Kelvin Sampson...what a shame.

As an Indiana Alum and a supporter of Kelvin Sampson from his Oklahoma days (I lived in Norman and became an OU fan when I was a kid), it saddens me to say that I want him to resign. I think it's best for the program and it's the honorable thing to do. I've posted the newest ESPN article on the subject below. It's a shame that a great basketball coach couldn't be honest and follow the rules. I think that being ethical and having integrity is more important than winning, and therefore believe that it's time to find another coach for Indiana basketball.

NCAA lists five major violations against Sampson, Indiana staff

ESPN.com news services

Updated: February 13, 2008, 11:30 AM ET

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff violated telephone recruiting restrictions imposed because of his previous violations at Oklahoma, then lied about it to the school and NCAA investigators, the NCAA said Wednesday.

The NCAA has listed five major violations against Sampson, saying he gave "false or misleading information" to investigators. The university released the NCAA's report on Wednesday morning.

Major violations of NCAA rules can carry punishments including postseason ineligibility. Indiana already had self-reported violations under Sampson in October, but the new discovery could put the Hoosiers' season, and Sampson's career, under a cloud of uncertainty.

ESPN.com made multiple efforts to reach Indiana athletic director Rick Greenspan over the past week but calls were not returned. Sampson did not return a message Tuesday.

Indiana (20-3, No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 13 AP) has until May 8 to provide a written response, but the matter could simmer late into the summer. The committee on infractions has a hearing in April, but because of the allotted 90-day window for Indiana to respond, the hearing is not expected to take place until the committee's planned June meeting.

A postseason ban for the Hoosiers would come into play only if IU decides to self-impose such a measure. Multiple sources told ESPN.com that a postseason ban would occur only if there were an issue with the eligibility of any current student athletes. ESPN.com has been told this isn't the case at this point.

Among the specific allegations cited in the NCAA letter:

• That Sampson, assistant coach Jeff Meyer and former assistant Rob Senderoff failed to comply with sanctions imposed on Sampson for impermissible recruiting calls he made while he was the head coach at Oklahoma. Sampson was under such sanctions when he was hired to coach the Hoosiers in May 2006.

Sampson and Senderoff are alleged to have jointly participated in telephone calls at a time when Sampson was prohibited from being present or taking part when staff members made recruiting calls. Senderoff and Meyer are alleged to have made about 100 calls that exceeded the sanction limits.

Senderoff resigned his position Oct. 30.

• That Senderoff and Meyer placed "at least 25 telephone calls" to nine potential recruits that exceeded NCAA limits even if no sanctions had been in place.

• That Sampson "acted contrary to the NCAA principles of ethical conduct when he knowingly violated recruiting restrictions imposed by the NCAA Committee on Infractions."

• That Sampson and Meyer engaged in an impermissible recruiting contact during a two-day sports camp held at Assembly Hall last June 30 and July 1, and that Meyer provided the potential recruit with an impermissible benefit -- at least one T-shirt and drawstring backpack.

The NCAA launched its investigation after Indiana announced in October that Sampson had made 100 impermissible phone calls while he was on probation for illicit calls made while he was the coach at Oklahoma from 2000-2006. During that time, he made 577 impermissible calls.

Sampson was penalized by Oklahoma by not being allowed to travel for recruiting. Indiana imposed the same penalty in his first season as coach. He also was not permitted to make calls or leave campus to recruit for a calendar year. He was not banned from text messaging since it was allowed during that year. But it was during that year that he made the impermissible calls.

Sampson wasn't allowed to take part in three-way calls, originated by anyone on his staff. In October, Indiana made public that Senderoff initiated three-way calls. During the October news conference, Indiana said that Sampson said he was unaware he was participating on a three-way call. Senderoff, who was forced to resign, said he didn't let Sampson know he was on a three-way call, either. Prior to being forced out of his job, Senderoff was told he couldn't recruit off campus for a year or make calls. The same restriction was put on Dan Dakich, who has since been moved up to an assistant's position from director of basketball operations.

Sampson was hit with more penalties by the school, forfeiting a $500,000 raise, and a scholarship was taken away from the team.

In a statement issued through his attorney on Wednesday, Meyer said he would continue to cooperate with Indiana and the NCAA.

"I regret that I may have made mistakes that are causing my and IU's conduct to be examined by the NCAA. ... I will not comment on this process again before it is completed," Meyer said.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.