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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually by the 
3Heisman Trophy Trust to recognize the best college football 
4player in the United States and was first awarded to Jay 
5Berwanger, representing the University of Chicago Maroons; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Reggie Bush, representing the University of 
7Southern California (USC) Trojans, was awarded the Heisman 
8Trophy in 2005 amidst consecutive National Championship Game 
9appearances for the Trojans and after having what is regarded 
10as one of the greatest seasons by a player in college football 
11history; and
 
12    WHEREAS, In 2006, the National Collegiate Athletic 
13Association (NCAA) began investigating the Trojans' football 
14program for alleged violations of NCAA rules and regulations, 
15culminating in a report alleging that Reggie Bush's family 
16received impermissible benefits related to a potential future 
17marketing agreement but not that Reggie Bush himself had 
18received benefits for participating in athletics; and
 
19    WHEREAS, In 2010, the NCAA declared that Reggie Bush's 
20statistics and the wins of the Trojans' football program would 
21be vacated for the 2005 season, leading to the revocation of 
22his Heisman Trophy award; and
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, California courts at the trial and appellate 
2level later found that the NCAA's report was false, 
3misleading, and unreliable; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Laws across the country, including in Illinois, 
5and updated NCAA rules now allow the type of marketing 
6agreements that were previously at question in alleged rules 
7violations by Reggie Bush and USC; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Under the rules of the Heisman Trophy Trust, 
9Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy award cannot be restored until 
10the NCAA reinstates his statistics for the 2005 season; 
11therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
13HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
14we urge the NCAA to admit the flaws in its investigation of 
15Reggie Bush and restore his statistics for the 2005 season; 
16and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That we urge the Heisman Trophy Trust to restore 
18Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy award; and be it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
20presented to NCAA President Charlie Baker, Heisman Trophy 
 
 
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1Trust President Michael Comerford, and Reggie Bush.