NCAA: Scandal at USC, UW Picks Up Montana

By Anton at June 10th, 2009.

Tim Floyd’s resignation as the basketball coach of the University Southern California sure seems like a case of “falling on one’s sword.” It’s a move that, although highly predictable, is already reaping benefits for USC.

When the Mr. Floyd/O.J. Mayo payment story surfaced, the NCAA was already investigating USC because of alleged impropriety with super-duper-star football player Reggie Bush – Mr. Bush allegedly accepted gifts and free rent from marketers hoping to sign him as a client once he jumped to the NFL (he is now playing for the New Orleans Saints).

Compared to the Bush story – impropriety involving a storied NCAA football program and a player some consider the best in the history of college football – the O.J. Mayo scandal is “small potatoes”. The USC basketball program has no storied history; in fact, with UCLA just down the street, the program can’t claim to be the best in its own zip code.

Even with all that, the story – especially now with an early week resignation, allowing the national and local media to talk breathlessly about the scandal – will garner a ton of press that will inevitably give off the impression that, with Mr. Floyd out, USC has ridden itself and its basketball program of a rogue coach.

Meanwhile, USC’s powerhouse football program will continue to slip under the radar to the obvious relief of the University, its boosters and its most profitable/marketable product.

It wasn’t long ago that Husky Nation was forced to deal with scandals in the football program under the leadership of “Slick” Rick Neuheisel. If Barbara Hedges (former Washington AD) hadn’t been so preoccupied, maybe Washington could have leaked a sensational basketball story to get the heat of the storied program for awhile?

In related news, Nick Montana, the son of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, has verbally committed to the Washington Huskies football program and will sign a letter of intent in February. He is a senior at Oaks Christian Academy in Westlake Village, California, a school well known for it’s “famous” student-athletes – the son of actors Will and Jada Smith plays at the school as well as the son of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and his actress/model wife, Janet.

All Husky fans should feel confident that, with the style of program now in place under coach Sarkisian, Nick Montana will prove productive when Jake Locker is done taking snaps at Washington.

Tags: Husky Nation, NCAA, Nick Montana, O.J. Mayo, Tim Floyd, USC, UW, Washington