Eric Gordon Takes a Blowtorch to Kelvin Sampson Ever Coaching in College

Okay, so it wasn't likely that disgraced coach Kelvin Sampson was going to return to college basketball anytime soon. Not with a five-year show cause penalty and costing Indiana over $1.5 million since that time. If there was any remaining hope, however, Eric Gordon took care of that in an interview this week.

The L.A. Clippers rookie and former Indiana one-and-done wonder talked a little about what happened last season at Indiana. Specifically, part of why the season went down the drain. According to Gordon, a sizable chunk of the team was doing drugs. He didn't say who did do drugs, only that D.J. White and two players still on the team did not. So what did Kelvin Sampson do?

Gordon said Sampson "tried to stop it," but the coach "was just so focused on basketball and winning and everything."

Another former player, Adam Ahfeld, corroborated that some players did drugs.

Well done. Not only did Sampson ignore NCAA recruiting rules, but he also turned a blind-eye to drug use by some of the players. I guess he figured that the team was good enough and close enough that along with the recruiting violations he would just get through the season.

That did not work out so well for him. Or Indiana. Instead, it was left to Dan Dakich to clean up the mess in the interim -- throwing off a couple players who were rumored to have failed drug tests.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-18-2008 @ 9:30AM

paul said...

I cannot believe you could or would print this article, you have no idea what that coach did or did not do based on this interview ............ your opinions have no place in this, just the facts ........ chas rich ............. what you share with these people is that you have a clean closet. or do you what a loser

12-18-2008 @ 9:31AM

Bill said...

Sampson just about killed Indiana basketball and he should be banned from basketball that means nowhere. I am a Purdue fan but love Indiana basketball. The game is the game untill all this money came into it.

Buk said...

Nice call IU.........fire the only guy who won you national championships and, oh, by the way, graduated students and held them accountable for their actions. We need coach Knight!

12-18-2008 @ 9:32AM

§ said...

Chas,

Please do some research, buddy. Sampson suspended multiple players for multiple games - that's hardly "turning a blind-eye".

12-18-2008 @ 9:53AM

Chas Rich said...

Who did he suspend in 2007-08 for any significant period?

AJ Ratliff was suspended for the first 9 games or so because of academic problems.

Who else got suspended that year? Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis got 1 game suspensions for "disciplinary reasons," under Sampson. But not exactly dealing with a problem like drug use.

http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2007-2008/teamcume.html#TEAM.IND

12-18-2008 @ 4:21PM

Brad said...

yes, i believe that Ellis and Bassett were suspeneded for 2 or 3 games for "personal reasons" in mid-season, but that may or may not be actually related to drugs.

however I hate Sampson and what he did to IU basketball. We should habe hired Crean after Davis left...

12-18-2008 @ 4:02PM

lcleejr said...

as tough as bobby knight was, this school has never been the same since he left. sampson was a cancer that indiana may not recover from for years to come. its unfortunate cause coach knight although having many problems would never have allowed this program to tank, as it has.

12-19-2008 @ 6:56PM

Hoosier_fan said...

Buk, I'm a big IU & Bob Kbight fan but Bob Knight was not the only coach to win championships at IU.

12-24-2008 @ 11:36AM

Sue said...

Whatever the case, this team will recover sooner than later with Crean. As for Sampson--yes, he was a total jerk and disgrace to IU b-ball, but I blame the Athletic Director more than I do him. After all, who turned the first blind eye to Sampson and his baggage?!?!? As for the drugs and such, I imagine there is alot more of that going around the country than any of us could believe. So, let us not think IU is unique to the problem. And let us not believe that Sampson was the first coach to turn aside. Many coaches place winning above ethics. Why else would anyone select a "one and done" player as SO many schools seem to do? As for being an IU fan, I lived down the street from Jimmy Rayle when he starred at Kokomo High, and I followed him to IU. Then I attended there as does my daughter...and perhaps grandchildren. It's embedded in my being, and I shall remain a loyal fan through thick and thin.