Top Coaching Jobs - #6

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#6.) Indiana Hooisers

One of the crown jewels of college basketball, just ask any basketball person over 50 about the program and look out for the ensuing drool. Since Bob Knight was forced to go, the Indiana program has been in limbo. From the Mike Davis years to the giant black eye named Kelvin Sampson (that’s what you get for hiring a Sooner), the Indiana program has faced some rough times as of late.

But one thing that shows that this program is still among the tops in the sport is the way it has remained in the news and relevant despite its struggles. With major NCAA sanctions looming, (granted they won’t be as bad as Baylor, I guess that’s a perk of being a major player in your sport) the Hooisers were still able to land a major hire in Tom Crean of Marquette. The ability to go in and say, “Hey, you’ll probably have 0 returning starters, face several years of probation, and be expected to win immediately, but did we say we’re Indiana?” and get the coach to sign the dotted line, speaks volumes about the tradition, history, and relevance of this program.

While the .624 winning percentage over the last seven years is not where Indiana would like it, they have had a few seasons in contention in the Big Ten, including the improbable Mike Davis trip to the Final Four. But, what makes Indiana is the tradition and history. It’s the candy stripe pants, Assembly Hall, five national championships, and eight final fours. Whether they win or lose, they still will be Indiana, one of the most storied programs in basketball.

Indiana had been fighting their hardest to become relevant again, and took the shortcut named Kelvin Sampson to do it. Despite the NCAA sanctions, the relevance was achieved. Sampson was able to land a major recruit in Eric Gordon, and while he will be heading to the NBA, Indiana showed it is still capable of attracting the best players. Tom Crean’s success in Marquette will allow him to recruit anywhere in the Midwest, and coupled with the Indiana name, he should be able to become the leader in the region, which is important in keeping Chicago talent close to home.

While it may take two or three years to fully get the program back on track, Crean was the perfect hire to bring Indiana back to elite status in college basketball. It has been 21 years since the Hooisers cut down the nets, but with Tom Crean at the helm, the possibility isn’t that far off. And that is why the Indiana Hooisers come in at number six on our list.

#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Did They Think to Cancel His Service?

ESPN.com is reporting that Indiana could be facing more NCAA sanctions on top of the already self imposed sanctions that Indiana placed on themselves for hiring a dirtbag...err, I mean Kelvin Sampson.

Indiana was forced into self imposed sanctions last year when they discovered that Kelvin Sampson had made 577 impermissable phone calls from 2000-2006 at Oklahoma. While the phone calls were disturbing, Indiana later revealed that the biggest problem was that no one liked the SOB...okay, maybe not, but it's possible.

So Indiana trying to rebuild their program through the assistance of those that break the rules, my favorite way to return to glory, personally, but strict limitations on Sampson trying to avoid any trouble from the NCAA. This included making no off-campus trips, limited phone calls, and no three-way phone calls. Which really, I don't think any coach should be participating in any three-ways, well except maybe Larry Eustachy.

Well apparently the NCAA sent a letter to Indiana saying that their investigation turned up more wrong doings, and possible MAJOR (oh yes, major) violations by the Indiana program. Apparently as has been the case from 2000 until 2007, Kelvin Sampson has been doing whatever the hell he pleases. And though it apparently takes nine years, karma will eventually catch up to you.

Not that it helps Bruce Webber at all. Bad guys may get caught, but nice guys still finish last. But really, I think Indiana deserves anything that comes there way. They knew Sampson was a shady character, but they hired him anyways. They know that he consistently breaks the rules, and yet they still didn't monitor his activities. They knew he had to be breaking rules and violating his Indiana mandated probation. So Indiana deserves whatever penalties the NCAA hands down. But let us not get too carried away. Indiana is a storied, big time basketball program. I smell a slap on the wrist. (Insert Baylor fans thinking unbaptist thoughts towards the NCAA here).

Sampson will continue to break the rules wherever he goes because it helps him win, and helps him make more money. There are no real consequences that will ever be given to him, so why not break the rules. If Indiana gets fed up and fires him, some school desperate to win will take a chance on him. Translation: Some school will welcome his rule breaking tactics for a shot at winning.

But this whole incident begs the question, why didn't anyone just cancel his phone service, take away his cell phone, and ground him to his office? Oh, because then you wouldn't be 20-3 and have Eric Gordon. Now I get it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3243325