Kelvin Sampson is Unaware that he Participated in Phone Calls

KELVIN SAMPSON

-I intentionally stay away from issues in college basketball that resemble something that you’d read in the tabloids, but this is so ridiculous that it warrants commentary. I’m sure everyone is aware that while Sampson was head coach at Oklahoma, he was cited by the NCAA for making 577 improper phone calls. That’s a serious enough offense to get a coach and university in trouble with the NCAA, but it’s not serious enough to break either party beyond repair. Ignoring the rule is bad, but ignoring the punishment handed down is much, much worse. Sampson’s encore was that he made over 100 additional improper phone calls after he became head coach at Indiana. This was after he was told by the NCAA that he was not allowed to make phone calls during his probationary period.

That’s a big deal, but the following statement is what sent me over the edge. It is a quote from a Rivals.com article that’s linked below.

Indiana self-reported violations in October 2007 detailing impermissible phone calls made by assistant coaches Rob Senderoff and Jeff Meyer and Sampson said at the time he unknowingly had participated in some three-way calls in which Senderoff called recruits then patched Sampson through without Sampson knowing Senderoff was still on the line

RIVALS ARTICLE


I read over this several times to make sure I had it straight, and I believe that I do. Sampson “unknowingly” participated in some three-way phone calls because he didnt' know the assistant was still on the line. Wasn't it the recruits that he wasn't supposed to be speaking to in the first place??

How in the world could a person of Sampson’s intelligence be participating in a phone call, and not know it?? If he was talking on the phone and didn’t know it, then what exactly was it that he thought he was doing instead?? If a person picks up the phone and talks into the receiver, it’s hard for me to believe that they are unaware of the fact that they are talking on the phone, yet Sampson is asking us to believe just that. Most third graders can come up with a more convincing lie than that.

I’d be shocked if Sampson were the head coach at Indiana next season. He may not even be the head coach at Indiana next week. The university has reportedly launched an internal investigation, and I’m sure they want to cover all their bases to avoid any future lawsuits, but how many bases do they really need to cover?? If the guy lied to the NCAA and to the university, which it looks like he did, I can’t imagine Indiana being held for any sort of legal liable if they were to cut Sampson loose.

Sampson is a good coach, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he gets another head coaching job some day. When that happens, they need to rig it so his office phone can only receive incoming calls.


TONIGHT’S ACTION

-Marquette and Pitt are facing off in the Big East tonight. Both look to be solid NCAA Tournament teams, but this is a chance for both teams to add a nice win onto their profile. As tight as the Big East is, all league games will be big from here on out.

-I’ll have a write-up of tomorrow’s action posted late tonight/early tomorrow.