Your Move NCAA: Johnny Manziel Is Boycotting The Heisman Ceremony Until Reggie Bush Gets His Heisman Trophy Back
Johnny Manziel hitting the NCAA right where it hurts the most by denying them the opportunity to include him, Johnny Manziel, as a part of their yearly Heisman Trophy Ceremony.
Johnny is absolutely right. It's insane that Reggie Bush felt obligated to give up his Heisman. At this point in time I think 99% of America agrees with that sentiment. Caleb Williams just made himself $10 million dollars, and I'm pretty sure free Frostys for life as result of his NIL deals. Even more hypocritical than that is the fact that Johnny Manziel wasn't forced to give up his Heisman. I guess "technically" Reggie Bush wasn't forced to either. The story is that he voluntarily did it. But I'm sure Reggie didn't give it up without a heavy amount of external pressure. Pressure that for whatever reason wasn't put as heavily on Johnny.
But as far as protests go, this one is a little silly to me. None of this matters. The Heisman Trophy is a material thing. Everybody who watches college football considers Reggie Bush the 2005 Heisman winner. Even Vince Young, who finished runner-up that year, refused to accept the trophy after Reggie gave it up. All of Reggie Bush's records still hold up in the eyes of everyone who isn't a grumpy 80+ old college football purist who still thinks black people should be using different water fountains. Anyone who matters recognizes everything Reggie Bush accomplished.
Would Reggie Bush even want to make a return to the Heisman Ceremony? That's a genuine question. He very well might. But I can also see him saying, "Fuck you guys, you've treated me like shit for the past 15 years, why the hell would I want to let you walk me out there so you can pat yourselves on the back and say, 'see guys we can change, look how great we are'."
I'm also not sure how much of a lesson Johnny Football's lack of presence at the ceremony is going to teach the NCAA. Maybe some other players will follow along, in which case this protest might do a little something. I love Johnny as much as the next guy, but I'm sorry Johnny, I have to imagine you're quite low on the totem pole of Heisman Trophy winners they give a shit about. Your not O.J. or anything, but you're not Tim Tebow either.
Or maybe this is a brilliant move from Johnny. I wouldn't be surprised if the NCAA was already thinking about giving Reggie Bush his Heisman back. Now if they decide to go through with it, Johnny Football can be like, "You're welcome guys. I did this myself." Maybe he's even been tipped off already. That would be a heady play.
Also this whole thing could blow up in Johnny's face the minute he gets a call from Nissan offering him $1 million to be in one of their Nissan Heisman House commercials. That would really put Johnny Football's morals and values to the test.