Why NCAA's Reggie Bush Decision Means So Little to USC Fans

Former USC Trojans superstar running back Reggie Bush has finally received his 2005 Heisman Trophy back after a 14-year absence, reports Peter Thamel of ESPN. The two-time national champion was forced to return the award in 2010 for infractions related to NCAA earnings violations while in school (USC was also hit with major sanctions) but now, thanks to the advent of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals across the college landscape, the Trophy is finally back where it belongs.

"Personally, I'm thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I'm honored to return to the Heisman family," Bush said, per a statement sent to ESPN. "I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization."

In that Heisman-winning season, he ran for 1,740 yards across 200 carries, while notching 16 touchdowns. He also grabbed 39 receptions over 481 yards. All told, he was a two-time First Team All-Pac-10 honoree, the two-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, and a two-time consensus All-American pick while being named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year in '05. In addition to his Heisman that season, he also earned the Doan Walker Award and the Walter Camp Award.

"We are thrilled to welcome Reggie Bush back to the Heisman family in recognition of his collegiate accomplishments," the president of The Heisman Trophy Trust Michael Comerford declared. "We considered the enormous changes in college athletics over the last several years in deciding that now is the right time to reinstate the trophy for Reggie. We are so happy to welcome him back."

Now, fans all across the football landscape are weighing in on the big moment... with a resounding shrug.

Newsweek's own J.P. Hoornstra observed that the NCAA's decision to penalize Bush so harshly for behavior that most big-time athletes were doing (earning big bucks for play that padded their schools' coffers) wasn't taken particularly seriously even in 2010. Whether or not he had the Heisman for that season, there was no doubt he was still the best player in the college game that year.

One fan on X, who goes by the name Shooter McGavin and is thus clearly a "Happy Gilmore" appreciator, perfectly encapsulated the general mood surrounding the news by summing up the NCAA's mea culpa:

With Reggie Bush back in the good graces of the Heisman House, former "The Daily Show" comedian Roy Wood Jr. imagined that he would get an opportunity to appear in Nissan's "Heisman House"-themed commercials, which lately have featured 2022 winner and presumed 2024 No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams and former Michigan Wolverines great Charles Woodson, among other.

Another fan could smell what Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was cooking in gif form, expressing relief that our long national nightmare is at last behind us:

Another Bush fan put it all pretty succinctly:

This sentiment was common among the general fan consensus on X:

The length of time it took the NCAA to reverse its 2010 decision came under fair criticism from another fan, who compared it to the schedule of long-delayed sequel "Bill And Ted Face The Music:"

The sports world at large seems to have moved on from the debate over whether college students deserve to profit off their own hard work (they do). It's nice to see the NCAA catching up with general temperature, albeit a bit belatedly.