DaytonDailyNews.com

When Indiana University athletics director Rick Greenspan hired basketball coach Kelvin Sampson — most likely by telephone — he knew that Sampson came with heavy baggage, or at least pounds and pounds of telephone bills.

Sampson was sanctioned by the NCAA while he was at the University of Oklahoma for making more than 550 illegal telephone calls to recruits. Ma Bell and Verizon loved the guy.

But how smart can he be to come to a university like Indiana and do the same thing, do it at a school where Bobby Knight — love him or hate him — never once drew the slightest attention from the NCAA?

There is no question that Sampson must go. Right away. Right now. The guy obviously is incurable.

ESPN broadcaster and Sarasota, Fla., resident Dick Vitale popped into Reds spring training camp on Monday and we agree on Greenspan's future, too. He should go. Right away. Right now.

He knew what he was getting when he hired Sampson. Then Sampson does it again? Shame on Sampson and shame on Greenspan.

What should not happen is any sanction of the Indiana basketball team — do not take away victories and do not ban it from the NCAA tournament. These players were not part of Sampson's "reach out and touch somebody" spree.

All they've done is construct a 21-4 record, including a big win over Michigan State on Saturday with controversy inundating them. They have a big game against Purdue tonight — then Sampson and Greenspan should be gone.

Hey, maybe Knight can finish the season for the Hoosiers.

Contact this reporter at hmccoy@DaytonDailyNews.com.