Reggie Bush is going to lose his Heisman

Is he giving back the Doak Walker Award?

 

It would be cooler if he was sending it directly to Vince Young.

I have really mixed feelings on this one. The fact of the matter is Reggie is the first Heisman winner to be caught red-handed. How many others were on the take when they won theirs? I'd bet at least a third of them and that might be a very conservative guess.

 

Of course he knew it was against the rules. But he also saw how much money USC was making, and seeing how well his jersey was selling, and probably figured that he deserved his fair share.

 

I don't think that much thought goes into it. I think it's a question of Bush (or any other college athlete) being offered money and taking it.

 

Either that, or "Heck, this guy's offering me money. Everyone else is making money, so why can't I?"

 

I heard an interview with one of the guys who gave the money to Bush and he seemed about as greedy as you can get. I know some have pinned the bulk of the blame on his parents, but Bush asked repeatedly for cars and money.

I'm a little more sympathetic to the guys who get the $100 handshakes (if that really happens anymore) and don't say anything than someone who calls up and asks for a luxury car.

 

Absolutely. The only reason the Bush story got out was because Reggie and his parents supposedly reneged on an agreement to have that guy represent Reggie when he turned pro. He had given Bush and his family all the money and gifts in exchange for a piece of Bush's first pro contract.

Then Bush signed with another agent before the draft and the guy was out plane tickets, a car, a rental house and cash with no return on his "investment."

 

So does this make Vince Young the de-facto winner, or will the official list of Heisman winners just leave 2005 blank?

I would say Bush is still the winner, whether he officially has the award or not. Apparently Young agrees, according to the article posted here.

At some point, you accept that the NCAA is a corrupt organization, but the sports it sanctions are entertaining to watch. And the NCAA has nothing to do with how the Heisman winner is picked.

The DAC thought Bush was the best/most entertaining college football player on the field in 2005, so they chose him for the Heisman. His acceptance of cash and other goodies doesn't change that.