Dan getting some flak already...

[hammb]

Listening to the Colin Cowherd show today, but Colin is out and John Kinkade (who?) is filling in. He went on a couple minute long rant about how the IU players had honored Kelvin Sampson on their shoes by writing his initials on them in marker.

Kinkade said that these kids need to learn a lesson and that Sampson should not be being honored for being a cheater. He felt that Dakich should not be allowing that tribute to the man who was fired. His point is that the IU program could be facing potential sanctions for the actions of coach Sampson, and he has no business being honored on the IU uniform. He feels that Dan should be teaching these kids a lesson about the IU tradition and that Sampson was a black eye to that and should not be lauded.


Interesting take. Gotta say, I somewhat agree. Kelvin Sampson was a cheater, and the players should not be honoring him. Just like how the Falcons' players were wrong by trying to honor Mike Vick these players should not be honoring somebody who created his own fate. Kelvin Sampson is no martyr, he's a cheater, and he's a multiple offender. Dan should make it be known that defacing the IU sneakers by honoring the man who put them in this situation is not appropriate. Knowing him, something tells me we might not see those initials again, but who knows.

For those interested, it sounded like Norm Wamer was going to have Dan on this afternoon on his show. Congrats Norm, your suckling on the power teat has now got you a Big 10 head coach to talk to! Not sure when he'll be on, it'll be from 3:00-6:00.

[guest44]

To me, it's a non issue. All people deal with certain situations differently, let the players be. Dakich will probably evolve as a coach, and the players will grow from the adversity. It's easy for certain people to tell others how to handle certain situations when you are not emotionally involved.

[TG1996]

In his postgame presser last night, someone asked DD what it was like walking onto the floor (or at least I assume that was the question). He said "For 10 years at Bowling Green, I sat at my office window with my dad counting cars pulling into the parking lot, hoping we'd have a crowd..." (paraphrased, it was a bit longer and more satirical than that).

Someone should call in and ask him if he realized his office window faced the BA building.

[NYFalcon]

I disagree. DD understood the atmosphere in that locker room. These guys are loyal to the coach that brought them to IU, in some cases. For those that were there already, they obviously bought into the system and liked where they were going. They are showing respect to a man who the players felt respected them.

BTW, if IU keeps winning, knowing how superstitious coaches are, DD may not say a word about the initials.

[TG1996]

While I think it's crap that the players are doing it, I can't fault DD for letting them do it, if the rumors were true that a number of players were going to boycott games. And I also agree with NY that the initials will probably stay there until the first loss. (Unless IU can't afford new shoes for the kids to play in... )

[hammb]

I disagree. DD understood the atmosphere in that locker room. These guys are loyal to the coach that brought them to IU, in some cases. For those that were there already, they obviously bought into the system and liked where they were going. They are showing respect to a man who the players felt respected them.

BTW, if IU keeps winning, knowing how superstitious coaches are, DD may not say a word about the initials.

Yep. He respected them so much that he violated the same NCAA rule again. One that he was already caught violating before he got to IU. He risked them being suspended from postseason play and further sanctions, to commit a crime he had already been found guilty of in the past.

Yep he respected the hell outta those kids.


I don't expect Dan to make them remove the initials. I'm not sure that it's his obligation to do so either. But from what I can tell Dan loves IU more than anything. Perhaps it wouldn't go over well to speak ill of his predecessor, but IMO Dan should let it be known that Coach Sampson disgraced IU, the basketball program, and the players. To honor him on that uniform is not appropriate. Maybe he shouldn't be down there scrubbing the shoes clean himself, but he should damn well let it be known that as a proud IU alum he does not find the actions of Coach Sampson appropriate, and doesn't feel they should be honoring the man.

Sampson was a sleaze. IU knew that when they hired him, but they took the risk. It backfired on them, and now they've got their players honoring the man that brought a black eye to the program. If Dan were to make the players clean those shoes I betchya it would earn a crapload of Brownie points for him from the IU alumni.


FWIW, let's put the shoe on the other foot (no pun intended). BG fires a coach or dismisses a player because he knowingly violated the rules. Would you find it appropriate for the players to honor that coach/teammate? I sure as hell wouldn't.

[Falcons4Life]

Agreed... Sampson initials should be on the bottom of those shoes! He is all that is wrong with sports! We should put him, bonds, vick, and every other cheating azz together in a plywood ring and let them fight it out...


In the mean time, Dan is trying to geta bunch of pissed off, confused kids to play his brand of basketball for the next two months... If he feels like part of the way to do that is not banning a sharpie in the locker room...then fine! If he keeps winning the alumni will care a whole lot less about initials!!

[JoeFalcon]

In his postgame presser last night, someone asked DD what it was like walking onto the floor (or at least I assume that was the question). He said "For 10 years at Bowling Green, I sat at my office window with my dad counting cars pulling into the parking lot, hoping we'd have a crowd..." (paraphrased, it was a bit longer and more satirical than that).

Someone should call in and ask him if he realized his office window faced the BA building.

Hummm...and so continues the Urban Meyer tradition of gratuitously ripping little ole BG, where they had to slum it for a few years hoping the yokels recognized their greatness before moving into their rightful place in the national spotlight.

For a few of those years, the occupants of those cars were hoping to see a competitve game from a roster not gutted by endless defections.

[TG1996]

For a few of those years, the occupants of those cars were hoping to see a competitve game from a roster not gutted by endless defections.

...and for a few more, they had crowds that were elbow to a-hole to the rafters. I think he just says whatever makes him feel good that day. I think there's a million and one ways he could have said "It was great to be back at IU and see all those fans after the tough week we've had" without bashing the school that employed him for ten years, the last five of which were after he begged to come back.

[NYFalcon]

Hamb,

You're right that Sampson put the prigram at risk and he's lucky to get the buyout he got. However, the players obviously feel differently. If the players felt disrespected, why would they put the initials on their shoes.

I'm not saying that Sampson didn't disrespect the team, university, fans, etc. but his players didn't feel disrespected.

[Flipper]

You f&&king #&^#%^& SOB!!!! Dan NEVER begged ANYONE for his job back...at least that's how he explained it to channel 11's Dan Cummins.

I'm sure Dan feels that he's much better off at IU....I think we're much better off with Dan at IU as well....

[bgsufalcon24]

I think we're much better off with Dan at IU as well....

Most obvious statement in the history of this message board. Nice job Flipper.

[hammb]

Hamb,

You're right that Sampson put the prigram at risk and he's lucky to get the buyout he got. However, the players obviously feel differently. If the players felt disrespected, why would they put the initials on their shoes.

I'm not saying that Sampson didn't disrespect the team, university, fans, etc. but his players didn't feel disrespected.

You're right that players obviously didn't feel disrespected by coach Sampson. However, I think this is a situation where the kids aren't seeing things the right way.

It appears to me as though this gesture is the kids taking the side of the coach over the university. If I'm an IU alum/fan I'd find what they did to be disrespecting the university as much as what Kelvin did. To me it says, "We don't care if he cheated we liked him, and we take his side over the side that is trying to play fair."

In the grand scheme, I'd agree this really isn't a big deal. I only really brought it up because our former coach was getting some talk time on national radio. In general I agree whole-heartedly with Flipper in that all parties are better off with their current places.

As for Dan's comments concerning BG shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. He's done a pretty good job cutting on BG and its fans since he left here. In his infinite wisdom he doesn't even just make those comments to Bloomington media. No, he feels the need to still go on a Toledo radio show and joke around about how inferior we are to the mighty IU. He can stay at Indiana for all I care and just stay the hell away from BG. I spent countless hours and dollars at Anderson over the past 5 years watching his under-talented & poorly coached team compete; I'm quite happy with him in Indiana.

[ZiggyZoomba]

For a few of those years, the occupants of those cars were hoping to see a competitve game from a roster not gutted by endless defections.

...and for a few more, they had crowds that were elbow to a-hole to the rafters. I think he just says whatever makes him feel good that day. I think there's a million and one ways he could have said "It was great to be back at IU and see all those fans after the tough week we've had" without bashing the school that employed him for ten years, the last five of which were after he begged to come back.

I don't doubt Dan checked the lot on occasion, but I submit to you the following:

Exhibit A shows the location of the men's basketball office for the first half of Dakich's tenure. I've been in the office, it lends itself a very limited view of the parking lot; see how Anderson Arena bumps out right next to that window? Oh, and that line of trees are pine trees... they keep their needles and obstruct the view all winter long. This was Dan's office when there were lots of wins and big crowds.



Exhibit B illustrates the office Dan held for the second term of his tenure... when there were no crowds. There is no view of the parking lot.



Thank you.

[Falconfreak90]

Dan needs to just shut his mouth about BGSU. Damn dude...I am losing more respect for him every day.

Count me in the group that is happy Coach Orr is the Captain of this ship these days. Oh, the future looks so good. Maybe we can schedule IU for a game? How excellent would that be?????