SURPRISE
We had an exciting evening for my daughter's birthday. Gatti-Town, which means pizza and games. At the party I had a sick'ning surprise when a friend asked, "What do you think about Sampson?"
"He was a fierce warrior, whom even in his rebellion God used," I thought. My heart sunk when I heard Kelvin Sampson (Oklahoma) was getting the nod from IU. I felt like a kid who thought he was getting a bike (S. Alford) for Christmas, but received a scratchy sweater instead.
PROS & CONS on Sampson:
- PRO: Sampson found an impressive "W" against Texas earlier this year.
- CON: Oklahoma's outstanding record was with close calls against the likes of SMU (Dallas), Iowa St, and Kansas St; as well as losses against Nebraska, Missouri, and Colorado--not to mention the Big Dance crushing by UW-Milwaukee.
- CON: Oklahoma's faces investigation of possible violations, which has Sampson's fingerprints all over it.
- CON: Sampson has no Indiana basketball roots. Indiana takes its basketball seriousely with vibrant barber shop talks about John Wooden and the Hinkle Fieldhouse. It's a place where newcomers are not always welcome.
- PRO: Have a minority as a coach will certainly help recruit.
Regardless, I am excited for the new coach.
