It’s beginning to look like Kelvin Sampson’s days are numbered as the basketball coach at Indiana. (I’m having trouble with links right now, but I hope to update this with all the juicy tidbits for you soon.) With OSU in need of a big time coach and Sampson in need of a job, this should at least tingle the imagination of a few beaver fans.
And it’s not completely unwarranted.
OSU has a (dare I say successful?) history with controversial hires. Hello Dennis Erickson? His recruiting violations at Miami were much worse than those allegedly committed by Sampson’s staff. Sheesh. . . it’s only a few inappropriate phone calls, right?
The athletic department would also be able to get Sampson on the cheap, while bringing a proven winner into a struggling program. Honestly, he’s probably the most qualified coach within dreaming distance.
The problem is that he’s also a cheater.
After making 577 inappropriate calls while at Oklahoma between 2000 and 2004, an investigation by the University of Indiana revealed over 100 more phone call violations by Sampson’s staff last year. I wouldn’t be surprised if AD Rick Greenspan loses his job over this as well. He was the one who made the risky hire in the first place.
Anyone who has paid attention to the character issues on the men’s basketball team knows that bringing in a coach with a seedy reputation is not going to rectify the situation. Sure people get second chances, but for Sampson that was Indiana. Sampson’s hire would be torn apart by local media, and it would bring an unflattering national spotlight to the OSU program (although I admit it couldn’t get much worse).
However, the main issue might be with the NCAA.
After two consecutive recruiting scandals for Sampson, it is likely that a “show-cause” order will be mandated for any future employer. You might be asking what that is. From the NCAA:
“A show-cause penalty requires any NCAA institution that employs or seeks to employ the involved individual to demonstrate to the Committee on Infractions why a penalty should not be imposed upon the institution if it does not limit the individual’s athletically related duties for a specified time.”
Basically, it would require OSU to petition the NCAA to allow Sampson to coach here in the first place. I don’t really see AD Bob DeCarolis getting excited about such a prospect, or the NCAA readily allowing a blatant rule-breaker to coach and recruit in the Pac 10 for that matter.
It all equates to a Kelvin Sampson-OSU pipe dream for anyone foolish enough to envision such a scenario. Like a match made in hell.
A last thought:
Winning at all costs can cost you. Don’t be surprised if Indiana faces repercussions from this for years to come.
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