The March to Madness

Floyd Appears to Be Packing Bags for Tucson

USC's Tim Floyd arrived in Tucson aboard a private jet Wednesday afternoon and interviewed for the opening at Pacific 10 Conference rival Arizona. The Los Angeles Times reported that Floyd was offered the job and Phoenix radio station KTAR reported that he had agreed to become the Wildcats' coach.

Why would Floyd, 55, leave? Check out this quote from USC athletic director Mike Garrett: "If people don't want to be here they can go somewhere else. And if Tim has decided that, I thought he was a great coach and we've just got to find another great coach."

Translated, that means, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Houston's Coleman Suspended for One Game

Houston's Aubrey Coleman, who was suspended for one game by Conference USA after stepping on the face of Arizona's Chase Budinger, talks about the incident and issues an apology.

Houston's Coleman Delivers a Facial

Houston's Aubrey Coleman stomps on the head of Arizona's Chase Budinger after he was called for a charge during Saturday's game at Tucson. Coleman was ejected.

The play ignited the Wildcats, who rallied from a 15-point deficit to win in overtime, 96-90. Coleman has apologized.

Theus Says He's Interested in Becoming a Wildcat

Reggie Theus became one of the millions of Americans out of work earlier this week when he was fired by the Sacramento Kings. But the 51-year-old coach says he's ready to cut down the nets for a new team.

That team might be Arizona.

"Of course, I would be interested in a great job like Arizona," Theus told Steve Rivera of the Tucson Citizen.

He declined further comment "out of respect for [interim coach Russ Pennell]."

Theus spent two years at New Mexico State before his jump to the NBA. He pumped new life into the Aggie program, which was coming off a 6-24 season before he arrived in 2005.

In his two seasons at Las Cruces, the Aggies went 16-14 and 25-9.

The Tucson Soap Opera

Could not start a college basketball blog without mentioning Lute Olson. He has been going through a tough time of it. Wife Bobbi died, then he got involved with Christine Toretti, above left, a divorced mother of three who is CEO of S.W. Drilling Company, the country's largest privately held, land-based natural gas drilling company.

The two married in 2003 and Tucson's celebrity couple appeared to be living a dream life until 2007, when Lute suddenly filed for divorce. This matter required Lute taking a leave of absence from his job as Arizona coach.

But in March of this year, a reinvigorated Lute returned to his job and announced he had a new fiancee, 47-year-old Kelly Pegnea, above right. Tucsonians rejoiced until last month, when they were hit with another stunner: Lute was calling it quits for good. After a day or two of speculation, it was learned that Lute had suffered a small stroke in the past year and his doctor, Steven Knope, advised the 74 year old to step down as coach.

Lute hasn't been heard from since, but ex-wife Christine made the news last week. Knope got a restraining order against Christine after she put a bullet-riddled target sheet in his office. The court document said Christine had "blamed Dr. Knope for [her] recent divorce from Lute Olson, asserting that Dr. Knope destroyed her marriage."

While all of this was going on, the Arizona program has been in turmoil. Lute ran off Kevin O'Neill, middle, last spring, and Jim Rosborough, right, before that. The departure of Rosborough was a shocker. Rosborough started working with Lute in 1974 and from all accounts, the separation was not on the best of terms.

That leads us to this season, where one fan called Arizona a "dead basketball program." The Wildcats played something called Sonoma State Wednesday night and it wasn't pretty. After the 78-54 victory, Anthony Gimino of the Tucson Citizen wrote, "Goodness gracious, what will UCLA do to the Cats?"

With the football team now bowl eligible, it appears Arizona is on the fast track to becoming a football school.