Reggie Bush Isn't Going to Send the Heisman Trophy Back

Sports by Brooks is reporting today that ex-Heisman Trophy recipient Reggie Bush has yet to return the trophy to the Heisman Trust.

It was on Sept. 14, 2010 that Bush released a statement in which he indicated he was forfeiting the Award. Many news outlets at the time assumed he was returning the trophy and reported as such.  The statement followed weeks of speculation surrounding the Heisman Trophy winner and whether the Trust would strip him of the award after USC's 2004 season (the one for which Bush won the Heisman) was stricken from the record books.  Bush ended the speculation when he announced he was voluntarily forfeiting his Heisman Winner title.

While Bush has never admitted his guilt, NCAA investigators at that time had uncovered substantial proof that Bush and his parents had received almost $300,000 in illegal benefits while Bush was a star running back at USC. These findings were a large reason why the NCAA heavily penalized the program in 2010, prohibiting it from attending Bowl games for two years, reducing scholarships to the football team by 10 for three years, and stripped its 2004 National Title that Bush helped them to win.

After those penalties were assessed to USC, the nation turned its eyes to what would happen to Reggie Bush, the chief violator in this matter. Bush was being sued by agent Lloyd Lake, the man who had given Bush and his family the $300,000. This whole matter may never have come to light if Bush hadn't opted to sign with a different agent, triggering Lake's lawsuit.

Sports By Brooks also confirms that Bush has since paid back the $300,000 he owed to Lake. Of course, however, that's still not an admission of guilt.

One has to speculate, now that this issue has returned to the public eye, will Bush be shamed into actually returning the troph?. I doubt that the Heisman Trust will pursue any legal action to get it back, as they have remained very quiet and private during the past year in regards to this matter.

It won't surprise me or anyone else if the Heisman is never returned.