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NCAA reinstates Leinart after 'inadvertent' violation
ESPN.com news services

Matt Leinart's appearance in a promotional spot for ESPN violated an NCAA rule, but the USC quarterback had his eligibility restored Tuesday, an NCAA spokesman told the Los Angeles Times.

USC declared Leinart ineligible this month after the spot -- a "SportsCenter is next" promo that was taped after the Trojans' Dec. 3 victory over UCLA -- aired on ESPN. The Trojans reported the violation to the NCAA and petitioned for Leinart's reinstatement.

"Whenever we are aware that media outlets ask student-athletes to do these kinds of tags, we immediately cut them off," Tim Tessalone, USC's sports information director, told the Times. "Unfortunately, this one slipped by."

According to the NCAA's Kent Barrett, Leinart's actions were "unintentional and inadvertent. This was the type of thing where it was obvious the student-athlete was not attempting to become an endorser of a network."

Leinart, who finished third in this year's Heisman Trophy balloting and won the award last year, has practiced three times in preparation for the Jan. 4 Rose Bowl against Texas.

Barrett told the Times athletes may take part in practice and team and school activities while reinstatement petitions are considered by the NCAA. Leinart's situation came to light when USC's sports information staff turned down post-practice interview requests for the senior, who is made available to the media only on Tuesdays.

Tessalone said Leinart had been barred by USC from participating in media activities until after Christmas.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls05/n ... id=2267624

I thought that kid was supposed to be smart....come on...if he was anybody other than the pretty boy schmuck from the untouchable USC trojans, he would have been suspended faster than Ron Artest in the Palace!

Boo to no one standing up for this.....Go Longhorns....

"Whenever we are aware that media outlets ask student-athletes to do these kinds of tags, we immediately cut them off," Tim Tessalone, USC's sports information director, told the Times. "Unfortunately, this one slipped by."


He went on to say...

"Since ESPN has put our whole program on the payroll this year, and pulls all the strings with the NCAA, we figured there would be no problem. Unfortunately, we are reminded that the NCAA had to do this to make their organization look honest. It's all better now, and ESPN's checks continue to cash just fine when they come across my desk."