Indiana NCAA Sanctions

[IlliBraves]

Recap of 5PM press conference.........

--FIVE major violations discovered and need penalties...including the NCAA found KS lied to NCAA investigators
--Sampson will be the coach for the "foreseeable future"
--NCAA not likely to act before June
--Not ruling out further action in the near future by IU
--Will let the system play itself out

Eric Gordon's dad comments....doesn't seem to worried and even defends KS saying this stuff happens everywhere...
but of course, Eric Gordon won't be there next year
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...TER03/80213045

Of course Gordon's dad's not going to speak out against Sampson. His son got paid off to play at IU. How else do you suppose his old AAU coach and EG Sr's old coach from Liberty "magically" got jobs on the IU staff?

Oh, and Bobby Knight will NEVER come back to IU after what they did to him. He has too much pride. He's a stubborn, but smart man. I don't see him coming back, he already left a program that absolutely loved him, and he said the other night on Leno that he's happy with where he's at right now.

[IlliBraves]

And this day just continues to get better! IU loses at home to Wisconsin, 68-66.

[Bravesfan]

Latest updates--

http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080213/SPORTS0301/70856210/-1/SPORTS03

http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=7865408&nav=0RYd

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=cbask/news/AEN4130355.htm

And recall that IU assistant coach Rob Senderoff was already fired as a "fall guy" over these violations. Now here is a USA Today article with a quote released by another Indiana assistant coach, Jeff Meyer, at the bottom admitting fault ("I regret that I may have made mistakes").

Is this another attempt to deflect blame away from Sampson, and onto another assistant? Is this Jeff Meyer guy going to get fired next to try to salvage Sampson's career, and Indiana's great recruiting class? Don't put it past Sampson to sacrifice as many assistants as he needs to.--

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...-sampson_N.htm

Could this open up the door for the comeback of one Robert Montgomery Knight?

[Da Coach]

Kelvin Sampson gets more boos than cheers at the game in Bloomington tonight. Then Indiana proceeds to lose at home to Wisconsin. After the game, Kelvin Sampson denied all the charges the NCAA released today against him. I guess that means he thinks all the recruits and their families that were interviewed by the NCAA must all be mistaken, or lying?

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/recap?gid=200802130271

And many former Hoosiers, and many in the media are calling for the firing of Sampson--

Allegations of violations upset former Hoosiers

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3244783

HUTSELL: Say bye Kelvin, you??™ve done more than enough

http://www.news-tribune.net/localsports/local_story_044221855.html?keyword=topstory

Sampson losing benefit of the doubt among Hoosier fans

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=351664

CBSSportsline: Gregg Doyel--Indiana has no choice, it must fire Sampson -- now--

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10639416

Sun Times- Greg Couch-- Goodbye to Sampson, IU's good name

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/couch/792965,greg021308.article

MSNBC: SAMPSON'S NOT LONG FOR INDIANA--

http://beyondthearc.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/13/662523.aspx

ESPN's Andy Katz--Possible options for Indiana--

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3244312&name=katz_andy&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d3244312%26name%3dkatz_andy

[Big Mike]

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/021408/COL_BFPER1SL.077.php

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/couch/794028,CST-SPT-greg14.article

[Da Coach]

Here is the hometown newspaper (actually Indianapolis, not Bloomington), and they come down very hard on Sampson and IU.

It's time for IU to cleanse itself of the slime

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080214/COLUMNISTS01/802140501/

Here is what one Indiana insider expects will happen--
Since they are expecting to receive a 1 or 2 year post-season ban as a penalty from the NCAA, this insider believes they will not fire Sampson until after the season. Perhaps after the NCAA hearing in June, but maybe sooner, like as soon as the season ends. That way Indiana may be able to salvage this season, and at least play in the NCAA tournament this year, and still come out looking proactive by firing Sampson before they are forced to do so.

Then, there is a good chance that AD Rick Greenspan will also get the axe for his hiring of a known cheater, and for his handling of the whole mess. It just looks better for the University to cleanse itself of the entire cast of characters.

Then a new coaching search will begin. Here are some names that will likely be mentioned--
Bobby Knight- to some people, it makes sense. But this will never happen.
Steve Alford- he is just finishing his first season at New Mexico, but would probably jump at the chance to return to the Big Ten at his Alma Mater.
Scott Drew- Baylor coach; squeaky clean; good coach
Ray McCallum- the only legitimate head coaching candidate among the original IU assistant coaches who has not been implicated in this scandal. This is not likely, as boosters want a clean slate.
Dan Dakich- hired earlier this year as a replacement for Rob Senderoff, the first assistant to leave because of this scandal. Dakich is not involved in the cheating, but again, boosters will probably want a clean slate.
Dane Fife- former IU overachiever, 2nd year coach at IPFW. He is only 28, and not likely a serious candidate as head coach at one of the top programs in D1.
Randy Wittman- another former IU player, now head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Scott Skiles- he is currently unemployed. A former Indiana high school legend who lead his high school team (Plymouth) to the 1-class state championship in Indiana in 1982. They were the smallest school to win under the old 1-class system, since Milan in 1954. He lead the state in scoring at 30.2 ppg. But he went to Michigan State, and has never been associated with IU. Also, he has never coached at the college level. Also, he has drug arrets in his past for cocaine, marajuana, and alcohol.
Larry Brown- also currently unemployed, and a proven winner who has never been associated with scandal.
Pat Knight- a former IU player, and son of Bobby Knight. He has a total of 1 win as a college coach, but he has a lot of friends at IU. But this is as unlikely as Bob Knight returning.
Quinn Buckner- former IU player. No experience.
Other head coaches elsewhere- Sean Miller (Xavier), Chris Lowery (SIU), Brad Brownell (Wright St.),
Current assistants- Johnny Dawkins or Chris Collins (Duke). Their names always get mentioned, but they have no connection to IU, but then neither did Kelvin Sampson. But if they go after an outsider, it will likely be a successful head coach.

[OrangeandBlack74]

Today's ESPN.com column on the Sampson debacle at IU...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3244843&sportCat=ncb

[Murph]

Steve Alford- he is just finishing his first season at New Mexico, but would probably jump at the chance to return to the Big Ten at his Alma Mater.

Big Ten has a hands off policy of hiring people from conference schools.

Some say this is exactly why Alford left Iowa, when the proverbial **************** hit the fan at Indiana he wouldn't be employed as head coach at another Big 10 school, he could then make the move Indiana.

[tornado]

Two other names that have cropped up...Bruce Pearl and Tom Crean...
IU could throw big booster money around and get who they want....

One other tidbit from the NCAA news releases, that people at Purdue blew the whistle on the illegal phone calls to present Purdue freshmen Robbie Hummel and Scott Martin, and also blew the facts about the freebies given to Derrick Elston.
Nice to see that one program is confident enough to throw thge flag when they see the scum at IU.

Now IU's top recruit for next year is in limbo. He feels he was lied to because all along he's being told by IU and KS that the violations were minor and that the NCAA won't act.
Now it is pretty apparent this is not the case, and Ebanks is weighing his options.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/kevin_armstrong/02/14/indiana.recruit/index.html

[Dallas Brave]

After the game, Kelvin Sampson denied all the charges the NCAA released today against him. I guess that means he thinks all the recruits and their families that were interviewed by the NCAA must all be mistaken, or lying?

Maybe they all simply "mis-remembered." I hear Rocket's legal team is flying up to Bloomington to begin building "Klepto Kelvin's" defense strategy

[BUBraves06]

Andy Katz of ESPN is reporting that Kelvin's status is going to be dertermined on a game-by-game status: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3245936

[Da Coach]

Andy Katz of ESPN is reporting that Kelvin's status is going to be dertermined on a game-by-game status: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3245936

There are some Bradley fans who seem to wish Jim Les' status could be decided on a game-by-game basis.

But seriously, Andy Katz is either making mock of the situation there at Indiana, or they really have lost all their marbles.

[J Money]

The best thing Indiana can do was suggested by Pat Forde in an espn.com article: suspend Sampson indefinitely, name Dakich interim head coach, and let it play out.

With Gordan and White gone after this season (not to mention our boy Stemler), this is the best shot they're going to have to make a run. Don't hurt the kids and ban the team from postseason play this year. If Sampson is fired by the University immediately it will probably help in the eyes of the NCAA, but if these allegations happen to prove false they are begging for a huge lawsuit. They obviously can't let him continue coaching though because then they are leaving themselves open to record-setting NCAA sanctions.

[J Money]

P.S. If ever a program needed a General, it's IU right now.

[IlliBraves]

I noticed somebody mentioned Tom Crean as a possible replacement. Does he have any ties to the university? Otherwise, I wouldn't see him leaving, considering U of I tried to hire him years ago (I believe when Lon Kruger left) and he said he wasn't interested.