Former Indiana Player Comments on Sampson

[william_brasky]

Ted Kitchel, a starter with Isaiah Thomas on the 1981 national title team, did not hide his disgust.

"It's an absolute disgrace," Kitchel said. "I wouldn't hire that guy to coach my fifth-grade girls team. That guy is absolutely what we don't want at IU."


:eek:

welcome to the snakepit Kelvin.

[tanjou]

If you'd like the rest, click here. (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060329/SPORTS0601/603290487&SearchID=73239938896803)


Two Indiana University basketball legends, Isiah Thomas and Damon Bailey, were pleased to hear Tuesday that Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson was expected to be named the Hoosiers' next coach.


But they might be in the minority. The news did not sit well with Ted Kitchel and Joe Hillman. Kent Benson and Brian Evans declined comment. Many other former players declined to return phone calls.
Kitchel, a starter with Thomas on the 1981 national title team, did not hide his disgust.
"It's an absolute disgrace," Kitchel said. "I wouldn't hire that guy to coach my fifth-grade girls team. That guy is absolutely what we don't want at IU."
He and Hillman snickered about Sampson's reputation for poor graduation rates, relying on junior college transfers and having a boring offensive system.
"I talked to several other people today and they're not overly thrilled with this choice," said Hillman, who played on the 1987 national championship team.
Many former players thought they would be consulted first, as was suggested in a recent e-mail sent to ex-Hoosiers from athletic director Rick Greenspan.
"I thought part of this was to bring the IU basketball tradition back together," Hillman said of Sampson, who has no ties to the state, "and I'm not sure this is the guy to do it."
Kitchel said Greenspan told him he would be called. Kitchel wasn't.
But Greenspan and other department officials called some former players, including Bailey.
"I did talk to Rick a few weeks ago and he wanted my input," Bailey said. "I told him I thought that whomever they hired, it had to be someone who embraced the Indiana University tradition.
"I also did tell him it didn't necessarily have to be an Indiana guy. I don't think it was a must."
Bailey said the coach needed to be experienced and a proven winner. Sampson has a 455-257 record and took the Sooners to 12 consecutive postseason tournaments. Bailey said he was looking forward to Sampson instilling a defensive toughness lacking in recent years.
"They wanted a big-name coach, and he's definitely a big-name coach," Bailey said. "But the bottom line at Indiana is you have to win, whether you come in with a lot of support or no support at all.
"Indiana is not a program that wants to be middle of the road. They want to be on the top tier in the country and I think coach Sampson can get them there."
Thomas, a National Basketball Hall of Famer, also considers Sampson the right man.
"Clearly, he's qualified," the New York Knicks president said. "He's done a good job and he'll do a good job in Bloomington. You can't question his coaching ability or anything. He's a solid choice."
Kitchel and Hillman said they thought former Hoosiers Steve Alford and Randy Wittman deserved a look. Both spoke to Wittman on Tuesday. They said Wittman's repeated calls to Greenspan to express interest in the job were not returned.
"I guess Greenspan knows a hell of a lot more about IU basketball tradition than any of us," Kitchel said. "I don't think this is a good coach and I definitely don't think he'll be a good coach at Indiana."
Bailey acknowledged a hire for such a high-profile job was bound to cause mixed reaction.
"Everybody is not going to be happy," he said. "You can only hire one coach."

[MojoRisen]

:eek:

welcome to the snakepit Kelvin.

Don't worry Kelvin that is just an ex player talking about your style!

[stoopified]

Wow I almost feel sorry for KS.Sounds like a tough crowd.

[MojoRisen]

he has a really tough job ahead of him and not only that- I think Kitchel has some serious points- "Just shocked at Indiana"- if I were a betting man he is bought out in his 3rd year.

[soonerlaw]

Well if Isiah Thomas says he is the right choice then he must be.

[RacerX]

He did a great job with the CBA and now with the Knicks.

[chriscappel]

Damn have fun Kelvin!!

[stonecoldsoonerfan]

sounds like sour grapes about alford to me.

[JohnnyMack]

Enjoy. Karma's a bitch ain't it?

[King Crimson]

He did a great job with the CBA and now with the Knicks.

don't forget Zeke's bangup job with the Raptors. or coaching the Pacers.

[Hoosier Dynasty]

Wow I almost feel sorry for KS.Sounds like a tough crowd.

That doesn't even touch the surface. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for Sampson, winning silences such critics. IU demands results and if he performs, he will be crowned King.

[Sooner24]

That doesn't even touch the surface. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for Sampson, winning silences such critics. IU demands results and if he performs, he will be crowned King.


I don't think the crown is going to fit.

[KABOOKIE]

But, I thought us bad Oklahoma fans drove him out of here? :rolleyes:

[TheHumanAlphabet]

We should send the Hoosier fan site the "Fire Calvin Simpson" threads...

[Scott D]

Ironically Indiana fan seems to forget conveniently that Bob Knight wasn't 'an Indiana guy' either.

[AZfanIII]

Even more ironically Bob Knight could actually coach basketball.

[Salt City Sooner]

Even more ironically Bob Knight could actually coach basketball.
& in the height of ironies, Sampson is 9-6 against Knight.

[NormanPride]

Kelvin's a big boy. He knew what he was getting into.

[JohnnyMack]

Kelvin's a big boy. He knew what he was getting into.

Yeah, about 10 million bucks.

[AZfanIII]

& in the height of ironies, Sampson is 9-6 against Knight.
And in the height of sticking ones thumb up ones own *** and quoting worthless numbers we have the 9-6 thesis. Well I've got one better for ya, 3 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS and 800 WINS BITCH.

[william_brasky]

And in the height of sticking ones thumb up ones own *** and quoting worthless numbers we have the 9-6 thesis. Well I've got one better for ya, 3 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS and 800 WINS BITCH.

did someone forget to take their medication today?

[AZfanIII]

I don't think so but apparently you forgot I didn't pull on your chain so until then sit there in the corner with salty and suck the brown from under your thumbnail and stfu.

[Octavian]

sound like some has-been Hoosiers got their feelings hurt by not being asked of their "expert" opinions....keeping it "in the family" isn't always a good thing...

I hope Kelvin does well and, at the same time, I'm glad OU is going to get a fresh start.

Our athletic dept., our conference, our geographic location in the region...OU has a whole lot to offer a bright and energetic young coach. When we look back on this in five years (2011) I bet we say OU ended up w/ a better outcome than Kelvin.

[william_brasky]

I don't think so but apparently you forgot I didn't pull on your chain so until then sit there in the corner with salty and suck the brown from under your thumbnail and stfu.

you like pulling on chains do you?

[AZfanIII]

If you and salty are going to leave red then at least have the nuts to post your name so I can give you both hugs for getting your feelers hurt. I'll call your mothers for you so she can come over and pop her tit back in your mouth since the bad man yelled at you.

[Octavian]

And in the height of sticking ones thumb up ones own *** and quoting worthless numbers we have the 9-6 thesis. Well I've got one better for ya, 3 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS and 800 WINS BITCH.

well, well, let's see....

less than a 100 posts - check

labeling a (correct) statement a "thesis" - check

unwarranted screaming - check

personal attack - check

Yep, you just met all the criteria needed to earn a vacation.

[william_brasky]

If you and salty are going to leave red then at least have the nuts to post your name so I can give you both hugs for getting your feelers hurt. I'll call your mothers for you so she can come over and pop her tit back in your mouth since the bad man yelled at you.

Red didn't come from me hoss. Seems as if you're making alot of friends on here.

[BarryBnds]

& in the height of ironies, Sampson is 9-6 against Knight.

I'll take over for AZ. He has 3 National Championships. Coached the last ever undefeated team. He coached the USA to a Gold Medal in the actual olympics. He will retire with more wins than any other coach.

Oh and if you want to talk about head to head records that actually matter, he is 1-0 in the tourney against Kelvin. But then again so is the coach for Manhattan who's washing cars at Red Carpet now.

[william_brasky]

I'll take over for AZ. He has 3 National Championships. Coached the last ever undefeated team. He coached the USA to a Gold Medal in the actual olympics. He will retire with more wins than any other coach.

I like Coach Knight. We are all aware of what he has done. I think everyone on here would agree that he is a great coach and teacher of the game. I'll just leave it at that.

[1stTimeCaller]

Oh and if you want to talk about head to head records that actually matter, he is 1-0 in the tourney against Kelvin. But then again so is the coach for Manhattan who's washing cars at Red Carpet now.

Don't forget the guy from the Indiana State Sycamores!!!!

[BarryBnds]

Don't forget the guy from the Indiana State Sycamores!!!!

Don't tell me you played for that guy too!!!!!:D

[1stTimeCaller]

Don't tell me you played for that guy too!!!!!:D

:D well played sir, well played!!!

[Salt City Sooner]

And in the height of sticking ones thumb up ones own *** and quoting worthless numbers we have the 9-6 thesis. Well I've got one better for ya, 3 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS and 800 WINS BITCH.
& he's done what since '87 (that would be going on twenty years in case you missed it, & Syracuse had to get screwed royally for him to win it even then). Oh yeah, ZIPPO. Let Sampson coach as long as he has & THEN you can compare entire careers, until then all you've got to go by is head to head. Knight's a DANG fine coach, no doubt. So is Sampson.

Oh, & BTW, I have NEVER negged you.

[bluedogok]

It seems like some of the IU "faithful" aren't as faithful to the school as they are to Knight. Yep, Knight went to Ohio State and coached at Army, what was his connection to IU other than playing against them in the same conference? I hope KS does well up there just to P.O. those who are buried so deep into Knight that they still see daylight when he opens his mouth. We found out just how bad "staying in the family" can be :eek:

We have all seen how "great" Knight has done since he left IU, my wife is a Tech grad and considers it an embarassment to the school to have him as the coach, especially since he is pimping himself out to ESPN like he the has-been who wishes he was still was important. Oh wait, that is what he is, a has-been :rolleyes:

[BarryBnds]

It seems like some of the IU "faithful" aren't as faithful to the school as they are to Knight. Yep, Knight went to Ohio State and coached at Army, what was his connection to IU other than playing against them in the same conference? I hope KS does well up there just to P.O. those who are buried so deep into Knight that they still see daylight when he opens his mouth. We found out just how bad "staying in the family" can be :eek:

We have all seen how "great" Knight has done since he left IU, my wife is a Tech grad and considers it an embarassment to the school to have him as the coach, especially since he is pimping himself out to ESPN like he the has-been who wishes he was still was important. Oh wait, that is what he is, a has-been :rolleyes:

First off pointing out where Knight went to school does nothing to prove he's not beloved and most associated with Indiana. That's stupid to even say so. Barry Switzer went to Arkansas, Bud Wilkinson went to Minnesota, Bob Stoops went to Iowa, Darryl Royal went to Oklahoma for God's sakes! Anyone who doesn't believe that Knight will always be revered in Indiana is an idiot. The same way we feel about Switzer.

Secondly, he is still on track to be the winningest coach of all time. By pointing out that he hasn't won the National Championship since '87 makes you look bitter and sad. When was John Thompson's last championship? Or Larry Brown? Or Kelvin's for that matter? The job he's done at Tech is comparable to leading Indiana to another national championship. The fact that your wife is bitter is even more sad. He has people in West Texas excited about MEN'S basketball for the first time maybe ever. And the amount of money he's raised for that school is insane for the short amount of time he's been there.

[bluedogok]

All I was saying is the "faithful" seem to be more for him than the school....he wasn't an "Indiana Guy" in the sense that is what those people want now, did he become an "Indiana Guy" like Switzer did at OU or Royal did at Texas, yes, but that is not how he started out in life and that is what it seems some of the IU faithful wanted. He has held a grudge against them since he was canned and they are not going to get an "IU Guy" as long as he has a sphere of influence with those people. THAT is what the IU people don't understand. That connection is in the past and the guy that burned that bridge is now in Lubbock.

Larry Brown won one a couple of years ago with the Detroit Pistons......

Hang around long enough and you can win a bunch of games, after all didn't a guy named Sutton do the same thing? :eddie: He hasn't done anything at Tech that Dickey didn't do other than get media attention and maybe some donor attention, he has only 1 championship of any kind at Tech (NIT-2002). That in no way compares to winning a NC at IU and Dickey never got into a fight at a salad bar.

Outstanding coach, yes, a big bully, yes, a real good guy for those close to him, yes. He is a complex person and personna, that doesn't make him a saint though.

BTW - this is not a defense of KS, I was glad to see him go and am ready for some new blood, I sometimes think coaches get stale in one place for too long. I have even said IU would be a good fit for KS ever since Davis announced his "resignation", now if only Tubby would get tired of Kentucky :D

[usmc-sooner]

Switzer would bitch slap Knight

[Crimsontothecore]

That doesn't even touch the surface. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for Sampson, winning silences such critics. IU demands results and if he performs, he will be crowned King.
DANG IT! That's where we screwed up....we never got him a crown to wear. Is it a denim crown?

[Hoosier Dynasty]

DANG IT! That's where we screwed up....we never got him a crown to wear. Is it a denim crown?

Basketball will always be second fiddle at OU. I mean is that an understatement or what?

[Octavian]

Basketball will always be second fiddle at OU. I mean is that an understatement or what?


http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/221/captain20obvious8px.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[BarryBnds]

Switzer would bitch slap Knight

Listen I'm the biggest Switzer guy around but there's no comparison when matched physically against Knight. The guy is HUGE!

[SOONER44EVER]

Indiana got a better coach than they had last year. Lets see if OU does too.

[Scott D]

amazing...simply amazing.

So glad that AZ and Bonds could take what I said so out of context. Ironically I was saying that hiring 'outside of the so called family' isn't necessarily a bad thing. Way to run with it fellas, way to run with it :rolleyes:

[BarryBnds]

amazing...simply amazing.

So glad that AZ and Bonds could take what I said so out of context. Ironically I was saying that hiring 'outside of the so called family' isn't necessarily a bad thing. Way to run with it fellas, way to run with it :rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

Here's an idea, next time you make a post have a point. It makes it so much more enjoyable for the reader.

[william_brasky]

:rolleyes:

Here's an idea, next time you make a post have a point. It makes it so much more enjoyable for the reader.

**** off dip**** :)

[Big Red Ron]

Basketball will always be second fiddle at OU. I mean is that an understatement or what?At least we have a second fiddle. Third, fourth and fifth too.

[Big Red Ron]

Listen I'm the biggest Switzer guy around but there's no comparison when matched physically against Knight. The guy is HUGE!But Barry is packin'.;)

[BarryBnds]

But Barry is packin'.;)

He thought it was flax seed oil. Oh, you meant the other Barry. Sorry.:D