Friday, February 22, 2008

Sampson's Done at IU

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10661089

Probably the best thing that Indiana could do... suspend him for the remainder of the year and look for a way to fire him without drawing a Jim O'Brien-esque lawsuit.

EDIT: Wrong about that one. Try this: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3258506.

Next time you leave your well-paying job for a more presitious position, follow the Sampson method. Leave the old company in trouble with the law and promise to be a good citizen. Then, revert to your old bad habits and try your best to embarrass your employer. They'll pay $750,000 for you to leave.

That's an awful lot of money to get as a reward for breaking the rules.

No matter what happens to the university in June (as long as AD Rick Greenspan gets the ax, I hope there are no further penalties for the program), Indiana basketball will be in shambles.
Signs of a coaching switch were evident at the team's practice Friday
afternoon. Assistant coach Dan Dakich, who will be named interim coach,
directed the workout but was short-handed. Senior captain D.J. White, Armon Bassett, Jordan Crawford, Jamarcus Ellis, DeAndre Thomas and Brandon
McGee
were not on the court.
Real classy, fellas. When your coach shows no respect for authority, there's no reason to stand by him. Don't give up a great season in a misguided attempt at loyalty.

So who's to blame here? Obviously Sampson and former assistant Rob Senderoff for the extra calls. Of course Greenspan also must take the heat. He hired a cheater, kept the cheater after initial allegations, and cost the program $750,000 when the obvious decision to fire the cheater was finally made. Plenty of people have called for Kevin White's head in the past, but we have never had to deal with anything like this (obviously the George O'Leary scandal, but nothing involving sanctions).

Best of luck to the Hoosiers as they try to make the best of an awful situation.

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