Key Points from McNair opening day on stand

by:Lizelle05/04/18
It was a very good day for Todd McNair as he took the stand in his trial against the NCAA with questioning by his attorney and the NCAA, although the NCAA questioning will continue on Friday. * The day began with McNair lawyer Bruce Broillet getting an important question out of the way. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 21m21 minutes ago McNair Trial: Todd McNair takes the stand. Broillet has him look at the jury when he answers right out the gate whether he knew about the alleged improper benefits received by Bush as alleged by the NCAA. McNair: “Absolutely not.” * Next came a video of McNair through his career, he teared up near the end. Showed a human side and also a visual reminder that he was once the RB coach at Tailback U. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 15m15 minutes ago McNair tears up. 4 minute video montage of him playing with Chiefs then micd up at USC practice. After video he gets emotional on stand. Needs a minute. #McNair #USC #NCAA * Explanation of Oct 2009 phone calls, and how Lake got McNair phone number on his cell phone Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 13m13 minutes ago All this talk about recruiting and keeping players and guests happy leads up to explanation of October 29, 2005 calls to Lake. NCAA had shown prepared list of calls showing only 3 calls with Lake and one with Bush. All one minute calls. Broillet says let’s look at whole record. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 12m12 minutes ago Btw Broillet has great dramatic flair. When he’s like “let’s look at the whole phone record from that night,” you can almost hear the anticipation as jurors crane their necks. #McNair #USC #NCAA. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 9m9 minutes ago McNair explains that October 29, 2005 calls to Lake were night of Wazzu game. When he was interviewed by NCAA in February 2008, initially he did not know if they had a recruit visiting on that night 10/29/05. He didn’t have an attorney and didn’t even think needed one. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 6m6 minutes ago In middle of Feb 2008 NCAA interview USC is able to pull info that Percy Harvin was in town on recruiting visit. Then McNair remembered because that was a night of drama. Harvin the #1 recruit at time was on visit and late that 10/29/05, McNair learns Harvin was left at hotel. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 4m4 minutes ago You can’t do that to number one recruit. So complete phone records show flurry of late calls w Kiffin who headed up recruiting, Jared Blank who coordinated visitors, lots of calls to Reggie because he is perfect person to show Harvin around to try to handle situation stat. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 2m2 minutes ago One of the later calls to Bush after him not answering a lot that night Bush tells McNair his phone is dying, reach him at this number (which turned out to be Lake’s). McNair trying to get Reggie bc Harvin situation calls number once. No answer. Twice. No answer. Connects on 3d. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 17m17 minutes ago Ultimately Harvin didn’t sign with USC and McNair knows it’s because he was left at hotel, and “He’s a diva.” Courtroom laughs. Point is the flurry of calls to Bush and 3 calls to Lake explained. #McNair #USC #NCAA * Reggie Bush provided loans to McNair. This item was not known publicly, and the NCAA is likely to pursue when they get a chance. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 33m33 minutes ago McNair trial: Bush provided McNair with loans to help get him by. Did not know that. #McNair #USC #NCAA * McNair coaching at Village Christian HS Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 29m29 minutes ago McNair currently got job coaching at Village Christian in Sun Valley. Lots of attempts over years with other programs in NFL and NCAA but nothing bore out. Fell into depression 2011-2012. #McNair #USC #NCAA * The biggest impact came at the end of the day when McNair was being questioned by NCAA lawyer Kosta Stojilkovic. The very first point Stojilkovic brings up is to challenge McNair that he didn’t say he didn’t know Lloyd Lake during an NCAA interview in February of 2008, but McNair turned it around by telling him to check another part of the transcript. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 54m54 minutes ago (THREAD) They say the best defense is a good offense. Stojilkovic’s first attempt at impeachment (like showing evidence that seems to make witness look like a liar) seemed to fall flat. Or even miss... #McNair #USC #NCAA Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 51m51 minutes ago He starts out by telling McNair that McNair said he always maintained that he did not know, could not have met Lake. McNair says yes. Then Stojilkovic brings up transcript of Feb 2008 NCAA interview is McNair and says but you didn’t maintain that here did you, highlights words. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 50m50 minutes ago At that moment I’m expecting a big red slap you in the face text that makes McNair look like a liar. But McNair goes on offense and tells Stojilkovic he did maintain his position in that same Feb 08 interview. He makes Stojilkovic scroll up the big transcript on display... Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 48m48 minutes ago ...to areas Stojilkovic hadn’t highlighted and McNair reads his own words showing that yes he was saying in effect didn’t know the guy. Jurors are looking confused like what point was Stojilkovic trying to make. The point is McNair is prepared. #McNair #USC #NCAA * Stojilkovic also challenged a McNair statement that Reggie was not a “student of the game” but once again McNair was prepared and turned it around. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 43m43 minutes ago That was followed by a second impeachment attempt that also seemed to miss the mark. Stojilkovic brought up that McNair saying Reggie “wasn’t a student of the game” and tried to impeach him on that with Sept 2006 NCAA interview #McNair #USC #NCAA. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 42m42 minutes ago In Sep 2006 interview McNair said “Reggie is the most focused player.” Stojilkovic implies McNair contradicts himself. McNair then goes off into an explanation of How being “focused” is no necessarily being a “student of the game.” #McNair #USC #NCAA Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 41m41 minutes ago He describes Reggie as focused and LenDale White as student of game. Goes into a detailed explanation of how different the two were and how Reggie was more focused on working hard and getting to weigh my room early. Less focused on distractions. Lizelle Brandt‏ @LizelleBrandt 38m38 minutes ago Versus LenDale who was more cerebral about explaining exactly what went on on the field and his mental approach. He says Reggie while focused was not like that. Details he gave were convincing like a coach who knew his players well. Stojilkovic tried arguing but then moved on.

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