It was hard to get Leonard Washington’s reaction to being ejected for flagrantly fouling Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin, because the USC freshman forward declined to be interviewed after practice the other day.
From all accounts, Washington expressed deep remorse over the incident, which cost the Trojans, who were thin to begin with, one of their top five players.
Teammate Dwight Lewis described Washington as “the most apologetic dude I’ve seen after he messed up.”
“He knows he made a mistake,” said Lewis, who was the Pac-10 Player of the Week last week. “He’ll grow from it. He just got caught up emotionally.”
Coach Tim Floyd said he talked to Washington and addressed the team after it happened. According to Lewis, Floyd said situations like that “won’t be tolerated on this team.”
Floyd said he wouldn’t further discipline Washington because getting kicked out of the game was punishment enough.
“It was an immature play,” Floyd said. “It was a response to a play on the other end, but that doesn’t justify it. It’s a freshman mistake. He’ll learn from it.”
Washington has made an immediate impact in more productive ways on the court. Despite playing just 21 minutes per game because of conditioning constraints, Washington is averaging 7.4 rebounds, second to Taj Gibson’s 11.0. Washington also leads the team in field-goal percentage (.585).
More from the USC blog:
- USC football: How the NFL evaluation process works
- USC football poll: Which Trojan is ready for the NFL?
- USC football: How USC’s sked ranks with other top dogs
- USC football: Who might leave early for the NFL?
- USC basketball: Marcus Simmons to transfer
- USC football: Maualuga is Pac-10’s top defender
- USC football: Trojans would win a playoff
- Five observations of USC and the BCS
- USC football: Joe Paterno ready to go
- USC football: Why Morton might have inside track
USC basketball defines UCLA football. They are provided the facilities, the equipment, the support, but they choose to place a greater effort into losing than wining.
No offense USC basketball (not much), but you are lousy, unorganized, unable to find a decent coach, undisciplined, (did I already say lousy?) and impossible to watch after eating. Why is that? It hasn’t been the last few seasons or even decades. The stamp on USC basketball is the word - TERRIBLE. There I’ve said it.
USC basketball shouldn’t worry too much though. Who, in their right mind, would ever expect them to be? The only people who watch you are some “mush for brains” students, who have not read about your history. You are what you are. I’m, 60 and I gave up on you a long time ago.
Now, all of the above can be said of UCLA football. Why? Oh, gee, lets see. How many Heisman’s? There is a south-land high school that has had more winners in their building than you. Why speak of National Championships in football? With one shared title in the mid fifties, I think you can relax. Another is not “just a year or two away.” Oh, I’m sorry. What kind of NFL career did your one Heisman have? Ouch. Sorry to bring that up.
I could go on and ask about your attendance at games, the Rose Bowl wins, or even (other bowl) wins, but that would hurt too, wouldn’t it?
It looks to me like you should get together with USC basketball and talk to Pete Carroll. Maybe he can form a new organization of DISBAND USC BASKETBALL and UCLA FOOTBALL for a BETTER LA. The aforementioned was also a request made by some citizens of Pasadena who accidentally walked into a UCLA “beat-down” at the Rose Bowl - expecting to see a football game.