Saints' Bush gives back his Heisman

One of the cool things about sports is seeing things that I have never seen before. While I’m more excited about seeing spectacular plays on the field, there are also many off the field surprises and firsts. Another one happened today when Reggie Bush announced that he is forfeiting his Heisman Trophy.

Never in the history of the most prestigious award in sports has this happened. This has a lot of different angles. Before discussing Bush’s decision I will go on record as saying that what he did was clearly wrong. What he did clearly made him ineligible to play college football. So I have no problem with the trophy being taken away. Don’t. I know where you’re going. Stop right there. It is not at all the same as OJ and Billy Cannon being allowed to keep their awards. Yes, they broke the law but they won their awards on the field where they were eligible. Awards are for on field performance and not character. Bush shouldn’t have been on the field.   

Let’s deal with Bush giving it back and saying that he wants to work with the Heisman Trust committee on educating student-athletes to help them avoid making the mistakes that he did. Bush made the announcement hours before the committee was to meet and discuss this issue.  Reports are that the committee was going to take the Heisman back from Bush. So the reality is that this was most likely a move by Bush to get ahead of that. To somehow take the high road and look like the good guy.

He wants to work with kids to help them avoid making the same mistakes? They don’t need educating, they just need morals. Knowing right from wrong. This is not a case of a misunderstanding over a nebulous or unfair rule. This is not Ricky Foggie. The former University of Minnesota QB was suspended for taking money from an assistant coach.  Foggie’s grandmother died suddenly and the coach gave him money to fly home for the funeral. Foggie paid the money back a few days later when he returned. Didn’t matter, he was suspended.  That rule has been changed.

Big time athletes today, like Bush, are not naïve. There is no way that Bush was confused and didn’t realize that taking lodging and money from an agent was against the rules. Of course he knew. He and his family just had a sense of entitlement that is so prevalent today. That the rules don’t apply to them. I’m a black and white, right or wrong guy. These kids don’t need any more education, just the impetus to do what’s right.