie Bush was a star runningback for the USC Trojans from 2003-2005. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2005 and entered the NFL Draft after his junior season. Beginning in April 23, 2006, a few months after Bush played his last game for USC, Yahoo! Sports published a series of stories reporting allegations that Bush and his family received benefits, including cash and rent-free use of a house in San Diego, during his last year at USC from would-be marketers hoping to represent Bush after he turned pro. These would-be marketers, Michael Michaels and Lloyd Lake, claimed that Bush had agreed to have their fledgling agency, New Era, represent him before reneging on the promise. Bush reportedly settled with Michaels in 2007. Lake sued Bush and Bush's family in 2007, and the case eventually settled.
The NCAA investigation began shortly after the April 2006 revelations. USC assistant coach Todd McNair was interviewed in 2006 and 2008. Lake was interviewed in 2007. Bush was interviewed in 2009. In Fall 2009, the NCAA issued a Notice of Allegations to USC and McNair. The NCAA alleged that Bush violated NCAA amateur rules by entering into an agreement and accepting money from Lake and Michaels, that USC lacked institutional control for failing to effectively monitor and discover these violations, and that McNair committed unethical conduct by denying knowledge of Bush's violations. The NCAA also alleged other violations in the football, men's basketball, and women's tennis programs. USC agreed that Bush accepted some of the alleged extra benefits from Michaels and Lake, but denied that the institution was liable. USC self-imposed penalties in men's basketball and women's tennis. McNair denied any knowledge of the violations and denied lying about it to investigators.
USC and the NCAA's enforcement staff appeared before the NCAA Committee on Infractions ("COI") from February 18 through February 20, 2010. On June 10, 2010, the COI released its report which found USC guilty of lack of institutional control and McNair guilty of unethical conduct. USC was given a two-year postseason ban and docked 30 scholarships over three years, in addition to a fine and other penalties. McNair was given a show cause order banning him from recruiting for one year. Bush forfeited his Heisman Trophy. Appeals by USC and McNair were denied. A lawsuit by McNair against the NCAA is pending.