Just as Chris speculated in an earlier thread on this blog, it appears Kelvin Sampson is done at OU.
It's coming over the wires that Sampson will be leaving Oklahoma to replace Mike Davis at Indiana. He was reportedly their third choice, after John Calipari and Mark Few.
Sampson is somewhat damaged goods, after minor recruiting scandals at OU (which will now conveniently become his successor's problem). He has more head coaching experience than Davis, but I'm not convinced he's much of an improvement.
The Big 12 is going to look a lot different next year, with at least four new coaches. Plus, Patton and Collier are on thin ice and Eddie Sutton's health is a question mark.
But where do the Sooners go from here? I have a suggestion: why not Mike Davis?
I am so confused—I thought they wanted an alum. . . . Well, I always resented the way his teams played—that slow-down defense, that damned toughness; but I think I'm going to miss him, and the quality of competition he guaranteed.
ReplyDeletePS, in case you're wondering, Sampson attended Pembroke State University (now UNC Pembroke). How do I know that? All thanks to the Official Kelvin Sampson Website.
ReplyDeleteYou're just a serial linker, aren't you?
ReplyDeleteThat site is hilarious. I love the glowing autobiography written in third person and the discourse on Native American patchwork.
One commentator suggests Dana Altman and Mark Turgeon as possible replacements. But Altman seems oblivious to outside offers, and Turgeon wouldn't leave to coach his alma mater's rival ... would he?
Interesting that, for all his success, Kelvin never won at the Field House (nor has any Big 12 South coach).
ReplyDeleteno Big 12 South coach has ever won at the Field House? That is incredible. That has to be one of the greatest statistics in sports. Are you sure Deron? As for Sampson, I am glad he is gone. They always seemed like thugs to me. remeber that game down there when Nick and Drew were young? They really beat up on those guys.
ReplyDeleteWell, the Big 12 (that's right, another link) is only ten years old, which makes Deron's stat not only accurate but perhaps even credible. . . .
ReplyDeleteYou have to feel bad for these players, though, like the All-American Sampson recruited, Scottie Reynolds, who is now left hanging.
Yes, the history of the Big 12 is only as long as Kelvin's OU career. I've been following the 'Hawks closely during that stretch and I can vouch for it. I could probably name every game we've lost at the Field House in the last decade (an amazingly short list).
ReplyDeleteAfter all, we didn't lose a single home game during the entirety of Lafrentz's career (1994-1998). After that, we lost at home to Mizzou and Neb. ('99, I think), ISU ('00, '01, '05), KSU (this year), plus some nonconference teams (Iowa '99, Arizona '03, Richmond '04, Nevada '06). This list may be incomplete, but I'm certain the Big 12 South isn't on there.
Going back to the Big 8, we did lose home games against the OK teams, but really, who's counting?
OU is going to hire Turgeon.
ReplyDeleteThey have contacted Wichita St.for permission to talk to him.
makes sense, he knows the Big XII, it's not very far, it's not the ex-rival situation if he had gone to Mizzou.