Marty Mac's World: Mayo situation is not surprising

With absolutely no intent to make light of this situation: Is anyone truly surprised there are allegations that soon-to-be NBA draftee O.J. Mayo received money and clothes and other gifts in his one season at USC?

This is the world in which we live.

Mayo has been ticketed and hyped for stardom since the sixth grade. In the seventh grade, he was playing varsity basketball in Kentucky, although he was living in Huntington, W.Va. A rule in Kentucky allows seventh-graders to do so.

There is something a little shady/shaky about that, but as time evolves, it appears we'll see no limit or end to the exploitation of high-profile high school athletes. It's difficult to imagine a seventh-grader was fully aware of the rules in Kentucky, so even then Mayo was being directed by adults who might not truly have had his best long-term interests in mind.

Assuming Mayo was not raised wealthy, he, like other big-time athletes, was easy prey. Mayo certainly knew accepting money and gifts was not kosher, according to high school and NCAA guidelines.

But how many of us as teenagers would turn down money when we had none or little? How many of us would say no to getting some sweet gear to wear when we didn't have any? The answer is very, very, very few.

It's considerably more likely the people involved with Mayo in this situation, which ultimately led to him being represented in the upcoming draft by the sports management firm BDA, have been looking out for themselves more than the player, who turns 21 on Nov. 5.

Perhaps the most revealing information provided to ESPN's "Outside the Lines" crew, primarily from former Mayo confidante Louis Johnson, was that an alleged $200,000 to $250,000 was directed toward another "friend," Rodney Guillory, to basically take care of the young man and ensure his eventual signing with BDA.

Now we're hearing from Johnson that approximately $30,000 of that came Mayo's way. If I'm Mayo today, and since his ACT score reportedly was in the 95th percentile, I'm guessing he can figure out he allegedly received about one-seventh or one-eighth of that money. That would be more than enough for me to step away from every one of these dudes. If that wasn't enough, these dudes allegedly left a paper trail.

Moreover, for the longest time, there has been a concept in the black community that it would be best for entertainers to sign with African American representation. However, no race is without those who will prey upon the weak and unknowing.

Heaven forbid Mayo suffered an injury while working out for teams before the June draft. Johnson clearly has felt as if he has been jerked in this process; hence, he's dropping dimes like a soda machine from back in the day. And Johnson was supposed to be his boy, his partner, a guy on the lookout for him.

Wrong.

Boxing misses Tenner

The late Sid Tenner had more stories than Muhammad Ali – well, maybe close. What Tenner certainly had was the wherewithal to make things happen in local boxing. Right now, Sacramento boxing is suffering.

Thursday's card at the Red Lion at Arden Village is yet another attempt to provide opportunities for Brandon Gonzales, Stan Martyniouk, Michael Simms, Otis Griffin and Ernesto Casteneda to display and hone their skills. Gonzales, Martyniouk and Griffin are young and talented enough to advance into boxing's upper echelon.

Tickets for the card are priced at $150, $100, $75 and $50. For more information, call (916) 649-4777.

About the writer:

• Call The Bee's Martin McNeal, (916) 326-5504.