February 21, 2008

Sampson Reportedly Out at Indiana : An official announcement is expected from the school tomorrow. Fox Sports is calling it a firing, while WTHR-TV in Indianapolis says it could be a buyout. Assistant Coach Dan Dakich, who started the season in an administrative position, but was pressed into service following the resignation of former Assistant Coach Rob Senderoff after allegations of improper phone calls to recruits, is likely to finish the season as Head Coach.

read story | posted by The_Black_Hand to Basketball at 3:22 PM CDT (13 comments total)

Dan's the Man...for now and if they are smart, for a long time to come

Comment icon posted by shudacudawuda at 8:13 PM CDT on February 21

I hope so. I might start watching IU again.

Comment icon posted by elijahin24 at 11:37 PM CDT on February 21

I never liked Sampson in the first place. He lacks the class and poise that a modern day Division I coach absolutely must have.

Beyond that, considering that his own son wouldn't follow him to IU, it beckons the question if he already knew something wasn't kosher.

Looking to IU, you have to ask yourself if Greenspan doesn't share in the blame. In the post Bobby Knight era, you have to know that you're under the microscope. Whether it be the NCAA or the university looking over your shoulder, you have to be beyond reproach.

Comment icon posted by Tinman at 12:19 AM CDT on February 22

I dont think this had anything to do with Bobby. I think sampson had the NCAA looking over his shoulder already. OU or IU if you are known to have broken rules, they NCAA never forgets.

Comment icon posted by elijahin24 at 6:05 AM CDT on February 22

In regard to watching IU again,I never stopped. I didn't stop because I was following the players that played there not KS. I never agreed with hiring a coach with negitive bagage.
However being a life long IU fan, being a season ticket holder in the Ray Tolbert era I wonder what the priorities of the university are in the last 4 or 5 years.
I was listening Mike & Mike this morning and they had a great observation. First Indiana replaces BK who was honest and a winner, but had BIG personality problems with a very honest person / coach and great recruiter BUT does not win games.
They replace the second coach after BK with a coach that has an NCAA brand on his back, but is proven to be a good coach and in my opinion a pretty good guy. I'm not saying he should not pay for his down falls, but from what I see of him on the tube he seems to be a nice guy.
I think the blame should fall directly Greenspan. It appears to me that the basketball program has been in complete disorder since he took over, and he should be gone as quick as KS>
I think the list of potential coaches that would like to coach at IU must be endless. Dan D. is a great guy but he was not a smashing success at Bowling Green. I would like to know how many Indiana high school players are going to stay in the state and go to Indiana to play ball. I personally think this is a major reflection on the program at IU.
Indiana has more teams in the top 25 college rankings than any state in the country(4) and most of the top highschool players are leaving the state. Butler recruits many players from in state, and so does Purdue, maybe I'm wrong but why doesn't Indiana. Case in point their current super star committed to Illinois before IU. Why didn't IU reel him in before he graduated from North Central.
But high school powerhouses like Lawerence North Have 2 maybe 3 players going out of state. Is this a reflection on the current problems at IU? IU needs to look past their feet and understand the future troubles they are brewing with an extreme lack of consistancy in the program, and make a responsible well thought out decision on who will be their next coach and the direction to take the program.

Comment icon posted by sportnut at 8:38 AM CDT on February 22

I am a long time IU fan, and I hope that they do NOT fire Sampson. He is personable enough that even I have had the opportunity to talk to him. I think he is caught in an NCAA attempt to redefine what "contact" means. AND I don't think DD has the skills to coach a team the caliber of IU. He seems nice enough, but he never seems too exciting. Go Hoosiers!

Comment icon posted by twoman at 9:18 AM CDT on February 22

Dakich is not the answer past this year. If he couldn't make anything happen in ten years at Bowling Green he probably isn't going to be a good fit.

Elijah is right, this has nothing to do with Knight. Sampson came aboard already on probation and proceeded to make calls he was prohibited from making. Its a shame because he is a good coach and could have had a nice run at Indiana.

Comment icon posted by curlyelk at 9:29 AM CDT on February 22

Sampson and IU agreed to a buyout. There is a nasty little rumor going around that some of the players are going to sit out today's game vs Northwestern.

Comment icon posted by curlyelk at 7:44 AM CDT on February 23

Its a shame because he is a good coach and could have had a nice run at Indiana.


He's a tallented coach curly, i dont know that that makes him a "good" coach. Hitler was a tallented leader, but i wouldn't say he was "good". That isn't to say Sampson is anywhere near hitler, im just using the example of tallent without good. Dont everyone blow this out of proportion.

Comment icon posted by elijahin24 at 8:40 AM CDT on February 23

curlyelk - Hoosiers are too cool to do such a thing. These guys (especially DJ White) have been through lots of changes and lots of difficult situations. They do what they have to do, and they did it to Northwestern as well. (If I am correct they now share the Big Ten Conference lead - not bad for kids so beleagurered.

The word I keep hearing: "buyout" bothers me. Sampson RESIGNED. Yes, he did so under tremendous pressure. He did so as he said for the benefit of the program. I believe that because now they can move ahead without this hanging over their heads as well as hanging over Sampson's. Now the accusations hand over him ALONE. Remember, they are simply accusations. The man has been vilified way too much over some extra phone calls that MIGHT have been made. There are 100 other college coaches that say they have done the same as Sampson. Hmmm. Might there be a scapegoat here?

Go Hoosiers!

Comment icon posted by twoman at 1:16 PM CDT on February 24

Buyout. Settlement. Whatever you want to call it, its probably for the best so that everyone can move on. I'm a Hoosier fan too, but Sampson isn't scapegoat. Senderoff...now there is a scapegoat.

100 other college coaches that say they have done the same as Sampson

Every coach not on probation has done the same as Sampson. One of the conditions of his probation, however, was that he could not make those calls. He shouldn't have been hired in the first place.

Comment icon posted by curlyelk at 4:40 PM CDT on February 24

Greenspan is as responsible as KS and should be going as well. I don't think everybody else doing it is a valid excuse, even if that is the case. The guy did it more than once. And I agree he should have never been hired.
IU better focus their program on steady honest growth, with a coach with zero bagage, and some creditablity or they will be burnt again.
I think all the above starts with the AD.

Comment icon posted by sportnut at 5:41 PM CDT on February 24

Sampson will receive $750,000 to leave and not sue for wrongful termination.
That is a buyout.

Comment icon posted by Newbie Walker at 2:41 PM CDT on February 25

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