The news broke late this morning, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports, that the Heisman Trust is expected to strip Reggie Bush of his 2005 Heisman trophy and could do so as early as this month.
While it may be expected, it’s not yet been concretely decided.
ESPN College Game Day‘s Chris Fowler said Tuesday that he spoken to some of the eight members of the trust’s Board of Trustees and no vote has been taken on what to do regarding the Bush “situation”. The unnamed trustees also told Fowler that a vote and/or an announcement are not imminent.
A Heisman spokesman reiterated that fact to the Los Angeles Times.
“The Heisman Trophy Trust has yet to make a decision, and until such time they do we have no further comment,” Tim Henning told the paper.
That being said, a regularly-scheduled meeting will still take place at some point in September per Fowler, and there seems to be little doubt that Bush’s Heisman will be discussed. Whether the decision to strip the award away or allow Bush to keep it occurs this month remains to be seen, although it certainly appears it will happen — one way or the other — sooner rather than later.
So, there’s still time for Bush to do the right thing and voluntarily relinquish the award.
Tick-tock, Reggie. Tick-tock.
Yahoo Sports making up stories…impossible!
They’re going to have to rescind Bush’s Heisman. The only question is whether to give it VY, which they should.
why is it the right thing for bush to give back some arbitrary award? I guess Jim Thorpe should have given back his medals and died in disgrace for not following some dumb rules.
I mean seriously, this is America. Who wouldn’t take free money? Maybe he blew his knee out his senior season and never got anything. I’ll bet Dante Love from Ball State wishes he got some free cash.
This is clearly a case of MODERN day racism! The NCAA, College Football, and Basketball discriminate against underprivileged minorities by making Billions off of their services from marketing and television contracts without paying the players or their families a cent. This is MODERN day SLAVERY!!! Why doesn’t the African-American and Hispanic Lawyers sue these Slave Owners for all the Billions of monies owed! Calling all Black and Brown attorneys – STAND UP AND TAKE A STAND for Humanity!!!!
“why is it the right thing for bush to give back some arbitrary award?”
Should Ben Johnson have been stripped of his gold medal? What about the Chinese gymnasts that were too young to compete? Were you complaining when the USA benefited from those decisions? If you let known cheaters keep their awards, then you’re just encouraging more cheating.
He won’t do the right thing because he chose not to do the right thing to avoid this mess.
He has left a wake of punishment on the University and the young players coming in after him. You can’t expect someone with selfish motivations all along to suddenly develope a conscience!
I didn’t care about the olympics because I watch real sports. Anyway, apples and oranges. I just get annoyed when some group of sanctimonious old men proclaims that someone has to give them their little dolly back.
@Slim Charles …
The Olympics are real sports and you sound whiny. It’s real simple. The Heisman is awarded for
“the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence WITH INTEGRITY.”
The Heisman Trust can either remove the last two words from the mission or take back the award. No one told Reggie Bush to take a professional salary for competing in an amateur contest. He didn’t earn the award because he didn’t meet the criteria. And not having to worry about finances gave him an advantage over other players.
If there weren’t an honor code attached to the award, I’d say let him keep it. I think it’s RIDICULOUS to talk about removing men from the NFL Hall of Fame for things they did YEARS after EARNING their spot on the field of play. There’s no morals clause for admission in the hall. But the Heisman is a different story. It is what it is.
Whatever the douche Slim Charles says is idiotic. No one, not even your Mom, cares what you think or who annoys you. “…because I watch real sports.” Oh, you are an ass make no mistake about that. Bush’s “arbitrary” award made him a lot of money, that’s what, douche. Dumb rules? I guess if you had your way there would be no rules and everyone would be on the take. Great way to run a business, or a country, mistrust and dishonesty. Just wondering where that rock is you live under? From the smell I gather its …….
Obviously you care because you wrote a reply, which is what I was aiming for. I was just kidding, I like the Olympics but it’s easier to just dismiss stuff out of hand when it doesn’t fit the narrative.
Look, I just don’t see how people can act like it’s about “morals” and “tradition” when it’s really just “i am a fan of a rival team” and an awesome thing called schadenfreude. People go off half cocked on these ridiculous spiels about how Pete Carroll is an evil, evil man and probably a murderer and Bush should go to federal prison for Bringing Disgrace to the Game. It’s just ridiculous.
I can’t take the Heisman seriously post-OJ. If it’s supposed to be some kind of revered lifetime fraternity then come on, why does he have one? It’s really just a popularity contest, which is why I’m amazed we’re getting all riled up about it.
Just wait till we find out how much Saban had to pay Ingram to move from Detroit to the Deep South.
Give me a break! The NCAA committee is a neo-facist organization, governing by draconian rules that it uses to destroy football programs that don’t worship their authority.
Reggie should absolutely KEEP his trophy. The hard work, dedication and performance that he demonstrated are what won him the award. Not his off the field decision(s) to better himself and family.
Go after the agents that lure these kids with thousands of $$$$$ and prey on their economic misfortune in the hopes of making themselves richer.
In this country we have a lil thing called “due process”. Where is the justice when only the disgruntled side gets to tell their side???
What about a “statute of limitations”. This investigation is 4 years after the fact…WTF?!!? Punishing the kids that had nothing to do with any of this makes perfect sense in North Korea…
@Slim Charles …
Talk about asinine fan-rivalry statement! Good grief! Yours about Saban and Ingram takes the cake. And your comment about O.J. makes clear the electroencephalograph is recording a flatline.
I’ll try again (you do read English, correct?): The Heisman is awarded for “the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence WITH INTEGRITY.”
So the player is required to perform to a peak athletic and behavioral standard during the year the award is given. O.J. Simpson’s criminal behavior 26 years after he EARNED his Heisman is irrelevant. Your rival-based speculation about how Nick Saban recruited Mark Ingram is irrelevant. The proven allegations that Reggie Bush was earning a large salary for playing amateur ball ARE relevant. Again, I have no personal problem with Reggie Bush and have always liked USC, so your rival theory is silly. Don’t judge the rest of us by your superficial value system.
The Heisman Trust can solve the problem by rewriting its mission and removing the honor criteria from the award.
@pineycircle …
I think the NCAA is the most corrupt organization in sports, but the NCAA does not award the Heisman Trophy. The people who do have specified that the award is given to the player who acts with integrity. Reggie Bush was not flown to a party by an unscrupulous agent. He was paid a professional salary for three years. Unless the Heisman Trust wants to change the award criteria, they should recall the award. If they change the criteria, he can keep it. But you can’t have it both ways.
Non story. How does this change my life? There are probably 20 stories more blog-worthy than this.
If he returns it, who cares – If he doesnt who cares.
He should be required to send Kimmy K to all of our houses to apologize in her typically 3 sizes too small bikini.
Who’s with me ????
He was still the best player that season. I don’t think receiving a few perks changes that or helped him perform. The rules are archaic at best and need changing. Leave the trophy where it is. I am sure that whoever was next in the voting doesn’t want it now.
@ beth
Its the NCAA that is declaring that Bush is ineligible for the 2005 season based on their kangaroo court decision.
The Heisman committe is using this as the basis for voting to rescind the trophy. It should be noted that this ruling is under appeal. Which is why SC has removed the Heisman and Bush’s jersey from campus. By kissing a whole lot of NCAA arsh, hopefully true justice will prevail.
“He was still the best player that season. I don’t think receiving a few perks changes that or helped him perform.”
Yep thats what crooked politicians say all the time, and thats what got Wall Street in the mess its in and drug a lot of people down with it…GREED!!
I can get with the fact that some of these kids are a victim of poverty and desire to do better for their family, but there are rules in place for a reason. You can’t say “awe it was just a little money or gifts” and “had no affect on his performance” when we all know that even as adults you can focus clearer on all aspects of life if you’re not overwhelmed with money issues.
Also, you can’t hollar about the NFL not reigning in pro players and about their lack of adhering to the law if you’re going to pat them on the back for breaking the law before they even hit the NFL. Why do PRO players think their above the law?? MONEY!! Why did Reggie think he was above the law of the NCAA and the university?? MONEY!!!
@pineycircle …
Beth is a lovely name, but I’m Deb
Whatever their motivation for revisiting the award, it doesn’t change the fact that the Heisman is given to the best player who meets the highest behavioral standard. You can’t continue to claim that as your mission if you allow a player to keep the award after it’s been discovered that he was earning $100,000 a year as a college athlete. Personally, I think NCAA players should receive a financial stipend for the money they bring in to the schools. I don’t think anyone else should be awarded that Heisman since Bush clearly was the best player that year. But if they’re going to keep “with integrity” as part of the mission statement, they can’t leave the award in Bush’s hands.
It’s an unfortunate situation, but one that Bush brought on himself.
@ slim charles
@ pineycircle
You fine bloggers are the proud winners of the
*** Edgy Trophy ***
@ moblack29
by a landslide you win the prestigous
” Al Sharpton is my brother”
lifetime achievement award
Reggie Bu$h is more than guilty by association with his step dad. Bu$h KNEW what his family was getting & he KNEW it was WRONG. He was a great player on the field but a selfish, inconsiderate human being when it came to his teammates and USC. He validated this by never having any contrition as USC and 95 innocent
players suffered because of HIS INACTION!
Reggie Bu$h was a truly gifted college athlete but his actions made him a “PRO” and by any defintion that makes him INELIGIBLE! Since he chose to not “MAN UP” I hope that I never watch a USC game where he is allowed down on the sidelines. He was never a REAL teammate nor an alumni that USC can be proud of…….
@ Deb:
One thing I would like to add to you’re view of things since there are a few here that seemed to be offended by Reggie’s talents being questioned.
If Reggie Bush was really an honorable person with the INTEGRITY that everyone thought he had when the Heisman was issued, then why doesn’t he dip in to those millions he’s making and donate the money he made while at USC to a charity. Thats what someone with INTEGRITY would do. Someone who is concerned with their character being called into question and wants no anomosity tied to him receiving that award would be saying “You know I was young, overwhelmed with issues at home and took money/gifts that I should not have taken.
No no, not Reggie, instead he has taken the stance of, “You know I hate more than anyone”.
Sorry, actions speak louder than words! He should not remain the Heisman winner and all that is affiliated with that should have his name stripped from the record books!
@Donna …
Excellent point!!
@moblack29 …
What about the caucasian players in the NCAA? Are they being exploited, too? Or does it only count as exploitation if you’re a person of color?
Racism is an ugly thing that rots the heart no matter what color your skin happens to be. You need to do some soul-searching.