Integrity matters?

If you follow college basketball at all, and perhaps even if you don't, you've no doubt seen the mess that is the current state of Indiana basketball. It seems odd to call it a mess. I mean, after all, they are 22-4 so far, easily their best season in several years, and just knocked off their bitter rival Purdue. However, there is a huge gray cloud hanging over the program after recruiting violations by coach Kelvin Sampson have surfaced.

I am never shocked when these types of violations occur anymore. They have become all too common. Although, Sampson had already gotten caught for the same exact type of violations at his previous school and had pledged that it was an honest mistake due to his ignorance of the rules. Indiana, knowing of the previous problems, took him at his word. Kind of hard to argue that excuse this time around, though.

What does surprise me, though, is the reaction of the program and especially that of the fans in this situation. There is outrage at all levels. People want him gone - even though they're winning! It's easy to have that reaction when things aren't going well. However, this is a program that is historically used to winning - a lot - and lately they haven't been. They've been restless, eager for the success they had grown accustomed to. Under Sampson the last two years, there have been signs that things could be turning around. Momentum has been building and this team should go into the tournament as one of the top seeded teams with a realistic shot to go pretty deep. Now, it looks as if it will go to the tournament without it's head coach.

Would this be the reaction everywhere? I have to think not. I mean, we are just talking about phone calls here, right? Seems these infractions could be minimized, you know, in comparison to the greater good that is being accomplished. Well, at Indiana at least, it appears not. I have to hand it to them, it appears that they might just send the message that integrity still means something, perhaps even more than winning.

And who would have thought that Indiana fans might just be wishing for the good ol "non-controversial" days of Bobby Knight . . . :)

-Jeff