The modern college football player never rests. After a bowl game, for instance, there’s a short period before players are allowed to lift weights and work out together. The process is ongoing, all year round. College football players today put in hours upon hours in an intensely competitive endeavor.

Bush was aware of how hard his teammates worked, how hard the coaching staff worked. He knew about the thousands upon thousands of USC fans who idolize the Trojans and yearn for the next Saturday kickoff. He knew about all the people in the USC sphere who took pride in the exploits of the football team.

He didn’t care.

He bought into the notion that he was special, that he was entitled. Again, I’m sure he never thought he and his parents would get caught, but that was reckless thinking. He put his own desires and needs above the best interests of everyone around him.

And now that he’s a member of the New Orleans Saints, he really doesn’t care. He’s already used USC; he doesn’t need it anymore. He’s already used his teammates; what happens to them is their problem.

It’s unclear what the future holds. If the NCAA discovers the same instances of alleged wrongdoing that the two Yahoo.com reporters uncovered during an eight-month investigation, then USC’s 2004 national title may be taken away. So might Bush’s Heisman Trophy.

Slide show   Mr. President Images of Heisman winner Reggie Bush's stellar season for USC

All because he didn’t want to follow the rules. He wanted to cheat instead.

Since he left USC, Bush has been making a show of donating money in and around New Orleans to help with post-Katrina efforts and win over the populace. Perhaps he is so good now at buying off people because he learned how from the people who tried to buy him off.

Maybe someday he can take a break and help clean up some of the devastation he left behind him at USC.

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