Heritage Hall is a default address by name at the University of Southern California. The mere mention of Heritage Hall and the vision of success and Heisman Trophies displayed in the hall is what comes to mind to those who follow college sports and USC Football specifically. For decades the Hall has represented the very best of the top athletes who walked the halls and performed on the courts, water, grass of the many sports programs that the school supported and participated in. Heritage Hall was a unique place in time and today is under attack like no other time.
Parents follow their dreams through their children. Alumni seek the day that their offspring will have the same beliefs and desires to follow in their footsteps. Famous athletes have that added advantage of having been there done that and have the access by their name to retrace their steps through their offspring. The elite sports programs at the university level must maintain their status and attract the top athletes from around the country and world at times. To sustain their legacy in the now and future is not easy anymore.
Heritage Hall has seen great times but since the murder trial of O.J. Simpson (found innocent) and then the Reggie Bush scandal (not sure what we learned there officially) and now this bizarrre scandal for admission of the Elite of our country to benefit by their stature and wealth and bypass the proud tradition of the top programs is difficult to swallow. So may obvious questions come to mind. How can a senior administrator who apparently reported to the AD of the school, Lynn Swann, be given free reign to do these illegal acts. Where was the AD’s insitituational control and process? Staff meetings clearly would have shown that Donna Heinal had activities going on with her consulting efforts that were questionable at the very least? Or should have been.
So given the obvious where does the Athletic Direct, Lynn Swann stand on all of this? He clearly was asleep at the wheel as Heinal was using or scheduling USC property to hold her meetings allegedly. This had to be known by more than the accused and those attending for a paid admission. Where did the money go? Was it on her own time or school time? All of these things should have been apparent in the eyes of regular staff meetings.
So here we are with the walls of USC Heritage Hall and the school itself burning once again in the media. USC interim President, Austin is talking like a vicitim and those allowed to speak share that sentiment in the media. Victim? You would think after the Reggie Bush NCAA sanctions that this school would have been all over its staff and athletes. Anything else we need to know about at the once proud Heritage Hall address?
Fight On
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