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.
If I were Reggie Bush I wouldn’t give it back either. His play earned him that Heisman and everyone will always remember he won it that year anyway.
And spare the damage he’s brought to the institution argument. Reggie Bush made USC WAY MORE money than they ever gave Bush in the form of scholarship and financial aid. Until colleges stop selling the players jerseys in the bookstore or pay them for it, the school will always have the advantage in the student-athlete relationship
I heard Haden’s Dating Kim Kardashian now also……
While there should be appropriate consequences for the illegal benefits, those benefits didn’t contribute a single yard to Bush’s performance on the field. He earned the Heisman and I think he should keep it.
Had he been found to have taken performance-enhancing drugs, I could agree that the trophy should be returned.
@NE49ers….Ben Johnson “earned” his gold medal in the Olympics, too. Ooops, I forgot. He cheated and broke the rules so they TOOK IT AWAY!
Just curious to know how much money the athletic department at USC made during Bush’s playing days?
Had Bush been PAID to play else where whould he have still won the heisman ? Its still took the collective team, as a whole, to win the trophy. If he hadnt been surrounded by that kind of talent would he still have won ? Anyone who dismisses the coaching staff for having no culpability is a fool ! Haden is playing damage control and rightfully so.
Also all you idiots that talk about the institutions gains made on the back of these amateur athletes are ridiculous. These athletes get an opportunity at an education, they usually fail to take advantage of, and to hone their skills for a shot at the big pro paydays that come with being a high draft pick.
No, Pete Carroll should return the Heisman, not Reggie Bush.
But Pete has no soul either.
@dr.g… Is this same Ben Johnson that failed a drug test? Drugs like steroids that can create a competitive advantage. I get it I see how the money could have made Reggie faster, stronger, better, blah, blah, blah…
Listen I am all for the rules being followed to the letter of the law but since we are on that topic. Where are the penalties for the coaches/staff/AD office etc. who have a responsibility to know. Is it really possible for them not to know that the poor kid with no income bought and modified a vehicle ($13k) that was also registered at the school. WOW!!!! So when they sue the coaches/staff/AD’s etc for damages or at least offer some attempt at punishment then Bush should give his trophy back – until then, if Pete can keep everything he received then so can Reggie.
At least Hayden & Bush have one thing in common, they both sucked in the NFL. Pay Hyaden’s comments probably went over with the blue collar folks as snobbish & sounding like someone who is full of themselves. Nothing worse than someone who thinks there sh&* don’t stink!!!
@Dr.G Its one thing to use steroids to improve your performance. Its another to accept money. None of that improved Bush’s play on the field. You can find violations at every school if you want to.
I agree he should return Heisman. Also Pat Haden should return all of the revenue made from all of the BCS bowls back that Reggie Bush was involved in. I bet AD Pat Haden does not do that.
Bush needs to cleanse himself and return the trophy.
He didn’t follow the rules while winning it no matter what he did on the field.
What Pat Haden was saying is he wouldn’t have taken money to begin with.
Naming Pat Haden USC AD was a great move.
Freakin’ Rhodes Scholar… what does that tell me?
He’s brilliant.
Reggie Bush and his parents knowingly broke the rules. It does not matter whether they are right or not they were, and are, the rules to be enforced. Bush skates while the people left in his wake at the USC program suffer for his misconduct. If I were the AD I would ban him from games and from campus. The selfish imp hurt way more people and helped one… himself. I got no love or respect for any accomplishment he has or will make!
LOL @ hrmlss
I’d hide it and claim I don’t know where it is or I gave it to someone and it was stolen or lost.
Bush shouldn’t have to give it back but he should be remembered as a greedy, selfish player who actually believed that he was better and more important than the other tens of thousands of NCAA players in this country. I hope his reputation continues to diminish.
Yeah, I’m sure Mr. Haden never did anything morally or ethically wrong and if he did he made damn sure he received punishment to the fullest extent of the law and/or rules.
“Reggie Bush with Pat Haden’s soul”. What a douche.
Reggie Bush and his parents knowingly broke the rules. It does not matter whether they are right or not they were, and are, the rules to be enforced. Bush skates while the people left in his wake at the USC program suffer for his misconduct. If I were the AD I would ban him from games and from campus. The selfish imp hurt way more people and helped one… himself. I got no love or respect for any accomplishment he has or will make!
Bush is an self-hyped, over-rated ass. He took every penny and every benefit with full knowledge that it was not only wrong morally, but wrong as it relates to the potentially, and now realized, devistatingly negative ramifications on the USC program that gave him the opportunity to earn the award in the first place. However, given that he as already exposed his lack of integrity by acting as he did while at USC, no one should be losing any sleep waiting for a UPS parcel containing the award that he has tarnished so incredibly.
Sooner or later karma always gets its revenge on douche bags like Reggie Bush – I’m betting Kim gives him the gift that lasts forever – herpes
Sounds like Haden has something that may not be welcome with USC / USC fans – character. Lots of USC fans seem to be taking exception with the idea that Bush should return the award.
As it has been pointed out here (by those who exhibit logic and character), cheating is cheating. It doesn’t matter if it is steroids or accepting payments. It is a violation of the rules. Accepting payments makes you a pro. If we overlook one person accepting payment and winning an award, lets allow other pros to win awards. How do you think this year’s crop of Heisman Hopefuls would do it they had to contend with Tom Brady, Adrian Peterson, etc. also being eligible?
nps6724 says:
“”Reggie Bush with Pat Haden’s soul”. What a douche.”
Yes, Reggie Bush with Pat Haden’s soul would indeed still be a douche. You can’t polish a turd, Beavis.
All you knuckleheads who support Reggie Bushs’ Heisman are all a bunch of fools. College is for higher learning. Universities shouldn’t have to be ashamed and ridiculed for a “student athlete” whose payday should come in a form of FULL scholarship only! There are rules people! Reggie earned a scholarship for his athleticism, not his IQ. He was blessed to have those skills to succeed but he got greedy and didn’t care who he brought down in the process. Karma’s a bitch! That’s why he’s mediocre, at best, in the pro’s! Contrary to popular belief, schools make waaaay more money from higher education than from athletics. And you can look that up!
He shouldn’t even have the option of giving it back…they should yank it back.
And this crap about how he made USC so much more than the school made him is hogwash. How many millions has Reggie raked in from his NFL contract and indorsements? I’m sure it’s much more than USC made on Reggie jerseys!
College is where you go to get an education and learn a profession. Without USC who would have heard of Reggie Bush? He would have been yet another back/receiver who would have been lucky to be drafted, and with his track record could easily have followed the same path as Maurice Clarrett!?
The first step in recovery is admitting you are wrong. Reggie needs to accept this, return the trophy, begin healing.
Unfortunately, today’s athletes don’t have the conscience of those of yesterday. Bush (hmmm, another Bush without scruples) probably figures he earned the trophy and did nothing wrong–”They gave me that stuff! I didn’t steal it!” And as to the student body being up in arms about it all–”IT’S JUST A GAME!”
Yet we all should have known Bush’s mindset when he married a Kardashian (weren’t they the snake-like race from Star Trek–Deep Space 9?)
Remind me not to play poker with those saying it was OK for Bush to cheat and still keep the Heisman.
Giving Mr. Haden the benefit of the doubt, if the person that just left his position or the head coach had similar souls USC would not have been in this in the first place.