Tim Floyd leaves USC just ahead of the firing squad

June 10, 10:41 AMSports ExaminerPaula Duffy

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Sports Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

A reporter for the Los Angeles Daily News said on Jim Rome's radio program this morning that the official NCAA report about USC's alleged rules violations might not come for six to eight weeks. And that only covers the basketball program.

No matter what it says, Floyd's resignation on Tuesday tells you all you need to know. USC Examiner, Neil Leitereg covers the full story, here.

The month-long eery silence from the school about the allegations made against Tim Floyd, now the former men's basketball coach couldn't continue for long. According to the Daily News, the school had begun trying to find a replacement for their embattled coach. And as if that weren't enough, the regular off-season activities started to put Floyd out in public for scrutiny.

In the statement about his retirement, he said that he could no longer give "full enthusiasm" to the responsibilities of a Div. I coach. Funny how this came only a couple of weeks after reports about his road show with USC football coach, Pete Carroll.

He was on the proverbial rubber chicken circuit with Carroll trying to drum up support, money and love from the school's boosters and was relegated to nodding his head while Carroll carried the load for both of them.

Of course he can't give his full enthusiasm to his job. If he tries he is hit with legitimate questions about his actions related to O.J. Mayo and his associates. He'd also have to explain why players are fleeing the school to enter the NBA draft or transferring to other schools that aren't as radioactive at this moment.

Resigning now doesn't save him from a public flogging which has begun in earnest. But it should give future employers pause to consider Floyd's inability to stand tall during adverse circumstances and his disingenuous nature when asked to take a licking and keep on ticking, as the old watch commercials used to say.

After exhorting his players to stay with the program and ride the wave back to the NCAA tournament he flew to Arizona to interview for their basketball coaching position. When he did poke his head up during the recent booster tour he ridiculed the players that decided to leave the sinking ship.

Character issues should jump out at NBA clubs that might think he can add a thing or two as an assistant at the end of the bench, but it won't matter. He like Kelvin Sampson (who was hired by the Milwaukee Bucks) can't do much damage to a pro team when his responsibilities are limited at best.

I feel for the Floyd family who will bear the brunt of the reduced income, public scorn and the knowledge that their husband/father gave it all up for a young man making millions in Memphis who won't look back, even for a second.

 FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER