I am uninterested in trying to justiy whether or not Tim Floyd should or shouldn't have blown his stack last over a questionable call. You could see this one coming, I would agree it was embarrassing but instead of skewering Floyd I will leave that to others, I will simply comment on their observations.
This is from Adam Rose from All Things Trojan.
Of course, 48 seconds is an eternity in a close basketball game -- especially when you've still got a timeout. Had Floyd kept quiet, Arizona State would have taken the ball but no foul shots. Had Floyd studied his USC history, he might have remembered a night ten years ago when the Trojans were trailing by five on the road at Oregon. Adam Spanich nailed a pair of three pointers in the final 2.8 seconds to complete one of the most unbelievable comebacks in college basketball history.
Unfortunately for USC, Sunday's game isn't history yet.
Well yeah, I don't disagree that in general anything can happen, if Floyd keeps his cool ASU doesn't get 4 free throws off a double technical that takes the game from a possible 4-point game to sure 10-point deficit, but this team was terrible from behind the arc they had some very sloppy turnovers and ASU was playing pretty decently hitting just about every shot.
Then there is this from Jeff Metcalfe of the AZ Republic.
That said, the tantrum throw by USC coach Floyd with 47.9 seconds remaining was childish and deserving of whatever penalty comes his way. A suspension seems warranted for someone refusing to leave the court after being ejected and requiring an escort to the locker room.
~snip~
Even if USC's NCAA Tournament hopes hinged on beating ASU, there was no excuse for Floyd's behavior. And even less for his asking the new President of the United States to give him freedom to publically rip officials.
"We don't have freedome of speech as coaches," Floyd said. "We cannot discuss those things. Maybe Obama will change that rule, and we can talk (about officiating)."
Like Barack Obama is going to help Floyd before his brother-in-law, Oregon State coach Craig Robinson.
Just to make it clear, if ASU's Herb Sendek had done what Floyd did, I'd feel the same. The difference is Sendek, I believe, would never lose control to that degree.
Yeah yeah sure sure
blah blah blah...
I saw a number of comments after ucla's loss that Ben Howland would never do that after that terrible call against ucla either. Sure, Howland was proved right when it determined that the wrong call was made but it didn't change anything. That's fine as each coach has his own personallity traits but there is flaw in that thinking...by not letting the fur fly once in a while the powers that be in the Pac-10 won't address the same pink elephant in the room that we have all seen the past few years in the Pac-10...poor officiating.
Its easy to see why ASU had a great night with amount of moving screens that ASU center Jeff Pendergraph set all night. I mean come on...putting two-handed shoves on players and have it count as a legitimate screen? Are these guys blind? I can see a moving pick here or there but all night? Floyd must have seen this and when it culminates in another major non-call it had to make his blood boil.
I wasn't a fan of Floyd giving Wilkinson major minutes when he was ineffective on offense (he had a decent defensive game) but with Washington looking lazy/lost out there on defense its not hard to see why he really didn't have a choice. Once again this goes back to recruiting. What is it with these type of lacadasical players that Floyd recruits?
I have a hard time seeing SC make the tournament after last nights loss. Some seem to think that USC is on the bubble now...I see the bubble as having burst last night. I think we will have the official answer on Thursday.