Tarnished Heisman
I thought Reggie’s Bush Heisman was tarnished the day he got it. The best player in the country that season was Vince Young. He proved it to everyone a month later in the Rose Bowl. Hometown writer Kirk Bohls still insists he did the right thing.
I can’t wait to get my hands on this book. Adam Rose got a copy prior to its release and he lays out a ton of things mentioned in the book in his LA Times blog.
The most interesting thing from my perspective are the things he points out that could be troubling for USC:
A USC coach, Todd McNair, was apparently present in San Diego when Bush was staying in a hotel room that he couldn’t have afforded on his own. The book admits, “There is no evidence that McNair knew about the payment.”
The book cites a rumor, emphasis on rumor, that circulated about head coach Pete Carroll receiving an anonymous email that would have tipped him off to an inappropriate dealings by Bush’s parents.
A memorabilia dealer reported to the NCAA that he left a message for both Carroll and Athletic Director Mike Garrett about the possible impropriety in the Bush-Ornstein relationship.
Lake claims that he was in the same room as Bush’s stepdad during a call with Carroll discussing the family’s questionable housing arrangement.
Bush’s parent got an all-expense paid trip for a game in Hawaii, which might have stood out had people realized Bush wasn’t from a wealthy family. While there are also receipts for a flight taken by the family to a game in Berkeley, it’s doubtful anybody would have noticed since the town is just a few hours drive from USC.
For Henry James, there is a Suge Knight reference.
For most Texas fans, sadly, there is no mention that VY is greater than Reggie Bush.
For Texans fans (yes, both of you), it mentions these issues cost Reggie the #1 overall pick in the draft.
It makes me wonder aloud about whether the Atlanta Falcon job is more interesting to “Never Re” Pete Carroll given the implications of this book.
It hits newsstands on January 15th.
January 10, 2008 at 5:47 pm
It’s all about “plausible deniability” for Pete Carrol and USC, and mention of rumor and lack of evidence in the blog appears to point to USC dodging the jailhouse.
January 10, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Vince Young was clearly the most dominant offensive
player that year, a huge part of which, IMHO, had to do
with his sheer size. It was like watching a 6th grader
scrimmage against the Kindergarten all-stars.
Pound for pound, I don’t know that VY had more
talent than Bush. In fact, I’m almost certain that,
taking size into account, Tommy Frasier was a more
talented QB than Vince.
VY was and is a monstrously big guy, and deserves
all the kudos he gets for his ability to make plays.
But there’s no reason to tear other guys down to
assert his greatness.
January 10, 2008 at 5:57 pm
If any A&M player (or parents) had done a fraction of what Bush did the NCAA would have been all over us. It’s the NCAA double standard. I thought Lake was testifying to the NCAA as he still felt burned on the deal. This one is not over, although I doubt SC gets even a slap on the wrist.
January 10, 2008 at 6:09 pm
@Parlin - For starters, you’re fucking crazy to think that the most dominant aspect of VY’s play was due to his size.
Also, this isn’t boxing, so your pound-for-pound BS is meaningless.
January 10, 2008 at 6:41 pm
It’s probably good for the Texans, then. I’d take Williams ten times over before I took Bush, who isn’t even as good as Eric Metcalf.
Part of Vince’s ability was his size/speed ratio. It’s one thing to juke a guy, it’s another to do it then shuck the poor bastard off like he was a gnat and continue to run for 30 yards.
But Tommy Frazier? Vince was as or almost as good a runner and a million times the passer, so I don’t see it. Bush would’ve been just another speed back had he played at Oregon St or something. Nobody seems to mention that he played behind one of the 2 best OL units in the last decade (the other being ours from that same time period) and he wasn’t even the best RB on his team.
January 10, 2008 at 7:07 pm
The really interesting question that I have in all this is, where’s that fat reporter chick from ESPN in all this? Shelly Smith, is that her name, or has she officially changed to Trojan Lover? Isn’t she suppose to be a “reporter”; i.e. a “journalist.” (Yes, I realize that there’s clearly a distinction between the two but I doubt ESPN does). Hasn’t she been “reporting” on them for like the past 4 years? I think she lives in like the trainer’s closet or something. How is it that she wasn’t the one to break all these stories? If only by mere happenstance you’d think she’d overhear at least something about one of the MANY infractions that appear to haven taken place right underneath her and the NCAA’s nose.
Now, I’m not really one for conspiracies, but isn’t just a little odd that the program that ESPN just can’t jerk off enough seems to be the one program that remains unpunished and laregely uninvestigated by the NCAA despite the numerous reports of impropieties. Hell, even Notre Dame had to answer for some of its dirtier laundry. A lot of this stuff seems to have taken place either before or during the 2004 seasons. We are now in 2008. That’s what, three and half years? I’ve never heard of the NCAA taking so long before. Think Chris Fowler had anything to do with it?
January 10, 2008 at 7:20 pm
The NCAA doesn’t want to catch USC or Notre Dame, or Ohio State, or OU or Texas in a major scandal.
Bad for business.
January 10, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Parlin, in case you missed it I didn’t write the book. So how exactly did I “tear down” Reggie Bush?
January 11, 2008 at 12:25 am
Parlin Hall with the single most uninformed statement in the young history of this site.
Jackass - at 6′5″ that dude glided through defenders like no one with that height should; he theoretically presented an easier target to bring down, not a harder one.
“Pound for pound” doesn’t begin to encompass Young’s leadership and will to win.
It’s a travesty that Young did not win the Heisman. Period. No debate IMO.
January 11, 2008 at 12:28 am
Bohls is a pussy. I am so weary of having to put up with his mediocrity. He takes bullshit stances so everyone will think he’s such a pro.
Cream does not rise to the top.
Why can’t America embrace cycling, dammit?
January 11, 2008 at 5:32 am
Dude could play ball like a Velociraptor.
I still would have voted for RB in October
before I voted against him in January.
Will pick up my statuette for most uniformed
post today–only to see someone else
blow up in the bowl season and show that
he’s more deserving.
Later, it will be found that I had accepted
intelligence-lowering gifts from boosters,
and my subsequent posting career will be
a shadow of its former uniformed self.
January 11, 2008 at 5:36 am
But you’ll be in the PPL (Professional Poster’s League) as a millionaire and it won’t matter.
January 11, 2008 at 7:39 am
“In fact, I’m almost certain that, taking size into account, Tommy Frasier was a more
talented QB than Vince.”
And I’m almost certain that, taking size into account, Anthony Mason is a more talented basketball player than Wilt Chamberlain.
January 11, 2008 at 11:05 am
Look, nobody pissed on anybody. I don’t care what you think you saw on that tape. Reggie and I respect each other and have a beautiful relationship. He treats me like a true lady with a huge ass, and I treat him like a rich dipshit with a big cock.
January 11, 2008 at 11:36 am
Do you eat your Wheaties before or after banging black dudes?
January 11, 2008 at 1:55 pm
“Do you eat your Wheaties before or after banging black dudes?”
shouldn’t that question be directed at scally instead?
January 11, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Actually, taking size into account…
January 14, 2008 at 6:23 am
Anythread that can contain Velocirapton, Kim Kardashian, scally, mileslong, wheaties, Henry James, Wilt Chamberlain, SHelly Smith, Jackass, Kindergarten, Trojan lover, hugeass, kudos, and plausibly deniablity, jerk off, and pound for pound is destined for greatness
January 14, 2008 at 8:26 am
Parlin Hall kicks ass in his Under 6′0″ basketball league. True dat.
January 14, 2008 at 12:22 pm
They have a website up:
http://www.tarnishedheisman.com
January 21, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I read the book and cannot understand how the NCAA can ignore the Bush issues. USC should incure some penalty as well for allowing Bush to intern for a convicted felon & sports agent. This whole deal smells.
January 26, 2008 at 2:10 pm
If you’re enthralled with this Bush embroilio, I highly recommend you watch the segment about it on the latest edition of REAL SPORTS on HBO.
Even though the report is relatively one sided as the only source willing to speak out is Lloyd Lake, the purported go-between who allegedly provided Bush with the cash, cars, et al., it’s still painfully obvious that Bush is guilty as hell and we’re not talking about a talented running back being handed an envelope with some “walking-around” money (it’s estimate he took as much as $300k if not more).
Moreover, the funniest and perhaps best evidence of impropriety (besides the recorded phone calls between Lake and Bush’s step-dad Mr. Griffin taling about the pay-offs) was the camera shot of the driveway in the $750K San Diego house purchased for Bush’s parents. “The Griffins #05″ is forever cast in the concrete driveway placed there as the cement was drying.
At the end of the segment, it’s also mentioned that Michael Michaels, the real money behind this whole thing and supposed future owner of the Sports Agency Bush’s father and Lake were to start), was paid $200K for his silence (to the press and most importanly, the NCAA). Lake was given nothing and that’s the only reason he’s talking…he’s also the primary source for the book.
End of the day, I figure USC may get a slap on the wrist if anything and even if they took Bush’s Heisman away, I seriously doubt VY would accept the “tarnished” trophy anyway.
All I can say is thank goodness VY took care of business in Pasadena and personally, I think he took home the only trophy that really mattered anyway, the title.
54b
PS. I wholeheartedly concur with the poster above who inquires as to why Shellie Smith has menioned little if anything about this…how could she not have known, she was practically rubbing buttermilk on Reggie’s thighs every night while he was at USC.