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(11/14/07 11:47pm)
No matter how far the IU men’s basketball team travels in the NCAA Tournament this year, many Hoosier fans still will not be happy with the program come April. \nAnd it’s not because Bob Knight is no longer coach. \nJust two days after Hoosier Hysteria officially kicked off the 2007-08 basketball season, coach Kelvin Sampson and IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan announced on Oct. 14 that Sampson and his staff had participated in impermissible phone calls – the same infraction Sampson and his staff committed when he coached at Oklahoma. \nThe University assessed sanctions against the men’s basketball staff for the infractions.\nAccording to a report detailing the infractions, Sampson participated in at least 10 and as many as 18 three-way recruiting phone calls. Three-way phone calls are allowable under NCAA bylaws, but were banned by the sanctions imposed on Sampson for his role in Oklahoma’s phone call infractions. \n“There certainly is no intent to think we are above the law,” Sampson said during a teleconference with reporters on Oct. 14. “The rules that we broke were mistakes – not mistakes we’re hitting our chest thinking we don’t have to worry about this. It was a mistake. We take full responsibility for \nwhat happened.”\nSampson said that before the investigation, he believed he and his staff “followed all the rules” set by the NCAA sanctions.\nAlthough Sampson and assistant coach Rob Senderoff both claim that only one coach talked with a prospective student athlete during the three-way calls –\nSampson claims that only once he even knew he was on a three-way call – one recruit and the mother of a different recruit claim they heard both coaches talk at the same time. \n“Two of the three individuals that Indiana University successfully contacted from the list of known phone numbers used in three-way recruiting calls, reported that Senderoff was involved in the respective conversations, as well as Sampson,” according to the report. “The University was careful to clarify with both individuals ... that both coaches participated in the conversation at the same time, as opposed to Senderoff speaking only during the first portion of the call and then remaining silent when Sampson was on the phone. The two individuals were specific in their recollections that Senderoff was involved during the whole call, and it should be noted that these calls were relatively recent.”\nSampson reiterated his story during a press conference with reporters on Nov. 1.\n“I know what I know, and that’s all I need to say on that,” Sampson said. “What I said ... was the right answer.”\nDespite Sampson’s claims of good intentions, many IU fans and some former players have been critical of the coach. One former player, All-American Kent Benson, has called for the coach’s firing.\nSampson said he is confident the team can move past the violations.\n“We think this is something we can be 100 percent – not 99 percent or 99.5 – but we can be 100 percent compliant with this as we move forward,” he said on Oct. 14.\nIn addition to the three-way phone calls, Sampson’s staff placed as many as 111 excessive phone calls, some of which were in violation of the NCAA sanctions, some in violation in violation of NCAA Bylaws and some both. \nMany of the impermissible calls resulted from assistant coaches’ inability to correctly document recruiting phone calls. Though each assistant coach had signed monthly documents saying they made no recruiting phone calls from home, each did. The lack of record keeping has been characterized by the University as “sloppy.”\nAccording to the report, conducted by Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller, the University’s legal counsel on the matter, Senderoff was responsible for 101 of the 111 calls in question. \nSenderoff resigned from the team on Oct. 29, the day before the Ice Miller report was released to the media. Although the University and Senderoff’s severance agreement maintain the resignation was voluntary, multiple media reports claim Senderoff was forced out. \nNeither Senderoff nor any University representative is allowed to talk in detail about the terms of the resignation, per terms of the severance agreement. \nSenderoff received nearly $66,000 in severance pay. \nUnder IU’s self-assessed sanctions, the men’s basketball team will lose one scholarship for the 2008-09 year and Sampson will not receive a scheduled $500,000 raise this year.\nAssistant coach Jeff Meyer will not receive bonuses this year or next, and Senderoff wouldn’t have either if he’d stayed. \nSenderoff was banned from recruiting off campus or placing recruiting calls for one year from the date of the submission of the report, and those sanctions will carry over to Dan Dakich, who replaced him. \nThe NCAA Committee on Infractions received the report and is reviewing its contents. The infractions committee could impose harsher penalties if it deems necessary. After Oklahoma assessed penalties on Sampson for impermissible phone calls, the infractions committee assessed stricter sanctions. The Big Ten also has the authority to impose stricter sanctions. \nThere is no time frame for a ruling from the NCAA, and the Big Ten will review the NCAA’s actions before it makes its ruling.
(11/14/07 7:02pm)
For the second time in two weeks, one of the nation's top recruits has spurned IU for another school. Forward Kevin Jones will attend West Virginia next year according to Adam Zagoria of the Herald News in New Jersey. Jones was also considering Pittsburgh and IU.
(11/13/07 5:14am)
Who knew Assembly Hall could get so loud in early November?\nWith the IU men’s basketball team trailing Tennessee-Chattanooga by two points early in the second half, freshman guard Eric Gordon took a pass from sophomore guard Armon Bassett and emphatically dunked the ball with his right hand. \nWith the score tied, a previously lethargic and woeful crowd erupted as if the name across the dark jerseys read “Purdue” and not “Chattanooga.” \n“We saw a pretty good player out there,” Chattanooga coach John Shulman said after the game. “Gracious day.”\nThe Eric Gordon era has arrived. \nWhenever the Hoosiers needed a big play, Gordon was there, draining a 3-pointer, drawing a foul or kicking the ball out for an assist. \n“He’s a monster,” said coach Kelvin Sampson.\nAnd after Gordon’s dunk tied the score, the Hoosiers never trailed again.\n“He picked us up when we gave that lead up, and he put us on his back,” Bassett said.\nGordon finished the night with 33 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field and 7-of-11 from behind the arc. Gordon’s 33 points eclipses a 26-point mark set by George McGinnis for most points by an IU player in his debut.\n“I was feeling it early, but that’s what I expect to do,” Gordon said. “I expect to score points.” \nGordon was one of five Hoosiers to post double figures during the game, but he was the only one to score more than 20. Or 30. \nBut the difference in the game, according to Shulman, was Gordon’s defense. \nAfter Chattanooga guard Kevin Bridgewaters dropped 14 points in the first half, Sampson assigned Gordon to guard him in the second half. Bridgewater went scoreless in with Gordon manning him up, taking just one shot in the half.\n“He manhandled our point guards in the second half,” Shulman said. “We couldn’t get off the ball screens. We couldn’t get off the plays. He was very physical. He’s got great size, he’s got great feet. He was dominating defensively, which disrupted everything that we wanted offensively. \nThat young man right there changed the complexion of the game on both ends.”\nGordon stole the ball three times and blocked one 3-point attempt in 35 minutes of action.\nSampson has said all season long that Gordon is one of the best on-ball defenders on the team.\n“Watching him every day in practice, that’s where he’s made his biggest strides, defensively,” Sampson said.\nAnd the thing Sampson likes most about Gordon is how hard he works. He remembered how early Gordon came in for shootaround for the team’s second exhibition game – a full two hours before the rest of the team was supposed to arrive. Sampson said while he was a graduate assistant at Michigan State, there was one player who had a similar work ethic – NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. \n“There’s a reason why they’re good,” Sampson said.\nShulman said he hopes to never again coach against Gordon, though he wouldn’t mind looking on as a fan. \n“This is not a very easy atmosphere for anybody to come in, especially on Eric Gordon freshman night,” Shulman said. “They should have given out posters – I’d get mine autographed.”
(11/12/07 4:51am)
In its final preseason tune-up, the IU men’s basketball team relied on strong 3-point shooting and a stellar first-half performance from star freshman Eric Gordon to knock off UNC-Pembroke 111-62.\nBut the win didn’t come without a scare. \nStarting sophomore point guard Armon Bassett left the game late in the first half with an injury to his left ankle. After the game, coach Kelvin Sampson said he was unsure of Bassett’s status.\n“I think he’ll be OK, but I’m not sure,” Sampson said.\nAfter assisting a Gordon 3-pointer, Bassett stayed on the ground, grimacing in pain as he clutched his ankle. He left the game with about one minute remaining in the first half and walked straight into the locker room.\nBassett rejoined the team on the bench in the second half, but did not play, with his ankle wrapped in ice. Sampson said he is unsure of Bassett’s status for Monday’s season opener against Tennessee-Chattanooga. \n“He probably could have played in the second half ... but I didn’t want to risk playing him anymore,” Sampson said.\nAfter the game, Sampson stressed the two things he’d like most to see from his team during games and at practice – toughness and intensity. He even benched freshman forward Brandon McGee for the entire first half for his lack of intensity during practice. \n“I don’t want us to win because we’re a better team,” Sampson said. “I want us to win because we’re tougher.”\nMcGee scored 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and was 4-for-6 from behind the arc.\nThe Hoosiers had some difficulty picking through Pembroke’s zone defense. IU relied on strong 3-point shooting – a trademark of last year’s team – to knock off the Braves. Sampson had said in the past that this year’s IU team was more apt at penetrating through defenses and creating offense.\n“I don’t mind threes as long as they go in,” Sampson said. “If you shoot 30 threes and are not making them, then it’s probably not a good idea. If you shoot 30 and make 18, they are probably pretty good shots.”\nThe Hoosiers finished 18-of-30 from 3-point range. \nGordon led all scorers with 24 points – all in the first half – and left the crowd chanting his name before halftime. \n“He came out ready to play,” Sampson said, adding that Gordon was practicing at 12:30 p.m., at least two hours before the team arrived for the pregame shoot around. “It’s nice to see the kids who work the hardest get rewarded the most.”\nAlthough he put up solid numbers, Gordon’s biggest contribution might have been a mental one. \nWith only a seven-point lead late in the first half, Gordon re-entered the game after a short break and ignited the IU offense. Before a second could tick off the clock, Gordon forced a Braves turnover on an in bounds pass. On the ensuing possession, the Indianapolis native drained a 3-pointer to give the Hoosiers a 10-point lead. \nThe score never got closer.\nIU finished the first half with a 52-35 lead. \nLed by McGee’s offensive output and a slew of blocked shots by senior forward D.J. White and junior guard Jamarcus Ellis, the Hoosiers extended their lead to almost 40 by the 10-minute mark of the second half. \nDespite a distinct height advantage – IU boasts six players as tall or taller than Pembroke’s tallest player, 6-foot-7 Matthew Helmick – the Hoosiers owned a slim nine-rebound advantage in the game.
(11/11/07 6:27pm)
A lot has changed at IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson’s collegiate alma mater since his 1978 graduation.\nThe school has switched names – from Pembroke State University to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The enrollment has more than doubled, from about 2,000 to 5,632 this year. Instead of playing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Braves now play in NCAA Division II.\nOh, and this year, they got a football team.\nThe way Sampson rattled off facts about the small, historically American Indian university during his weekly press conference, it might have been difficult to determine which school he was coaching for had his Indiana Basketball shirt not given away the answer.\nThe Hoosiers play the Braves at 8 p.m. Saturday in Assembly Hall, and UNC-Pembroke might be one of Sampson’s favorite enemies.\n“I have a lot of fond memories of that university,” said Sampson, a Lumbee Indian. “My wife and I both graduated from there, my mother and father graduated from there. … That university is an anchor in our community.”\nSampson played basketball and baseball for the Braves. His freshman year he was coached by Pembroke State assistant and current Indiana Pacers coach Jim O’Brien. Sampson admitted he didn’t see much playing time on the hardwood and wasn’t the best fielder for the baseball team.\n“My position was to hit,” he said.\nAfter accepting the coaching gig at IU, Sampson sought to schedule his alma mater for an exhibition game – something he had done while coaching at Oklahoma. \n“It feels good to be able to help, and that’s what we are doing,” he said. “The kids on that team, the opportunity to play at a historic venue like Assembly Hall, being able to play in front of a great crowd like we will have Saturday night, those are things that those kids will remember for a lifetime. For us it’s still a basketball game, but it’s nice to be in a position where you can help.”
(11/11/07 5:48am)
In its final preseason tune up, the IU men’s basketball team used strong 3-point shooting and a stellar first-half performance from star freshman Eric Gordon to knock of UNC-Pembroke 111-62.\nBut the win didn’t come without a scare.\nStarting point guard sophomore Armon Bassett left the game late in the first half with an injury to his left ankle. After the game, coach Kelvin Sampson said he was unsure of Bassett’s status.\n“I think he’ll be OK, but I’m not sure,” Sampson said.\nAfter the game, Sampson stressed the two things he’d like most to see from his team during games and at practice – toughness and intensity. He even benched freshman guard Brandon McGee for the entire first half for his lack of intensity during practice.\n“I don’t want us to win because we’re a better team,” Sampson said. “I want us to win because we’re tougher.”
(11/06/07 9:53pm)
The Indiana Daily Student has learned Verizon FiOS will carry the Big Ten Network starting in April 2008. A little late for IU fans for this year, but this might put a little more pressure on Comcast.
(11/02/07 6:11pm)
New poll, same old story.
(11/02/07 4:07am)
IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson disputed parts of a report that claim he knowingly participated in impermissible three-way recruiting phone calls.\nDuring his weekly press conference with reporters, Sampson said he gave “the right answer” when he told investigators he and former assistant men’s basketball coach Rob Senderoff did not talk at the same time during three-way recruiting phone calls.\n“I know what I know, and that’s all I need to say on that,” Sampson said. “What I said ... was the right answer.”\nAccording to a report submitted to the NCAA Committee on Infractions, one recruit and another recruit’s mother told investigators they remember Sampson and Senderoff talking at the same time, which refutes Sampson’s and Senderoff’s account that Senderoff stayed on the line only as an operator and did not talk.\nSampson maintains he knew that only one of the calls 10 calls was a three-way call. Three-way calls violate NCAA sanctions Sampson received for 577 excessive phone calls he and his staff made while Sampson coached at Oklahoma.\nSampson was not made available to reporters Tuesday when the report to the NCAA was released, and did not answer additional questions about the report. \nWhen asked if he uses caller ID on his phones, Sampson declined comment.\n“I’m not going to get into any of that,” Sampson said. “That’s enough of that. If you guys have questions about the basketball, I’d be glad to answer. I’m not going to sit here and make this about that. We’ve got a game Sunday, and we’re looking forward to playing it. \n“The NCAA still has to come in and make their final decision, and I’m not going to do anything to be a distraction to that. A lot of these I can’t answer. I wish I could, and I understand where you’re coming from – you would like to answer those.”
(11/01/07 11:30pm)
The IU Athletics Department issued a release Thursday saying Dan Dakich, hired in June as the director of basketball operations, replaces Rob Senderoff, who resigned Monday.\nIU coach Kelvin Sampson said Dakich will focus on IU’s post players, which was Senderoff’s role with the team. \n“I think Dan will bring a lot to us with his experience as a head coach for 10 years and I think he’s really good,” he said. \nDakich played at IU from 1982 to 1985 and captained the team his junior and senior seasons. He was head coach at Bowling Green State University for 10 years prior to coming to Bloomington, and he coached the Falcons to a 156-XX record. \nThis is his second stint as an assistant at IU. He worked under former head coach Bob Knight. \nIU senior forward D.J. White said he thought Dakich’s transition to the bench will be easy.\n“He talked to us and worked with us yesterday,” White said. “…We know him well, he is always around. Coach Dakich is always joking with us. It is not like there is a stranger coming in. I think he will fall into place like normal.”\nIn addition to inheriting IU’s post players, Dakich also inherits a litany of sanctions that were imposed on Senderoff for his role in IU’s impermissible phone calls. Dakich is prohibited from traveling off campus for recruiting purposes and cannot place recruiting phone calls until October 2008.\nSampson said he was not sure when he will hire a new director of basketball operations, but when he does he joked he’s “going to hire somebody that can keep track of phone calls.”
(11/01/07 11:24pm)
IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson disputed parts of a report that claim he knowingly participated in impermissible three-way recruiting phone calls.\nDuring his weekly press conference with reporters, Sampson said he gave “the right answer” when he told investigators he and former assistant men’s basketball coach Rob Senderoff did not talk at the same time during three-way recruiting phone calls.\n“I know what I know and that’s all I need to say on that,” Sampson said. “What I said … was the right answer.”\nAccording to a report submitted to the NCAA Committee on Infractions, one recruit and another recruit’s mother told investigators they remember Sampson and Senderoff talking at the same time, which refutes Sampson’s and Senderoff’s account that Senderoff stayed on the line only as an operator and did not talk.\nSampson maintains he knew that only one of the calls 10 calls was a three-way call. Three-way calls violate NCAA sanctions Sampson received for 577 excessive phone calls he and his staff made while Sampson coached at Oklahoma.\n- For more on the men's basketball team see Friday's Indiana Daily Student
(10/31/07 7:08pm)
Former assistant IU men's basketball coach Rob Senderoff will receive $46,000 in compensation per the terms of his resignation, according to Senderoff's severance agreement with the University, obtained by the Indiana Daily Student today pursuant to an Indiana Open Records request.
(10/31/07 6:42pm)
Former assistant IU men’s basketball coach Rob Senderoff will receive $46,000 in compensation per the terms of his resignation, according to Senderoff’s severance agreement with the University, obtained by the Indiana Daily Student today pursuant to an Indiana Open Records request. \nAs part of the agreement, Senderoff cannot speak publicly about the agreement or its terms. \nSenderoff resigned Monday, the day before the University released a report detailing his involvement in as many as 113 impermissible phone calls that resulted in University sanctions. \nPer the agreement, the University will “not state or represent that (Senderoff’s) resignation was the result of any violation of NCAA Bylaws.”\nSenderoff will receive an additional $19,915.13 for salary he had earned, but not yet received.\nHe was scheduled to receive $110,000 this year.
(10/31/07 5:11am)
Just wanted to let everyone know we have a handful of stories at idsnews.com, like here, here, here and here, regarding the Ice Miller report and Senderoff's resignation -- including an audio recording of yesterday's teleconference. Take a look, leave some comments and let us know where you'd like to see us go with this story.
(10/31/07 4:35am)
IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson might not have been completely accurate in his recollection of his role in three-way phone calls that resulted in NCAA violations, according to a report released Tuesday.\nSampson told representatives of the University and legal counsel from Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller that he did not recall former assistant men’s basketball coach Rob Senderoff speaking during 10 to 12 three-way calls in which the two were involved, according to the report the IU Athletics Department submitted to the NCAA \nCommittee on Infractions detailing men’s basketball recruiting violations. \nBut one recruit and the mother of another recruit said that during some of those calls, Senderoff and Sampson talked at the same time, according to the report.\n“…Two of the three individuals that Indiana University successfully contacted from the list of known phone numbers used in three-way recruiting calls, reported that Senderoff was involved in the respective conversations, as well as Sampson,” according to the report. “The University was careful to clarify with both individuals ... that both coaches participated in the conversation at the same time, as opposed to Senderoff speaking only during the first portion of the call and then remaining silent when Sampson was on the phone. The two individuals were specific in their recollections that the call involved Senderoff was involved during the whole call, and it should be noted that these calls were relatively recent.”\nThe department and Ice Miller, which serves as the University’s legal counsel on this matter, submitted the report to the NCAA Committee on Infractions on Oct. 3 for their review.\nPursuant to an Indiana Open Records request filed by the Indiana Daily Student, the department released the full report compiled by Ice Miller. \n“It’s important to keep this in perspective,” said IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan during a teleconference with reporters yesterday. “That’s what we’ve tried to do in this analysis. We’ve tried to be objective, we’ve tried to be thorough, (and) we’ve tried to honor our commitment to share information both in a public way and also respecting the wishes of our requirements for confidentiality and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and some other things we at the University operate under.”
(10/30/07 5:36pm)
An IU report to the NCAA regarding men’s basketball coaching violations was released to the media today. The department of athletics will hold a teleconference at 3 p.m. today to discuss the report. \nAccording to the report, the men’s basketball staff received a memorandum on June 13, 2006, clarifying the impermissibility of three-way phone calls under IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson’s sanctions, which he received for his role in impermissible phone calls made by Sampson and staff while he coached at Oklahoma. \nAccording to the report, former assistant basketball coach Rob Senderoff, who resigned his position yesterday, called recruits on 10 or 12 occasions, the discrepancy comes because two of the calls likely were dropped calls, and patched the call through to Sampson’s home phone. Senderoff stayed on the line throughout the duration of the phone call.\n“Senderoff stated that he thought this was a ‘gray’ area in regards to the Committee’s sanction and that he never intended to put Sampson or the University in a difficult position,” the report reads. “He also noted that he used poor judgment and that he probably should have asked the compliance staff to clarify whether his actions were permissible.”\nThe memo sent to staff members in June 2006 said it was a violation of sanctions even if a recruit or an AAU coach initiates the contact and then is patched through to Sampson. \nThough Sampson and Senderoff in interviews with legal counsel Ice Miller and University representatives said that only Sampson talked while connected in a three-way call, that explanation is refuted by a recruit and the mother of another recruit in the report.\n“Senderoff further stated that he did not think the spirit of the rule was broken because the individuals were trying to reach Sampson and wanted to speak with him,” the report reads. “Neither Senderoff nor Sampson recall Senderoff ever participating in a three-way conversation or introducing the third party to Sampson. However, two of the three individuals that Indiana University successfully contacted from the list of known phone numbers used in three-way recruiting calls, reported that Senderoff was involved in the respective conversations, as well ask Sampson. The University was careful to clarify with both individuals … that both coaches participated in the conversation at the same time as opposed to Senderoff speaking only during the first portion of the call and then remaining silent when Sampson was on the phone. The two individuals were specific in their recollections that Senderoff was involved during the whole call and it should be noted that these calls were relatively recent.” \nThe University assessed sanctions with the belief that all calls were contrary to the sanction “regardless of whether the assistant coach ever spoke while Sampson was on the all,” according to the report. \nThe report clarifies why the three-way calls weren’t detected earlier. The report states that because the phone logs reported the calls as being made as a local call, “it was not detected in analyzing calls to the declared recruiting numbers,” the report reads.\n“Further, since the coaches had requested and received a clear interpretation from the Committee on Infractions in June 2006 that three-way calling with Sampson would not be permissible, three-way calls should not have been an issue,” the report reads. \nThis story will be updated.
(10/30/07 2:08pm)
Here is the two sentence release from IU athletics:
(10/30/07 5:53am)
First off, an apology. As we tried to frantically chase down the Senderoff story all day, we neglected to keep you folks here at the Basketblog updated.
(10/30/07 5:09am)
IU men’s basketball assistant coach Rob Senderoff has resigned his position with the team, according to several media reports late Monday night. An official University announcement is expected today. \nSenderoff was responsible for the majority of at least 45 impermissible phone calls made by the men’s basketball staff, according to a University-issued release on Oct. 14. As a result of those calls, the University sanctioned IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and staff. \nThe Indiana Daily Student left a message on Senderoff’s cell phone Monday afternoon. The phone call was not returned by press time.\nSenderoff’s phone message late Monday changed to say he would no longer receive messages left at that number.\nIU spokesman Larry MacIntyre would not confirm the reports Monday that Senderoff would resign. \nAt Big Ten Media Day on Sunday in Chicago, IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson refused to talk about Senderoff. When asked why Senderoff did not attend an open basketball practice for the men’s basketball team, Sampson said “No, I’m not answering none of those questions. I am not even getting into any of that stuff. We’re dealing with stuff, and I’m going to coach my team.”\nWhen asked what Senderoff’s role had been in practice, Sampson said “I’m not getting into that.”\nMonday, the IU Department of Athletics would not comment about personnel matters.\nSenderoff connected Sampson to at least 10 three-way phone calls with recruits from May 2006 to May 2007. Three-way phone calls are allowed by NCAA rules, but the NCAA-imposed sanctions, which Sampson received for impermissible phone calls he and his staff made while he coached at Oklahoma, barred Sampson from participating in them. Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller conducted an investigation into the three way-calls and the University submitted their report to the NCAA Committee on Infractions.\nIce Miller also investigated at least 35 phone calls made by the men’s basketball staff that were above the limit allowed by the NCAA – a secondary NCAA violation.\nThose findings are still being compiled in a report, which will soon be submitted to the NCAA, MacIntyre said.\nThe University intends to release the findings as soon as possible, he said.\nUnder IU’s self-imposed sanctions for the violations, Senderoff, a key recruiter, is prohibited from traveling off campus for recruiting or making phone calls for recruiting purposes for one year. Senderoff, was scheduled to receive $110,000 in base salary this year and it is unclear if he will receive a severance package.\nSenderoff’s loss could be a big hit on IU’s recruiting front. A New York native, Senderoff has helped IU bridge the gap from Bloomington to the talent-rich east coast. Senderoff was partially credited for helping the Hoosiers land Devin Ebanks, one of the top prospects in the Class of 2008. \nDuring a teleconference with reporters Oct. 14. athletics department officials said the sanctions would stay with the person who fills Senderoff’s position if Senderoff were no longer an IU coach.\nIt is unclear who will replace Senderoff, though Director of Basketball Operations and former IU player Dan Dakich is a likely candidate. \nIU will lose a scholarship for the 2008-2009 season, and Sampson will not receive a scheduled $500,000 raise.\nThe infractions committee and the Big Ten could impose harsher penalties on IU if either deems necessary.
(10/29/07 4:23am)
CHICAGO – For the second year in a row, IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson fended off questions at Big Ten Media Day about his recruiting practices.\nLast year, Sampson was criticized for the way he wooed current IU freshman Eric Gordon away from a commitment to play at Illinois. \nOn Sunday, Sampson refused to answer questions about NCAA violations he and his staff committed since May 2006. \nAssistant coach Rob Senderoff, the man the IU Athletics Department has said is responsible for making dozens of impermissible phone calls, did not attend a men’s basketball open practice Friday. When asked about Senderoff’s absence, Sampson sharply declined comment. \n“No, I’m not answering none of those questions,” Sampson said. “I am not even getting into any of that stuff. We’re dealing with stuff, and I’m going to coach my team.”\nWhen asked what Senderoff’s role has been in practices, Sampson said “I’m not getting into that.”\nThe brief exchange with reporters came during a three-hour interview period at the annual event. \nAfter the open practice, Director of Athletics Media Relations J.D. Campbell said Senderoff missed the practice to tend to personal matters.\nIU’s sanctions stem from a series of recruiting phone calls involving Sampson and members of his staff. Sampson participated in three-way phone calls on 10 occasions from May 2006 to May 2007. Three-way phone calls are allowed by NCAA rules, but the NCAA-imposed sanctions, which Sampson received for impermissible phone calls he and his staff made while he coached at Oklahoma, barred Sampson from participating in them. \nAdditionally, members of the IU men’s basketball staff made 35 more phone calls than the NCAA’s allowable limit for contacting recruits, which is a secondary violation. Most of those calls were made by Senderoff.\nUnder IU’s self-imposed sanctions for the violations, Senderoff is prohibited from traveling off campus for recruiting or making phone calls for recruiting purposes for one year. During a teleconference with reporters to disclose the violations on Oct. 14, Sampson said Senderoff, a key recruiter, would play an increased role in team practices.\nIU will lose a scholarship for the 2008-2009 season, and Sampson will not receive a scheduled $500,000 raise. \nThe NCAA could punish the University further if it deems necessary, and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said the Big Ten could also take further action.\n“The Big Ten always reviews actions of the NCAA,” Delany said.\nWhile Sampson declined comment on the situation, Illinois coach Bruce Weber said he hoped coaches would follow the rules more often. \n“I know I’m not perfect; our staff isn’t perfect,” Weber said. “You’re going to make mistakes, but you hope guys make a conscious effort to stay within the limitations that are put on you, because that’s why they’re there, to help us. It’s why you have stoplights, it’s why you have speed limits – for the betterment of everybody.”\nWeber said his staff and the compliance staff at Illinois “closely monitor” phone calls made to recruits. \n“You might make a mistake here and there,” he said, “and that happens. Everybody probably has some secondary violations somewhere.”\nWeber criticized Sampson last year for his handling of Gordon’s recruitment. \nSampson’s friend and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said there has been some damage done to the IU coach’s reputation. \n“I feel bad for him,” Izzo said. “I feel bad for our league a little bit, because you don’t want those kinds of negative things. But I don’t judge people on some of those NCAA rules that are difficult to follow, to interpret and to deal with in this never-ending struggle to recruit.”\nSampson and Izzo talked two days after IU disclosed the new violations, Izzo said.\n“Not to make fun of anything, but to follow all the rules right now, you almost need a personal secretary riding around with you,” he said. “I am good friends with Kelvin. I don’t know all of the situation, so I’m not going to be judge and jury. But from what I’ve heard, from what I’ve read, it seems like pretty tough punishments when I’ve seen other schools maybe not punished as strongly for things I think are a lot worse.”\nLike Illinois, Purdue coach Matt Painter and staff closely monitor their phone logs. Painter and his staff meet weekly to plan phone calls made to high school seniors and have monthly meetings to plan phone calls made to high school juniors. Under NCAA rules, a coaching staff can place two calls per week to a high school senior and one call per month to high school sophomores and juniors. \nBecause of the nature of the rule, Painter said he believes it is understandable how a coach could slip up.\n“I think you can make honest mistakes,” he said. “There can be an exception here and there where you can make an honest mistake. I think you have to have some wiggle room in our business to make an honest mistake, because that’s what everybody does, as long as the intent is to go by the rule and not circumvent the rule.\n“There are some guys who make honest mistakes, and we can’t sit there and crucify them for trying to do what’s right and slipping up a little bit.”