Can We Trust The 'Trust'?

Ever heard of Sanford Wurmfeld? William Dockery? No? And you call yourself a college football fan?! Don't feel bad, I've never heard of them either, however, apparently they are two members of the 8-member Heisman Trust Board, and they will decide if Reggie Bush deserves to lose his Heisman. Who are the other six members on this board? Good luck finding that out. I spent 30 minutes on Google trying to track down their names. Heisman.com didn't list any of the names either. Why not? I would like to know who makes up this Trust and what their background is in the sport of college football. Somebody call Oliver Stone!

I invite you all to Google Sanford Wurmfeld. You will quickly learn that this member of the Heisman Trust is a New York City abstract painter and a chairman of the art department at Hunter College. He will decide if Reggie Bush should lose his Heisman.

William Dockery? He's a New York City lawyer. He doesn't have a website. Not really sure what firm he works for either. His business address is the same as the Heisman Trust's website. So what type of law is he exactly practicing? Perhaps he is hired by past Heisman Trophy winners to fight for their rights to better seats at the Downtown Athletic Club once a year. Perhaps he just decides whether Reggie Bush should lose his Heisman.

I'm not so sure I like the idea of some artsy-fartsy painter, a lawyer without a practice, and six other mysterious members in New York City deciding whether or not Reggie Bush keeps his Heisman, which yes, went to the best player in college football that year. I would rather see the Trust hand this over to a vote by all the previous winners. If guys like Eddie George, Troy Smith, Tony Dorsett, Ty Detmer and Jason White feel Reggie still deserves to lose his Heisman, than I think most college football fans would understand and accept the final vote. But please don't tell me some abstract artist named Wurmfeld is going to have a say in this decision.

When is enough a enough? Reggie Bush isn't welcome on USC's campus or allowed to attend a USC game. USC has basically wiped clean any proof that he ever existed. The one thing that no one can take away from him is the season he had on the field in 2005. He was the best player in college football. That will always exist....even if members of the Heisman Trust say otherwise.

My Team On Probation, I'm Still Intrigued By College Football's Storylines

After taking the second half of the summer off, I decided what better day to get back into blogging than September 1st. Regardless of the 90 degree heat that is still sweeping the South and the East Coast, I contend once the calendar hits September, Summer Is Over! This, of course, means FOOTBALL is here.

I thought I'd put some of my random college football thoughts in writing before the season officially kicks off Thursday night with Murray State at Kent State! Ok, that's actually not the marquee game of the night, but I need to expand my readership and why not start with the Golden Flashes of Kent State fan base.

> My interest Thursday night clearly lies with the USC Trojans heading out West (not often you get to say that) to take on the Hawaii Warriors. That game kicks off 11:00 PM Eastern and Bahamas time (which is where I'll be Thursday night). Trojan fans can't even get East coast writers to pop a 5-hour energy drink for the regular 10:00 PM Pac-10 games on FSN during the season, so I doubt many will be awake to catch Lane Kiffin's debut as a head coach for the men of Troy. Although the few that are awake will sadly be rooting for him to fail.

> Looking around the rest of the nation, I'm obviously intrigued by any program that has to defend it's national championship. Ask any coach at a big time program how tough it is to win back-to-back titles in college football. The Crimson Tide will start the season without their Heisman Trophy running back, Mark Ingram.

> I'm curious to see how year three goes for Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech. ACC coaches now have had a few years of film to sift through to plot and plan for the YellowJacket's unique spead-option offense. Saturday's are made for quarterbacks like Josh Nesbitt. Tough as nails and the perfect leader for this team.

> Will Georgia, led by former Plant High School stud out of Tampa, Aaron Murray be able to give the Gators a run in the SEC East this year? Will All-World wide receiver AJ Green be good enough to put his team on his back for an extra win or two this year? The 'Dawgs may need it!

> Can the Wisconsin Badgers return to the glory days under Barry Alvarez and get back to the Rose Bowl? That may be determined on October 16th when the Buckeyes come to Camp Randall Stadium in Madison for a season-changing showdown.

> Speaking of the Rose Bowl, who is going to step up and claim the other invitation from the Pac10? The conference is loaded at quarterback, the question is will there be enough pieces on the defensive side of the ball for guys like Jake Locker at Washington or Andrew Luck at Stanford? Will the running game at Oregon State be enough to keep the Beavers in the conference title hunt and is QB Nate Costa at Oregon going to win games for the Ducks or just manage them?

Other quick hits:

Les Miles seat is hot.

Bob Stoops has a big mouth.

What will the BCS computers think of Boise State if they run the table?

Rich Rodriguez better not lose to UCONN to start the season.

Are expectations high or low for Derek Dooley at Tennessee?

Will an ACC team emerge as a national title contender?

The Denver Broncos have a BYE Week November 7th....will Tim Tebow use that time to visit the Gators and bless them for the 2nd of half of their season?

I still contend Saturday's are more exciting then Sundays during football season. There are more meaningful games and better bitter rivalries. Although my alma mater (USC) is on probabtion for the next two seasons, college football will still provide me with enough storylines to keep me intrigued until the very end.

A Tale of Two Cities

As NFL training camps open this week, there is one player that can't wait to get back to his team more than any other guy in the league -- Reggie Bush.

It's human nature to want to feel loved. We are much more comfortable in an environment where we feel appreciated. Reggie Bush grew up in southern California (San Diego to be exact). He was a high school superstar and when he took his talents to U.S.C. he became a national phenomenon. Aside from Kobe Bryant, Reggie Bush was probably the biggest star athlete in all of Los Angeles. He was loved. He was in a comfortable environment.

This summer, on June 10th, all of that changed for this once proud native son of southern California. When the U.S.C. program was hit with a two-year bowl ban and the loss of scholarships by the NCAA, all fingers were pointed at Reggie Bush. The school that was more than happy to call this former Heisman Trophy winner their own was now forced to disassociate themselves from Bush. Since he was declared ineligible during USC's title run, the school had to pretend he never existed. Heisman trophy in Heritage Hall...buh bye. Retired number hanging in the L.A. Coliseum...buh bye. Murial painting along the wall of the athletic training facility hallway...covered up.

Suddenly this didn't seem like such a comfortable environment after all for Bush. He won't be welcome at practice. It will probably be very tough for him to attend a home game anytime soon. The message boards, blogs and tweets have been ruthless. His legacy is destroyed in Los Angeles.

"We're Jazzed You're Here" - that is the latest marketing campaign for the city of New Orleans, and it could not mean more to Reggie Bush than right now. NFL training camp and the upcoming season is Bush's escape. The timing could not be better and the environment could not be more opposite than what he leaves behind in southern California.

The minute Bush hit the ground in New Orleans in 2006, he was called "Saint Reginald" by the city. The city had been devastated after Hurricane Katrina and this Bush was just what the doctor ordered. He started a "Yard by Yard, Neighborhood by Neighborhood" program which built homes in New Orleans based on Bush's yardage totals. He helped a special needs school in the area stay open after Katrina by donating $56,000 in sponsorship money from Adidas. He personally funded an $86,000 artificial field turf for Tad Gormley Stadium, where six local high schools play their football games. This past summer he held his 2nd Annual Youth Football camp in New Orleans as well. Oh yeah, and on the field he helped the team win it's first Super Bowl.

In the city of New Orleans, Reggie Bush is, well, a "saint." In the City of Angels (Los Angeles) Reggie Bush is a sinner. One man, two reputations. Two cities, two opinions. For the next six months Reggie Bush can leave his alter-ego on the west Coast. Ironically, he probably feels like he's now home. After all, this is the environment where he feels loved...

Ugly Just Like Us

Years ago the front man for the rock band Staind, Aaron Lewis, wrote a song called 'Outside'. The main chorus of the song went:

I can see through you
See your true colors
Cause inside your ugly
Your ugly like me...

Never have truer words been spoken about the world of college football. Here is breaking news: Ugly is everywhere, not just at USC. For the past few months USC fans have had to endure the criticism, the revelling from haters, the jokes and pretty much a general, "shame on you guys" from any and all college football fans, experts and writers (yes, I separate 'experts' and 'writers'). Here is the ugly secret of college football: what happens at USC happens at 'BCS' programs all over the country, and these past few weeks are proving that point.

USC was guilty of 'lack of institutional control'. That's the nice way of saying, 'how can you not know agents are giving your student athletes improper benefits?!' The NCAA wanted to make an example out of USC. That's what happens when Yahoo Sports launches a witch hunt on a program that had been too good for too long. It's human nature to want to watch and relish in the fall of something great.

The University of Florida is now being investigated for one of it's former standout players, Maurkice Pouncey, receiving up to $100,000 from an agent prior to the Gator's Sugar Bowl game. Sounds ugly to me.

The University of North Carolina and University of South Carolina are also both being investigated by the NCAA on allegations their football players received improper gifts from agents. Sounds ugly to me.

What else is ugly? How about 11 Notre Dame football players being arrested over the weekend? How about star athletes at Georgia and Tennessee being arrested? Want Assault? Look no further than the defensive end for the Pitt Panthers.

Ahhhhh....mush. None of these stories matter right? The NCAA took down USC. Isn't that what everyone wanted to see? They are the big fat cheaters on the West Coast. Everything else is just gravy at this point. Who needs football West of the Mississippi anyways? The NCAA wanted to make an example out of an elite program....and boy did they ever. They must now go from 'setting an example' to 'staying consistent'. If other programs are guilty of the same charges USC was, then the penalties must be consistent.

Let's be honest here. Who doesn't believe that if the NCAA spent four years (like it did with USC) with their flashlights and magnifying glasses up the University of Florida's rear-end they wouldn't find dirt? A successful program that cranks out NFL talent year after year is bound to have some agents hanging around and is clearly going to have a star players 'taken care of' while enrolled in school. You don't think star college athletes sign with agents just because they are nice guys do you?

In the case with USC, the NCAA wanted to send a message to college football programs across the country: violate the rules and the penalty will be harsh. Right now, college football programs are sending a message back, and man is it ugly!

'Witness' The Heat Turned Up In Miami

Well the decision was finally made and there is so much to digest off of one man saying two words: Miami Heat.

My first reaction, as a guy from a small Midwest market (Milwaukee), I feel bad for the city of Cleveland, but they need to understand this decision. LeBron James is entitled to assess the landscape, talk to a variety of teams and make his own choice on which franchise gives him the best chance to win now. This wasn't about loyalty or money. It was about winning. It's not LeBron's fault he didn't get to play with Shaq in his prime. It's not LeBron's fault the Cavs couldn't trade for a Pao Gasol in exchange for a few basketballs and clipboards. It's not LeBron's fault he got stuck with Mike Brown instead of Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson.

On to Miami. There aren't many cities in this country that sell themselves more than Miami Beach. In fact the dichotomy of Cleveland vs. South Beach couldn't be greater. There is a reason free agents aren't flocking to Milwaukee and Sacramento. It's seems to me that 'lifestyle' is more important in the NBA culture than other sports and Miami Beach ranks #1 in that category.

As for the new-look Heat, most 'experts' believe the Heat aren't ready to win a title just yet. The Heat have their big three and I believe the rest of the roster will be filled out with a city-wide Hoop-It-Up tournament at the Dade County YMCA. The Heat need a point guard, a center, and most importantly, depth to survive a playoff run.

The pressure on these guys (but mostly LeBron) begins game one of the NBA season. If they lose two in a row, the chemistry articles will be written. If they lose three in a row, Erik Spoelstra will be back to holding Pat Riley's clipboard during timeouts. Pat Riley allowing Erik Spoelstra to coach this group of guys is the equivalent of Coach K. allowing Chris Collins to coach Team USA in the Olympics. It really is amazing how Pat Riley's "aura" has now transcended three decades of the NBA . He has remained relevant and more importantly, powerful, influential and respected by players young and old.

On the flipside, what are the Nets thinking now that all the big name free agents have found a home? I'm guessing Brook Lopez never thought he'd be the face of Nets.com on July 10th. I wonder if that Russian billionaire owner thought he was buying the Mets, not the Nets and things just got lost in translation. How do you say "do over" in Russian? When your billboard marketing campaign doesn't even involve a player (Jay-Z), you definitely have roster problems. Well, good luck to him and his move to Brooklyn. Nyet!

Say what you want about this spectacle Thursday night on ESPN, but it made the NBA relevant and exciting in the middle of July. LeBron James is a star in this star-driven league. Whether he now has new fans in Miami or if the Heat become the new villains of the NBA, David Stern is smiling. His brand is healthy and this upcoming season promises to be something special. In fact you might even say so special...it's fit for a 'King.'

2nd Rate All Around

The Atlanta Hawks are owned by a group of six or seven investors (I stopped keeping track when I stopped caring) called the Atlanta Spirit. I think it's fair to say they are considered a 2nd rate ownership group. They aren't in the elite class of say a Jerry Buss (Lakers), Wyc Grousbeck (Celtics), Mickey Arison (Heat), Mark Cuban (Mavericks) just to name a few. Unlike those other franchises the Atlanta Spirit is comprised of three or four guys who care more about their fledgling hockey franchise than NBA basketball. Yeah, that's 2nd rate.

Joe Johnson is the Hawks leading scorer. Again, I think it's fair to say he's considered a 2nd rate star in this league. He doesn't have a cool nickname like Flash, Melo, or even merit the one word moniker like 'Kobe', 'Jordan', 'LeBron'. Although the nickname 'Average Joe' keeps popping into my head. He's never won a 2nd round playoff game and has a tendency to disappear in big moments.

"Second Rate Ownership Group Overpays Second Rate Star". It's like a match made in heaven. These two are so perfect for each other, Neither of them know how to win. Neither of them appear to have the passion and fiery emotion within to want to compete for an NBA Championship. If Joe was about winning he would have hitched his wagon to wherever LeBron, Bosh or Wade landed. If the Atlanta Spirit was about winning, they would have pulled the trigger to land Amare Stoudamire last summer when they had the chance.

The Atlanta Spirit won't admit it but they have always been more concerned about their P&L (Profit & Loss) Statement then their W&L (Wins & Loss) Statement. Oh, and please don't tell me this ownership group thinks fans of the Hawks should be grateful for them opening up their checkbooks to overpay for Joe Johnson. That's not the winning message I'm looking for. I'm looking for a smart, intelligent approach to assembling a team capable of competing for a title. Throwing $119 million at a 2nd rate player is a bad investment. Re-signing Marvin Williams last summer for $40 million is a bad investment.

There is an old expression 'scared money doesn't make money.' The Atlanta Spirit gave Joe Johnson $119 million because they were scared. They were scared that they won't ever be able to lure an all-star caliber player here again. They were scared that if Joe left and the Hawks had a poor season, it would greatly hinder their ability to sell this team.

It's no surprise I have yet to read one national NBA columnist write a story on how this max contract for Joe Johnson was smart. I'm sure the Atlanta Spirit is proud of themselves today. Nobody can call them cheap. Sure, they spent some money. That's the easy part. Making a smart investment.....that's the hard part.

Saving the Trojan Empire Is All On Lane

The Trojan Empire is in trouble. The NCAA took about the same time we had in between World Cups to make their decision (4 years) and the hammer they dropped on the USC Trojan football program was like taking a penalty kick right in the face.

USC was hit with a two-year bowl ban, the loss of more than 20 scholarships and perhaps forfeiture of wins from the 2004 season, when the team won the BCS National Championship. (Ok, Maalox moment for me begins now)

So where does this leave the once 'Tiffany program' of college football? That will all depend on the man who claims to have a plan, that left Tennessee in a van for the West Coast to get a tan. (Sorry for that. Clearly I'm not thinking straight, as a proud Trojan Alum). Lane Kiffin has shown he can be as good a recruiter as any coach in America. Prior to today's news from the NCAA, he has been. However, coach Kiffin is now faced with the daunting task of convincing 17 and 18 year old kids that the USC football brand will remain as strong as ever.

Coach Kiffin has been called slimy, unfaithful and nothing more than a used car salesman. 'Slimy and unfaithful'...that's a Tennessee fan's issue. 'Used car salesman', that might be just the elixir the USC football program needs right about now. Think about it. Coach Kiffin has to walk into high school kid's living rooms for the next few years and convince them that this dented and beatup car (the USC program) is still a great buy and will get you from point A (college) to point B (the NFL).

Coach Kiffin will also have to be the ultimate motivator to the current roster of student athletes. This penalty delivered by the NCAA could be used as a rallying-cry. The 2010 USC Trojans, who are guilty of doing absolutely nothing wrong, should have plenty of motivation to run the table with an undefeated season and sit atop the polls smiling at the BCS, the AP voters and Pete Carroll, who clearly believes the program is sinking fast. Coach Kiffin can continue to recruit kids that believe in the USC brand and make a statement to all the haters that are reveling in these sanctions that we will not fall from grace. We will not become irrelevant for a decade. In other words - we will not become UCLA.

As incoming prize recruit Markeith Ambles stated on Twitter (@MA_DaNextillWR) late last night: "Yes I'm still going to attend 'SC. I don't care about two little bowl games even if that happens...Let's Go Trojans. We still goin 12-0" With kids like this, the Trojan Empire will survive this bump in the road.