As Sampson watch heats up, so do Hoosiers
If this is it for Kelvin Sampson, it was a helluva exit.
A 77-68 victory against in-state rival and Big Ten leaders Purdue surely left an impression upon Indiana fans. Their Hoosiers (22-4, 11-2 in conference play) are coming off their two biggest wins of the season, yet their coach is likely on his way out, possibly by Thursday.
For those who haven’t kept up, click here for a rundown of allegations against the Indiana coach. The gist? He made more than 100 impermissible phone calls to recruits, lied about it to school officials and to the NCAA, which told IU Sampson made five major violations and failed “to deport himself ... with the generally recognized high standard of honesty.”
Tuesday’s win – maybe Indiana’s best performance of their season – came under the klieg lights from TV, reporters and fans, all wanting to know what would happen to the coach, and when.
The exceptions: Sampson and his players.
"We don't expect our coach to leave any time," freshman guard Eric Gordon said afterward.
"We haven't tried to think about that," forward Kyle Taber said. "We don't think it's his last game. We don't know. We just try to play as a team."
"I expect to be back ... when do we play at home again, Tuesday?" Sampson asked. "Because of the rules, we have to take [Wednesday] off, we'll [practice] Thursday and Friday, then we have Northwestern on Saturday. That's all I'm focused on."
Not gonna happen, according to an ESPN.com report.
Sampson is likely to be suspended and eventually fired. Less probable is Indiana and Sampson agreeing on a settlement, followed by his resignation. Least likely is Indiana’s investigation being extended.
After all, most people think Sampson’s ouster is a no-brainer. Most votes I’ve seen (click here for ours) have overwhelming majorities in favor it. One of the few pro-Sampson items I’ve seen – this N.Y. Times article – but slants toward Sampson being a winner and not wanting Indiana to slide backward into hoops mediocrity. Hardly the case to make when it comes to not breaking the rules.
And, as this excellent SI.com story from Luke Winn points out, Indiana knew exactly what it was getting with Sampson: A coach who won, but messed with the rules.
If Sampson’s out, assistant coach Dan Dakich is the likely interim coach for the rest of the season. (Oddly enough, for those who want the school to re-hire Bob Knight, Dakich may be as close as they get. A former Hooiser who played for Knight (1982-85), Dakich was an IU assistant coach until taking over at Bowling Green in 1997.)
Could Dakich replicate Steve Fisher’s remarkable start at Michigan in 1989? (Fisher replaced Bill Freider, who left for Arizona State, for the NCAA Tournament and started his Michigan career 6-0 with a tourney title.) Saturday’s a good place to start. The Wildcats (7-17) are terrible. After a home game against Ohio State and a trip to East Lansing, the Hoosiers won’t be tested again until the Big Ten Tournament.
They’ll enter March Madness ready for a Final Four run. As one of the NCAA's most efficient offensive and defensive teams, motivated by the departure of its coach, I wouldn’t rule ‘em out.
