Now I must admit that this doesn’t totally catch me by surprise even though I was interested to see how things would play otherwise, as I was one of those people that felt that Bush should keep the Heisman. But anyway Reggie Bush felt differently as reports are surfacing that the New Orleans running back and former Heisman Trophy winner at USC has decided to forfeit his Heisman Trophy due to controversy that he received gifts and special treatment while at USC.
He released a statement through the New Orleans Saints.
One of the greatest honors of my life was winning the Heisman Trophy in 2005,” the statement released by the New Orleans Saints reads. “For me, it was a dream come true. But I know that the Heisman is not mine alone. Far from it. I know that my victory was made possible by the discipline and hard work of my teammates, the steady guidance of my coaches, the inspiration of the fans, and the unconditional love of my family and friends. And I know that any young man fortunate enough to win the Heisman enters into a family of sorts. Each individual carries the legacy of the award and each one is entrusted with its good name.
It is for these reasons that I have made the difficult decision to forfeit my title as Heisman winner of 2005.
Even though Bush is forfeiting the trophy one has to think that maybe it was a forced decision as the Heisman Trust was already in discussion and there were reports already leaked that they would’ve been taking the trophy anyway. So maybe this was Reggie’s way of saving face.
There’s still no word as to whether or not Vince Young, the runner-up that year for the Heisman, will now receive the reward. But Vince has officially went on record to say that if trophy is offered to him that he wouldn’t turn it down. Who can blame him?
There’s more to this story so stay tuned…
