Play.it Usa Forum

There has been a lack of victories but no lack of controversy lately at USC (31). The Trojans have lost four of their past five and are fading from NCAA tournament contention, but things are never dull in and around Tim Floyd's program.

After the team lost to Washington on Saturday, the Los Angeles Times reported that guard Daniel Hackett (32) and his father, assistant strength coach Rudy Hackett, were arguing in both Italian and English in the locker room. Media members were tossed so they could continue arguing in privacy.

Daniel Hackett has been in the middle of the latest escapades at USC.In addition to the loss, neither of the Hacketts nor Floyd was especially pleased with an ESPN "Outside The Lines" report Sunday on package deals in college basketball -- the practice of bringing in a family member or other influential figure so the team can sign a player. Floyd strongly defended Rudy Hackett's credentials, though The Minutes has always wondered how an assistant strength coach had such a prominent seat on the bench for games. It also was amusing that Floyd said his decision to hire Hackett came partly on a recommendation by L.A. youth basketball maven Pat Barrett (33) -- a guy outed 20 years ago as a shady recruiting character in the seminal investigative book, "Raw Recruits."

Meanwhile, the L.A. Daily News reported that eyewitnesses saw Daniel Hackett and fellow guard Dwight Lewis (34) get into a shoving match on the court 20 minutes after the game, and the altercation was broken up by security.

The good news came Monday for USC, when hugely hyped big man and Sonny Vaccaro pet project Renardo Sidney (35) verbally committed to the Trojans. Sidney is almost a mortal lock to be a one-and-done collegian like predecessor O.J. Mayo, who helped USC to zero NCAA tournament victories and one NCAA investigation.

The only question is whether Sidney will actually make it to USC's campus. The Times reports that the 6-foot-11 center/forward has not yet taken the SAT.

Even if it's a one-year forced marriage, the Sidneys did not scrimp on ostentation at the announcement. According to Times writer Eric Sondheimer, this was "such an elaborate production that it made quarterback Jimmy Clausen showing up to his news conference three years ago in a Hummer limousine to announce Notre Dame look amateurish."

Sondheimer described the scene: "... [Thirteen] tables set up in the gym, complete with rose centerpieces, immaculate tablecloths, folding chairs covered with white linen, red and gold balloons and a catered meal of chicken and ribs for more than 100 family and friends ... "

Where it really gets good is the guest list for the announcement. It included:

• Reebok director of basketball Chris Rivers -- because, really, what teenager doesn't need a shoe rep on hand for his verbal commitment?

• Another blast from shady recruitments past, Claude Mills (36). He's the father of Chris Mills, an L.A. recruit who signed with Kentucky in 1987. In 1988, an overnight envelope from the Kentucky basketball office to Mills popped open in transit, and out spilled $1,000 in cash, sparking one of the juicier scandals in college hoops history.

AEM wrote: Questo posso dire di UCLA: Non sono forti quanto pensavano di esserlo, e in piu` quando hai una squadra che continua ad arrivare ad un traguardo (Final Four) dopo un po pensi che quella sia la soglia dovuta per ogni squadra di Howland. Purtroppo quest'anno non hanno lo stesso gioco che avevano per gli ultimi tre anni.
il prox anno sono dinuovo una bella squadra.

AEM

Vitor #41 wrote: oggi ci aspettano parecchie gare interessanti 

PistooolPeeete wrote: dalle 19 fino a mezzanotte

maxmicio wrote: non dobbiamo aspettare fino alle 19  , iniziano alle 18 con villanova-georgetown   :gazza:  

Vitor #41 wrote: Mi sa che i Fighting Irish si sono giocati definitivamente l'accesso al torneo stanotte...