Hoosiers fire Sampson, hire Crean

[MoTown]

NCAA lists five major violations against Sampson, Indiana staff
ESPN.com news services

Updated: February 13, 2008, 11:01 AM ET

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff violated telephone recruiting restrictions imposed because of his previous violations at Oklahoma, then lied about it to the school and NCAA investigators, the NCAA said Wednesday.

The NCAA has listed five major violations against Sampson, saying he gave "false or misleading information" to investigators. The university released the NCAA's report later Wednesday.

Major violations of NCAA rules can carry punishments including postseason ineligibility.

Indiana has until May 8 to provide a written response.

Among the specific allegations cited in the NCAA letter:

• That Sampson, assistant coach Jeff Meyer and former assistant Rob Senderoff failed to comply with sanctions imposed on Sampson for impermissible recruiting calls he made while he was the head coach at Oklahoma. Sampson was under such sanctions when he was hired to coach the Hoosiers in May 2006.

Sampson and Senderoff are alleged to have jointly participated in telephone calls at a time when Sampson was prohibited from being present or taking part when staff members made recruiting calls. Senderoff and Meyer are alleged to have made about 100 calls that exceeded the sanction limits.

Senderoff resigned his position Oct. 30.

• That Senderoff and Meyer placed "at least 25 telephone calls" to nine potential recruits that exceeded NCAA limits even if no sanctions had been in place.

• That Sampson "acted contrary to the NCAA principles of ethical conduct when he knowingly violated recruiting restrictions imposed by the NCAA Committee on Infractions."

• That Sampson and Meyer engaged in an impermissible recruiting contact during a two-day sports camp held at Assembly Hall last June 30 and July 1, and that Meyer provided the potential recruit with an impermissible benefit -- at least one T-shirt and drawstring backpack.

In a statement issued through his attorney, Meyer said he would continue to cooperate with Indiana and the NCAA.

"I regret that I may have made mistakes that are causing my and IU's conduct to be examined by the NCAA. ... I will not comment on this process again before it is completed," Meyer said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[MoTown]

No offense to the media, but those violations seem to be a little overblown. Yes they are violations, but the way ESPN made it sound before it came out was something along the lines of players being paid by boosters.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Zekyl]

I first read LOL @ Indiana and thought UM was play at Indiana. Is that wrong?

[WTFchris]

No offense to the media, but those violations seem to be a little overblown. Yes they are violations, but the way ESPN made it sound before it came out was something along the lines of players being paid by boosters.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Well, I think the first one is significant (if he was not allowed to participate in recruiting calls). The backpack and tshirt stuff is overblown for sure.

I suspect that is like a seatbelt infraction after getting pulled over for speeding. More of an add on to other violations.

[Vinny]

I first read LOL @ Indiana and thought UM was play at Indiana. Is that wrong?

Exact same here.

[Glenn]

Scott Skiles is rumored to be Sampson's replacement in waiting.

[Vinny]

I think Skiles would be a pretty good college coach.

[b-diddy]

i havent heard skiles. i would love to see the greatest hoosier of all time, isiah thomas, take over. he's probably got too many skeletons, but i think he would run a hell of a college program, assuming he had the right assistants.

[Zekyl]

He wouldn't have to worry about overpaying kids....

Skiles would be good because that in your face attitude wouldn't wear people out with them leaving after a few seasons anyway. Unlike in the pros where you have that same attitude shoved down your throat for 4-5 straight seasons and you just stop listening.

[Darth Thanatos]

Shit-canned.

Got 750 K out of the deal too.

A few of the players were disgruntled at the AD and Prez, and threatened to quit.

D.J. White was asked about the rumor and said(loosely): "I'm not going to say it didn't happen"


A big time LOL@Indiana :heat: