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Heisman Trust: No '05 winner
Heisman Bush Football Heal

    NEW YORK — And the Heisman Trophy winner for 2005 is — no one.
    Rather than replace Reggie Bush, who returned his trophy after a scandal erupted, the officials who administer the award decided it would remain vacant for that year.
    There was some initial talk that the trophy might go to former Texas quarterback Vince Young, who finished a distant second to Bush in the voting.
    However, Heisman Trust President William Dockery told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday that the eight trustees never decided to take the trophy away from Bush nor did they receive any advance notice of Bush's decision.
    "We're certainly not upset Reggie resolved the issue," he said.
    The Heisman board held its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, but Dockery said there were no plans to make a final decision about Bush and the 2005 Heisman at that time.
    Turns out they didn't have to.
    Before the meeting started, Bush announced he would make the unprecedented move of forfeiting the Heisman he won while starring at running back for Southern California. In June, after a four-year investigation, the NCAA ruled Bush was ineligible for the 2005 season for receiving improper benefits.
    Players are required to be in good standing with the NCAA to be eligible for college football's highest honor.
    Even before Dockery said there would be no winner or revote for 2005, Young said he didn't want the Heisman anyway.
    "I would not want to have it, and don't want the trophy. Like I said, 2005, Reggie Bush is the Heisman Trophy winner. Why would I want it?" he told reporters after Tennessee Titans practice in Nashville.
    Dockery said Bush, now with the New Orleans Saints, met with some of the trustees in New York several weeks ago.   
    "Reggie requested a meeting," Dockery said.
    He didn't disclose what was discussed.
    He did say Bush was given no indication the trust might strip him of the award because a decision had not been made.

"There wasn't heavy discussion about it," Dockery said. "We were waiting for the NCAA decision and potential appeals. There was no lean from the members as far as I can tell."

USC was hit with heavy sanctions by the NCAA this summer after it determined Bush and his family had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from two fledgling California-based marketing agents.

The allegations were first reported by Yahoo! Sports in September 2006, months after Bush had already been drafted No. 2 overall by the Saints.

The NCAA and Pac-10 began investigating him and the USC football program soon afterward; Bush denied any wrongdoing.

In the statement he released through the Saints on Tuesday, Bush mentions "mistakes that I made" with no elaboration.

Still, Dockery is happy to put the matter to rest.

"Enough is enough," he said. "Reggie admitted he made a mistake. He's acted on it by giving up the award."

___

AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tenn., contributed to this report.

Professional Eye Care of Statesboro presents Prep Sports Spotlight
Maralyne Belcher – Senior, Softball, Bulloch Academy
Maralyne Belcher
Maralyne Belcher

The Bulloch Academy softball team is coming off an appearance in the state quarterfinals last year and are looking to take another step forward this year.

Having lost five seniors from last year’s team, first-year head coach Jason Godbee is counting on seniors like Maralyne Belcher to chip in on and off the field this season.

 “Maralyne has been working hard in her rehab after suffering a torn ACL during basketball season,” Godbee said. "We are hoping to get her back towards the middle or end of the season at full speed.

“In the mean time she’s doing a great job mentoring our younger players, encouraging them and working with them. She is a great three-sport athlete.”

 "The summer is going really good with the young players working hard," Belcher said. “I think we’re really improving. I’ve tried to help out as much as I can from the sidelines since I can’t play yet. I’m really proud of everyone and especially how the younger girls are stepping up.

A lot of people are having to learn different positions and I think it’s going really well, it’s just going to take time and practice. The process to come back from my injury has been tough as I knew it would be. I really didn’t know how much it would hurt to watch the team have to play without me but I am trying to get back as soon as I can.”