Silence not always golden

Poor Tim Floyd.

The former Southern California basketball coach is aggrieved the USC administration didn’t support him when a former handler for O.J. Mayo — Floyd’s onetime one-season star — said he had received an envelope full of cash from Floyd, and that Mayo received gifts and money while playing for the Trojans.

All serious NCAA violations.

Floyd, who has hooked on as an assistant with the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets, is also unhappy so many people believe he was dirty.

“O.J. came to us, no shenanigans, no promises of money, of anything. O.J. the young man lived his college life with no car, no apartment. I just wish people would do research.”

Well, Tim, I did some research — on you, and I discovered that in the wake of Louis Johnson’s allegations, you said nothing — nada, niente, bupkis — to defend yourself. You ran from reporters with same speed Mayo uses in jacking up a shot.

Then you quit.

Now, the Garbo routine and the quitting might not be proof of guilt, but it doesn’t make me feel disposed to believe you now.