Named after the former Brown University and Georgia Tech football player John Heisman the trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding football player in college football. In 2005 Reggie Bush was awarded the trophy. However, on September 14th , Bush who had apparently received payments from outsiders revealed that he would return his trophy. The Heisman Trust also announced that the award for that season would remain vacant for the first time in the trophy's history.
Although, the star running back gave up the presitigious award voluntarily it is rather obvious that he would have not given it up if those allegations wouldn't have become public. Bush knew he had agreed not to make money nor to accept it, yet he chose to do so anyway. Taking money for one's labor and or services itself is not wrong. Being paid for the use of one's name or public persona is not wrong in itself either when those opportunities arise. However, it is wrong to say one thing and the other when a promise has been made in principle regardless of what level from a handshake, verbal or written agreement.
This incident as well as other numerous examples bring up a slew of unanswered questions. Should Reggie and other athletes as well as coaches be punished for their actions? Is stripping the Heisman from Bush an appropriate coarse of action? Should college athletes get paid? Would it give new meaning to a "full ride" scholarship? Could it be said that college athletes are actually getting paid with a free education? Who do we celebrate and choose as our heroes? The answers to these questions remain yet to be found but all have compelling arguments and likely won't be found till as a society we take a hard look ourselves at what those core values are. Thoughts?
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