Tuesday Hot Links

It's been a busy few days, here's what you may have missed ...

Football

• Surprise! Lloyd Lake may skip out on a third hearing. [San Diego Union-Tribune]
• Orson Spencer Hall says the pressure is on in Ohio. [The Sporting News/NBC]
• But is it the other OSU that will make a run at the Trojans? [Scout]
• Or could Wazzu be the trap game for the Trojans? [The Bleacher Report]
• "Pete Carroll Mic'd Up," from the 2008 Rose Bowl, is now for sale on DVD. [USC]

Hoops

• Kurt Streeter brings up some good questions about NCAA amateur rules. [LAT]
• Davon Jefferson didn't help his cause at the NBA pre-draft camp. [Draft Express]
• One analyst said "no one hurt his stock more than Jefferson did" and he could fall from the first round to undrafted. [ESPN]
• DeMar DeRozan wound up at No. 8 on the ESPN 100 for the class of 2008. [ESPN]

Other Sports

• USC fell just short of an NCAA championship in men's golf. [USC]
• Two alums will play on the U.S. Olympic team in women's basketball. [USC]
• USC baseball didn't make the playoffs, but former Trojan coach Mike Gillespie has led UC Irvine to the NCAA super regionals. [AP]

Elsewhere

• Expectations are high for Keith Rivers in Cincinnati. [ESPN]
• Fark alert: O.J. Mayo's first ad. [Insomniacs Lounge]

Comments

[Bill Baldwin, Jr.]

Davon Jefferson showing up out of shape for NBA pre-draft. Is this supposed to be a surprise? Really, here's a guy who as a freshman at times showed real talent, but by the end of the season most would agree he clearly needed at least another year at the college level before trying for the NBA.

Instead, Jefferson leaves USC and hires an agent, thereby ending any college eligibility. What's worse, it appears Jefferson figures he can show up at the NBA pre-draft camp out of shape, SHORTER than his listed height, seeming to lack a certain motivation to the point where one analyst is quoted as saying, "no one hurt his stock more than Jefferson did"..and I'll bet you the ex-Trojan still thinks he should be taken in the first round.

It's a shame, really, as this young man may have, as a result of getting some very bad advice about his stature as a player, a lack of understanding of the stakes involved in the NBA pre-draft camp showcase, or his own arrogance or a combination of all three, ruined his chance of even being drafted, let alone in the first round. Whatever the reason or reasons behind Jefferson's flame out at the camp, the ultimate responsibility is his. I hope he wises up before it's too late.

This is also another example of why I think Tim Floyd is not the guy for the job here. You can't tell me Floyd was "shocked, shocked to learn that..."Jefferson had decided to say "see ya" after just one season.

[pk-in-the-mesa]

Hi Bill, I have always enjoyed your post but Tim Floyd did not recriut Devon it was Bibby.

[Bill Baldwin, Jr.]

Thanks for the correction, PK in the mesa.....I guess that's one reason he was a 21-year old Freshman.

I was a supporter of Bibby's and I think he just got burned out with the amount of hand holding a coach today must have to do: either that, or he was just too impatient. I know this, the great players, and Bibby was great at UCLA and pretty damn good in the pros, often times they just can't teach. I think deep down, Henry Bibby wanted to get the dedication from his players that he willingly gave to John Wooden.

Sadly, the basketball mindset today just doesn't allow that very often. It does in football --- witness Pete Carroll's success. A modern Wooden in many respects, but the swearing would never have been part of the mix.
Bill

[pk]

yes Bill I to liked henry, but it seemed to many players looked over their shoulders and it just wasn't working out. We will see how Tim works out this year, he's goy some good recriuts but not as good as most teams. Ya know Kansas didn't really have any freshman 1 and done's but they did have a team aspect witch is what TF teaches. I really feel their are some great players on this roster and i feel mayo kind of mess up team unity