They shouldnt forfeit the 04 championship... They should play Auburn who went undefeated in a REAL conference and also sent some major players to the NFL that year... Id like to see Reggie Bush gain 300 all purpose yards on that Auburn defense.
On one hand i'd love to take the title from these freaks!! Seriously, that would just be funny after the GREATEST TEAM EVER run they got. But the alternative means the Sooners are national champs, right??? Ewwwww...
Unless it was systemic with SC why punish the whole team. His Heisman, an individual award that is supposed to go to an amatuer is one thing, but taking away a team award has a much higher bar than one player and his families actions. And yes, SC has 1 NC in the last 20+ years, just like LSU has one. Everybody knows the BCS has crowned the NC since it has been in existence.
i understand the concept of the team award, but seriously without bush as a wide receiver, running back, kick back returner that usc team is completely different. still a damn good team, but not nearly as dangerous as they are with bush in the lineup. its basically allowing a school to have a pro player on their team which changes everything. Bush didnt do too much in that championship game but over the course of the season he was responsible for victories. If he wasnt there for those games usc wouldnt even have been in the orange bowl that year to begin with. so taking away the national title while harsh no doubt is appropriate
If I recall the only close game SC had that year was versus Cal, and Leinart and White were who SC turned to. They certainly beat OU without Bush as well. But besides, again I think it need to be minimally a systemic lack of oversight (if not cheating) to penalize the whole team retrospectively. Individual awards like the Heisman, different story.
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=ap-reggiebushinvestigation&prov=ap&type=lgns Bush responds to report he and family accepted more than $100,000 from marketing agents September 15, 2006 LOS ANGELES (AP) -- New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush and his family appear to have accepted gifts, money and other benefits worth more than $100,000 from two marketing agents while the Heisman Trophy winner was still playing at Southern California, according to a report posted Thursday on Yahoo.com. After practice Friday, Bush responded to questions about the report much the same as he did when the allegations of improper benefits first were reported earlier this year. "I'm not worried about any of these allegations or anything like that," he said. "Because I know what the truth is, like I said from day one. Once the smoke clears, everybody's going to see we did nothing wrong." The report says Michael Michaels, a marketing agency investor who wanted to represent the football star, and current Bush marketing agent Mike Ornstein lavished Bush and his family with gifts while he was still at USC, each hoping to entice him to sign with them once he left school. Bush eventually chose Ornstein, which caused a falling out between Michaels and Bush's family. Speculation over whether Bush and his family received money arose earlier this year in reports that his mother and stepfather didn't pay $54,000 in rent during the year they lived in a house owned by Michaels, who later said the family promised to repay him once Bush went pro. The NCAA prohibits student-athletes and their families from receiving extra benefits from agents or their representatives. Any improper benefits could lead to NCAA sanctions against USC and retroactively cost Bush his college eligibility and Heisman Trophy. "Obviously it does affect you just because it is out there," Bush said. "But at the same time I know there's nothing to worry about. "It makes you want to go out there right away and tell your side of the story. Show everybody the facts, the truth. But you can't do that. That wouldn't be the right way to do it." The report was based on an eight-month investigation by Yahoo Sports, citing documents and interviews with on-the-record sources close to the situation. It lists several instances in which Bush and his family appear to have received financial benefits, including: -- Suits for Bush's stepfather and brother to wear during the Dec. 10, 2005 Heisman ceremony in New York, a makeover for his mother for the event and limousine transportation -- all paid for by Ornstein. -- Two hotel stays by Bush, one in Las Vegas and another in San Diego, during March 2005. In both instances, the rooms were paid for by Michaels. -- $13,000 from Michaels' fledgling firm, New Era Sports & Entertainment, to purchase and modify a car for Bush. -- $595.20 in round-trip airfare from San Diego to Oakland in November 2005 for Bush's stepfather, LaMar Griffin, his mother, Denise Griffin and younger brother to attend the USC-California game at Berkeley. The charges were put on a credit card belonging to Jamie Fritz, one of Ornstein's employees. Ornstein said he believes that when Fritz paid for airfare and a limousine for the Bush family's trip to the Cal game, the money was eventually paid back. Asked whether he was aware that such loans could constitute an NCAA violation, Ornstein told Yahoo: "I have no idea." A phone message left by The Associated Press for Bush's attorney, David Cornwell, and Ornstein were not immediately returned late Thursday. Ornstein denied to Yahoo any wrongdoing on his and Bush's behalf. "Reggie Bush never received an extra benefit from Mike Ornstein other than what he was allowed to get from the NCAA when he worked with us," Ornstein told Yahoo. He added Bush was an intern at his marketing company in the summer of 2005. "I feel pretty damn good about that." The NCAA and Pac-10 are investigating whether any rules were broken when Bush's family lived in the home owned by Michaels. Cornwell also said earlier this summer that FBI agents interviewed him about "potential federal crimes" by phone in June. The FBI would neither confirm nor deny whether a federal investigation was under way. The NFL players union also is investigating the rent payments. In a statement released by USC counsel Kelly Bendell, the school said it is cooperating with the probe but "cannot comment on any matter that is the subject of an ongoing NCAA and Pac-10 investigation." Saints spokesman Greg Bensel told the AP the team would not comment on matters involving Bush when he was in college. "It doesn't involve the Saints," he said. The allegations would have no effect on Bush's professional football career, a person within the NFL with knowledge of Bush's standing in the league told the AP. The source asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation. Bush was expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, but the Houston Texans bypassed him and took North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams. Bush went to New Orleans with the second pick. AP Sports writers Brett Martel in New Orleans and John Nadel in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Of course he did it...Maybe the bad press is why we turned away from Bush...The sad thing is, people forget...He'll still get endorsements and be a star...That's the problem...And yes, I'd still like him to be a Texan... Why? Because he can ball and he isn't the only one to accept gifts...He just got caught...
Take the Heisman. He didn't deserve it in the first place. "Outstanding College Football Player of the United States?" That was Mr. Young.
but thats not to say Cal's defense was geared to stop bush or that he didnt have an impact on the game. Thats like saying Yao was held to 6 points but Mcgrady and Howard scored 28 apiece and Yao had nothing to do with the game. Sure it looks like Yao had a crappy game but chances are the defense was geared to try to deny him the ball or stop him. Take bush out and its a whole lot easier to try to stop Leinhart and White than with him. The same applies for blowout games where the score was out of reach and bush had huge games at the end of the day his 2-3 TDs may not be the difference in the final score but there is no way you can just take him out and assume USC still wins the game. Given USC's SoS or lack thereof a single loss in anyone of those games could/would have dropped them out of the national title game
That was 2003. USC beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl and was the AP#1, LSU beat Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl BCS National Title game. In 2004 USC wiped the floor with Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl BCS National Title game. Oklahoma went undefeated in a bad Big 12, while Auburn ran the table in a very good SEC and got screwed out of playing in the title game. They aren't going to make USC forfeit the title, but if they did Auburn would be the champion. Fight On!!!! War Eagle!!!! Play like a champion today. Hook 'em - hell no
