The Trojan family honors and respects the USC sporting careers of those persons whose actions did not compromise their athletic program or the opportunities of future USC student-athletes. Accordingly, I have instructed the senior vice president for administration to remove athletic jerseys and murals displayed in recognition of O.J. Mayo and Reggie Bush by mid-August — before the incoming class of students moves on campus — from Heritage Hall, the Galen Center and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The university also will return Mr. Bush’s 2005 Heisman Trophy to the Heisman Trophy Trust in August.
The news that USC is returning their copy of Reggie Bush’s Heisman Trophy to the Heisman Trust is, I suppose, a step in the right direction. If Bush did in fact violate NCAA rules as egregiously as the NCAA alleges, USC is doing the right thing. Granted, the NCAA is a corrupt organization that maintains an oppressive, antiquated rule book which holds athlete-students to be the equivalent of indentured servants. Still, rules are rules, eh? If the hired help won’t keep to their place, then The Man needs to step in and makes things right. Someone needs to be thrown under the bus…and pronto. Blaming the hired help sure as Hell beats having to admit that USC is the problem.
Here’s what I find so interesting about this scenario, though. Nowhere in the memo from incoming President Max Nikias does it mention ANYTHING about O.J. Simpson. You remember him, right?? Simpson brutally and viciously murdered his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman…and got away with it? What conclusion are we to draw from the omission in USC’s statement? Well, you don’t have to have a Ph.D. in Abberant Psychology to puzzle that one out:
Accept cash, special living arrangements, and even cars from supporters of USC’s athletic program, violate virtually every ethical standard USC purports to uphold…and you will be stripped of any and all awards. You’ll be considered persona non grata, and you’ll be shunned as if you’re a serial child molester.
Brutally murder your wife and another innocent human being…and you’re golden. Boys will be boys….
Yep, it’s great knowing that USC’s priorities are in order, isn’t it?? Meanwhile, Reggie Bush plys his trade in New Orleans and former coach Pete Carroll has 33 million reasons to be happy in Seattle. Accountability? It’s for the losers your leave behind, kimosabe.
