Vans Shambles

College Basketball is on us. With the inevitable disappearance of the former USC basketball coach Tim Floyd - somewhat revived the program sought a new leader in circumstances removed. With NCAA sanctions looming, an entire class recruitment disappeared, and early defections to the NBA, a team once the pencil to go deep into the 2010 Tournament Men - even whispers of the Final Four - suddenly the Trojans Finishing 8th or 9th in the PAC 10 is a realistic possibility. Maybe Washington will be less successful.

While the coach was willing to take on an almost desperate situation? Pitt's Jamie Dixon Surely not - the illusory hope USC and the first choice. Yes, it is Los Angeles and his wife is a Trojan horse of old, but to go to a program that cares, a program that is more worried about his 2015 football recruiting class, Dixon was Obviously a no-go.

All other preferred options were quickly disappeared. Former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy said no while Reggie Theus is willing - but just too controversial a choice given the state of the program. With seemingly nowhere to go and from Ground Zero - USC scandalously out an e-mail announcing that he has hired a coach.

USC 2009-2010 and your men's basketball coach is ... Kevin O'Neil? Yes, the former coach at Marquette University, Northwestern, Tennessee and Arizona (Acting). Former NBA assistant to Jeff Van Gundy, close friends and Rick Carlisle and former head coach of the Toronto Raptors.

This blogger says he was surprised and even alarmed. Read all message boards and USC fans were up in arms. The anger followed by depression hit instantly. After all ... USC is!

Wait a minute ... this is not football. This is a hoops program, even after three consecutive months in March Madness offers (considered a success here) fans a hard time filling the seats. Realistically, who would take this job? Almost sure NCAA sanctions threat and a fan base indifferent? A fan base that Tim Floyd awoke slowly. Only to have hit the reset button so suddenly when the allegations surface Floyd give $ 1,000 to a person related to OJ Mayo.

No, despite the initial shock, and after only a brief attempt at research, I came to the conclusion and I think USC athletic director Mike's Garrett made the right choice by Kevin O'Neil. It would not be a great name. There were really only two choices: (1) Hire a retreading established known to be clean, (2) Initiate a champion and coming up wizard - and not knowing what you found.

O'Neil, aka "KO", if nothing else, knows basketball is clean, and emphasizes education, defense and a spirit of selflessness. It does not attract as Prima Donna Mayo or another I first made a year and recruits. It will build the program slowly, but ethically. And perhaps his stint as Tennessee coach, he will restore a franchise in disarray (5 wins last year), and allow the next coach to be successful (20-win seasons, four times at once left).

Or it may also end up as his only year with the relay Wildcats Arizona, where his notoriously volatile personality overwhelmed the players, assistants and even Lute Olson. All O'Neil had to do was keep his mouth shut for a year and he was the next coach of a program floors. He failed to do so and was executed outside the city.

Maybe he is just maintaining the program and restoring a measure of respectability and discipline until the likes of Dixon reconsider returning home. Or perhaps it will be washed up to the next retr.