Sampson’s three-ways result in NCAA violations

NORMAN, OK — Kelvin Sampson’s contact privileges have been handcuffed again. An intern at Indiana University’s athletic compliance department uncovered evidence last week indicating the Hoosiers head basketball coach was involved in a three-way on 10 different occasions with recruits dating back to March 2007. In May 2006, after discovering Sampson violated contact recruiting rules while at Oklahoma, the NCAA placed a one-year ban on the coach from impermissibly contacting recruits, which included three-ways.

In a 30-minute news conference Thursday, Sampson tried to avoid uncomfortable questions regarding the evidence, which included tight referee uniforms, mini basketball beads, pink whistles, and explicit diagrams of blocking-out drills.

“I really have no interest in commenting about an ongoing investigation,” said Sampson, who reminded reporters he was part-Indian. “These allegations are humiliating, and I will not associate myself with such inaccuracy. I mean, the whistles were fluorescent purple, not pink, damnit.”

When asked whether the team would be distracted by the violations, Sampson said, “Of course not. They’re kind of used to blocking this sort of stuff out.”

It’s going to be tough for this sport to sweep any nations, but it’s still pretty frickin’ cool!