USC hiring Kevin O’Neill to replace Tim Floyd this week wasn’t exactly a headline grabber; the move mostly elicited a collective raising of the eyebrow from most of the media. Then again, dreams of landing a Jamie Dixon-like coach were far fetched. But it was odd that USC AD Mike Garrett decided to replace Floyd, a polarizing disciplinarian known for slowing the game down and emphasizing defense with … wait for it … O’Neill, a polarizing disciplinarian known for slowing the game down and emphasizing defense. At least we know Garrett has a type.

What he’s able to accomplish with the program, however, won’t be as interesting as following whether or not he goes completely nanners in trying to turn a tanking program around.

O’Neill is well-documented as being intense, but what’s most interesting is that it’s yet to be seen whether he’s toned down his personality, even if he’s claimed he has. Sure, maybe he’s beyond the days of locking Tom Tolbert in a laundry room in order to get him to sign with Arizona, but he’s got a history of meltdowns, like when he broke a chalkboard at Pauley Pavilion two years ago. And by all accounts, he still swears like he’s in a 2 Live Crew tribute group, cursing anywhere between 30 and 100 times in a given game, depending on who you ask.

He’s also not above booing his own players, as he did in his stay with Tennessee.

O’Neill reserved most of his vitriol for his players, in private and in public. One practice, point guard Alico Dunk struggled with the press break. O’Neill grew so annoyed with Dunk that he left the court, took a seat in the stands and, for the next 15 minutes, booed him.

Then there was the game at Arkansas when O’Neill sent reserve Jason Moore onto the floor. Moore made a handful of mistakes, and Tennessee’s lead evaporated. O’Neill screamed at Moore: You better hope you DIE before halftime!

Is anyone else worried about what Los Angeles traffic is going to do to this guy?

In his introductory press conference, O’Neill described himself as “not Darth Vader,” a label that is sure to attract all of the coddled high school basketball players out there. Not sold: Gary Franklin, a 2010 point guard who decided O’Neill’s style wasn’t conducive to his skill set.

According to ESPN, Reggie Theus is interviewing on campus with USC athletic director Mike Garrett. Theus previously coached the Sacramento Kings and the New Mexico State Aggies (25-9 in his second season and an NCAA tournament berth).

Theus also has a kick ass IMDB page, acting in Emmy Award-winning shows like VIPER, PACIFIC BLUE and of course HANG TIME.

Source: Theus to meet with USC [espn.com]

The statements by Todd Dickey, USC's senior vice president for administration, and Athletic Director Mike Garrett were short and to the point. They said exactly what many of us wanted them to say for months now. A statement that addresses the allegations, that also lets the fan base and critics know that they are on it. It did not have to be elaborate and it wasn't. It did not have to offer any details and it didn't.

The sad thing is that this should have been done six to twelve months ago. While the effort is a welcomed sight now the impact may be minimal as USC has let the speculation of the scandal get out of control to the point that these statements appear to be a late effort in damage control and the appearance of caving into the media's clamoring for answers. USC has the right to defend itself in the court of public opinion even if that defense is inadequate in the eyes of our detractors, rivals or media members.

Of course, many questions still remain and Dickey's statement in regards to USC seeking to interview the main accusers contradicts reports that USC never made the effort at all. Expect to see a back and forth from Lake's attorney disputing this. But at least USC put their side of the story on the table. It won't be enough of course in the MSM's eyes, they will want more but that is immaterial. SC made a statement, which many of us wanted, and now they will go back into the bunker and ride it out. I have no idea what they are doing behind the scenes nor does it matter to me. They made a statement acknowledging the issue and that is all many of us asked.

Let the splitting of hairs now begin...

In Paul Pringle's story in the LAT two weeks ago Pringle states the following...

Meanwhile, USC also has not tried to question Louis Johnson, who has accused Floyd and Mayo, though it did sit in on NCAA interviews with him, said Johnson's attorney, David Murphy.

"It did seem kind of bizarre that they didn't seek to speak to my client directly," Murphy said of the school. "As far as I know, there has not been a single phone call."

In Dickey's atatement he says the following...

The statement that USC has not interviewed Louis Johnson is also false. Mr. Johnson has twice been interviewed jointly by USC, the NCAA, and the Pac-10. Any suggestion that USC has not taken these allegations seriously and investigated them thoroughly is simply wrong.

I am not sure how important is for USC to ask the questions if the NCAA and Pac-10 reps are there conducting the interview. The questions would probably be the same and I have a hard time believing that USC did not at least huddle with NCAA and Pac-10 investigators before the interview to offer up questions to get the answers to what they wanted to know. I would suspect that if there was something way out of the norm in the interview that SC would have jumped in and asked a direct question.

Like I said...the splitting of hairs.

These statements needed to be made but they should have been made a while ago. How they impact where we are today is the question that will be open to speculation for the foreseeable future.

• "We have no idea how long this investigation will continue."
• "No one is more anxious to bring this process to a conclusion than we are."
• "We take these allegations very seriously."
• "What we have to protect is the integrity of the athletic department."

One item not lifted straight from Damage Control 101: "About 50 people" have been interviewed by the NCAA and/or the Pac-10, with USC officials sitting in on every one except a few "from which we were excluded" by the request/demand of certain accusers.

As usual, leave the public speaking to Pete Carroll, who faced the boosters Wednesday without his usual stage partner, disgraced basketball coach Tim Floyd:

"This is me saying nothing," Carroll said ... Then his trademark candor slipped through: "I noticed, no basketball highlights tonight."

I mean, you can't expect the Humanitarian to just say nothing.

• Bruins, however, will wear nothing. Meanwhile, across town, the L.A. Times' Adam Rose was on the ground Wednesday night, inside yet another reason you should have ponied up for out-of-state tuition -- UCLA's traditional Undie Run:

Man, even the obvious nerds in L.A. are kind of cut. Maybe I should stop buying Bud Light for all my meetings ...

• Victory from retroactive defeat. Rubbernecking back to the violation beat: As expected, the NCAA officialized the probation/vacated wins rap against Alabama Thursday, eliciting either shrugs, frustration or minor hand-wringing across the board. (No one says, "Awesome job, NCAA.") Former Tide players may have been "shocked" to have their triumphs wiped from the books, but generally, if the sanctions aren't exactly a good thing, it is clear that they don't affect Alabama's ability to compete going forward.

The Birmingham News' Tide blog details the 21 'Bama wins that are now losses (at least until the inevitable appeal). That same post also provides the quote of the day, in which commenter "Alabama 88" sums up the real headline as far as most Tiders are concerned:

Big deal. No scollies lost..... Bad news for the Barnies. No vacating ANY wins vs. AUA.

Indeed, because Alabama didn't have ANY wins vs. Auburn during the years in question, on the field or in the books. Leave it to Iron Bowl hatreds to respond to news of victory turned to defeat by turning completely unrelated defeats into victory. What a country!

But my favorite reaction to the NCAA's fluffy hammer this week comes from the Boulder Daily Camera's Neill Woelk, who actually references the following scene from the 1971 quasi-classic "Big Jake" as his model for a new era of "frontier justice" by the NCAA:

Contrast Woelk's pent-up vengeance with the slightly more laid-back response to departmental scandal by the Miami Herald's Joseph Goodman, who sums up Florida's legal woes thusly:

You've got to have thugs to win football games.

Generational and geographical gaps, will your wonders never cease?

• Just doing a little field work. I'm sure it's only a coincidence that, just hours after Goodman's column went online, Miami native and Ohio State signee Jamaal Berry, maybe the most celebrated Buckeye in OSU's incoming class, decided to put the theory to test:

Berry, an incoming freshman running back who turned 18 on May 22, was arrested early yesterday in his hometown of Miami, according to court records. He was charged with possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana.

The charge is a third-degree felony, the least serious under Florida law, and is punishable by up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Twenty grams isn't quite Ramonce Taylor territory, but it is a lot. If Berry avoids the more serious penalties, he's still likely to miss the start of OSU's summer quarter (in which freshman usually enroll) and spent his first year, at least, deep inside Jim Tressel's doghouse.

Quickly ... A pair of Washington State freshmen were arrested -- though not yet charged -- on suspicion of stealing a pair of bicycles, as well as the hacksaw they used to cut them free. ... Florida's attorney general's office complains that the NCAA's secrecy in response to a Florida State appeal violates state law. ... Incoming defensive end Justin Chaisson, who had felony charges for allegedly holding a screwdriver to his girlfriend's neck and throwing her in a car reduced to misdemeanors last month, is listed on Oklahoma's pre-camp roster. ... Jake Locker is a quarterback for now, but may sign with the L.A. Angels to secure a future in baseball. ... Meanwhile, Locker's coach nailed the NCAA's recruiting exam (again.) ... Mark Richt clams up. ... Tennessee receiver Gerald Jones goes under the knife. ... Here's a scheduling idea that should trickle up: I-AA powers Appalachian State, McNeese State and Montana have agreed to six-game, home-and-home round robin through 2017. ... And it looks fun, but it's really tough growing up Samoan.

"As of 1 p.m. today, I am resigning as head basketball coach at the University of Southern California. I deeply appreciate the opportunity afforded me by the university, as well as the chance to know and work with some of the finest young men in college athletics. Unfortunately, I no longer feel I can offer the level of enthusiasm to my duties that is deserved by the university, my coaching staff, my players, their families, and the supporters of Southern Cal," the letter said. "I always promised myself and my family that if I ever felt I could no longer give my full enthusiasm to a job, that I should leave it to others who could. I intend to contact my coaching staff and my players in coming days and weeks to tell them how much each of them means to me. I wish the best to USC and to my successor."

Coach Floyd led the Trojans to 3 straight NCAA tournament appearances, 3 straight 20 plus win seasons and a Pac-10 tourney championship. All are firsts for USC basketball. TrojanWire has nothing but love for coach Floyd and we wish him the best. It is just a bad situation right now.

Report: Floyd resigns [espn.com]

The 6-foot-10 Sidney committed to the Trojans earlier this year and was positioned to sign a letter of intent as news came last week from a family spokesman that the player had posted a "passing" SAT score that still requires passing grades in 16 core classes for NCAA approval.

The Sidney family and Mississippi State officials failed to immediately return messages left by The Times.

If Sidney did pass his SAT so why not sign his letter of intent?

I have read elsewhere that this has a lot to do with Mike Garrett. It would appear that Garrett might be a little gun shy about some of Sidney's alleged "baggage" part of which is wheather or not Sidney would even qualify. I don't know and I really don't care. if the kid doesn't want to be here then that's fine but lets not waste another minute dwelling on it.

If the rumors are true that Garrett has some concenrs my only question would then be...what took so long. If there are "issues" then any due diligence would have flushed them out long before an offer was made and SC could have focused on other players. This same sort of head in the sand approach is how we ended up with the Mayo mess. Before anyone wants to throw out the NCAA "clearing" Mayo I would ask this question... If its that important why would you rely on the word of another? FInd out the facts for yourself.

That USC reportedly had to have an attorney present when Garrett met with Sidney's family screams volumes to me.

Whatever happens, happens. I really don't have an opinion either way but I do think that if Garrett is the one behind this he is way late coming to the table in deciding how to handle these issues. This should have been addressed a long time ago and it would appear that his indecision cost us Solomon Hill as well.

one step forward thre steps back...

And from John Skinner's "The Skinny on SC Sports" this morning.

Tim Floyd arrived back in Santa Monica last night via private plane from Tucson. An acquaintance of mine bumped into him last night and he said "don't believe everything you hear".

If Tim Floyd does not take the Arizona job, taking the interview can only help him. First, he probably gets a pay raise from USC despite the program's dismal Galen Center attendance this year. Secondly, he now has a great opportunity to explain to potential recruits why why he turned down the Arizona job and that USC is the place to be.

I am not saying that Floyd will stay at USC. According to sources within the athletic department he has been somewhat frustrated by Mike Garrett, the constant questions about his recruiting tactics and he is not a big city guy. The next 24 hours will be very interesting.

Even if Mike Garrett has So Cal native and current Pittsburgh coach Jaime Dixon as a sure replacement, we still want to see Tim Floyd remain as USC head coach and really make it his "last job."

Full letter, with links to compliance guide and contact information, after the jump.

From The Daily News.

Craig Fertig, a record-setting quarterback for USC's teams of the 1960s who went on to be one of John McKay's top assistants and later a broadcaster on the Trojans' TV telecast, died Saturday of kidney failure. He was 66.

Fertig had been battling poor health the past several years. He died at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach.

"He embodied what it meant to be a Trojan," USC athletic director Mike Garrett said in a release. "He was one of the great storytellers and we all loved listening to his anecdotes delivered with his well-known sense of humor. We'll miss him dearly."

Fertig was a teammate of Garrett's in 1963 and 1964, when the quarterback set eight USC passing records. Fertig was also a member of USC's 1962 national championship team.

Fertig is remembered for throwing the winning touchdown pass to Rod Sherman in the final two minutes of the 1964 game against Notre Dame to lead USC back from a 17-point halftime deficit and upset the unbeaten, top-ranked Irish.

He helped lead USC to two national titles and six championship games as an assistant coach to McKay from 1965 to 1973. After stints as the head coach at Oregon State (1976-79) and West Coast talent scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (under McKay), Fertig in 1992 began an 11-year run as an analyst on the Prime Ticket broadcasts of Trojans' football with Tom Kelly.

Here is a little more from the LAT.

Even after his official connection with the university ended several years ago, Fertig was a welcome presence, always ready with a story or joke told in the dry wit of his former coach, the legendary John McKay.

"Craig knew everybody, and everybody knew Craig," said Athletic Director Mike Garrett, who played alongside Fertig in the early 1960s. "He was one of the great storytellers."

Fertig was a sophomore playing behind Pete Beathard and Bill Nelson on the 1962 team, which went undefeated and won a national championship. He started only one season, in 1964, but threw one of the most memorable passes in school history.

That fall, undefeated Notre Dame arrived at the Coliseum with quarterback John Huarte, who had won the Heisman Trophy a few days earlier.

The Irish built a 17-0 lead, but USC scrambled back in the second half, closing the gap to four points, then driving to within 15 yards of the end zone in the final two minutes. On fourth down, Fertig completed a slant pass to Rod Sherman for the winning touchdown.

I can just imagine his interactions with John McKay. I would also love to hear Alan Page's thoughts once he heard of Fertig's passing. There have to be some incredible back stories in a game like that.

We pass on our deepest sympathies to the Fertig Family.

Fight On Craig!

Some of the suggestions that have come up for USC:

• Pete Carroll
• John McKay
• Tommy Trojan
• Traveler
• #55
• Mike Garrett
• 4th and 9

To submit your own suggestion, click here.

More importantly Mike Garret urges that those in favor of keeping USC home games at the Coliseum contact the Coliseum Commission and let their voice be heard:

The Coliseum Commission is made up of representatives from the city, the county and the state. They need to know how you feel about this. I believe that our voices will be heard if we work through our elected officials. I urge you to e-mail, fax or phone the appropriate officials...

If you're a die hard Trojan fan who thinks of the Coliseum as a second home, or even you just want to read more to find out what you can do to help, please follow this link: Help keep the Coliseum in the Trojan Family!