Beyond the Arc : Kelvin Sampson fallout at Indiana

Crean crosses his fingers with NCAA

Mike Miller — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:09:00 GMT

How long until Tom Crean doesn’t regret taking the Indiana job? Two years? Three? Four?

There’s going to be time when Crean has the Hoosiers winning. It may not be soon, but it’ll come. But when it finally arrives, just how exhausted is he going to be?

Because Crean sounds like a coach who’s desperately hoping the worst has passed.

The NCAA infractions committee is going to decide in the next few weeks if it will impose more sanctions on Indiana stemming from a phone-call scandal that occurred under ex-coach Kelvin Sampson. It’s already hammered the Hoosiers, stripping the school of three scholarships this season and placing a limit on visits and calls to recruits.

So Monday, Crean asked for mercy.

“We’ve paid a price, a lot of people have paid the price and it’s been a serious price,” Crean said Monday in Indianapolis before participating in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase golf tournament. “So I say let’s move forward because (the program) is already behind, way behind, where it should be and where it could be.”

Indiana only has two returning players from last season. One of those, Kyle Taber, is recovering from knee surgery and could be out until Dec. The roster includes two junior college transfers, eight freshmen and only three players taller than 6-foot-6.

No wonder Crean hopes the NCAA is done dishing it out.

Among other things, it’s making recruiting – especially at a storied program like Indiana – tougher than it should be.

“I think you try to explain past precedent to them (recruits),” Crean said. “When you’re not seen at their games or at their school, it is hard to talk to them, and you feel like it will be a lot more work.”

Even if more penalties are handed down, the Hoosiers are unlikely to reach the severity of Kentucky’s 1989 ruling, when it received three years’ probation and was banned from postseason play for two seasons. Rick Pitino’s first season in Lexington wasn’t pretty (when he had eight scholarship players and no one taller than 6-7), but by 1993 the ‘Cats reached the Final Four. Three years later, they won the national title.

Could Indiana recover that quickly? Don’t count against Crean, who hasn’t wasted any time while in Bloomington.

Still, for a coach with a Final Four berth to his credit, getting the Hoosiers to the Final Four by 2012 would be the biggest accomplishment of his career.

Hoosiers, Vols must handle emotional waves

Mike Miller — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:07:00 GMT

Tuesday reading, with an eye on the Vols-Commodores and Hoosiers-Buckeyes. But first, another Kelvin Sampson update.

Former Indiana University president Adam Herbert, who approved the Sampson two years ago, commented on the Sampson fiasco, telling the Jacksonville Times-Union that he thought the coach’s previous NCAA violations were “an aberration.”

Ex-squeeze me? Baking powder? Surely there was more than that.

“We had every confidence that the letter and spirit of (Sampson's contract) would be met," Herbert told the paper. "We had to have a pretty high comfort level (to hire him)."

Ah. That clears it up. It was all about winning.

The school didn’t mind trying their luck because “When you're looking at someone who is one of the best coaches in America, who had 20-win seasons for a decade, this became a value hire for us. ... It was worth giving him a second chance.”

It’s crazy to think that Indiana was going for a value hire. Maybe the job isn’t the best in America, but it’s still Indiana. There wasn’t a coach out there who represented a value hire and had a clean background?

(One last thought on Sampson, for now. If you haven’t yet, click here to read John Gasaway’s post on Kelvin Sampson. He thinks Sampson, a coach who always had to hustle to beat out other schools for top-notch recruits, simply didn’t understand that – as the Hoosiers coach – he didn’t have to do that anymore. It’s an interesting thought: Don’t be arrogant about the NCAA rules but be arrogant about yourself.)

So enough about that. Let’s consider the Hoosiers, who have won three games in a ridiculous 10-day stretch. Two were impressive wins under Sampson (against MSU and Purdue), while the third was a putrid 85-82 victory against Big Ten bottom-dweller Northwestern.

Did the emotionally roller coaster of losing their coach have an effect on the game? Did the Hoosiers (23-4) seem a little unsteady under interim coach Dan Dakich? Probably both. But if nothing else, it’s shown them they should be able to handle the rigors of March.

“I think any adult knows that when you've been through a lot, you're able to handle more," Dakich told the Indy Star. "And these kids have been through a lot … These kids have shown that they can handle things. They've shown that they'll play hard, that they'll play tough, and that's what we expect here as we come down the stretch.”

However, if there’s a Big Ten team even more unsure of itself right now, it’s Tuesday’s opponent, Ohio State (17-10), which has lost four of its last six games. Thad Matta kept Jamar Butler out of the starting lineup in Sunday’s loss to Wisconsin because of a “personal matter” as OSU continues to play its way out of the Big Dance. Butler, one of the keys to last year’s title run, says no way, telling the Columbus Dispatch “I don’t think we’re falling apart, and me being a leader and a captain of this team, I’m not going to let it happen.”

The only coach who may be more nervous on Tuesday? Newly No. 1 Bruce Pearl. He knows Vandy will be gunning for his Vols (25-2).

“It's our toughest challenge; a tougher challenge than the Memphis game,” Pearl told the Knoxville News Sentinel. “What makes this the tougher challenge is there's a lot more at stake because we're playing for an SEC championship and we're doing so on less rest and less preparation.”

But the question is, can Vandy (23-4 and in the middle of its own dream season) really be a trap game for Tennessee when everyone in the country knows it’s a trap game?

Other notable Tuesday items:

UConn guard Jerome Dyson returns for the Huskies’ game against Rutgers tonight. Now that his nine-game suspension is over, it lets A.J. Price go back to being a pass-first point guard. That’s good for UConn’s offense, which now has two guys who can create their own shot in the clutch.
Ken Pomeroy writes that the NCAA seeding committee placing less importance on the RPI is a good thing for Davidson. I wonder if it a team like Wake Forest – with its RPI in the 60s, but .500 ACC record and a win against Duke – also is helped by something like this.
After all, it’s a little strange to the think that the Deacons (16-9, 6-6) may be the ACC’s third-best team. Or does that just mean the ACC is overrated? Or that if you’re not Duke or UNC, the best you hope for is ruining someone else’s NCAA Tournament?

As Sampson watch heats up, so do Hoosiers

Mike Miller — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 05:10:00 GMT

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.

Indiana weighs its options without Sampson

Mike Miller — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:38:00 GMT

If the speculation is correct, Kelvin Sampson can forget about taking D.J. White and Eric Gordon to the Final Four. He’ll be lucky if he gets to face in-state rival Purdue.

Indiana University has seven days to decide Sampson’s future. A three-person committee will weigh the NCAA allegations of five major violations, and then recommend to the University by Friday what action it should take. Then again, it may be sooner.

“I think the president is looking for a quick yet thoughtful resolution to the situation,” Larry MacIntyre, IU’s director of university communications, told the Indianapolis Star. "The process could take seven days or less. It just can’t take eight.”

The school had until May 8 to issue a written response to the NCAA allegations. Instead, they’re going to use three people to review the material and won’t interview anyone new. It’ll be led by athletic director Rick Greenspan, who hired Sampson.

In short, it’s all just to give the appearance that the school is giving Sampson due process. An appearance, mind you. Because it’s obvious officials have made up their mind – Sampson’s out.

After all, if it normally takes a school about 90 days to review an NCAA allegation, how is Indiana doing so in just 7 days? The decision’s likely been made already, and this is to save the University if Sampson decides to sue for breach of contract. Anything that violates Sampson’s deal could cost the school at least $2.5 million.

(This editorial from the Star endorses the school’s decision for “due process.” I wish Bob Kravitz could’ve been in the room when they discussed that one. He would either suspend Sampson or simply cut to the chase and fire him. Think that could’ve gotten heated?)

So what will Indiana do after Sampson?

First, a talented group of players must finish out the season. The Hoosiers are in the hunt for the Big Ten title, but without wins against Michigan State and Purdue, they’ll be hard pressed to claim the regular-season crown. Still, provided the school doesn’t impose a postseason ban – which isn’t on the radar – they’ll have a chance to prove themselves in March.

As for a new coach, Indiana doesn’t have many options right now. They’ll almost certainly turn to an interim coach for the rest of the season and have a full-blown search after the season. Big names will likely surface – Steve Alford, for starters – but the smart money would be on a younger coach without any ties to the Knight era so the school can have a clean break. Baylor’s Scott Drew (a Valpo grad), Wright State’s Brad Brownell or Southern Illinois’ Chris Lowery would be good places to start.

Why not just hire Bob Knight? Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News lists several reasons why that’d be a bad idea. Also, Knight may not even want the job.

One thing’s for sure: The next Indiana coach won’t bring any baggage with him.

What's everyone saying about Sampson?

Mike Miller — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:13:00 GMT

Indiana players may not say it, but it wasn’t surprising the Hoosiers lost to Wisconsin on Wednesday. Their coach provided a supreme off-court distraction.

Kelvin Sampson’s alleged lying to the NCAA was the talk of college hoops on Wednesday – and would’ve dominated the news if not for Roger Clemens’ trip to Capitol Hill. Instead, after a well-played game with its share of on-court drama, it figures that a banked three-pointer would win it for the Badgers. Such was the Hoosiers’ luck on Wednesday.

“Nothing outside of us hurt our team,” Hoosiers forward D.J. White said. “We were a family tonight. Tonight didn’t have anything to do with anything, we just didn’t win.”

So, instead of talking about how a 20-4 Indiana team can reach the Final Four, it all centered around Sampson.

I’ve already blogged that the school is unlikely to keep Sampson, even if the NCAA report isn’t true and he didn’t lie. Hard to retain a coach that does this to a school’s reputation.

Other Web thoughts?

There’s a wait-and-see attitude at IU right now. But I wonder how long that’ll last.

Bob Kravitz says Sampson should’ve resigned on Wednesday and says the school has to fire its coach.

Seth Davis maintains the coach deserves to have everything analyzed, but admits it doesn’t look good for Sampson.

Just more shame for the Hoosiers.

Indiana should suspend him for postseason play, says Mike DeCourcy.

Fire him and do it now, writes Gregg Doyel.

That last one seems to be where everything will be headed. I especially like this point: “You fire Sampson, or you alienate a sizable portion of your fan base. On some topics Indiana fans can be as irritating as any fan base in the country, but give them credit for this: They don't stomach a cheater.”

We’ll see how long Sampson can weather this storm.

Sampson's not long for Indiana

Mike Miller — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:11:00 GMT

Note: I changed the title of this post after a reader correction.

So this is how it goes.

First it was Kelvin Sampson’s 577 impermissible phone calls made between 2000 and 2004 while coaching at Oklahoma.

Then Sampson violated telephone recruiting restrictions – brought on by those 577 calls – when he and assistant Rob Senderoff made approximately 100 impermissible phone calls to recruits. The school’s initial response contended those were secondary violations.

Now, it’s come out that Sampson lied about the violations to Indiana and the NCAA. In an NCAA report, Sampson is accused of five major violations and failed “to deport himself ... with the generally recognized high standard of honesty.”

(Click here for a timeline of the allegations and here for a pdf of the NCAA’s report.)

In short, the NCAA isn’t happy with Sampson or the school.

Indiana has until May 8 to provide a written response to the report and will be required to appear on June 14 at a Division I infractions committee hearing.

To be fair, as this Indianapolis Star article points out, these are only allegations. The school will investigate and then decide what to do about their first-year coach. (Cast your vote here.)

A cynic would note that the No. 13 Hoosiers (20-3) are enjoying their best season in years and, with stars D.J. White and Eric Gordon, are primed for their first Final Four since 2002. So any action before the season ends is unlikely. (And, even if one wasn’t a cynic, the school has until May 8 to provide its response, which makes it unlikely anyway.)

Would a Final Four – or a national championship – keep Sampson in Bloomington despite major violations and being dishonest? According to his contract, the school can fire him for "just cause."

From the Indianapolis Star:

Among the definitions of "just cause" in Sampson's contract is "a significant, intentional, repetitive violation of any law, rule (or) regulation" of the NCAA.

Another definition is "Failure to maintain an environment in which the coaching staff complies with NCAA ... regulations."

The contract says IU is allowed to use its "sole judgment" to determine if Sampson's conduct "reflects adversely upon the university and its athletic program."

Dragging a school through this type of situation doesn't do much for its reputation, which makes me think Sampson keeping his job is doubtful.

The only thing that would let Sampson stay on is if the allegations aren’t true. And even that may not be enough if the school wants to start over with a coach who doesn't have this kind of baggage.

Taking a stance on Sampson

Mike Miller — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:13:00 GMT

One of the best features of this new blog format is the comments that can be posted with each article. Now, until hoops season begins (less than three weeks!), I don't expect the comments to pour in. It's hard to get too riled up over something until the games begin. Otherwise, that's what message boards are for.

But this was message waiting to be approved. And it's impossible to ignore.

"Maybe I missed it, but how do you not write about Kelvin Sampson. A second set of violations in 17 months all while getting a pay increase to go from Oklahoma to Indiana. He was making 1 million] at OK and now is making 1.1. Not to mention he blamed everything on poor cell phone reception at his house. This guy should be exposed." -- Ben, Indianapolis.

What Ben's referring to is this story about the Indiana men's basketball coach. Considering the amount of media attention given to the news about Sampson's improper phone calls to recruits, Ben's got a point. (Especially since Sampson would just like the whole thing to go away, and said, or didn't, say as much on Thursday.)

Sampson's punishment for violating NCAA imposed sanctions on phone calls -- related to when he made 577 impermissible calls in a four-year period while coaching Oklahoma -- was the loss of a $500,000 raise and Indiana losing one scholarship for next season. But the calls for his job started Monday with Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz, who said the school shouldn't cut the coach any slack because this wasn't the first time Sampson broke these rules.

A slight majority of Star readers backed Kravitz's column. Seems they too don't want a coach who can't follow the rules. Others said it wasn't a big deal, though it should be pointed out Indiana fans were/are fiercely loyal to Bob Knight because of his success. Sampson, who led the Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament in his first season and landed one of the country's top recruits for this year, seems to be building the same kind of support, though some scoff at breaking a "phone" rule.

The Indiana Daily Student had a similar story, quoting some students who said Sampson deserved another chance and others who said the school could do better.

(Of course, fan opinion could swing heavily against Sampson if the NCAA decides to add further punishment.)

Now, is it just another case of letting someone off the hook because they win? If Sampson wins, will he keep his job? Some think that's a no-brainer. Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun says he can't defend what Sampson did, but thinks firing is excessive. What we know for sure is that even before the season starts, Indiana is saddled with baggage it doesn't want when it could have its best season since reaching the Final Four in 2002.

Should Sampson be fired? It goes back to Kravitz's point -- how can you employ a coach who broke the same rule he broke before? What's to stop him from breaking it again and thus reflecting poorly on your school, again? If you're Indiana, it's the Knight syndrome all over again, where you keep giving out slaps on the wrist and lose a little bit of your self-respect.

But if the school thinks Sampson's explanation that he unknowingly broke the rule is genuine, then keep him. Just don't expect any sympathy from the NCAA or the fans if he does it again.