Did U$C RB Coach McNair pull a Michael Vick in 1996?

by Meriones on Aug 28, 2007 7:42 PM PDT

Bumped again. Keeping this story up all through the night. GO BRUINS. -N

Bumped. If this turns out to be the same guy, this could turn out to be quite a story. I will reserve judgment until more facts are uncovered, but this sure looks like more than a coincidence. Maybe one of the hard hitting beat reporters covering the Trojans (/sarcasm) will take a look into this. GO BRUINS. -Menelaus

Happened to look up the U$C staff on Google today. Assuming the names are correct, then it looks like U$C RB coach Todd McNair may have been arrested for dogfighting in 1996:

According to the April 4, 1996 online edition of the New York Times:

Todd McNair, a Houston Oilers running back, was arrested Tuesday and charged with 81 offenses involving the mistreatment of 22 pit bulls being trained on his property for dogfights, the police said yesterday. Seventeen dogs were found tied to trees with chains, all had scars and many appeared malnourished, Lieut. Scott Goess of the East Greenwich police said. He described the condition of the dogs as "appalling."

According to McNair's official bio at U$C:

He was a running back and special teams standout for 8 seasons in the NFL, first with the Kansas City Chiefs for 5 years (1989-93), followed by 2 seasons (1994-95) with the Houston Oilers and then back with the Chiefs in 1996. In his career, he ran for 803 yards with 3 touchdowns, caught 252 passes with 7 scores and averaged 18.6 yards on kickoff returns. He retired as the Chiefs' No. 10 all-time receiver.

Hmmm... assuming that $C's Todd McNair wasn't signed by the Chiefs until after April 4, 1996, meaning that he was still considered an Oilers player, then it sounds like the same guy.

Anyone want to forward this to the L.A. Times?

MIM

UPDATE -N: It is also worth noting Mr. McNair is also one of the key figures in the Reggie Bush - Free House - Scandal:

The potential problem for USC goes beyond the trail of money to Bush. The Trojan program could be found by the NCAA to have failed to exert proper institutional control.

Sources told Yahoo! Sports that representatives of New Era were allowed into the USC locker room during the 2005 season. Ornstein and other agents frequented the USC sidelines during several games and numerous practices that season, according to published reports.

Also, McNair (Southern Cal Running Back coach - Ed.) allegedly knew of Bush's involvement with the New Era venture before last season's national championship game against Texas, according to two sources. And at one point during the 2005 season, sources say Bush thought that Carroll knew about his parents' living arrangement and feared he was going to conduct his own investigation. Bush called Michaels, instructing that if Carroll called regarding the house to "tell him that you're a longtime family friend." Carroll never called Michaels. Again just so you have all the information that is available at least in public.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Comments

Awful

That's really nauseating. 22 dogs, quite a sideline he had going.

by SinnerBoy 99 on Aug 28, 2007 4:39 PM PDT reply actions

Hear that sound?

That's the sound of SUCLink backpedaling after his high horse turned out to be a jackass.

Once again, witness SUCLink's superb parking job.

LIE ON!

by Tydides on Aug 28, 2007 4:52 PM PDT reply actions

Great find!

Good work. It's horrible McNair was allegedly involved in dogfighting. Let's see if any media outlet picks this up.

by gilbert on Aug 28, 2007 5:06 PM PDT reply actions

It has to be the same guy, and more info

It has to be the same guy -- Pro-Football-Reference has records of only one Todd McNair ever playing in the NFL, and the NY Times article said McNair played on the Oilers in the NFL. His USC bio also says he played in the NFL.

This South Jersey News Online article also references McNair's arrest (do a find on this page for "Todd"). In that article, the only punishment mentioned is a $16,000 fine.

I also found a picture of one of the dogs on McNair's property at How Stuff Works. The dog looks like it's in horrible condition.

by gilbert on Aug 28, 2007 5:28 PM PDT reply actions

Nice find

Here's the money paragraph from that South Jersey News Online
article:

Gloucester County had one instance of high-level fighting that closely parallels Michael Vick's case. Todd McNair, a professional football player who played for the Houston Oilers, was charged with 22 counts of dog abuse (later amended to neglect) when police seized the dogs from his property in East Greenwich in 1996. McNair, who now coaches football at the University of Southern California, paid over $16,000 in fines.

by Menelaus on Aug 28, 2007 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Dang. Poor little pooch.

I'm not a dog person, but that's horrible. Yeeeesh.

MIM

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Aug 28, 2007 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions

no conviction?

It certainly appears that the Todd McNair charged in 1996 is the sames as the coach at $C.

A preliminary search of Westlaw found no record of a New Jersey case involving McNair and dogfighting, or mistreatment of dogs...

by bruinhoo on Aug 28, 2007 5:32 PM PDT reply actions

Fair comment

It's possible that this never resulted in a conviction, or at least not in a felony that would show up easily on Westlaw.

Based upon the language above re the charge being changed from "abuse" to "neglect" (which is presumably less serious), it is probably fair to assume that there was some kind of deal.

In any event, it seems that trouble has a way of finding McNair. Remember this?

Also, McNair allegedly knew of Bush's involvement with the New Era venture before last season's national championship game against Texas, according to two sources.

by Menelaus on Aug 28, 2007 6:00 PM PDT up reply actions

AGREED. There is no report of convictions...

... just as there was no conviction in connection with ES' recent arrest.

However, the $16,000 in fines, IF accurate, is a considerable penalty.

Why do I get the feeling some more digging may produce more info?

MIM

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Aug 28, 2007 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions

True

From looking at gilbert's link, it would make sense that a deal was reached. Also that would explain the lack of information I have otherwise tried to find.

by bruinhoo on Aug 28, 2007 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Good legwork, gilbert.

$16,000 IN FINES???

I wonder, then, if this menas he was CONVICTED, or was only assessed administrative-type fines in a non-criminal capacity.

Interesting...

MIM

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Aug 28, 2007 5:34 PM PDT reply actions

SuC Link

Want to chime in on this? Or are you one of these drive-by trolls who just read BN and chime in when it suits you?

by Barnes2JJ on Aug 28, 2007 5:53 PM PDT reply actions

You won't believe this, but....

I was driving through Westwood Village yesterday night when I saw a huge billboard advertising Trojan TV visible going south on Gayley Ave approaching Wilshire Blvd.

You heard it from me first.

Now, BN, lets get this taken down.

by Steven on Aug 28, 2007 6:22 PM PDT reply actions

That Billboard Is Annoying

The Daily Bruin has an article about it this week.

Here's the link:
http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/2007/aug/27/emi_could_have_im_gladem/

I'm sure all the Trojans get to see it since they like to hang out in Westwood. I heard somewhere that their neighborhood isn't all that great.

by BruinFan1 on Aug 28, 2007 6:50 PM PDT reply actions

U$C

Until the NCAA has the onions to go after the trOJans, it, the NCAA & $C are a joke!

by jim masterson on Aug 28, 2007 7:03 PM PDT reply actions

This is insane

by Nestor on Aug 28, 2007 7:08 PM PDT reply actions

I'm getting my paintball gun....

anyone want to join me? Lol

by Steven on Aug 28, 2007 7:19 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't have a paintball gun

but I encourage anyone and everyone who does in Westwood to blast the hell out of this sign.

by Tydides on Aug 28, 2007 7:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Don't stoop to the Trojans' level

We're Bruins, not Trojans. We're classier than them. Just let it go. They put the ad here for a reason -- they're insecure about themselves.

Shooting that thing with paintballs would be doing something a Trojan would do.

by gilbert on Aug 28, 2007 8:16 PM PDT up reply actions

It's college

They knew the risks.

Lock and load, fellas.

by Tydides on Aug 28, 2007 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions

and please

only hit it with yellow and baby-blue paint.

by bornagainbruin on Aug 28, 2007 9:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Which part?

The Trojan billboard, or McNair's extracurricular kennel activities???

I posted this up at BZ. One guy said he was going to forward it to PETA.

MIM

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Aug 28, 2007 7:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Your scoop!

Man talk about timing. Absolutely effin classic.

And that all happened because we had a Trojie coming in here to complain we were being meanies to their God like Pom Pom.

by Nestor on Aug 28, 2007 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions

I am thisfreakingclose...

... to blanket e-mailing this to Dohn, Foster, Perelman, Cowherd, Jim Rome -- everybody we can think of. I'm a bit more confident of the ID of McNair now.

This is just too freaking much.

MIM

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Aug 28, 2007 7:27 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't see why not

You have done the work for them. Its now up to them to actually report in and ask the questions.

Also it wouldn't be a bad idea for folks to x-post this on BRO.

by Nestor on Aug 28, 2007 7:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Send this to everyone!

Meriones did the hard work already, and others here have added their own research. There's nothing people in the media like more than an easy story that's controversial and related to a current topic.

by gilbert on Aug 28, 2007 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Question for Gilbert

Is this the kind of thing the DB would run with? And if it is, will someone already have read all this stuff?

by Fox 71 on Aug 28, 2007 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Maybe

I don't know the current sports editor well enough to make that call if they'd run with this. But as you've noticed here, some of them do read all this stuff, so you don't have to worry about that.

I don't think the Daily Bruin prints again for three weeks (the last issue of summer is usually the Monday before Labor Day) -- they go into hibernation preparing for their giant Registration Issue that kicks off the school year before daily production.

If other media outlets report this, I'm guessing the Daily Bruin will. If not, the DB still might report this depending on what kind of current sources they can get.

by gilbert on Aug 28, 2007 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions