People want to call Reggie Bush a bust. He’s far from it. He’s who has been pigeonholed by the media and by his coach as a player who can’t run between the tackles. He gets criticized for trying to make the big plays constantly, and then gets criticized for making a run that should’ve been a loss into something that went two yards.
Does he get hurt often? Yeah. He’s a high injury-risk player — anyone who can cut like Bush and tries to jump over players will definitely be high-risk.
Is he a 25-carry-per-game guy? No. But that’s not why the Saints drafted him. They drafted him to run the ball 10-15 times per game, but make 5-10 receptions. He is in the top two of career receptions for a third-year player. They drafted him to return punts, at which he’s best in the league at this point in his career.
But the illusion that he’s a bust won’t disappear until he’s out of New Orleans. Until he plays for a coach that trusts him and treats him like any multi-purpose running back, he won’t be successful.
New Orleans CityBusiness -- The Business Newspaper of Metropolitan New Orleans
12-22-2008, 08:35 PM
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