By Bill Tosheff
ProBasketballNews.com
Being a Hoosier all my life, I just had to throw in my two cents about the present Indiana University basketball situation ... and it's brutal.
In business there's term called "Due Diligence." Who checked on Kelvin Sampson's creditability after the Oklahoma ouster? Evidentially nobody. Sampson lied from the get-go. The talk among former IU players was filled with suspicion. Who let this guy in?
Then the word came out about freshman Eric Gordon, who was to enroll at Illinois but ended up at IU, and is scorching the nets.
Here's the real deal which I will take from the 14 pages of information sent to Indiana University by the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, in Infractions Report No.250, sent to the President
of Indiana.
First, all deals with the NCAA Bylaws 2.8.1,2.8.3
and 19.01.4, and NCAA Infractions Report No. 250.
Mind boggling? You bet. Here's the drill:
"It is alleged that from March 29, 2006, through
July 31, 2007, Indiana University, Bloomington
(Indiana), and members of the men's basketball
staff failed to comply with the penalties assessed
by the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions
in the Infractions Report No. 250 when Kelvin
Sampson, head men's basketball coach;
Jeff Meyer, assistant men's basketball coach;
and Robert Senderoff, then men's assistant
basketball coach, placed or participated in
telephone calls that violated recruiting restrictions
imposed on the institution Sampson's PRIOR involvement in violations of NCAA legislation ..."
Then it goes on for 14 pages of facts and figures, telling of calls to prospective players, parents of players, guardians of players, etc., selling the Indiana University basketball program ... all Illegal.
Here are some of the prospective solicited player names: Yancey Gates, Evan Turner, Demetri McCamey, Markieff Morris, DeJuan Blair, Jonathan "Bud" Mackey, Philip Jurick, Scott Martin, Robbie Hummel, Devin Ebanks, Kenny Frease, Marcus Morris, Ayodele Coker, Derek Elston. This wholesale illegal future student/player contacts by persons (basketball coach and assistant coaches) and more specifically making "hot" telephone calls for recruiting purposes with more than 100 calls made when NCAA rules dictate only one or two per month is allowed.
Did these three think they would get away with the scam?
Now onto Sampson, specifically by the facts.
Sampson repeatedly provided the institution and the enforcement staff false information regarding his involvement in violations of the Committee on Infractions' recruiting restrictions.(NCAA Bylaw 10.1-(d)). As a result of all of the above, the NCAA asked that Indiana University, Sampson, Senderoff and Meyer respond to all charges of illegal contact recruitment.
Result? GUILTY.
Sampson voluntarily quit after the university paid a $750,000 severance. I wonder if he gave any of the payoff to his two assistants.
If Sampson were to fight the deal offered, do you think the Reverend Jesse Jackson and the Reverend Al Sharpton would fly to Bloomington in his defense? What a platform that would yield. It cost $750,000 to get rid of a liar and cheater. Is this why we alums pay for support of the university's athletic programs?
So what about athletic director Rick Greenspan? What's the deal with the watch-dog of IU's athletics -- and for that matter the faculty representing the Big Ten and NCAA? Were they all asleep with IU wins on court?
The reoccurring scenario of Sampson's tenure at Oklahoma (1987-97), the ousting of General Robert Knight thereafter at IU, and now the infamous Knight's ghost return to coach the Hoosiers, the Big Red Hoosiers (who I really want to be called the legendary "Indiana University Hurrin' Hoosiers"), Dan Dakich, who played at IU for Knight from 1981-85, then assisted Knight.
From 1997-2007, Dakich coached Bowling Green. He is from Merrillville, Ind., a true Hoosier. My take is Dakich will be retained as the head coach and have a great influence on IU's future basketball program.
You see, I'm from "Da Region," Gary, Ind. I captained the 1951 Hurrin' Hoosiers to a 19-3 record, and was the first co-Rookie of the Year in the NBA, with the Indianapolis Olympians, in 1952. Maybe I do know a little bit about basketball.
In closing, there were 14 pages to the report by the NCAA -- and will somebody tell me how a great institution of learning was duped by such a infamous character of Sampson.
A word to the players of the IU team: Quit moaning and groaning, get back to playing winning basketball, show loyalty to Dakich and the institution that took you all in. You've got a good group that can play. Show it. People are watching how you players can evolve. After all, they pay to see you play.
Fourteen pages can be provided if you e-mail me and contribute to the
Pre-1965 NBA Players Association, a 501(C)3, non-profit California Corporation. Hey, business is business.
Bill Tosheff was the NBA's first co-rookie of the year in 1951-52 and is a regular contributor to ProBasketballNews.com. Check out his blog at xnba.org or contact him at tosheff@yahoo.com.
