Report: Indiana players threaten to quit team
Posted: February 22, 2008
Sporting News staff reports
A meeting between Indiana University athletic director Rick Greenspan and the Hoosiers basketball team Thursday night turned rancorous when players threatened to quit if Kelvin Sampson is removed, CBSSports.com reports.
Two sources told the website that Greenspan met with players to prepare them for today's official announcement that Sampson would either be suspended or terminated. Before Greenspan was finished speaking, a player stood up and said, "if Sampson ain't coaching, we ain't playing."
The sources' account says Greenspan then rhetorically asked if he should just cancel the whole season. The player responded, "We don't care what you do. But if Sampson ain't coaching, we ain't playing. Then the players walked out.
The players declined to comment in front of television cameras outside the meeting.
The sources also said that Greenspan asked Sampson to resign Thursday night, but Sampson refused.
More on Sampson
PDF: Allegations against Sampson DeCourcy: Settling with Sampson quickly is IU's best option Ryan Fagan's Indiana road trip |
Slideshow Hoosiers team home page
Last week Indiana released the NCAA's report that accused Sampson of providing false and misleading information to university and NCAA investigators about phone calls to recuits and failing to promote a high standard of honesty and an atmosphere of compliance in the program. Sampson has said he never intentionally provided false or misleading information to NCAA investigators.
