Former Hoosiers support IU's Sampson decision

Integrity. \nIt’s a word former IU star Kent Benson used to describe the men’s basketball program he knew, and it’s something he said has been lacking within the program for some time now. Benson was talking about the latest set of NCAA allegations leveled against former IU coach Kelvin Sampson, allegations that cost Sampson his job.\nNow, with Sampson out, former IU players have begun voicing their opinions on those allegations and the fallout, as well as their support for interim coach Dan Dakich.\nBenson, one of the leaders of the 1976 undefeated National Championship team, called Sampson’s actions “a total disgrace” but added he was proud of the way the University handled the situation. He said Sampson “never should have been hired in the first place.”\nBenson said the decision to move forward without Sampson was crucial for the future of IU basketball. He said he wasn’t sure if the program would ever be fully clean of Sampson’s indiscretions, but he has faith that IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan would never again let the basketball program be dragged through the mud. \n“I believe with the integrity of what we now have in an athletic director, that (Greenspan) is not going to let this happen again,” Benson said by phone Sunday night.\nFormer IU guard and captain Todd Meier said Wednesday that he questioned Sampson’s hiring from the beginning because of the baggage the former coach brought with him from Oklahoma. Meier described himself as “neutral at best” when the hire was made.\n“Hiring someone who had allegations to bring with him didn’t sit well with me,” Meier said from his office in Wisconsin. “Why take a chance on someone whose carrying some allegations?”\nMeier admitted that he believes Sampson did a good job coaching the team, but that success did not outweigh his continuous indiscretions. He described his reaction as “mixed” when everything fell out Friday, when Sampson resigned and IU named Dakich as interim head coach. \n“I was glad they came to a decision and moved on it,” he said.\nDakich said after Tuesday’s win against Ohio State that several former players have contacted him to offer support.\n“I have heard from ... well, name a former player and I have basically heard from them,” Dakich said. \nMeier, who was a co-captain of the 1987 National Championship team, praised Greenspan’s decision to appoint Dakich, Meier’s former teammate, as interim head coach. \n“I think he’ll bring some unity to the community of basketball,” Meier said. “As a former player there, I was glad to see a former player there.”\nBenson adamantly supported Dakich as the right choice for the interim position and said it is time for the team to move on with its season. \n“It’s Dan Dakich’s team now,” he said. “It’s Dakich’s and Ray McCallum’s team. (Sampson’s) name doesn’t need to be brought up anymore.”\nMeier endorsed Dakich as a “very viable candidate” for the full-time position, despite Greenspan’s statement at last Friday’s press conference that Dakich wasn’t “auditioning” for the job. He said whoever holds the position should emphasize doing things the right way, which he said is consistent with IU as a whole. \n“I hope Dan would be a candidate,” Meier said. “I think they definitely need somebody in there that’s going to have that type of character.”\nBenson said he believes the Hoosiers are more than capable of winning the Big Ten and finding success in the NCAA Tournament. \n“Those things are all at their fingertips; it’s a matter of their attitude,” Benson said. \nMeier agreed that IU can still put together a deep run in the NCAA Tournament if the team stays focused on the season. \nWhen asked what he would say to this year’s crop of Hoosiers, Meier replied, “All the old cliche stuff.” Then he added, “Most importantly, continue to play hard and with passion.”\nBenson hammered on the word “integrity,” saying the University needs to get more of it back into the men’s basketball program. He commended IU for its actions so far but said it is now time to move on. \n“I am excited about Indiana basketball now and the direction that it’s headed,” Benson said. “We’ve done a complete about-face.”\nMen’s basketball reporter Michael Sanserino contributed to this report.