Bush Gives up Heisman

Former USC running back Reggie Bush announced today that he will give up the 2005 Heisman Trophy.  Former Texas QB, and runner up to Bush, Vince Young has openly stated that he would accept the trophy given should the Heisman trust decide to award it to VY.

2 thoughts - first, the Heisman trust absolutely should decide to either call for a revote from Heisman voters for the 2005 award, or they should simply give it to the player who finished 2nd.  The trust set a standard of rules which requires the Heisman to be awarded to an eligible NCAA athlete.  Bush, clearly, didn't fit the mold.  If championships can be taken away from USC for using ineligible players, then its not without reason to take away awards for the same violations.  Assuming Bush wasn't eligible, voters would likely have picked Young for his monstorous 2005 campaign.  Giving the award to the man who finished second in the voting who also meets the Heisman credentials doesn't cheapen the award.  Leaving the statue un-awarded merely acknowledges the fact that the Heisman was awarded to Bush The Cheater, who vacated it for his indiscretions.  What truly cheapens the award more?

There have been arguments made that stripping Bush and giving it to Young opens an interesting can of worms in regards to previous Heisman winners of questionable character.  The most commonly compared example would be OJ Simpson - the argument goes if we're willing to take the Heisman away from Bush, then we have to look at all the past winners who have gone on and committed questionable actions on or off the field of play, like Simpson, and potentially strip these winners as well.  Hogwash.  Simpson, while a wife killer, did nothing during his tenure at USC to make him ineligible for the Heisman .  Perhaps he's ineligible to be a role model or to get into Heaven, but there's no rules for Heisman trophy winners that you have to spend your life being a good citizen.  Nor does it say you can't be someone who gets away with murder later down the line.  It simply says you must be eligible by NCAA guidelines when you win the award.  Simpson was.  Bush wasn't.  It's apples to oranges.

The good news, though, is even the Heisman trust votes (incorrectly) to leave the trophy vacant, there remains another trophy sitting in Austin that proves who the better player for 2005 really was.  So while Bush's 500 plus yard game against Fresno State secured him a tainted Heisman trophy, VY saved his best game for the Rose Bowl.  Perhaps now, the Heisman can finally right the original wrong from that fateful season.  And if not?  Well, Texas fans still have 41-38