Friday, Aug. 08, 2008

Morris: Floyd’s comments damage credibility

EDDIE FLOYD WAS out of line with his comments this week about the USC campus police. His unfounded charges that campus officers are targeting athletes are an embarrassment to the USC board of trustees and to the university.

Floyd should be reprimanded by the board, if not censured. There is no room in higher education for baseless claims that serve no purpose other than to discredit a facet of the university and inflame conspiracy theorists who now believe yet another part of the world is out to get USC athletics.

Understand, there is no code of conduct for members of the board of trustees. They simply are asked to represent the university in an upstanding manner and to protect the school’s reputation. Their actions always should be in the best interest of the university.

Floyd failed on all counts. Make no mistake, his charges are serious. He questioned the integrity of an entire police department. It is one thing for a USC fan to make such an allegation, quite another for a member of the board of trustees.

With such accusations, a person in Floyd’s position should bring along a satchel of evidence. He had none, unless you count the rather absurd charge that a non-uniformed member of the campus force is a Clemson fan.

“My feeling is that (targeting athletes) has happened. I’m sure the administration may have a different opinion,” Floyd said. “But, certainly, that’s what I think.”

Floyd previously made such claims to the board of trustees, which responded by looking into the matter. At some point, a couple of board members visited Floyd in Florence to inform him there was little or no evidence to support his theory of athlete profiling, according to a USC administrator.

On Wednesday, fellow board member Mike Mungo also refuted Floyd’s charges.

“I don’t think anyone has targeted (athletes) whatsoever,” Mungo said. “I think the allegations are totally baseless, and I think I’m as well-informed as anyone at the university.”

It all sounds like a power play on Floyd’s part, a dangerous and ill-conceived one at that.

Floyd is a Florence surgeon who has been on the board since 1982. He has been generous with his donations to the athletics department for decades, but his power within the university and the athletics department has waned in recent years.

Floyd’s influence at the university peaked under former president John Palms and then diminished under recently retired president Andrew Sorensen. Likewise, Floyd was a huge supporter of former athletics director Mike McGee.

When Eric Hyman came on board three years ago to run the athletics department, he immediately sought to broaden USC’s base of donors for athletics. As that base expanded, Floyd’s influence lessened.

We might never know why Floyd would confuse his roles as ardent fan and board of trustees member by making such damaging statements. It could be that Floyd wanted to flex his muscles for new president Harris Pastides, or perhaps to strengthen his standing within the athletics department.

Pastides released a statement that was non-committal about Floyd’s comments yet supportive of the USC campus police. Hyman did not comment on the issue, but he did not have to. Floyd’s remarks undermined Hyman’s continued efforts to move USC athletics away from the “world is against us” mentality that has permeated its fan base for decades.

Hyman finally has steered the athletics department on a course that will make it competitive in the SEC by creating a master plan for how to get to that point. He gradually has gotten the administration and the bulk of USC fans on board by preaching to one and all not to worry about what other schools do, but to take care of USC first.

Floyd obviously has not heard the message. The day following his comments, Floyd continued to defend his actions, apparently without realizing their consequences.

Even a reprimand from the board of trustees cannot undo the damage left in the wake of Floyd’s comments. He provided additional fodder to the USC faithful who already believe game officials, the SEC, Lee Corso and The State newspaper work day and night to prevent things good from happening at USC.

Further, Floyd’s comments put the USC campus police in a compromising position. The next arrest of a USC athlete will be met with a chorus of contempt from fans who will say it justifies their belief athletes are targeted by police. If an athlete is let off the hook, the cry of favored treatment will ring out from others.

We only can hope campus police will continue to act in a professional manner in doing their jobs, unlike Eddie Floyd, whose charges were unsubstantiated, damaging and unprofessional at every level.

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