USC Team Doctors Writing (illegal ?) Pain Killer Prescriptions for Players and Coaches

Dave Watson, former player in the 1990's for USC and former coach for Pete Carroll at USC admitted in court that he had developed a significant addiction to painkillers since his college playing career in the 1990s and as a coach.

Watson gave the names of 12 doctors associated with the university, six of whom were team doctors for USC football. Watson had already provided the court extensive documentation of these prescriptions, including dates, drug names and pill amounts.

Dave Watson while still coaching at USC was in court for a DUI crash in a USC-provided Jeep. The police after a search of his vehicle found four bottles of prescription pills, including one written for 90 tablets of a Vicodin-like painkiller called Norco that had been filled that morning. Except now there were only 83 pills left. Watson would later admit having taken three Soma pills (a prescription muscle relaxer) prior to the crash. 

Eight months after the accident, following which Watson was charged with DUI and pleaded no contest in exchange for three years' probation.

Watson was fired by USC coach Pete Carroll. The reason cited by Carroll: Watson was too hard on his players.  

Dave Watson filed a civil suit against USC for wrongful termination. Indicating that he didn't accept the explanation Carroll had given him as the truth.

It would seem Carroll knew about his addiction and nonetheless continued to allow Dave Watson to use the USC-provided Jeep when he was still a fooball coach at USC .

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/01/11/usc.watson/index.html?eref=twitter_feed