Kevin O'Neill is hitting the ground running
by Paragon SC on Jul 9, 2009 7:00 AM PDT
in USC Basketball
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PrintI already noted Loco's post on Kevin O'Neill bagging his first commit.
But KO snagged another commit as well...
Curtis Washington, a senior forward at Elizabethtown High School in Kentucky, gave a verbal commitment on Wednesday to play basketball at USC.
The recruit was a relatively unknown player who had not received any college offers but he landed on the radar of a few coaches when he was selected as the MVP of last week’s Rick Bolus Blue Chip Camp in Georgetown, Kent. He also had a strong showing at the adidas It Takes 5ive Classic at Northern Kentucky University this week.
"I went from nothing to one of the best schools offering me," Washington told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "When he (Trojans coach Kevin O’Neill) told me I had the offer, I prayed on it and talked with my family and it was everything I was looking for."
I think this is cool. I realize that SC isn't going to get top level recruits for a little while yet but with all the bad news that we have been through the past few months it is nice to see some good news being written.
I like O'Neill's drive and honesty but we are far from being out of the woods. He did a nice Q&A with Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News, O'Neill readily admits there is still a lot we don't know in regards to the NCAA's investigation.
Q: How concerned are you about the NCAA investigation and what impact it might have as you develop?A: I can't be concerned with it at all. At some point, there are going to be some consequences. All we're going to do is deal with those consequences in a positive and enthusiastic way and move forward. Whatever happened—and I don't know; everybody says, "Sure you know," but I don't know anything, our administration doesn't know anything. They'll let us know when they're ready to let us know. To me, it's the only question mark around our program. Everything else—facilities, education, weather, the new arena—there's no other question mark.
It really is hard to know at this point. O'Neill is not popular among a lot of the fan base and I am still a little skeptical but we really have no choice but to give him a chance and see how it plays out.
I do like the fact that he has jumped in with both feet and appears not to be deterred with all the controversy surrounding the program. That is a good first step.
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It is a great situation for a first year coach.
No expectations other than play the games, this allows extra time to build program the way you want. He can go out and get players he can work with and that will understand him, also 4 years of service. This means in 4 years all will graduate it’s a win win deal, unlike what TF had because everyone wanted it now. This cat might be the next PC!
Paul D. Kelley
by so.cal.native1952 on Jul 9, 2009 8:08 AM PDT reply actions
The man can coach
and should be a pretty fair coach for ‘SC, but if you think he is another PC-level hire (in terms of delivering USC basketball to perennial Top 10 finishes)…not a chance. Competition for big recruits is going to be tougher on O’Neill than it was for PC due to USC having no basketball history (unlike football), competing against a top 5 program in UCLA locally and having to fend off Carolina, Duke, etc as well as other Pac-10 programs fishing in SoCal recruiting waters.
He will have zero expectations and shoud be fine. But taking USC to PC-level dominance in the conference and on the national level, no way.
So, he's not going to be the greatest college hoops coach ever?
Did anyone expect him to be PC 2? No. We want the level of a consistent top 20, top 3 conference, and sweet 16 results. And, KO appears to have that potential at this very, very early stage of the game.
Biggest question answered so for, at least partially: Will recruits shun him because of the unfair Darth Vader image?
Answer: NO!!!!!!!!!!
Fight on, KO!
I was responding to So.cal.native's contention
that he might be another PC, on this board. DFW, your hopes seem pretty realistic given what O’Neill will have to work with and his demonstrated abilities
Ahhh, My Apologies
I skimmed through and missed that. Yeah, PC, no way. There will never be another PC, Jesus Christ, Howard Stern, Dave Matthews, or Harold Miner.
I wonder if my level of expectations and aspirations for the program is consistent with my Trojan brothers? Or, do you guys want more? One final 4 someday would be amazing. Honestly, the limits of my human mind cannot even fathom a championship in my lifetime.
I'm right there with ya Tex
We don’t want to get all delusional, for the next four years I expect we should defend our home court well and eventually split with our UCLA amigos. This year we would do well to make it to the NIT and hopefully return to the Tournament in two or three years. With consistent coaching and an AD that gives a crap about basketball a championship is not out of the question in my lifetime.
“Even with consistent coaching and an AD that gives a crap about basketball a championship is out of the question in my lifetime”
fix’d :-P
in three years mark my words
taking wagers
Paul D. Kelley
by so.cal.native1952 on Jul 9, 2009 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions
____ IT can't someone be positive
Ok he will not be PC he will be Kevin O’Neil there are you people happy, and to say how successful he will be is wrong on my part and everyone else’s. We will know as history unfolds itself so we shall see, but I did hear that Sam Gilbert has offspring that are USC fans.
Paul D. Kelley
by so.cal.native1952 on Jul 9, 2009 1:11 PM PDT reply actions
Lighten up Francis
nobody was flaming you, just pointing out that the conditions for O’Neill do not warrant any PC-level success. Anything is possible, I suppose, but then again, it’s possible I’ll win the mega-millions lottery, too.
Ok okay, but I thought if you just prayed you would win the lotto.
You mean I got to spend a buck, I wonder if they will take one of Arnolds credit slips.
Paul D. Kelley
by so.cal.native1952 on Jul 9, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Great "Stripes" movie reference
Sgt. Hulka telling Psycho, “Lighten up, Francis” (this after Francis says, “Anybody call me Francis, I’ll kill ya!” . . . .Bill Murray’s character say, “Chicks dig me ’cause I rarely wear underwear.” CLASSIC!)
Comer4tide to Nico2.0: "How come I've never heard of any of your random songs?"
Todd to Comer: "Because if you had, he wouldn't listen to it. BOOM. Roasted."
Nico to Todd: "Shouldn't you be off voguing somewhere?"
by BixBeiderbecke on Jul 9, 2009 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions
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