HR0546 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0546 LRB103 36299 MST 66396 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually by the Heisman Trophy Trust to recognize the best college football player in the United States and was first awarded to Jay Berwanger, representing the University of Chicago Maroons; and

WHEREAS, Reggie Bush, representing the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans, was awarded the Heisman Trophy in 2005 amidst consecutive National Championship Game appearances for the Trojans and after having what is regarded as one of the greatest seasons by a player in college football history; and

WHEREAS, In 2006, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) began investigating the Trojans' football program for alleged violations of NCAA rules and regulations, culminating in a report alleging that Reggie Bush's family received impermissible benefits related to a potential future marketing agreement but not that Reggie Bush himself had received benefits for participating in athletics; and

WHEREAS, In 2010, the NCAA declared that Reggie Bush's statistics and the wins of the Trojans' football program would be vacated for the 2005 season, leading to the revocation of his Heisman Trophy award; and

WHEREAS, California courts at the trial and appellate level later found that the NCAA's report was false, misleading, and unreliable; and

WHEREAS, Laws across the country, including in Illinois, and updated NCAA rules now allow the type of marketing agreements that were previously at question in alleged rules violations by Reggie Bush and USC; and

WHEREAS, Under the rules of the Heisman Trophy Trust, Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy award cannot be restored until the NCAA reinstates his statistics for the 2005 season; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the NCAA to admit the flaws in its investigation of Reggie Bush and restore his statistics for the 2005 season; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the Heisman Trophy Trust to restore Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy award; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to NCAA President Charlie Baker, Heisman Trophy Trust President Michael Comerford, and Reggie Bush.