Before he practiced with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, Reggie Bush addressed a Tuesday Yahoo Sports report that the Heisman Trophy Trust would “relieve” him of its 2005 award before the end of September.

(Heisman Trust reportedly will meet Tuesday to “formally discuss” Bush award)

Bush said of the Yahoo report and the possibility of him returning the Heisman Trophy:

“If I’m not mistaken, I think the Heisman Trust people released a statement saying that whatever was said yesterday was inaccurate. So that’s where we’re at. I think at this point it’s kind of out of my hands. … It’s not my decision anymore. It’s not my choice.”

Bush declined to comment on if he’d met with the Heisman Trust recently. Yahoo reported Tuesday that he had previously met with Heisman Trustees as part of the award organization’s investigaton into his conduct while playing for the USC Trojans.

Bush claimed Wednesday that the Heisman controversy was the furthest thing from his mind:

“I’m not even thinking about that. I haven’t gone that far. Here we are the day before the biggest game of the new season [the Saints play host to the Vikings in the NFL opener Thursday], and that’s where my focus is…

“I’ve said all I want to say, and everything else has to play itself out. It’s an unfortunate situation for everybody, including the kids at USC.

“Lane Kiffin is a good friend of mine, and we speak on occasion. But I haven’t spoken to anybody regarding this specific stuff, whether it’s the violations or the Heisman stuff.”

Heisman Trust Executive Director Rob Whalen and President William Dockery each released a statement yesterday saying that the organization has not yet made a decision on the status of Bush’s Heisman Trophy.

The Trust reportedly will have a “formal discussion” about the status of Bush’s award as part of a regularly-scheduled meeting next Tuesday. It would take a super majority (six out of eight Trustee votes) for Bush to be stripped of his Heisman Trophy.

Early Tuesday Charles Robinson and Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports reported that, “the Heisman Trophy Trust is expected to strip former University of Southern California star running back Reggie Bush of college football’s top honor by the end of September. … sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant.”

(Follow Brooks on Twitter for daily, real-time updates)

In response to the Yahoo report, Heisman Trophy Trust Executive Director Rob Whalen released the following statement:

“Yahoo Sports claiming Heisman Trust has reached a decision is completely false. The Heisman Trophy Trust has made no decision regarding the Reggie Bush matter.”

The Heisman Trust reportedly does not have a regularly-scheduled meeting in September though Robinson and Cole noted that the investigation into the Bush situation had not yet concluded.

The Yahoo reporters also didn’t necessarily report that a final decision on the status of Bush’s Heisman with the Trust had already “been reached.” Only that the outcome would be determined before the end of the month.

From the carefully-worded Yahoo piece, it appears that Robinson and Cole may have anticipated this sort of denial from the Heisman Trust. One wonders if the exposure of the Trust’s alleged sentiment may actually end up affecting the outcome of what ultimately happens with Bush’s award.

UPDATE: Heisman Trust President William Dockery released his own statement on the matter. Read more…

Earlier Tuesday, Charles Robinson and Jason Cole of YAHOO SPORTS reported, “The Heisman Trophy Trust is expected to strip former University of Southern California star running back Reggie Bush of college football’s top honor by the end of September, sources told Yahoo! Sports.”

After the Yahoo report was published, ESPN’s Chris Fowler reported on the network’s SportsCenter show that he had subsequently talked to members of the eight-person panel of Heisman Trustees about the status of Bush’s Heisman award. Read more…

Charles Robinson and Jason Cole of YAHOO SPORTS report Tuesday:

The Heisman Trophy Trust is expected to strip former University of Southern California star running back Reggie Bush of college football’s top honor by the end of September, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Bush would become the first player in the 75-year history of the award to have the trophy taken away. The NCAA found major violations in the Trojans’ football program in June and levied serious sanctions against the school.

Two sources close to the Heisman trust said the body’s investigation is coming to a close, and will ultimately concur with the NCAA’s determination that Bush was ineligible during his Heisman-winning season in 2005. Because of that independent conclusion, sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant.

Two factors outweighed all others, sources said: The Heisman ballot necessitates candidates be in compliance with NCAA bylaws and concern over the Heisman’s reputation in the wake of the NCAA findings against Bush

I’m all for stripping Bush of his Heisman Trophy, but the whole concept of needing to concur with the NCAA investigation and “concern over the Heisman’s reputation” is a farce.
Read more…

Former star USC quarterback and NFL player Pat Haden guested on the Dan Patrick Show today. Haden, who was recently hired as USC Athletic Director, was asked by Patrick during the interview: “If you were Reggie Bush, would you give back the Heisman?”

(Audio of Haden’s comment about Bush returning Heisman below)

Haden, after a long pause and sigh, replied: Read more…

Thursday USA TODAY’s David Leon Moore reported of a recent conversation between Reggie Bush and USC Athletic Director Pat Haden about the role the former USC running back played in the school football program’s NCAA sanctions:

(Apparently Bush has still not had a change of heart)

Moore wrote:

Reggie Bush apologized to new Southern California athletics director Pat Haden and expressed tremendous regret for his actions that landed the school on NCAA probation.

But in a statement today, Haden said that Bush never apologized: Read more…

Delightful piece of journalism by PEOPLE magazine last week, as everyone’s fave brain candy dispenser polled Kim Kardashian on USC’s decision to throw the Trojan belongings of her ex-beau Reggie Bush onto the 110 Freeway.

“Reggie worked hard for that Heisman and deserves it. He earned it! I really don’t think it’s fair to give it back.”

On second thought, there’s probably no better person to ask about the departure of a Bush trophy than Kardashian.

Reggie? You there?

Go right ahead. Any time you’re ready.

Wait, how could I forget?!

Tuesdays god always helps Mike Ornstein detail Reggie’s Audi.

Reggie Bush failed to show today for a pre-scheduled live, online videochat with fans on behalf of Adidas at 7p ET.

The chat, scheduled to be held on Eastbay.com, was not canceled in advance and moderators assured chat participants that Bush would show up at any moment.

One hour after the chat was to begin, Adidas released the following statement to the media: “Unfortunately we had to reschedule our online chat with Reggie Bush. We’re working with Reggie and his team to reschedule.” Read more…

Matt Schrader of the USC School of Journalism reports today that in a USC press release announcing the hiring of Athletic Director Pat Haden today, USC President-elect Max Nikias has, “ordered the removal of sports references to basketball player O.J. Mayo and football star Reggie Bush.”

(Bush’s Heisman will be removed from Heritage Hall)

Nikias:

“I have instructed the senior vice president for administration to remove athletic jerseys and murals displayed in recognition of O.J. Mayo and Reggie Bush by mid-August — before the incoming class of students moves on campus — from Heritage Hall, the Galen Center, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Nikias also said Reggie Bush’s 2005 Heisman Trophy will be revoked and returned to the Heisman Trophy Trust in August.

Read more…