Unplug coach Sampson’s phone line

When IU hired Kelvin Sampson in March 2006, it hired a man who brought some baggage to Assembly Hall. Most everyone knows about his teams’ poor graduation rates, as well as the sanctions the NCAA placed on him for impermissible phone calls while at Oklahoma. \nAt first, it was sort of a big deal. Then Sampson pulled the coup of the century by luring Eric Gordon away from Illinois and then followed that up by leading the team into the second round of the tournament. Going into Hoosier Hysteria, asking anyone about the infractions would’ve warranted a response like, “Huh? Eric Gordon? What?”\nNow, after the news that the University has found new evidence that Sampson and his staff have committed telephone blunders yet again, this time while serving his previous punishment, both our coach and our school are in the hot seat. \nOf course the University made the right decision by removing a scholarship from next year’s squad and not giving Sampson his raise. It’s arguable that other schools in similar positions would’ve attempted to brush the infractions under the rug. \nBut it’s not going to end there. The NCAA will likely come down even harder on Sampson, possibly crippling the program for many years to come. It definitely doesn’t help that he is a repeat offender. Even if the NCAA hands down the same restrictions, we’re down two scholarships for next year. \nSampson’s claims that he and his staff have “no intent to think we are above law” and that it’s just another “mistake” are falling on many more deaf ears this time around. In a cynical view, it seems the coach was using his assistants to call recruits and then patch him through just to slip past the rules. Even if Sampson’s statements are true and he intended not to cheat, his past is going to convict him in the courtroom of public opinion.\nSampson has done good things for the basketball program since he’s been here, but these mistakes border on unforgivable. Everyone here has been willing to give him a reprieve for his past indiscretions, but he is throwing away the good will he’s built up by disrespecting everyone who vouched for him. A potentially great season now has to start with a dark cloud hanging over it.\nWe can’t tolerate such behavior, especially when it’s harming our reputation in the process. When people think IU, they think IU basketball, but Sampson’s actions have them thinking IU basketball cheaters. The number of star recruits or Big Ten titles no longer matters. Instead, President Michael McRobbie and the trustees should give him a call and let him know we want to win, but not the wrong way. And if Sampson doesn’t answer, McRobbie can always call his assistants who can set up a three-way call.