Reggie Bush Returns The 2005 Heisman Trophy Award…Will USC Return The Money They Made Off Of Him???

The AP is reporting that New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush said Tuesday that he is giving back his Heisman Trophy after an NCAA investigation determined wrong doing while he was playing at Southern California in 2005.(USA Today)

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Bush, who now plays for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League, is the first recipient to give back the elite award given to the top college gridiron player in the United States,and that includes O.J.Simpson, who is believed to have ,but never convicted of,murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown-Simpson.(Source)

Bush won the elite award in 2005,beating out runner-up Tennessee Titan quarterback Vince Young who came in second place as the quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

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After a five-year long investigation, Reggie Bush was found to have accepted money and gifts from boosters,and agents, which is a clear violation of the NCAA rules.

The investigation found that two would-be sports agents lavished gifts on the star and his family and that at least one member of the Trojans coaching staff knew about it. The NCAA gave the school four years of probation, forced it to vacate its last two wins of the 2004 season, including the 2005 Orange Bowl, and all of its wins in 2005.

The school is banned from bowl games in 2010 and 2011 and cannot associate itself with Bush. Additionally, running backs coach Todd McNair has been banned from off-campus recruiting. The punishments were announced in June.(CNN)

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It will now go to the runner-up Vince Young,who, after some thought and trepidation,has decided that he would like to have it,if it is to be returned by Bush over these allegations that were proven to be factual.(USA Today)

Vince Young’s mom has been quoted in the media stating that Reggie should keep the trophy, and that Vince should not accept it.(SOURCE)

Vince Young posted this tweet on his Twitter account regarding the news….“`Just heard about Reggie’s Heisman. Reg will continue to be the 2005 Award recipient and I will continue to be honored to have been in the 2005 Heisman campaign with such a talented athlete.”(SOURCE)

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Vince Young led the Texas Longhorn’s to a national championship by defeating the powerful USC Trojans that year,and earning both schools millions upon millions of dollars,especially USC, in broadcasting revenues and endorsements.Given that the game was played at the Rose Bowl, the city and county of Los Angeles, where USC is the dominant college team, also made untold millions on the championship run,much thanks to Reggie Bush.

The Heisman Trophy Award

I think that if the Olympic’s can turn over returned gold medals to the runner-ups, then Vince should not hesitate to accept what is fairly his award,I have no problem with that.(SOURCE)

What I find to be hypocritical and disingenuous is the fact that USC is not returning any of the money they made from Reggie Bush, and they have basically thrown the young player under the bus.

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This point was made by my Facebook friend Roderick(PEACE!!!) …and I am repeating it here because it makes perfect sense.

Reggie is a native San Diego,California kid, and,full disclosure, he is a friend of my family for many years.

He is enshrined in the Hall of Champions in San Diego, and that will forever stand!

His mother has worked with a close relative of mine for many years,and he has been nothing but a benefit to the young men in our community and city.

Reggie Bush's Mother and Father

..the operative word here is that he is a young man, who was thrust into the glitzy,high rolling world that is the USC football machine.

I can relate to his plight of being a somewhat poor kid that has to be around a social scene in college where a lot of the students come from very wealthy families,and he is the center of attention, but he is broke as can be!!!

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He was receiving an education, but probably did not have money enough to go to McDonald’s for a meal, so when an opportunity presented itself to change that, he made a decision that a lot of kids would make, and put his hand into the cookie jar.

It’s was against the rules,…but the rules allow the coach of the team to be compensated millions of dollars, the university makes millions of dollars off the team,…but the players are not allowed to accept a plug nickel from anyone.

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The rules stink, and need to be changed,so that the players can get that education, and participate financially in the economic bonanza that the school makes off of their on-field exploits.

I feel like Ayn Rand did when she penned these words in her novel “The Fountainhead”…any man who works without being paid, is a slave…(VIDEO)

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I know the detractors will always bring up the free education card as an example of the ultimate compensation for a college player, but what they need, based on the dismal chances that even the best players will be able to secure a paid position on a professional team, is to have the option, starting in their sophomore year, to make a percentage of the revenues gained from the football program,in lieu of their scholarship.

This means that they would have the option to pay their own way after their freshman year, and roll the dice financially in their college years.

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Think about that NCAA, and get off Reggie Bush’s case!!!…he did what a lot of young people would do, given the opportunity, but, it still does not make it right.

…but I do understand, and he will continue to be a much-loved sports hero in his hometown of San Diego, California….and he is always welcome here,no matter what!!!

Reggie Bush and his 2005 Heisman Trophy

619 Ride or Die!!!….Believe that!

Reggie Bush Reppin' San Diego...Homeboy For Life!!!!

Check out these articles, and let me know what you think about my proposal…

SI.com

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