Tuesday evening men’s and women’s hoops notes

Published 7:50 pm Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Men’s coach Lorenzo Romar, women’s coach Tia Jackson and some players met with the media today to talk about this week’s games, Brandon Roy (his jersey will be retired before Thursday’s game, but more on that in a second) last week’s successes (men’s team) and struggles (women’s team), the inauguration of Barack Obama, and a few other things.

The biggest piece of actual news today is that freshman Charmaine Barlow has been suspended for the remainder of the season for what Jackson called “a violation of several team rules.” Jackson didn’t elaborate further when asked what the violations were.

Barlow and Lydia Young were both held out of Saturday’s game for a rules violation, but Young is expected to return to action this week when the team travels to Los Angeles.

On the men’s side, talk was more upbeat given that the team is 4-1 in Pac-10 play, tied for first in the conference.

Romar said Elston Turner continues to improve from his ankle injury, and that he is available this week, but that the “game will dictate” how much the freshman guard plays.

It should also be noted that USC coach Tim Floyd said today on the Pac-10 coaches conference call that the Trojans leading scorer, Dwight Lewis, is going to try to play this week. Lewis suffered an ankle injury in practice yesterday.

As for Roy, his No. 3 jersey will be retired in a ceremony at about 7:45 Thursday before the USC game. Roy will become just the second Husky basketball player along with Bob Houbregs, to have his jersey retire.

Gohuskies.com did a Q and A with Roy when he was in town a couple weeks ago to ask him about the honor.

And even though Romar and Jackson aren’t political analysts, they are both prominent African American figures on campus and in the area, so both were asked their thoughts on the inauguration of Barack Obama.

Romar, who gives good answers to almost every questions, talked for about two minutes when asked his thoughts:

“Me being African American, it was a little overwhelming at times, just not realizing for so long that certain opportunities may not be out there for you or for others and you kind of just take it as, that’s just how it is. To see what went on this morning, man it hits you really hard that, wow, that’s a huge change. There are a lot of African American men, 40, 50 years old that can’t look you in the eye because their self esteem is so low. They’ve just been told, ‘You can’t.’

“Our own George Hickman who went to the inauguration, fought for our country, but yet when he came back home it was still segregation. While he was fighting, everything was, ‘We’re on the same team.’ But soon as he went back, even in the military, it was segregation. You go through that and now you see the ultimate, an African American president, it’s not just good for African Americans, it’s good for any ethnic group out there, or any group, because now everyone also see, maybe everyone is equal.

“I don’t know why it all hit me this morning when I was watching it by myself, but it all hit me this morning.”

And for those who don’t know Hickman, who Romar referenced, he is an usher at UW football and basketball games who is one of the Tuskegee Airmen who was invited to the inauguration. You can read more about Hickman in this espn.com story by Jim Caple.

Also, here’s what Jackson had to say:

“I kind of hate that I’m not in D.C. to be a witness to it all. Honestly this is a wonderful time for our country, and I just wish I could share more than what I see on TV and just be a part of it… It’s just an exciting time for our country.”

Jackson said she was getting text message updates throughout the day from her brother, a freelance photo journalist who was at the inauguration.