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According to Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com, Indiana's going to suspend Kelvin Sampson though the end of the season, and then formally fire him when the season concludes.
Parrish also reported earlier that five players told the administration that they wouldn't play if Sampson wasn't permitted to coach out the season.
According to the sources, after Greenspan informed five selected players -- namely D.J. White, Eric Gordon, Kyle Taber, Lance Stemler and Adam Ahlfeld -- of his decision to replace Sampson he called a meeting with the entire team in an attempt to "prepare" them for Friday's official announcement that Sampson would either be suspended or terminated in time for the Hoosiers' weekend game at Northwestern. But before Greenspan finished his speech, the sources said an unidentified player stood up and insisted "if Sampson ain't coaching, we ain't playing" and that Greenspan responded with what he thought was a rhetorical question.
"Greenspan asked if he should just cancel the whole season," one source said. "And the player told him 'We don't care what you do. But if Sampson ain't coaching, we ain't playing.' And then they just walked out."
I don't know if I believe that particular report, but even if things happened exactly as they were described above, I wouldn't expect any players to make good on that threat. Especially for White and Gordon, they have too much to lose by sitting out the rest of the season because they don't like a coaching change.
The announcement of the Sampson suspension isn't official, but a press conference is expected to happen at 2 p.m. ET today.
(UPDATE: According to ESPN's Andy Katz, that press conference has been pushed back to 4:00, possibly even later.)
Parrish also reported earlier that five players told the administration that they wouldn't play if Sampson wasn't permitted to coach out the season.
According to the sources, after Greenspan informed five selected players -- namely D.J. White, Eric Gordon, Kyle Taber, Lance Stemler and Adam Ahlfeld -- of his decision to replace Sampson he called a meeting with the entire team in an attempt to "prepare" them for Friday's official announcement that Sampson would either be suspended or terminated in time for the Hoosiers' weekend game at Northwestern. But before Greenspan finished his speech, the sources said an unidentified player stood up and insisted "if Sampson ain't coaching, we ain't playing" and that Greenspan responded with what he thought was a rhetorical question.
"Greenspan asked if he should just cancel the whole season," one source said. "And the player told him 'We don't care what you do. But if Sampson ain't coaching, we ain't playing.' And then they just walked out."
I don't know if I believe that particular report, but even if things happened exactly as they were described above, I wouldn't expect any players to make good on that threat. Especially for White and Gordon, they have too much to lose by sitting out the rest of the season because they don't like a coaching change.
The announcement of the Sampson suspension isn't official, but a press conference is expected to happen at 2 p.m. ET today.
(UPDATE: According to ESPN's Andy Katz, that press conference has been pushed back to 4:00, possibly even later.)
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