New Orleans Saints running back/punt return specialist Reggie Bush met with the media for the first time Wednesday since the NCAA hit USC with severe sanctions last week and ruled Bush retroactively ineligible for the 2005 season for receiving improper benefits. Bush said he will do everything he can to fix the USC situation.
Bush didn't admit any specific wrongdoing, repeatedly claiming that he wasn't able to get into specific details as he talked for about 10 minutes. He did say that it's his responsibility to deal with now, though, and he admitted that he was devastated that he brought this on his beloved USC.
"For the people who say ... well I've heard people say that I don't really care about this too much and I just brush it off my shoulders. Those people don't know me. Because this thing regarding USC and the NCAA is to me the closest thing to death without dying," Bush said in his opening statement. "Because I have such a great love and respect for the University of (Southern) California, this has been one of the toughest things I've had to deal with in my life. But at the same time whether it's all true or all wrong or whether we're guilty or not guilty, it's still my responsibility and I have to accept that. And I have to deal with it as it is and try to manage it as best as I can. With that, we plan to aid USC as much as possible in the appeal with the NCAA. I'm going do everything I can to make it right, to make it better, and that's really all I can do.
"It sucks because like I said I have such a strong love and passion for USC. It's almost like shaming your dad in a sense. You know, you go through life trying to represent the different companies or sports marketing companies or USC or whatever it is that you represent as best as possible. So when things like this happen it's really unfortunate. It's terrible that this was brought on USC. Another reason why it hurts so much is that I come from a strong family, I was raised well, I was raised to do the right thing. And the fact that this happened is unfortunate. So when my family name is at stake or USC or the New Orleans Saints or whoever it is that I represent, because of me, it hurts."
New Orleans Saints running back/punt return specialist Reggie Bush met with the media for the first time Wednesday since the NCAA hit USC with severe sanctions last week and ruled Bush retroactively ineligible for the 2005 season for receiving improper benefits. Bush said he will do everything he can to fix the USC situation.
Bush didn't admit any specific wrongdoing, repeatedly claiming that he wasn't able to get into specific details as he talked for about 10 minutes. He did say that it's his responsibility to deal with now, though, and he admitted that he was devastated that he brought this on his beloved USC.
"For the people who say ... well I've heard people say that I don't really care about this too much and I just brush it off my shoulders. Those people don't know me. Because this thing regarding USC and the NCAA is to me the closest thing to death without dying," Bush said in his opening statement. "Because I have such a great love and respect for the University of (Southern) California, this has been one of the toughest things I've had to deal with in my life. But at the same time whether it's all true or all wrong or whether we're guilty or not guilty, it's still my responsibility and I have to accept that. And I have to deal with it as it is and try to manage it as best as I can. With that, we plan to aid USC as much as possible in the appeal with the NCAA. I'm going do everything I can to make it right, to make it better, and that's really all I can do.
"It sucks because like I said I have such a strong love and passion for USC. It's almost like shaming your dad in a sense. You know, you go through life trying to represent the different companies or sports marketing companies or USC or whatever it is that you represent as best as possible. So when things like this happen it's really unfortunate. It's terrible that this was brought on USC. Another reason why it hurts so much is that I come from a strong family, I was raised well, I was raised to do the right thing. And the fact that this happened is unfortunate. So when my family name is at stake or USC or the New Orleans Saints or whoever it is that I represent, because of me, it hurts."
