There's got to be a morning after

There are 64 teams in the NCAA football postseason and 65 in the NCAA basketball tournament. That's about as similar as they get.

By the time the BCS National Championship Game ends, 32 schools have finished their seasons on a high note.

In hoops, only one leaves happy.

In fact, pretty much every sport dictates that the overall champion is the only (good) team that can finish its season with a win.

Keep that in perspective when thinking about what USC basketball accomplished (or didn't) this year. A lot of people will rush to compare football and basketball, pointing out how the gridiron still reigns supreme in Troy. Although they're right, they should remember that football has won five of its last six season-ending games -- but they weren't all for the national championship.

In hoops, even USC's first-round game against Kansas State had title implications. (That's not to excuse the Trojans' performance in Omaha.)

Although putting things in perspective against football might be a relief for Trojan basketball fans on one level, it's ulcer-inducing on another. Maurice Clarett? Mike Williams? They tried to jump to the NFL early and got denied like Michael Beasley defending a leprechaun. Basketball careers, on the other hand, are hyper-accelerated. O.J. Mayo, Davon Jefferson and Taj Gibson may have played their last games in a Trojan uniform.

Stars' ephemeral stays are a reality of college basketball. Programs have to deal with it. If they can't, they're not good programs.

USC did not look like a good program on Thursday night.

Despite their second-half comeback effort, the Trojans were out of contention for most of the game. A few months ago, I was calling this team gritty, but that wasn't the case against Kansas State. It looked like the team was led by underclassmen without a lot of experience. It looked like the team didn't have a lot of depth. It looked like the team didn't have a lot of size. It looked like the same problems that plagued USC all season.

Tim Floyd started 2008 with a resolution to quit his Nicorette gum habit, which was running him $5,500 per year. A few days later he was back to the gum. Over the coming weeks, MayoJeffersonGibson could cause him to single-handedly raise the stock price of GlaxoSmithKline. That's because they should be announcing their decisions about turning pro -- and that will determine a lot about USC's next season.

Mayo is the star,  but Jefferson and Gibson might be more critical to the team because of their size. Take a peak at the Trojans' roster without them. There's nobody who's proved that they can pound the boards, take a charge or hang with other teams' bigs.

The incoming class features swingman DeMar DeRozan, who is the only freshman expected to make an immediate impact. He may also be a one-and-done prospect.

In today's reality, USC's options are limited. The Trojans could replace their scoring every year with another group of insta-stars, but that's a huge gamble nobody wants to take.

Better yet, Floyd could take some time to build a talented, experienced roster. If you look across town to the successful program at UCLA, the Bruins may have more five-star recruits, but they aren't as flashy and attractive to the NBA as guys like Mayo and DeRozan. They also aren't as old for their class as Jefferson and Gibson.

This was only Floyd's third season in Troy. Given some time, he will probably steady the ship and cultivate an environment in which college talent comes, stays and grows. For now, the insta-star syndrome is in full effect and this offseason is going to feel like a series of three badly-weighted coin flips.

Photo by Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times 

Comments

[Ruggedly]

Now that we've established that Taj Gibson was the reason the Trojans lost, let's discuss if JD Booty can be the Steal of the Draft.

http://properbloggery.com/2008/03/20/handicapping-the-sod-race-already/

[gerrrg]

It's all about maturity and time.

You rarely get championships from freshmen and sophomores. Look how long it took for Utah Jazz. Even Denver Broncos. The Bulls didn't build their dynasty overnight. USC's football was a steady rise under Carroll, wasn't it? It took time and leadership by the juniors and seniors, not freshmen and sophomores (not that they didn't contribute; they do, but leadership comes from wisdom and experience).

It's just that everyone these days just want to run for the money. Money, money, money...Always sunny...In the rich man's world.

[The Flem]

SC JUST QUIT!!!

[The Flem]

SC JUST QUIT!!!

[scfan]

i agreed that SC just quit like a bunch of girls!! no fighting spirits at all. how could u quit like girls while the whole nation is watching you?

we got some of the best recruiting class in recent years. and what did we accomplish? PATHETIC SC!!!

we should never take a last place to UCLA; they are simply so much better. we SC fans are tired of eating crumbs years after years!!!

I THINK ALL SC FANS SHOULD REVOLT!!

[Wise]

I think it clearly says that people under the age of 13 may not participate on the message board.