Football Reggie Bush to be Stripped of Heisman Trophy

Stinger · 09-07-2010, 07:55 AM

Sources: Trust to take Bush’s Heisman

By Charles Robinson and Jason Cole 1 hour, 30 minutes ago
Printable View
Return to Original

*
Share
*
retweet
* Email
* Print

Follow Charles Robinson on Twitter at @WindyCityScribe

The Heisman Trophy Trust is expected to strip former University of Southern California star running back Reggie Bush of college football’s top honor by the end of September, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Bush would become the first player in the 75-year history of the award to have the trophy taken away. The NCAA found major violations in the Trojans’ football program in June and levied serious sanctions against the school.

Two sources close to the Heisman trust said the body’s investigation is coming to a close, and will ultimately concur with the NCAA’s determination that Bush was ineligible during his Heisman-winning season in 2005. Because of that independent conclusion, sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant. The sources said Bush met with Heisman representatives last month at the New York law offices of Emmet, Marvin & Martin. The sources would not reveal details of that meeting.

Bush, now a standout with the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, could not immediately be reached for comment.
It appears as if the Heisman Trophy Trust is about to strip Reggie Bush of his 2005 trophy.
Julie Jacobson/AP

The Heisman trust has been conducting its own independent inquiry into Bush’s eligibility since the NCAA ruled in June that the USC star had committed multiple violations by accepting cash, gifts and other impermissible benefits while playing for the Trojans. Yahoo! Sports first detailed the extra benefits in September 2006. In its findings, the NCAA retroactively ruled Bush ineligible for part of the 2004 season and all of 2005. The NCAA also ordered the USC program to remove all references to Bush from its sporting venues and promotional materials and vacate his statistics from all games in which he was ineligible.

In July, incoming USC president C.L. Max Nikias announced that the university would be returning its copy of Bush’s Heisman to the trust, stating the Trojans would honor and respect athletes who “did not compromise their athletic program or the opportunities of future USC student-athletes.” New USC athletic director Pat Haden followed up in August, stating during an interview with the Dan Patrick radio show that Bush should also voluntarily return his Heisman.

While others pressed for a swift decision, the trust opted for a patient, meticulous effort. Sources said the trust did its own detailed investigation over the past three months, using a litany of resources and reviewing its information against the NCAA’s findings. The trust also offered Bush a chance to impact the decision.

The process apparently came with considerable debate – in part because of the trust’s quest for due process, but also because of the unique nature of the decision. Never in the history of the award has the trust been forced to retroactively rule on the eligibility of a past winner. That reality, along with the NCAA’s findings, created a tangled knot of deliberation regarding the trust’s place in the role of enforcement. Sources said the prominent issues discussed included accountability, on-field vs. off-field conduct, implications of retroactively stripping an award and possible impact on future athletes and the NCAA.

Two factors outweighed all others, sources said: The Heisman ballot necessitates candidates be in compliance with NCAA bylaws and concern over the Heisman’s reputation in the wake of the NCAA findings against Bush.

The status of USC’s 2004 Bowl Championship Series national title remains to be determined. BCS officials are awaiting the NCAA’s ruling on the Trojans’ appeal of the June finding.

Contact Yahoo! Sports investigative reporter Charles Robinson at windycityscribe@yahoo.com

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/footbal...hheisman090710

NYPDiddy · 09-07-2010, 07:58 AM

so....now it will be on ebay......

arrowheadnation · 09-07-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYPDiddy

so....now it will be on ebay......

Think Vince Young will be the high bidder?

Stewie · 09-07-2010, 08:01 AM

The hypocrisy in college athletics makes me ill.

boogblaster · 09-07-2010, 09:10 AM

bush knows under the table ....

**Bugeater** · 09-07-2010, 09:12 AM

Pointless. Everyone knows he won it.

FD · 09-07-2010, 09:13 AM

Sweet Daddy Hate · 09-07-2010, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Pointless. Everyone knows he won it.

This. What a crock of shit.

Frazod · 09-07-2010, 09:15 AM

Sucks to be whoever came in second, I guess.

DonTellMeShowMe · 09-07-2010, 09:20 AM

hmmmm I will try to erase this from my memory

DBOSHO · 09-07-2010, 09:21 AM

Lol who cares? He won it fair and square. Taking money under the table didn't make him run any faster or juke quicker

jspchief · 09-07-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBOSHO

Lol who cares? He won it fair and square. Taking money under the table didn't make him run any faster or juke quicker

I agree. His violations had nothing to do with his on field performance.

Saccopoo · 09-07-2010, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

I agree. His violations had nothing to do with his on field performance.

Actually, they did. Because his violations made him ineligible. If he was ineligible, his on-the-field performances don't count. If his on-the-field performances don't count, then there is nothing to base the Heisman Trophy on. If there is nothing to base the awarding of the Heisman Trophy on, then the awarding of the Heisman Trophy is invalidated. See how that works?

They guy cheated, whether it was off-the-field cheating or not. He cheated. He got caught. His senior season no longer exists. Including the Heisman.

jspchief · 09-07-2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

Actually, they did. Because his violations made him ineligible. If he was ineligible, his on-the-field performances don't count. If his on-the-field performances don't count, then there is nothing to base the Heisman Trophy on. If there is nothing to base the awarding of the Heisman Trophy on, then the awarding of the Heisman Trophy is invalidated. See how that works?

They guy cheated, whether it was off-the-field cheating or not. He cheated. He got caught. His senior season no longer exists. Including the Heisman.

Of course they still count. He still helped his team win. He still helped his team get to the title game. He still helped return USC to greatness. He still gave football fans exciting play to watch. He won the Heisman for what he did on the field, not for his dedication to NCAA off field rules.

An eraser doesn't change any of that.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter. These awards aren't what make college football what it is. The guys out there on the field are.

**BigMeatballDave** · 09-07-2010, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

Of course they still count. He still helped his team win. He still helped his team get to the title game. He still helped return USC to greatness. He still gave football fans exciting play to watch. He won the Heisman for what he did on the field, not for his dedication to NCAA off field rules.

An eraser doesn't change any of that.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter. These awards aren't what make college football what it is. The guys out there on the field are.

True, but there is no official record of any of it now.

09-07-2010, 07:55 AM	Topic Starter
Stinger Bazinga Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Springfield, MO Casino cash: $4214507	Reggie Bush to be Stripped of Heisman Trophy Sources: Trust to take Bush’s Heisman By Charles Robinson and Jason Cole 1 hour, 30 minutes ago Printable View Return to Original * Share * retweet * Email * Print Follow Charles Robinson on Twitter at @WindyCityScribe The Heisman Trophy Trust is expected to strip former University of Southern California star running back Reggie Bush of college football’s top honor by the end of September, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Bush would become the first player in the 75-year history of the award to have the trophy taken away. The NCAA found major violations in the Trojans’ football program in June and levied serious sanctions against the school. Two sources close to the Heisman trust said the body’s investigation is coming to a close, and will ultimately concur with the NCAA’s determination that Bush was ineligible during his Heisman-winning season in 2005. Because of that independent conclusion, sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant. The sources said Bush met with Heisman representatives last month at the New York law offices of Emmet, Marvin & Martin. The sources would not reveal details of that meeting. Bush, now a standout with the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, could not immediately be reached for comment. It appears as if the Heisman Trophy Trust is about to strip Reggie Bush of his 2005 trophy. Julie Jacobson/AP The Heisman trust has been conducting its own independent inquiry into Bush’s eligibility since the NCAA ruled in June that the USC star had committed multiple violations by accepting cash, gifts and other impermissible benefits while playing for the Trojans. Yahoo! Sports first detailed the extra benefits in September 2006. In its findings, the NCAA retroactively ruled Bush ineligible for part of the 2004 season and all of 2005. The NCAA also ordered the USC program to remove all references to Bush from its sporting venues and promotional materials and vacate his statistics from all games in which he was ineligible. In July, incoming USC president C.L. Max Nikias announced that the university would be returning its copy of Bush’s Heisman to the trust, stating the Trojans would honor and respect athletes who “did not compromise their athletic program or the opportunities of future USC student-athletes.” New USC athletic director Pat Haden followed up in August, stating during an interview with the Dan Patrick radio show that Bush should also voluntarily return his Heisman. While others pressed for a swift decision, the trust opted for a patient, meticulous effort. Sources said the trust did its own detailed investigation over the past three months, using a litany of resources and reviewing its information against the NCAA’s findings. The trust also offered Bush a chance to impact the decision. The process apparently came with considerable debate – in part because of the trust’s quest for due process, but also because of the unique nature of the decision. Never in the history of the award has the trust been forced to retroactively rule on the eligibility of a past winner. That reality, along with the NCAA’s findings, created a tangled knot of deliberation regarding the trust’s place in the role of enforcement. Sources said the prominent issues discussed included accountability, on-field vs. off-field conduct, implications of retroactively stripping an award and possible impact on future athletes and the NCAA. Two factors outweighed all others, sources said: The Heisman ballot necessitates candidates be in compliance with NCAA bylaws and concern over the Heisman’s reputation in the wake of the NCAA findings against Bush. The status of USC’s 2004 Bowl Championship Series national title remains to be determined. BCS officials are awaiting the NCAA’s ruling on the Trojans’ appeal of the June finding. Contact Yahoo! Sports investigative reporter Charles Robinson at windycityscribe@yahoo.com http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/footbal...hheisman090710
Posts: 10,180

09-07-2010, 07:58 AM	#2
NYPDiddy Rookie Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: 40 minutes North of NYC Casino cash: $10004900	so....now it will be on ebay......
Posts: 4

09-07-2010, 08:01 AM	#4
Stewie MVP Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: West of the Equator Casino cash: $1769901	The hypocrisy in college athletics makes me ill.
Posts: 13,622

09-07-2010, 09:10 AM	#5
boogblaster MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Verdigris Valley Campsite Casino cash: $10004900	bush knows under the table .... __________________ WR or S please
Posts: 10,305

09-07-2010, 09:12 AM	#6
Bugeater The Maintenance Guy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Renovated Bugeater Estate Casino cash: $6242680	Pointless. Everyone knows he won it.
Posts: 70,443

09-07-2010, 09:13 AM	#7
FD Veteran Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Casino cash: $9482813
Posts: 4,579

09-07-2010, 09:15 AM	#9
Frazod WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $2985085	Sucks to be whoever came in second, I guess.
Posts: 119,514

09-07-2010, 09:20 AM	#10
DonTellMeShowMe Starter Join Date: Feb 2010 Casino cash: $10005142	hmmmm I will try to erase this from my memory
Posts: 718

09-07-2010, 09:21 AM	#11
DBOSHO trap champ Join Date: Mar 2009 Casino cash: $10004900	Lol who cares? He won it fair and square. Taking money under the table didn't make him run any faster or juke quicker __________________ Orginator of the group repost
Posts: 5,445