Sampson, Valvano, and Vitale
Kelvin Sampson may have coached his last game at IU tonight. It was another Kelvin classic, defeating arch rival Purdue 77-68. I’m sad that this may be the end. Sad that, if the allegations are true, a brilliant coach with a bright future is going to fall. Few people in Indiana are going to say what I’m about to say. But, I feel sorry for him. I don’t in any way condone the infractions, nor do I think he shouldn’t face the consequences. I just haven’t been able to get past the fact over the last few days that there is no bigger stage on which to fail in Indiana than as coach of the Hoosiers. It must be a lonely, horrible place. He must be suffering. And as one former U.S. President said, “All suffering concerns all of us.”
We all screw up. We all do things we’re not proud of, but most of us won’t have ESPN detailing every aspect of our failures on Around the Horn, PTI, Sports Center, Mike & Mike, Rome is Burning, etc. And that’s what brings me to my beef with Dick Vitale this week. He called the Saturday matchup of IU vs. Michigan State, doing his usual homage to Bob Knight. Only this time, it was 2 hours of pontificating on Bob Knight’s greatness and villifying Sampson, AD Rick Greenspan, and pretty much anyone who associated with IU since Knight’s exit. Sadly, in the same breath he urged people to support his upcoming charity love-in to benefit the V Foundation.
Remember the V Foundation? If you’ve watched more than 5 minutes of ESPN in the last 10 years, how could you not know the V Foundation. Every year at ESPY time, they play the speech of Jim Valvano, ravaged by cancer, saying “Never give up.” Moving. Heartfelt. An important cause. Can’t argue any of that. What I can argue is that Vitale is the Uber Hypocrite for not even remotely contemplating that Sampson could someday champion a similar cause that is bigger than basketball.
You see, Jimmy V wasn’t always a hero. Valvano’s basketball career ended in scandal. There were the players selling shoes and tickets, shaving points, and other nefarious activities. Then there was Valvano’s atrocious graduation rates. Vitale loves to point out Bob Knight’s graduation rates when justifying the General’s less than flattering moments, while conveniently ignoring the fact that in 10 years, his buddy Valvano only graduated 3 players. That’s not a typo. 3 players in 10 years!
Valvano rose above the disgrace to raise money and awareness for a worthy cause. In doing so, he found redemption in the college basketball world. In the next few days, don’t follow in the footsteps of Vitale. Hope there is redemption is Sampson’s future. The money Valvano’s foundation raised has undoubtedly saved lives. Sampson could one day do the same. He needs redemption. We all do at some point in our lives. Even Dick Vitale.
Carry on, Citizens!
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