What sucks more: Just flat out not winning the Heisman Trophy or having to give it back five years later?
It’s like giving a kid a puppy and letting him name it and everything then two weeks later taking it away. It’s just better to never make that puppy your friend.
Reggie Bush may have decided to forfeit his trophy on his own rather than wait around for the Heisman Trophy Trust to make a decision, but it was still probably one of the hardest choices he’s had to make.
But whether it was a hard decision or not doesn’t matter. In 2005, Bush was ineligible due to receiving improper agent benefits. Ineligibility means no Heisman – to put it simply.
There’s no denying that 2005 was Reggie Bush’s year. In 2005 alone Bush ran for 1,740 yards in 200 carries – averaging 8.7 yards per carry – with 16 touchdowns. He won the Heisman Trophy fair and square.
Alright, maybe not so fairly or so squarely.
In what is really a blazing epidemic throughout college football, Bush enjoyed his junior, Heisman-winning season a little more than he should have. By no means is he the only one that can’t resist a taste of what the professional life would be like, but he’s definitely dealing with it a lot more publicly than the rest – with good reason.
Due to his ineligibility that season there was no way he should have won the Heisman – the rest of us found out about his status just a few years too late though.
So because Bush couldn’t wait just two more years to receive proper agent benefits, he became ineligible his junior year.
Bush never let the Heisman Trophy Trust make their decision as to whether to take away his award, but still, for the first time ever, the trophy has been vacated. Although the Trust didn’t have to decide, it shouldn’t have been up to them anyways. Bush was given the trophy for his performance on the field, not for his actions in everyday life. He outperformed everyone that year; he deserved to win.
Trust me, if Bush had been on steroids or any type of performance enhancing drug I would be singing a very different tune. But he wasn’t. What he laid on the field in 2005 was his pure athletic talent (Reggie Bush, if you ever say you did steroids I will personally yell at you for ruining this part of my argument).
By giving his Trophy back, I think Bush did a very noble thing. It shows he (finally) owned up to his actions off the field that year and he knows he was wrong. Hopefully his actions will inspire college football players to stop taking a dip in the professional pool – until they actually reach professional status.
Honestly though, what is the point? Any college player could completely avoid any suspensions, ineligible statues or being stripped of any trophies they’ve won by not even considering agent benefits. I mean, I hate to break it to the guys, but you are in college, you aren’t supposed to be paid to play. You already enjoy massive scholarships I only wish I could get my hands on. People praise you because of your athletic talent and ability to win a game. I love football, I love football players, but by no means should you be paid in addition to your incentives to be an athlete at a university.
Despite all this, I agree – yes Bush should get his trophy taken away – but by no means should it be awarded to anyone else from that year (sorry Vince Young).
The Trust did decide to leave the trophy vacated for 2005, which by all means is the best decision possible. As I said, 2005 was Bush’s season, he ruled the field. While Bush may have given his trophy back, 2005 will always be his season.
But if it’s any indication on how much this trophy means to players just take a look at Vince Young. Last week he claimed if the Trust came knocking on his door to give him the 2005 trophy he would respectfully refuse. Yet only this week he indicated he would be more than happy to accept the award.
Even if the Trust decided to give Young the trophy it would only be his in a secondary, not-as-special sense. Although the trophy is being vacated for that season it will always be known as Bush’s trophy. But Young shouldn’t be too upset, no one can take away his national championship ring.
While Bush decided to give back college football’s biggest trophy and has come off almost like a sad puppy with its tail between its legs, through this whole thing, he still helped bring the Lombardi trophy to New Orleans for the first time – which is arguably not as awesome a trophy as the Heisman, but still, who can complain about that?
