It’s a sad day for Bush. It’s a sad day for USC. It’s a sad day for College Football. It’s a sad day for the New Orleans Saints.
Statement, released today from New Orleans:
"One of the greatest honors of my life was winning the Heisman Trophy in 2005. 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. The persistent media speculation regarding allegations dating back to my years at USC has been both painful and distracting. In no way should the storm around these allegations reflect in any way on the dignity of this award, nor on any other institutions or individuals. Nor should it distract from outstanding performances and hard-earned achievements either in the past, present or future.
For the rest of my days, I will continue to strive to demonstrate through my actions and words that I was deserving of the confidence placed in me by the Heisman Trophy Trust. I would like to begin in this effort by turning a negative situation into a positive one by working with the Trustees to establish an educational program which will assist student-athletes and their families avoid some of the mistakes that I made. I am determined to view this event as an opportunity to help others and to advance the values and mission of the Heisman Trophy Trust.
I will forever appreciate the honor bestowed upon me as a winner of the Heisman. While this decision is heart-breaking, I find solace in knowing that the award was made possible by the support and love of so many. Those are gifts that can never be taken away."
As I wrote in an earlier post, I don’t blame Reggie Bush. I don’t blame USC. I blame a culture of corruption that lets skanky agents compromise the integrity of the game. And as long as there’s money to be made by compromising the game—and the amateur status of the athletes who play it—it will continue until the consequences of the crimes are brought to bear on the perpetrators. Right now, there are no consequences. A few states have passed legislation that ostensibly makes a crime out compromising college athletes, but the laws are toothless and virtually unenforceable.
What needs to happen is that the NFL (and NBA as well) need to step in and stiffen their own rules. If one agent is caught compromising the amateur status of a student athlete, that agent should be banned for life. Make an example or two out of these scumbags, and stuff like this will stop.
2 comments :
I don't think that Reggie did anything wrong. I blame the skanky NCAA that thinks it can exploit athletes and impose arbitrary rules which forbid them to benefit from their talents.
They're allowed to benefit. They're given free room, board, education and the best athletic training in the world. They only need to suffer through it for three years and if they're good enough they can make millions. If they also work hard on their schoolwork, they can graduate with a degree and have a future they might not have had, other wise. I know universities and the NCAA get a lot more out of them than they "pay in," but they're not professionals yet.
I really do think that if states criminalized agents and representatives' conduct, most of this garbage would stop.
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