BREAKING...Just saw on ESPN News is reporting ESPN Radio 620 KTAR's Mark Asher has reported that Floyd will be named Arizona's Coach tomorrow. I'll have more as it becomes available. Going to be a long night.
Laughing Stock Update: And so the plot thickens.
Jon Wilner from the Mercury News has the "Scuttlebut"... (emphasis Wilner)
There was a published report earlier today (East Valley Tribune) that the Cats were set to hire Oklahoma’s Jeff Capel.
Then I heard Oklahoma State’s Travis Ford and UNLV’s Lon Kruger.
Now — and this is third-hand and unconfirmed — I repeat: third hand and unconfirmed — I’m not trying to pass off scuttlebutt as news; I’m passing it off as scuttlebutt — I’m hearing that USC’s Tim Floyd is the leader in the clubhouse to replace Olson and the deal could be done by the end of the day.
Initial reactions, which could be rendered moot if Floyd isn’t the guy:
* He’s a heck of a coach.
* Floyd is/was reportedly a candidate for the Memphis job.
* While Floyd has never been caught violating NCAAs rules, a lot of smoke has billowed from the Trojan program under his watch … from the O.J. Mayo/agent issues to the Daniel Hackett recruitment to the O.J. Mayo/agent issues.
* Arizona is currently under investigation by the NCAA for recruiting violations.
* Good a coach as he is, Floyd is not Rick Pitino or John Calipari or Tom Izzo or Jamie Dixon or Jay Wright or Mark Few — meaning: he’s not the big name Arizona fans are expecting.
* Would he “win the press conference,” in the words of Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood? I’m not sure he would. Didn’t Arizona and USC finish tied for fifth in the conference?
The Arizona search is getting more interesting by the hour.
Wilner is a pretty decent source...but could this be a big April Fools joke for USC Fans?
I am not buying it... but who the hell knows...
Paragon SC Update...this is from Fox Sports
Multiple sources confirmed to FOXSports.com that Floyd was in Tucson to meet with Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood on Wednesday afternoon.
Laughing Stock Update: One more article, this one from the LA Times. Worth the quick read for the context of the (alleged?) hire. Here is the key tidbit:
Arizona asked permission to speak with Floyd on Tuesday. At the team banquet that night, Floyd gave an impassioned speech to players about staying at USC and not jumping to the NBA. He then left to interview at Arizona on Wednesday.