I think that we have to fire him immediately. Let Ray take over and then we can let whoever replaces Greenspan hire the next coach.

You wait until the end of the season and then re-evaluate his position and the University's position.

No sense in jumping to conclusions, oh wait...

He's gotta go. Today. Ray will do a good enough job to warrant consideration as permanent coach.

It's time for Sampson to go. I don't want to have to apologize for being an IU fan. I certainly won't renew my season tickets next year if Sampson is still the coach. Fire him, and the sooner the better.

more tickets for me!

I think we have to fire him as well but I think Dakich should take over for the rest of the season. IU should do a full search again at the end of the season. However, I'm not sure what great coach out there is going to want to come coach a team with possible NCAA tournament bans looming in the future

Good point about a next coach, B. It means we've gone from a coach who wouldn't recruit (Knight) to one who couldn't recruit (Davis) to one who wouldn't do it right. The next coach HAS to get it. And to IU officials: don't try to get the next coach on the cheap. Get the money, and pay for a proven coach and recruiter. Bennet from Washington State might be great. He's young, smart, has midwest ties, and if he's anything at all like his father (former Wisconsin coach), he'll be the most ethical person in the state.

Fire Sampson and Greenspan immediately. There's no good from keeping him around.

True, it destroys any chance of us doing anything this year; however, isn't that all moot point now?

IU needs to be purged of this mess as soon as possible.

These very talented players will still play. I don't see how firing KS now "destroys any chance" IU has to make a Big 10 title run and/or NCAA run. Granted, it may upset the players to lose their coach, but as the season progresses, a very good Hoosiers team will continue to take the floor.

SHAME ON YOU, KELVIN SAMPSON. Not just for AGAIN cheating by making the impermissible phone calls, but for LYING TO IU ABOUT IT.

AGGGHHHH.... this is the saddest day ever in IU sports history. Yes, even more traumatic than RMK's firing. Why? Because IU will be forever tarnished in my eyes, my dads eyes (who is the the reason for my own passion for IU basketball), my kids eyes, and their kids. I am not sure I can bear watching the game tonight.

We can say what we'd like to happen, but we all know that nothing will be done in the short term. Sampson will get through this season and then be evaluated.

I SAY FIRE HIS SORRY ASS. Cutting him loose at this point in the game will not save IU from possible NCAA sanctions, but it will allow us fans to at least root for the players - who are the real victims here. These guys came to Indiana to wear the cream and crimson and to be part of a championship

Coach will not be fired. Grow up. Roger Clemens - roids, Reggie Bush - $$$, Patriots - cheating, Memphis & Mizzou are slappin' around anyone in sight and you are worried about a t-shirt and phone calls made by an assistant who was fired? I suppose after we raise another banner after this year, you'll want an asterick on it?

But of course, we are IU fans. You don't expect us to be rational or fair about anything do you?

It's the mob mentality at this point. I think anything less than a burning at the stake won't appease many of the fans.

I can't believe it...I agree with Timmy!!!

I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with Timmy as well. Is it the apocalypse aproaching us or something?

I think Sampson should be fired but not until the end of the season. Let's go about our business for the rest of the season and after the hearing in June can him. If none of these players were involved we should give them the best chance at winning which is with Sampson at the helm for the rest of the season.

WE WANT BOBBY....WE WANT BOBBY.....WE WANT BOBBY.....COME ON, KNIGHT RETIRING MID SEASON...COINCIDENCE, I THINK NOT.....RMK CAUGHT WIND OF THIS AND ALIGNED HIS DUCKS, IU NEEDS A HEALTHY DOSE OF A COACH THAT RUNS A CLEAN PROGRAM

i disagree... i dont think samson gives our team the best chance to win now.. you all saw the patriots... the meida circus is relentless and the longer this goes on the worse it is for the players.. dakich gives the team the best chance at winning the rest of the year and it keeps the media circus to a minimum..

I'm going to have to join the mob on this one and say get out now and go as far away from this program as you can. I coach high school athletics and I try and teach the kids about respect. First and foremost you have to respect yourself. If you can do that, everything else falls in to place. Sampson has no respect for himself. As a result he disrespected his family, those who stood by him, his players, the university, and the fans of Indiana University.

I really did hope that Indiana had put enough of a hammer down regarding the allegations. It appears that was not that case and Sampson did not care to be honest and obey the rules.

Give Ray McCallum or Dan Dakich the position starting tonight.

Sampson needs to take what dignity he has remaining and get out of Assembly Hall.

Can him right now. He LIED to IU during IU's investigation. Do we want someone out there representing this institution who can't even tell us the truth?

Even through all of this turmoil, I will still strongly support the IU basketbal team and the program and whoever is coaching them. At this time, Kelvin Sampson is the Head Coach of Indiana University so I will support him and all of you true fans should too or IU should just forfeit the season. I understand all of your frustrations to the point that you might feel betrayal, however, this will only hurt the kids on the team that put forth all of their effort and hard work to make this a successful season. All of you IU fans need to support the team even more during this trying time and this is the week that will make or break for IU to have a great chance to win a Big Ten Championship and make a deep run in the NCAA tourney. Go cheer for IU. Go Hoosiers!!!!

Fire immediately.. if someone is unable to quit cheating when they get the opportunity to coach at IU, they are not worth our time..

He is making our school look bad because he is a cheater.. fire him and move on .. We can find a great, stand-up coach to lead us next year.....For now we have some great assistants that can lead the way..

Get rid of him now. By getting rid of him, you get rid of a majority of the negativity and appear better in the eyes of the NCAA regarding further punishments. Also, it gives us the chance to move forward with the current team and get some momentum behind the program when we do our coaching search. We can get a program changing coach, if that is what we go for. Sampson proved during his short time here that you can have IU in to a top 10 program very quickly and that has to be appealing to many coaches out there. I feel that with IU as a place to recruit to you don't have as much of an uphill battle when seeking out recruits. I look at this like a breakup between two people, the sooner the bettter. The more you drag it out, the longer it is going to take to recover from it.

It's too early to decide. I'll wait until Congress holds another pointless hearing before I pass judgment. (eye roll)

I listen to Indianapolis Sports Talk Radio as they were interviewing Don Fischer(Voice of the IU Radio Network). I realize he's an employee of the university however he says these are allegations. He talked about Ohio State firing Jim O'Brien for paying the player and how O'Brien sued and got big settlement. Before we all jump to saying Fire him - let the system complete the proper investigation. Yes maybe Sampson should say for the good of the basketball program I'm leaving the bench until this investigation is finished - however to this point that's not happened. Due to past stupid thinks the university has done for some time IU was still paying former AD Michael McNeely, former football coach Cam Cameron and I believe Ron Felling from his suit with BMK. Don Fischer said let the system do its job and the university can react. Clearly when you look at what the NCAA states it's not good and their timing prior to the three most important home games stinks!!!!!! Lets focus on Wisconsin and get a win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I agree that, in the grand scheme of things, impermissible phone calls (while embarrassing) aren’t a program busting violation, people would be crazy to think that the University isn’t going to fire this guy. Allowing someone who intentionally deceives to stay and run a program that is one of the most storied in the nation is just ludicrous. Imagine what kind of signal that sends about the academic institution. The university needs to save face at this point and, in my opinion, will relieve him as soon as tomorrow, and no later than at the end of the season.

My opinion is the sooner the better. No reason to let these kids play under microscope for the remainder of the season. Get the 800lb gorilla out of the room.

Immediately please...it looks horrible for a team if they make it far with a cheater still at the helm. Get rid of him now

As tough of a pill as this is to swallow, we either let him go now, or not at all. It's just a real shame in that the team has made so much progress and is winning. I hate it for the kids and the program, but the bottom line is we'll get through it. I've wanted to give Dane Fife a shot at the job since before Davis left.

Press conference at 5

Greenspan and Calhoun only, no Kelvin.

where did you find that info?

Indiana University Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan and Associate
Athletic Director/SWA Grace Calhoun will be available to address the media
at 5 pm in the basketball press room of Assembly Hall tonight.

THANKS...that still doesn't provide me with your source

Peegs and WishTV and I believe Indystar

Thanks...I needed that.

Oh how a WIN tonight cures oh so many things for the short term...

oh but how a lose will crush the team, especially going into the next 3 games...

I don't think it's jumping to conclusions or mob mentality really. When the NCAA uses the words "lack of institutional control" thats a precursor for " we're gonna gut punch ya". So now we have to get down and kiss as much hind end as possible to show we are willing to do whatever it takes to run a clean program and shouldn't be punished as harshly as they could. Yes it's stupid phone calls and mainly form an assistant that was fired, a stupid tshirt, the contact with a recruit , which is not as serious as paying players etc but the NCAA feels embarrassed tand angry that a coach did something he was already in trouble for. Especially by the way they talked to him before. There angry that an upstanding school that has always followed the rules did not control the situation as they should have. At this points its not what rules he broke but how it all happened and while being on sanctions for breaking them before. Personally i think they were stupid infractions and silly and don't warrant a harsh penalty. I think it was stupid on Sampson's part and would be willing to let him stay another year to see if he could keep it clean. But with how the NCAA thinks I think Sampson and Greenspan should be let go before IU meets with the NCAA in may or June, because if we don't theres a good chance we will get nailed even harder because it'' look like we are not taking this serious.

Regardless of your stance on Kelvin Sampson, please do not let it effect how you treat our players that take the court tonight (and the rest of the season). They need our full support.

Firing Sampson won't get rid of the media circus. Hypothetically, let's say they fire him today, and IU makes the sweet sixteen....you don't think that will be a HUGE story that the players and interim coach will have to talk about? really?

He screwed them over this season no matter what, regardless of what happens, it's going to be a HUGE story. My suggestion is to keep him for the rest of the year for continuity sake, and fire him regardless of what happens the rest of the year.

Or, fire him right now, and appoint A.J. Ratliff as a player/head coach....

have to the rest of the season with him as coach, that is unless you don't care how far this team goes in the tournament. we fire sampson and throw some assistant in his place, is it a guarantee that we even make the tournament? we could lose these next 3 games and then end the year with 2 quality wins, both against ohio st. thats assuming we beat osu when they come to bloomington. firing sampson KILLS this season. as pissed as i am, we can wait to fire him and greenspan in the offseason. its the only way we can win this year, if that is important to any of you

You should keep in mind that forfeiting wins for this and possibly last year will be on the table as a sanction against the University. It makes no difference if he doesn't coach another game. The Sampson era, effectively, ended today. Gordon, D.J. and Kelvin will all be gone next year and if we are stripped of the victories, it will be like it never happened. The only thing that saves the University is if the NCAA looks mercifully on self-reporting the problem and firing the Coach. Maybe we don't get a post-season and TV ban.

could the ncaa ban us from the postseason this year? and how bout losing this year's recruits such as ebanks and pritchard? and a suggestion for a coach....how bout tom cream from marquette

No they can't band us from thsi year. their not meeting till may or June.

It isn't smart to fire coach Sampson before the end of the conference season and before the NCAA tournament. Why punish the team they were not involved with the phone conversations by Coach Sampson.

The Athletic department of IU knew fully well about the problem Coach Sampson had at the University of Oklahoma prior to hiring him. My question is did they really believe he wouldn't do this again? Then initially, they shouldn't have hired him.

I like Coach Sampson and believe he is doing a great job with the team however, he should have followed the rules.

Tom Creen? hell no. He has boring offense and marquette is way overrated.

It's Crean, not Creen or Cream.

Well however you spell it I was closer lol.

The IU defense was outstanding against Ohio State. Let's face it, if IU wants to win their next three games, they better bring the DEFENSE!!!. Unfortunately Purdue is playing pretty solidly and have won their last eleven games. I am definitlely NOT a fan of Purdue and I really hope we (IU) defeats them in Assembly Hall February 19th. Good Grief it is a Home Game for the Hoosiers. Think of Assembly Hall as the Sixth Man and go for broke. Bring the defense, and defeat Purdue send them back to West Lafayette knowing the Hoosiers rock!!!

I don't think IU will have to fire KS. KS always seems to talk about being a man. He seems to not want to comment on any of this stuff and I think there is good reason for that. I also think that KS is man enough to take responsibility for what has happened under his watch. I predict that IU doesn't fire him but rather he resigns. The important questions remain: when will he resign? will Rick Greenspan resign or be fired? and when will these announcements be made?

One other interesting question is whether or not the NCAA will put a ban on KS coaching? I don't think that is a crazy thought considering how pissed the NCAA is at him.

goodbye kelvin sampson...hello dane fife!

Are you by any chance from Fort Wayne...I'm going to assume that you are not...cuz if you were, you would know that Dane Fife is a HORRIBLE coach! I watch his team play almost every game. I would rather have Pat Knight!

FIre, Fire, Fire. . . . both him and Greenspan. Greenspan is as much at fault here as Sampson. I say this for a couple of reasons: 1) Greenspan failed to put in place the internal controls neccessary to prevent this from happening (or chose not to) 2) Greenspan hired him and thought him to be a "honest" guy

In regards to Sampson, I am sickened by his blatant disregard of the rules and the resulting damage he has done to this program, this University, and this State.

He shold never be allowed to Coach within the NC2A again.

For the sake of the rest of the season Sampson should be dismissed immediately. Some have made the point that none of our current players are involved in the rule violations, which should save us from a post-season ban according to NCAA rules. Athletic Director Greenspan should also be relieved of his duties as it is extremely unlikely that he has no knowledge of these things occurring and, after he took part in hiring a coach with a questionable method of following the rules his ability to help pick a successor is also suspect.
To allow Sampson to play out the rest of this season will not only serve as a huge distraction to this team, but makes Indiana University look that much worse for tolerating such behavior and violations. Indiana is NOT Kentucky or Ohio State or Memphis or Georgia. The University needs to take a stand immediately to save this team and protect the long standing tradition of success and honesty in our basketball program.

My brother went to Marquette so I have some insight on Crean... Tom Crean LOVES Marquette, allegedly has always wanted to coach there because he worshiped Al McGuire. I don't think he would leave for any job other than Michigan State, (Izzo was his mentor.)

I'm really looking foward to the game tonight...it should be an interesting atmosphere to say the least.

"We talkin' phone calls, man. Not cars, not money. Phone calls."-Allan Iverson, when asked about Kelvin Sampson.

People act so shocked by these accusations all of the sudden like they are out of the blue, the report really isn't that drastically different from what we knew all along. Sampson made illegal phone calls....AGAIN....and now IU is going to suffer for it. The timing is absolutly horrible as we are about to go on our toughest 3 game streak of the season. As for immediate dismissal, I don't think it is the route to go. I think we need to keep Sampson on for the rest of the season while IU can make moves and investigate further and fire him immediatly after the season. This gives us the best chance of salvaging this year as well as our reputation and dignity while still showing the NCAA that we are not tolerating this by dismissing him before the meeting convenes this summer.

AJ, KS, no signature win. I am as disappointed as I have ever been as a fan of IU. But I have been hopeful all year and remain hopeful for the remainder of the season (and beyond?).

Our alma mater stood up to RMK when his actions showed that he thought he was bigger than the program and the University. Now it must stand up to Sampson, whose actions show that he cares nothing for the integrity of IU Basketball and collegiate athletics.

IU must stand up for itself, its alumni and its fans who take great pride in the University and its Men's Basketball program. That pride, developed over generations of administrators, players and coaches doing things the right way, and the fans' appreciation for winning without asterisk, has been crippled by KS' greed and arrogance.

Here's why they will not: They did not fire him immediately when the violations were originally discovered. The new allegations, i.e., that he gave false or misleading information to IU and the NCAA, are just that, allegations. Without the support of evidence, which is conveniently absent from the allegations, how can IU justify firing KS now, when it did not in the first instance? Isn't that like IU saying KS is guilty, without proof? At this point, IU is damned if they do, damned if they don't.

This whole thing is a disgrace. Whoever said the "players are the real victims" was so right. They've got a real shot to accomplish some things this year...to be champions. And what about the rest of us? How do I hold my head high as an IU fan when it is complicit in an unclean program?

I know they won't, but they should FIRE HIM IMMEDIATELY. Dignity lasts longer than victory.

Unfortunately, you are probably right. President McRobbie and Trustee representatives should meet privately with Sampson and offer him the chance to resign in the next few days and recommend an interim successor from his staff, either McCallum or Dakich and keep the staff together through the year. In that resignation, they offer him a modest settlement of $100k (right, 'modest'), but if he refuses and the NCAA allegations are verified, that they would execute the termination with cause provision of his contract for new violations and owe him nothing.

The real question is do you let Greenspan search and hire the new coach and then fire Greenspan. Or, do you let Greenspan go, find a new AD who immediately has to start looking for a new basketball coach? Greenspan has been incredibly unimpressive and comes off as a bit of jerk.

Reactions to news on IndyStar:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...

Gordon's Dad... head in sand

Kent Benson, former three-time IU All-American: "He shouldn't have been hired in the first place, and he shouldn't be allowed to continue as coach. The integrity of the Indiana University basketball program has been compromised, and that's a terrible shame."

Ted Kitchel, former two-time All-American: "I have a pretty good knowledge of Indiana basketball and the things that you have to do to make a program successful. There's a lot more to building a program than just winning games. Take a look at the guy up in West Lafayette (Matt Painter). He seems to have been able to do a pretty good job of building a program without all of this other stuff going on."

Ken Beckley, former IU Alumni Association president: "People need to remember that these are just allegations, and we need to let the process play itself out. If these charges are true, I wouldn't want to be in coach Sampson's shoes the next few months. But I've always believed you have to take a fair approach to these kinds of things. And you have to let these things play themselves out."

Dane Fife, former IU standout: "I don't feel comfortable commenting about other head coaches and their programs. I don't think it's my place to get involved in that."

I think it's safe to say that we will not, until further notice, be renaming assembly hall to sampson hall.

The saddest thing of this all is DJ's season....

The kid has dealt with this type of negative coach BS twice now with Mike Davis and now with KS.
He has worked his ass off to make himself a great player at this level and the next and this is how his senior season is being tarnished....

If KS wants to make me happy.....step aside TODAY and let these kids go on with their season....it would be arrogant if he didn't

Sorry but I do not really feel sorry for DJ White. True he has had to overcome some adversity that wasn't under his control, but he is going to be a first rounder for someone next year. I doubt he will be pouting about his college coaches while he is cashing checks and succeeding in the League.

The saddest thing is that Sampson screwed up once, had a clear ultimatum of what he could and could not do, and screwed up again. I'm fine with Kelvin being peaced today.

I don't want to defend KS' cheating, but what is this "clear ultimatum" of which you speak? He made the impermissilbe phone calls. Then IU found out and turned it in to the NCAA and imposed sanctions. Now the NCAA investigation has alleged violations. All of this stems from the same impermissible phone calls, except that in addition, the NCAA is saying that KS provided false or misleading information to teh University and the NCAA.

Do you mean he was given the ulimatum at OK and violated it after he got to IU?

Thanks Rick for a nothing presser....thanks reporters thus far no one has asked is KS ass going to be on the bench tonite? I am BOILING .........DO SOMETHING dammit. We heard this press conference before when the last allegations happened.

WHERE THE EFF IS THE GAME DAY THREAD?! STOP CRYING ABOUT NOTHING AND DO YOUR JOB!

Might as well wait until after the season. Let's think about the players...it's the most fair option for them.

Aaron if you wait til after the season.....recruiting takes a hit and then you could see a team in dissaray....transfers etc etc.....I am sure EJ would bolt for sure......I say move on now, get a coach after the final 4 and wash your hands with the whole thing

Kelin, I've agree and disagreed with your stuff in the past few weeks, but this is one comment I could not agree with more. The future of IU is going to rest on what happens in the next 48 hours, in my humble opinion. Recruiting, the integrity of the program, but most importantly the reputation and integrity of my Alma Mater are at stake in the next 1 or 2 days.

My only concern here is that we're going to hear from Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson if they let him go now. I would like to see what Ray McCallum can do...cuz God knows his offensive philosophy can't be any WORSE than Mike Davis' or oops should I say Kelvin's....oh hell who cares, its one in the same.

I'm starting my recruitment of Scott Drew as of right now...look at what he did to the Baylor program that was almost eliminated 4 years ago. He's a guy that has Indiana roots and his morals are impecable. After watching Purdue play last night I wouldn't mind seeing IU fork over about $2.5 million a year to hire Painter...cuz that dude can COACH!

Why would recruiting and transfers take more of a hit from waiting until after the season to get rid of Sampson. I think keeping him around until the end of the season is the best bet. It allows the players the best shot at salvaging the season and terminating him at the end of the season still allows us to save face and show the committee that we were taking initiative to correct the problem. There is not going to be any new recruits made in the time difference of firing him now or at the end of the season, the only difference is coninuity and allowing this team to not be affected quite as much by the ordeal.

He lied, fire him now, and Greenspan for supporting him after we know that he lied! I understand that Greenspan is tied to Sampson, but the Board needs to do the job and get rid of them. Indiana basketball is better than this. The program is going to be set back a couple of years, but I think the quicker the university acts, the less severe the sanctions on the program. If Sampson is coaching the game tonight, I will be greatly dissapointed. If he has any character at all, he needs to take a leave so he is not a distraction to the kids. I am a 1999 IU grad, and this sucks! We need to get a high quality coach next.

Yeah I'm embarrassed too, but for all those who forget PU had some phone call violations of their own a few years back. http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/1998/...

Wouldn't it make more sense to get rid of him now and move on. Keeping him around until the end of the season doesn't seem to accomplish much, and could hurt recruiting.