Woes without Washington
The turning point for this basketball season actually occurred last year, when forward Leonard Washington was unable to academically qualify. After watching him play, it's hard to overstate just how potent USC would have been with such a physical and downright ornery presence under the basket. He pretty much completed the current USC team, or at least made it capable of beating anyone in the country.
Washington is still trying to qualify with the hope of enrolling at USC next season. But do Washington's academic issues let Coach Tim Floyd off the hook this season regarding the lack of frontcourt depth? I'll let you answer that question in the comments. But forward Taj Gibson probably deserves some type of coaches' award for being put in an often hopeless position this season.
One other thought: Maybe Washington's absence should not be absolved, because USC seems so attracted to academic risks. Consider how long it took before Davon Jefferson qualified or the sweating done before Angelo Johnson qualified from a prep school. There are other examples but I'll refrain from listing all of them.
The point is, when you take so many risks, you have to be prepared to get burned sometimes.
Well, your assertion has vailidity, but SC also misses Kasey Cunningham. In the few appearances he made, Cunningham showed a real knack for getting boards and I suspect as his initial knee surgery healed, he would have improved steadily as the season progresses.
Having said that, there can be little doubt that having a Leonard Washington type of kid inside would have been huge. That would have allowed Davon to roam and float even more.
I am hoping to see Washington and Simmons at their best next season, though I would not bet money on it quite yet.
There is also no doubt that taking academic risky players has its downside. MJDavidson
Well, your assertion has vailidity, but SC also misses Kasey Cunningham. In the few appearances he made, Cunningham showed a real knack for getting boards and I suspect as his initial knee surgery healed, he would have improved steadily as the season progresses.
Having said that, there can be little doubt that having a Leonard Washington type of kid inside would have been huge. That would have allowed Davon to roam and float even more.
I am hoping to see Washington and Simmons at their best next season, though I would not bet money on it quite yet.
There is also no doubt that taking academic risky players has its downside. MJDavidson
Well, your assertion has vailidity, but SC also misses Kasey Cunningham. In the few appearances he made, Cunningham showed a real knack for getting boards and I suspect as his initial knee surgery healed, he would have improved steadily as the season progresses.
Having said that, there can be little doubt that having a Leonard Washington type of kid inside would have been huge. That would have allowed Davon to roam and float even more.
I am hoping to see Washington and Simmons at their best next season, though I would not bet money on it quite yet.
There is also no doubt that taking academic risky players has its downside. MJDavidson
Kevin Galloway anyone? Scottie?
Something tells me his 6 7 muscular frame and lengthy wingspan mightve helped also
Kevin Galloway anyone? Scottie? Something tells me his 6 foot 7-8 frame and 200+ pounds wouldve helped a little in the rebounding department. But its best not to look back or regret. Injuries or transfers are part of the game, and although I would've loved to have washington cunningham diarra and galloway at our disposal, it just didn't work out.
The following have made baggage attendants at LAX earn their keep.
Jefferson…tremendous ability, yet, still not necessarily properly channeled.
Slick Rick…Much upside as a coach/tactician but…?
Washington…An Aboya type with many inside skills above and beyond the mundane, however…?
One does what one has to do in an attempt to attain parity.
Say you are a kid with NFL aspirations desiring to play in the P-10. Which comes to mind first…USC or Oregon St.? Ditto for hoops and the NBA…UCLA or Oregon St?
Both Pink and Ben are good coaches. One has to deal with those having disciplinary/academic problems in order to get comparable talent at this point in time. The other does not. Fact of life. I doff my fedora to Floyd for all of the ‘off the court’ agony that he was subjected to which was above and beyond X’s and O’s. OJ, Daniel, and Keith were the exceptions. Howland is the fortunate one. Given the outstanding rep that the Bruins have attained in basketball, he does not have to take the ‘marginal’ kid.
Particularly regarding job retention, revolution seemingly comes before evolution in today’s collegiate sports world…
which brings us back to ‘One does what one has to do in an attempt to attain parity.’
Washington??? On one hand I want him out there banging for us. On the flip side, more agony for Floyd? Is it worth it? As Mr. Davidson (above poster) is fond of saying, “Only time will tell”.
@ SC Larry,
I agree that it is easier for SC to recruit football players and UCLA for Basketball. The only thing is that you don't need to recruit 5 star players at every position every year. Loos at the way Howland has recruited. He has developed players that weren't expected to be much. Luc Richard was a 3 star recruit, Russel Westbrook 3 star recruit. Mata, Aboya, Ship and collison were 4 star recruits. The only 5 star recruits were Farmar, Afflalo and now Love. That is a well balanced recruiting resume. Floyd needs to concentrate on recruiting "GLUE" players which means guys he knows aren't great but will improve and probably stick around for 3 or 4 years. Then he will be able to add a risky player or an O.J. and get away with it.
It's certainly arguable that recruiting "Lil Romeo" just to get Demar Derozan might not be in the long-term interest of the program. One will leave early, the other will suck a scholie long after the reason he was recruited (Demar) is gone.
Bruins_77 is right - Howland has done a lot more than what he has on paper. Take AZ - nobody has done less with more. Coaching matters.
It is a little frightening the academic, and dare I say criminal, issues that USC is willing to stomach in its athletics vs. the amazing stature of its academics.
Forget Galloway. He was a guard, and wanted to play as a point guard at that. He had an attitude too. USC had Kyle Austin, a forward, as recently as THIS season.