Coach Frank Martin has been suspended for one game after he threw a flurry of harsh language at freshman point guard Duane Notice during Tuesday night’s 72-46 loss to No. 1 Florida. While Martin’s language wasn’t clearly audible during the game’s ESPN broadcast, his tirade was clearly visible, and in this day and age, all it takes is a GIF for even the most amateur of lip readers to get the gist of what he was saying. It doesn’t take much for a public figure’s tantrum to go viral, and Martin’s spat was no exception. Emotion is a part of sports, and every athlete knows that. You can be certain every athletic program does, too. Throw in Martin's reputation as a fiery coach, and we’re willing to bet his intensity this week wasn't a shock to anyone in Athletics. If the ordeal were not smeared all over ESPN Thursday, Martin would likely still be coaching for the team’s regular-season finale at Mississippi State. But the verbal exchange was clearly captured, and Martin won’t be on-board with the team to close out the season. Whether he will be docked for one game’s pay is yet to be disclosed, but we think it’s only fitting that he isn’t paid for work he won’t be doing. While we recognize that his actions were part of the same drill sergeant philosophy he's famous for, it’s clear that he crossed the line. There's no need to berate a player — especially a freshman — to the extent that Martin did.
Martin was charged with a major feat: turning around a dismal basketball program. After two years, that is obviously still a work in progress, but progress has been made. Every coach has a toolbox, and part of his happens to be a particular brand of energy. Sometimes, that energy — and frustration — boils over, and mistakes are made. Martin will be paying for his mistakes this weekend in what's an open-and-shut case.
After this weekend, it’s in everyone’s best interest to move on and look forward to future basketball seasons. Suspend him, dock his pay accordingly and move on.
It’s also worth mentioning that Martin is under a lot of pressure, probably the most of any coach at USC, and that no doubt added to what we saw on TV Thursday. His actions were inappropriate, but it’s not hard to understand why.
But a camera was honed right in on him, so Martin will serve his punishment.
Afterwards, let's agree to move on.