Reggie Bush in Danger of Historic Loss

Former Southern California running back Reggie Bush's hold on the 2005 Heisman Trophy appears threatened. The Heisman Trophy has been awarded, cherished, displayed. It also has been sold, auctioned, even used as a doorstop.

But the Heisman has never been repossessed. But to paraphrase Rick Blaine in Casablanca, never say never in this crazy mixed-up world where the disputes of three different factions could amount to a hill of beans.

For the last eight months, Yahoo! Sports has been conducting an investigation into alleged improper financial dealings involving 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush.

The Web site reported last week that Bush and his family had accepted more than $100,000 in financial benefits while Bush was enrolled at Southern California.

The NCAA and the Pacific-10 Conference also are investigating the allegations. If those investigations find any of the Yahoo! information to be accurate, then a chain reaction is likely.

Bush could lose his Heisman, USC could lose its 2004 BCS national championship and the school could face NCAA penalties for a lack of institutional control.

That's three "coulds." That means this is all extremely speculative.

The Heisman Trophy Trust would make the call if it decides a Heisman needs to be rescinded. A spokesperson said last week the group would await the NCAA's findings before making a decision. That's the same stance taken by the BCS in regards to USC's 2004 national title.

The great unknown in this story is the NCAA and its investigative impotence.

The Yahoo! investigation involves Bush, his family and two agents who were vying to sign Bush as a post-collegiate client. One agent is currently suing the other, and the entire affair puts sports agents a layer below pond scum.

It's all about money. The money the Bush family allegedly received. The money the competing agents "invested" in Bush. And the money the agent who didn't sign Bush as a client is not receiving.

With money and lawsuits the driving force, the NCAA and its rule book are not even background extras. NCAA investigators contacted a lawyer defending one of the agents and asked for a copy of an upcoming deposition where Bush could testify under oath.

The Bush family is not cooperating with the NCAA (why should they now?). The lawyers on both sides have no desire to waste their billable hours helping the NCAA (which doesn't have subpoena power).

The Yahoo! story appears to be sound. There are receipts and witnesses. That sort of publicity benefits the plaintiff's case.

The information obtained by the Yahoo! reporters likely were leaked or corroborated by the lawyers who will benefit from the revelations.

The only chance the NCAA has of making its case is to have the case go to trial and a judgment be rendered. That could take months or years.

Bush maintains he did nothing illegal while at USC. He called USC coach Pete Carroll over the weekend to repeat that he did not receive improper benefits. Someone, clearly, is not telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

If it turns out that Bush is lying and that he received financial benefits while he was still a scholarship athlete at USC, his 2005 Heisman Trophy should be revoked.

The Heisman has a provision for doing just that if the winner is discovered to have broken NCAA rules during the season he won the award.

When and if Reggie Bush becomes the first ex-Heisman winner, one of sports' most cherished awards will be sullied like so many other facets of the athletic world.

Other News in the NFL

LenDale White Goes on Defense for Ex-Teammate Bush

LenDale White had a decent showing Sunday in his debut as an NFL running back, but his most memorable and vigorous performance came on defense.

Defending the reputation of former USC teammate Reggie Bush in the locker room, that is.

"I don't follow it because I don't believe none of it," White said of a report that Bush and his family accepted benefits of more than $100,000 from agents while the tailback was playing college football.

"Honestly, I don't know nothing about what they're talking about. I went to school with the man for three years. If he had money like that, I need to borrow some."

Bush, now a New Orleans Saints rookie, has denied any wrongdoing.

USC Coach Pete Carroll said Sunday that Bush called him after the Trojans' victory over Nebraska on Saturday night and reiterated that he had done nothing wrong.

"He was very firm about all of that," Carroll said. "He just wanted to make sure and check in…. He wanted to make sure I was clear."

"I believe Reggie," White said. I believe nothing ever happened, ever. And it will be proven at the end of the day."

Eavesdropping Sunday as White spoke to a small group of reporters in the Tennessee locker room was teammate Bobby Wade. He interrupted several times, telling White: "Talk about the game, man! You [don't] need to respond to that! Don't even entertain it!"

White shook his head in agreement, then continued.

"You're right," he said. "But Reggie didn't do nothing. I'm with Reggie, that's my teammate. I believe in him."

As for the Titans believing in White, that remains to be seen. He was deactivated for the opener against the New York Jets and played for the first time Sunday because tailback Travis Henry has turf toe. White had eight carries for 22 yards, the longest for six yards.

"It felt good to get out the cobwebs I had as far as not being in a real NFL game," said White, a second-round pick.

"I don't count the preseason because that's when teams are trying to get their stuff together, see who they want to be out there, who they're going to cut and all that," White said.

"Now it's different because I finally got in the game. They put me in there to make a difference," he said. "Now we've just got to build from this week and move on."