So Who is the Anonymous Donor?

In the breaking story on ESPN about the Indiana/Sampson settlement, the story cites an anonymous donor that contributed $550,000 of the $750,000 settlement to induce Sampson to go away quietly and waive any potential litigation.

Could the donor be Mark Cuban, internet billionaire, Dallas Mavericks owner and fanatical IU alum. If you don't know the Cuban story, he and a friend originally started broadcast.com (the source of his billions when sold to Yahoo) to watch IU basketball games through the web.

If indeed it was Cuban, I imagine the conversation went something like this:

MC: Hi Rick (Greenspan, IU AD) Cuban here, so are we going to put this whole nastiness behind us today?

RG: Well not exactly. We plan to suspend Coach Sampson until the end of the season and let the investigation play out so we don't get sued. Remember how much money Ohio State had to pay to Jim O'Brien after they fired him? We can't afford to pay out millions to a former coach.

MC: Well this is embarrassing for IU and all of the alums. We need to put this behind us now! Won't he take a settlement?

RG: Umm I am not sure.

MC: Well did you ask him? Have you tried to get him to resign with a settlement and waiver?

RG: No not yet.

MC: What have you guys been doing for the past week? I mean you already did your investigation months ago, what has been taking so long to make a decision?

RG: We have been trying to figure out ways to avoid litigation. Do you remember how much Ohio state had to pay to O'Brien for wrongful termination.

MC: Okay, then negotiate a settlement with a waiver of litigation.

RG: Yeah but we really can't afford that. Do you know how much it is costing us in legal fees to investigate and defend against the NCAA allegations. We are going to have to shell out millions.

MC: Well we need to get rid of this guy quick or we won't be able to recruit and this will hang over the team during the tournament. Find out how much he wants and I will chip in to get rid of him!

RG: Wow, you truly are the greatest alum.

MC: Thanks Rick. But there is one condition -- I get to approve the next guy you boneheads plan to put in the chair.

RG: Uh I guess we can do that Mark. Thanks.

And the Plot Thickens...

I remember also being an impetuous, headstrong college student and some of the grave errors in judgement that it led to.

CBSSports.com is reporting news out of Indiana this morning that the players, when informed of Sampson's firing, said that "if coach goes they won't play". Talk about stupid immature behavior. I understand loyalty, but he broke the rules. The University feels it needs to make this move to lessen penalties with the NCAA and they players are only penalizing themselves by not playing.

Well now the IU administration should really think about taking their post-season ban this year if the players won't play anyway. Since it is highly likely that there will be at least one year of post-season ban associated with these violations, the administration will have to consider this option closely.

Thank god I have grown up and matured and no longer make stupid, impulsive decisions.

[edit 12:30PM] But theres more...

This morning the IU board at Scout.com (paid link so only subscribers can view) is reporting that what the players actually said was that they would only play if second-year assistant McCallum is made the interim coach over Dan Dakich. Hmmm what does that say about Mr. Dakich and his coaching style. Interesting indeed.

At any rate, we will find out much more later today as the Hoosiers have called a press conference for 2PM central.

[edit 3:45PM] Talk on the HoosierNation.com board is that there are only 7 kids in the practice that Dakich is running today. Some of those absent include DJ White, Armon Bassett, JaMarcus Ellis and Jordan Crawford. Wow this is turning into a train wreck.

I can only imagine how angry the IU alums must be. They have a great tradition that has not needed to rely on cheating, now in addition to the Sampson episode they have a group of belligerent players trying to hold the university hostage. Lets see some people protest the war in Iraq, others protest the brutalities in Dufar, but these children decide to protest the firing of a coach who cheated (for the second time) and lied about it to the NCAA and IU! Just unreal - childish doesn't even do this behavior justice.

I feel bad for the IU alumni -- it is clear from the Boards that the general tone is one of utter embarrassment.

More live coverage of the unfolding drama can be found at the Cobra Brigade.

[edit 5:10] Here are the players that are in practice according to chatters on the Scout.com IU board (keep in mind that posts on chat boards are about as reliable as a Britney Spears clean drug test).

Adam Ahlfeld
Brett Finkelmeier
Eric Gordon
Lance Stemler
Kyle Taber
Mike White
oh and the team managers (supposedly)

If this becomes the lineup for the Northwestern game, I am placing the over/under for Gordon's total point at 50!!

[edit 11:30AM sat. 2-23]
Looks like someone talked sense into the "protesting" players and the entire team got onto the plane to Evanston this morning, see story from Herald Times.