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Could Reggie Bush Lose the Heisman Trophy?
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 
Reggie Bush accepts the Heisman TrophyI may have whiffed on this post--thinking that this meant that Reggie Bush would consequently lose his Heisman Trophy award. That's not the case, as of yet. Be that as it may. Wow:
In a press release announcing the "retirement" of Mike Garrett as athletic director and the naming of Pat Haden as Garrett's replacement, USC president-elect Max Nikias addressed an issue that's been the source of much discussion/debate and plenty of controversy over the past few months.
Reggie Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy. Or, as the case is now that there are new sheriffs in town, Reggie Bush's former Heisman Trophy.
Prefacing his remarks in the release by stating that the "Trojan Family honors and respects the USC sporting careers of those persons whose actions did not compromise their athletic programs", Nikias wrote that he has "instructed the senior vice president for administration to remove athletic jerseys and murals displayed in recognition of O.J. Mayo and Reggie Bush by mid-August... from Heritage Hall, the Galen Center and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum."
Then, Nikias' coup de grâce.
"The university will also return Mr. Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy to the Heisman Trophy Trust in August."
That's a terrible, terrible outcome. This is a sad way to settle the findings of the investigation that looked into the nefarious deals that went down during the reign of USC Football and during the Reggie Bush era. This isn't about the past; this is being done to show the NCAA that USC means business, and what they want are future scholarships and television broadcast revenues for games that are coming up. USC doesn't care a whit about Reggie Bush. He can no longer make any money for the university. USC is worried that the next possible Reggie Bush (or cash cow, if you will) is going to go to UCLA or somewhere out east.
I have to think that Pete Carroll's star has been significantly diminished by all of this, just by close association, but perhaps the worst thing to consider is that a young man COULD LOSE his immortality. The Heisman Trophy used to be a lot bigger deal than it is now, and those of us who came up in the Fifties and Sixties can recite you chapter and verse on the players who played for it and won it.
This does not change the fact that, yes, Reggie Bush really was the best college football player of 2005. This was a well-deserved award. It does turn out that the young man wasn't eligible, but eligible does not mean without talent. It means without the eligibility to display that talent in an NCAA football game. And that's a sad state of affairs, to see that the recognized talent of the young man in question was real, but presented in a package and a program that was outside of the rules. Was it worth it? Of course not. But, to struggling people who need or want money, the symbolism of the Heisman Trophy really doesn't mean anything, does it?
What a tragedy. Does anyone realize just how huge this is? Or is this just the lament of an old timer?
If he does, in fact lose it, then I think that his already fading star will have faded quite a bit more.
Norman Rogers
My bad, it's under review; however, USC's copy of the statue has been returned:
The Heisman Trophy Trust says it will "consider the issues" raised surrounding USC's decision to return its copy of the Heisman Trophy that Reggie Bush won in 2005.
In a brief statement, the Heisman Trust, which will hold a previously scheduled meeting next Tuesday, did not indicate what action it might or might not take with regards to Bush's copy of the award. Members of the Heisman Trust have previously said they might review Bush's award if he was ruled ineligible by the NCAA.
Post UPDATED to reflect that Reggie Bush could lose the Heisman Trophy.
