It can’t get much worse for Houston coach Tom Penders. Just to recap his first month of 2006 :

a) an accusation from that paragon of virtue, Will Leitch, that his private statements —- from some 5 + years earlier — were inappropriate.

b) a pair of losses to national powerhouses Rice and Central Florida.

c) suffering a near hear attack during a loss to UAB, and receiving a technical foul for his troubles.

In today’s Houston Chronicle, Michael Murphy reports that freshman F Lamar Roberson (above) has walked out on the team and is considering transfering to another school.

No doubt choosing his words carefully, not wanting to tar an 18 year old with an unfair characterization, Penders said “I don’t know what in the world he is thinking. Maybe this week he thought he was Ron Artest.”