Hey folks,
Hate to rain on any parades you might be holding to celebrate the coming eve of Hoosier Hysteria, but I was just reminded of this and it gave me pause: It's been one year to the day that we at the IDS received a news release entitled "IU discloses new sanctions on men\0xB9s basketball staff."
What followed clearly doesn't need to be rehashed, since we in the media have pretty much beaten that drum to death. Nor will I bore you by going through all the differences between last year and this one (if there are that many) that don't involve overhaul on the Hoosiers' roster, in their coaching staff, within the compliance department or the Athletics Department in general.
I'll post the entire release at the bottom of this post for you to read back on and recollect a time before this all seemed quite so serious, before everyone knew how it had to end, before it became a torturous, months-long process that left the basketball program where it is today -- burned down and reborn like a phoenix from its own ashes.
In the meantime, I pose this question to you: If you could have asked one question (please keep this PG, and "why?" doesn't count) of Sampson, Greenspan or any of his assistants at that time, what would it have been? Was it answered down the long road that finally saw its conclusion last February? Do you ever expect it to be answered?
Oct. 14, 2007 release
The Indiana University Department of Athletics today announced that a series of recruiting sanctions and corrective actions are being imposed on men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff.
The new limitations on recruiting efforts, which include loss of a scholarship next year, were imposed by Athletics Director Rick Greenspan after he determined that Sampson and his staff last season had exceeded certain NCAA limitations on telephone calls to prospective student-athletes or their representatives.
"We determined that the impermissible calls occurred because some staff members did not fully comply with the sanctions they were operating under," Greenspan said. "We are addressing that problem, and we are voluntarily extending these limitations on recruiting for another season to ensure that the full effect of NCAA restrictions on recruiting is realized."
Greenspan also announced that Sampson has voluntarily agreed to forego a scheduled $500,000 raise during the 2007-08 season, and that assistant coach Rob Senderoff will be prohibited for a year from making recruiting phone calls and from recruiting off campus. In addition, Senderoff will receive no bonus this season or salary increase next year.
This summer, the Athletic Department's routine review of telephone records compiled by assistant coaches turned up evidence suggesting that some calls contrary to the sanctions may have been made.
Greenspan then commissioned the Collegiate Sports Practice of the Indianapolis law firm of Ice Miller to conduct a full and independent investigation.
The review, which took more than two months, determined that on about 10 occasions, an assistant coach initiated three-way calls that connected Sampson into an on-going recruiting conversation with prospective student-athletes, their parents or coaches.
In addition, the review indicated that of all recruiting calls made during the year, the majority of those that were found to be contrary to the sanctions were made by Senderoff. Only two calls were attributed to Sampson.
"Those were just a small fraction of the thousands of allowable phone calls that were made and received during this time," Greenspan said. "However, Indiana University expects full and complete compliance with all NCAA rules and sanctions. That is why I am imposing a new round of recruiting restrictions and sanctions on Coach Sampson and his staff. I want to send a strong message that nothing less than complete compliance with the NCAA is the standard by which we operate."
The full Ice Miller investigation report has been provided to the NCAA's Committee on Infractions for review. Because 35 of the calls by assistant coaches were also determined to be in violation of NCAA limits on the number of times an athlete may be called, a separate report detailing these instances is being prepared for the NCAA's enforcement staff.
"Based on all of the evidence gathered in our investigation, we have taken the action that we deemed as appropriate and have reported that to the NCAA," Greenspan said.
