As you no doubt have heard or read about by now, USC returned their copy of Reggie Bush‘s Heisman Trophy to the Heisman trust in the wake of NCAA sanctions brought on by the ex-Trojan tailback receiving $300,000 in illegal benefits during his collegiate playing days.
As of yet, Bush has neither responded publicly -- that we are aware of -- to his former school’s decision nor has he returned his award.
Speaking on the Dan Patrick radio show earlier Wednesday, new USC athletic director Pat Haden addressed Bush’s Heisman situation, taking a verbal scalpel and surgically filleting Bush’s character.
Here’s the exchange between Haden and Patrick, courtesy of our buddy SportsByBrooks:
Patrick: “If you were Reggie Bush, would you give back the Heisman?”Haden, after a long pause: “If I were Reggie Bush with Pat Haden’s soul, yes.”Patrick: “Does he have your soul?”Haden: “I don’t know Reggie Bush.”
Ouch. Just, ouch. As I told Brooks when he made us aware of this interview, that cut right through me and I’m not even directly involved in this mess.
By shipping the Heisman back to sender and tearing down any mention or memory of Bush in Heritage Hall, USC has made it perfectly clear that they are distancing themselves from Bush above and beyond what was called for by the NCAA. By publicly questioning Bush’s soul? That’s torching the bridge, rebuilding it, then burning it down again. Then taking a leak all over the still-hot embers.
Based on what Bush has wrought on that football program and that institution, you can’t blame Haden & Company one bit for the public tack they’ve taken. Not one bit.