Will Ferrell might want to sit down before reading the following, from Yahoo Sports’ Jason Cole and Charles Robinson.

The U.S. District Attorney’s office in San Diego has issued grand jury subpoenas to multiple witnesses in the Reggie Bush probe since October, requiring them to appear before federal investigators. According to a copy of a subpoena obtained by Yahoo! Sports, at least one of the witnesses was asked to produce “any recordings in your possession of conversations between Lloyd Lake and Reggie Bush, Denise Griffin, or LaMar Griffin.” Denise Griffin is Bush’s mother. LaMar Griffin is Bush’s stepfather.

If such taped conversations involving Bush become public, Bush and USC could face penalties from the NCAA and Pacific-10 Conference, which are conducting ongoing investigations into reports of extra benefits.

Yahoo! Sports has learned that LaMar Griffin spoke with federal investigators in the spring of 2006 and acknowledged the existence of the tapes. In an appearance before a grand jury on Jan. 12, 2007, Lake’s mother “ Barbara Gunner “ testified that she had heard portions of tapes made by her son, in which LaMar Griffin states that Bush intended to repay New Era Sports financiers “their money,” as well as for a car that was purchased for the former USC running back.

Multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports that Lake made the tapes in late 2005 to protect his financial investment if Bush backed out of their alleged agreement. New Era’s goal of landing Bush as a client officially failed when Bush signed to be represented by agent Joel Segal and marketing agent Mike Ornstein in January of 2006.

I wonder, when and if Reggie loses his 2005 Heisman and the trophy is awarded to Vince Young, the Texans will cite the above scandal as their rationale for passing on either player. To wit, they knew Bush would be facing charges, and all VY needed in his trophy cabinet was a Heisman to condemn himself to a future no brighter than that of Gino Torretta.