Shame on you, USC.
On June 9, 2009 Tim Floyd resigned from his post as head coach of the University of Southern California mens basketball program. Although the timing was a slight surprise, the eventual result was not. The basketball program as well as the entire sports program at USC has been under scrutiny for major NCAA violations ever since famed running back Reggie Bush left for the pros. Back then the press had discovered that Reggie Bush and his family received substantial benefits while attending USC. This time, the focus shifted to the basketball program and coach Tim Floyd’s giving Rodney Guillory an envelope full of $100 bills for steering all-american guard O.J. Majo to USC. O.J. Mayo just finished his rookie season with the Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis might as well be on the other side of the planet the way he has stayed out of the mess that is USC. He is not alone. Four other players from this past year’s tournament team have similarly jumped ship from the sinking boat that is USC.
To me this comes as no surprise. The USC program should have been tagged as a group of cheaters since the Reggie Bush scandal broke. Just like any cheater, it’s only a matter of time until you’re caught. Tim Floyd and Pete Carroll refused to answer questions about the athletic department and their lack of control over the sports programs at USC. Showing their arrogance, just about a month ago at a booster dinner, Pete Carroll and Tim Floyd responded to the accusations of violations by stating that it’s the “price of being on top.”
Well it looks like for these two gentleman, and others in the USC athletic department, that “price” in this case is only how much this program is willing to pay its student-athletes to have a successful program. I’m not ignorant and I know this goes on in other programs. However, these blatant violations should be reprimanded and dealt with immediately by USC and the NCAA. USC has done nothing but instituted a gag order on those with knowledge of the program. Apparently this wait-and-see-what-they-find-on-us approach is how USC will handle it. Those four who decided against staying at USC and turned pro know better and will not follow the same approach. They jumped out of this mess almost as quickly as Tim Floyd did. The NCAA investigation will only reveal that much more including more payouts and benefits that will cost the Trojans dearly.
Until the NCAA completes its investigation, we must all use the same wait-and-see-what-they-find approach. Hopefully the “price” to be on top doesn’t cost the USC athletic department it’s entire program…
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June 10th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Not biased at all Mr. Bruin?!
I feel you though. As far as I am concerned, all LA teams are a bunch of cheaters. The Dodgers with Manny, the Lake show with Kobe and I am still convinced your bruins were cheating during the 60s and 70s… They just didn’t have a 24 hour news cycle and people didn’t care as much. Hey but I guess if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying!
June 10th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
To call Kobe a cheater is to call Michael Jordan a cheater and you wouldn’t do that. Just because he’s not the most personable guy on the planet doesn’t mean Kobe is cheating. Kobe will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game.
Manny I’ll give you. He obviously took some steroids.
But then to call John Wooden a cheater is a travesty to the game of college basketball you so dearly love. The man is a genuine man who instilled in his players how to be a man as well as how to put the ball in the hoop. Back then it was much easier to work a dynasty. And if you want to go there then Adolph Rupp must have been a cheat too. Right, Mr. Kentucky basketball???
June 11th, 2009 at 8:00 am
Tim Floyd reminds me so much of Pete Bell (Nick Nolte) from the movie Blue Chips in that picture.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:21 am
CHRIS - WAS THINKING THE EXACT SAME THING.
Seriously, John Wooden is an amazing person - that would be the single most unbelievable news report I have ever heard in my life if he is ever accused of slipping Franklins to Kareem and Walton.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
As far as UCLA is concerned, two words, one man: Sam Gilbert. Look him up.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
UCLA definitely cheated during Wooden’s days. Those great teams were bought and paid for. Doesn’t bother me though, almost every big time college basketball and football team cheats in some form or another.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Kobe went to trial because he cheated… on his wife but still.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Here is an interesting article on Sam Gilbert