The university has no relevance with the former tailback and has removed traces of Bush, and sadly believes he’s accountable for the school’s severe punishment. In the end of a three-year investigation, the ugliest scandal publicly turned into a crisis and USC returned the replica of Bush’s award, as the school no longer had the desire endorsing the former star. His infamous sins, without a doubt, embarrassed the university, particularly when the NCAA delivered a two-year postseason ban, four years’ probation, loss of scholarships and forfeits of games for improper benefits.
As if all of this isn’t why Pete Carroll hurried and fled the storied program, the notion now is that he abandoned USC, realizing the circumstances and welfare of handling distasteful plights. In other words, he hightailed to avoid all the tension and any setbacks circling at USC. This story is epically draining and sickening in a way, as our nation derides a famous running back in the history of USC. Surely, the dreaded fallacies ruined its image.
But in fairness, it’s amiss to place all the blame on Bush, now a scapegoat in the midst of a rotten controversy that either has the nation furious or satisfied with the latest hearsay of Bush likely losing the Heisman. What mostly bothers me is that everyone is pointing the finger at Bush. And according to Yahoo Sports, reports are speculating that the Trust is expected to take the honorable prize away from a singular athlete whose exploits were valuable and efficacious to USC’s achievements in the past. The conspiracy surrounding Bush is disgraceful and awful for college athletics, but even more so, it is shameful and horrible for USC.
Hardly ever does an adorable school accept guilt or admit to wrongdoings, but in this instance the university seemed uncaring and said they were unaware of the sins that materialized. All along, from the seam of things, Garrett had a suspicion Bush had accepted cash and benefits as the institution fostered to traditionally excel in a spotless culture, until hideous infractions ruined the beauty of a well-respected university.
All along, Garrett was careless of fixing a troubled environment and refused to address the suspicious chaos. Next thing, all of this cast severe destruction and labeled the Trojans as a fraud, to sadly cripple a beautiful image. Rest assured that his arrogance, derelict personality and the lack of responsibility spelled doom. That said, it has launched a cleaning process to restore some faith in a downcast culture. And still, you are faulting the man with the stiffed-arm statue. Right now, the Trojans are pledging compliance, and perhaps waited too late to crack down on a reckless disaster, finally realizing the consequences involved for violating NCAA rules.
This time, with the sanctions leaving an admirable school in tatters for pathetically allowing too much unlawfulness and influential depravity to manipulate the minds of student athletes, the new president Max Nikias, and Pat Haden, the successor of the negligent Garrett, are cleaning up the dirtiest program and have encountered burdens by taking stern actions. The negligence and self-indulgence of Garrett forced an elite program to intensely deteriorate. There are no longer any invaluable images of Bush inside Heritage Hall, still disappointed with the outcome after the investigation surfaced that he really received improprieties. If the Football Writers Association of America vacated USC’s 2004 championship, and the BCS is prepared to vacate it as well, then does it make it acceptable for Bush to return his trophy?
Not necessarily.
How will this one end, I wonder?
All of which, the Trust has every excuse to seize the trophy. If so, runner-up Vince Young won’t be given the noble prize, even if Texas’ coach Mack Brown has considerably lobbied for his former quarterback to be honored with the 2005 award. But the truth is, Bush was one hell of a player whose stardom emerged and work ethic showed weekly. On the contrary, he broke the rules and never confessed to the truth. If he was truthfully and never sugarcoated the actual facts, maybe he wouldn’t be belittled by cynics and critics. This is a good reason to take it right?
Not a chance.
Go ahead, take his Heisman. But in the meantime, the folks should consider stripping Mike Garrett, too. It was arrogance and unawareness that ended a miserable tenure, blinded strongly by the insidious mess. He allowed slimy agents to tarnish an illustrious program, while Bush accepted improprieties from a wannabe agent. It was wrong to take cash and extra benefits from third parties that has erroneously created a nightmare at USC and ruined what could have been a meaningful season for mostly the deep and talented Trojans, who entered the year with an us-against-the-world mentality.
How mind-blowing college football is singling out Bush. How fascinating that he’s liable amid the scandal. It’s essentially irresponsible of reports to release that the Trust is planning to strip Bush when there hasn’t been enough reports unmasking accurate details. It’s an absolute disgrace to make Bush the epicenter, while the trustees and college football wrongly condones the university as the innocent ones with all the turmoil shattering much aspiration for a school once invincible.
But nowadays, Southern California is just as guilty and liable as Bush.
Meanwhile, it would be interesting to see how the Trust handles the ongoing issue, since it seems as if they are becoming enforcers more than enablers. Faced with ultimate shame, he denied any wrongdoing and still has claimed innocence to this day. Whether he’s trying to protect his image or the university’s image, Bush is making matters worse. But either way, he shouldn’t lose his Heisman and the Trust shouldn’t expunge it.
Not long ago, he met with the Heisman executives during an investigation. In his defense, he hasn’t been very cooperative, but very narrow-minded and defensive to the point where it’s difficult to believe anything.
What has happened lately is that obstinacy could cost him his Heisman. He could have been nice enough and confessed, but nothing is sincere if he continuously denies all wrongdoing.
As for Bush, he’s very delusional and ashamed by all the malfeasance. Of course, it isn’t his entire fault. However, it seems like that because of his inability to come clean. But his partners in crime are just as guilty, which is why Carroll fled and Garrett stepped down. For that, he has lost dignity and has been tarnished since infractions left a grotesque reflection on USC.
As much as Carroll and Garrett denied the violations in front of investigators, with all glaring evidence that Bush pocketed an estimate of $300,000 and moved his family into a $757,000 house during his playing days at USC, clearly we all know it happened. But to see a player stripped of the Heisman is unprecedented, and this is very unusual. What is amazing is that no one is stripping 1968 Heisman winner O.J. Simpson. The sad thing is, he is serving a 33-year prison sentence and was acquitted on double-murder charges, but he’s permitted to keep the award.
For all the tableau of legends, he is the one who committed the most horrendous crime?
In short, Bush is owed credit for offering a remorseful apology to Haden and the university. And most of all, he deserves to keep his award.
What harm is that?
If the Heisman Trust is formulating an agenda, a modern standard to minimize the dishonesty in college sports, it would be reprehensible to take it from Bush. If the Trust is concerned with good character, well then encourage the NCAA to fix an unsound system. And unfortunately, the fingers are pointed at Bush and he now levies a punishment if he is deprived of the trophy.
Because of all the devastation and public humiliation, it’s still unfair to strip the scrutinized running back. But momentarily, the Heisman Trust has denied any possibility of taking Bush’s 2005 award bestowed to the potent rusher when he had a highlighted season with 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns and contributed in Southern California’s rush attack with his explosiveness and brilliant footwork.
If there’s one thing certain at a time a fraudulent system and hypocrisy ruptures a disingenuous sport, he’s not the biggest criminal although he received cash and benefits from a sleazy agent. Earlier this week, Heisman Trophy Trust executive director Robert Whalen told the Associated Press that a decision hasn’t been made, which means we are worried about the unknown, something that is out of our control.
Go ahead, take his Heisman.
But this isn’t fair punishment, just unfair treatment.
