Kelvin Sampson is scum. Any kid who renegs is scum. They deserve each other.

Eric Gordon committed to Indiana what a shock. This proves that Coch Weber cannot recruit. He missed on Derrick Rose at Simeon, Sharron Collins went to Kansas as well as Julian Wright. Let not even talk about Jon Scheyer the kid who played for his brother and ended up at Duke although that may be alittle unfair since Duke was his dream school. But this trend does not look good for future Illini teams. Sure he has won a lot of games so far, but he has done it with Bill Self's players. I hope things get better.

the honeymoon is over for bruce webber, he has not recruited one solid player from the city suburbs whatever, he needs to go, this not SIU, illinois is big ten basketball and if the trend continues the illini will become bottom feeders, and kelvyn sampson is scum, his track record for underhanded recruiting is well documented

The question is...can Bruce Weber recruit? He had a great run with Bill Self's players but has yet to land a top recruit since he took over the program. It doesn't say much for Weber and how he is viewed by HS kids if he can't convince them to come to IL after all the success he's had over the last 2 years.

I'm sure this is controversial in basketball, but nothing illegal. Let's face it, Kelvin Sampson is doing what he should... looking out for his school and making it the best possible program he can.

Sour grapes to all Illini fans that disagree.

Bottomline Eric Gordon and his family screwed us... Had us tagging along for 2 years now we have no one else to recruit of his caliber.... Bruce needs to get tougher or hire a recruiting specialist cuz we are not getting the job done we need game changers like Gordon and Rose not players that take 2 to 3 years to develop... I'm very upset with the direction we going we should at least be able to get top instate players...

This isn't about legality, it's about ETHICS. Some folks obviously have no concept of that word or what it means.

I think everyone has to understand that the gordon's were the ones that contacted indiana and opened things back up once mike davis was fired. weber should have seen this coming and stayed on his recruit. All that happened here is Indiana took advantage of the chance Gordon gave them, and to be honest, I'd rather be in beautiful Bloomington, Indiana than dismal Champaign, Illinois. Illinois fans can cry about this all they want, but this happens all the time in football and has happened with top recruits in basketball numerous times as well. maybe coach weber should watch over his players and keep them from stealing from dorms and driving drunk...and you call that a classy program...where are your championship banners?

Weber has great recruits coming in and will remain a top contender in the B10. In 3 years time, he won't need to recruit; they'll be lining up to wear orange & blue. Frankly, I'm glad Gordon is staying in Indiana. Too much hype and expectations spell disaster for Sampson, just like his predecessor.

Whoever you are that is calling Sampson and Gordon scum better look in the mirror. Anybody who is calling a 17 year old kid scum because he wants to play at IU where he dreamed about playing his whole life, has issues. You sir, have issues....he's 17 and made a tough choice. If a 17 year old decision is all you have in your life...well, you are sad....

Chances are good that this young man will spend one yr at Indiana and then move to the NBA. Sampson could have used some ethical resolve and never confer with the Gordon family--and respected the commitment to Illinois.

I would disagree with calling the kid scum, but you dont verbal to a school if you are not 100% sure you are going there. If it had been his dream to play at IU then why would you verbal to another school before ruling out the chance that Davis would be fired. It is just not the right way to conduct yourself, i am not much older than Gordon, and you are only as good as your word, that is something a 17 year old kid should know. There was no need for him to string the Illini along if he wasnt committed to playing there. Hopefully Weber will be able to bounce back, but im not sure if he will be able to.

I would disagree with calling the kid scum, but you dont verbal to a school if you are not 100% sure you are going there. If it had been his dream to play at IU then why would you verbal to another school before ruling out the chance that Davis would be fired. It is just not the right way to conduct yourself, i am not much older than Gordon, and you are only as good as your word, that is something a 17 year old kid should know. There was no need for him to string the Illini along if he wasnt committed to playing there. Hopefully Weber will be able to bounce back, but im not sure if he will be able to.

Indiana fans seem drunk on the idea that Sampson is a great coach. Last year OU was suppsosed to be top 5 and wound up 52 in Sagarin. Nice job of coaching there. I guess when you are desperate any old trash can look pretty attractive.

Hey DIllini...I've been to Bloomington. It is a dump. Don't think Gordon went there because Bloomington is beautiful. It is still southern Indiana.

How is this different then the kids who play a year and then switch schools? At least Gordon isn't stealing a scholarship for a year before changing his mind. A mature choice for a 17 year old.

Well, he might be just a 17 year old kid, but I think he can plan on being played pretty physically for the 2 games he plays against the Illini before he jumps to the NBA. And we all know it is just a matter of time before Sampson gets IU put on probabtion. Unfortunately, his track record shows that this is pretty ethical for him.

First of all, those of you bashing Weber must be the same ones badmouthing Ron Zook. We don’t need fans like you, so you can take a hike. It’s no secret that our Championship team from two years ago (yes, I said Champion – NC had nothing on us that year but the refs) was mostly comprised of players that came in under Bill Self. But the fact is that it took Bruce Weber to get these guys to play as a team under an offense that was suited to their talents; something that Self could never do. Without Weber, the Illini would have exited the tournament after the first round, as all Self’s teams do.

Last I checked, Weber has plenty of talented players on the roster, proof that he can recruit. Sure, they aren’t going to go 32-1 this season, but how many teams in history have? I’ll bet they own Indiana for a long time to come.

While I won’t call Gordon scum, I certainly won’t wish him the best over there. Unfortunately he exemplifies the growing trend in this country in his lack of respect and the complete worthlessness of a person’s word. I’m not that old, so I don’t have any stories of what a person’s word meant during the Depression of WWII, but I certainly have enough respect for myself and those around me that once I make a commitment, I follow through. The UI and coach Weber have dedicated a lot of time and energy into him believing that he was a man of his word. I guess in the end he’s not a man at all and just a mere child. I certainly hope he learns the difference soon, or his “commitment� to Indiana will be just a one-season stepping stone.

Finally, I won’t go into too much about Sampson other than the other blogger was right. He is scum. Who does this guy think he is coming into the Big Ten and pulling something like that? Regardless of whether he broke any rules, he violated every gentlemen’s agreement in the conference. It about being ethical and doing the right thing; being an honorable person. Well, I guess he through that out the window long ago, so why start now. I just hope that he isn’t planning on ever winning any Big Ten awards like Coach of the Year. He’s going to be awfully lonely sitting at a table for one at Big Ten luncheons.

This may be the only fun Samspon will have in the Big Ten. He will be the prime target now in Big Ten wars and he will not survive.

Remember these names:

E'Twaun Moore
Chris Wright
Corperryale Harris
Dorenzo Hudson
Jamelle McMillan
Evan Turner

These are guys that were interested in Illinois and they did not pursue because EJ was committed for a year!! Of course nobody really knows how Evan Turner's situation might have turned out if we would have offered him and McCamey months before OSU did!! Word was 2 or 3 months before he committed to OSU that Illinois was his top choice, they even had a headline on his Scout profile about this fact, but Illinois had not extended an offer yet and thus let OSU grab him. with Gordon out of the picture we might have offered both these guys and landed both at the same time, they were good friends and both wanted to come here badly! Too bad Bruce didnt know he would be stabbed in the back less then a month from signing day!!! With turner, McCamey and any one of those remaining 5 guys on that list Bruce would have had a very solid 07 class, now nobody is left!

Thank you Eric Gordon, you and your family are real class acts for stringing Bruce Weber along for a year, and destroying his 07 recruit class!!!

Look, everyone must understand that the recruting business is just that! It is for the kid to choose the best school for him, not all you fans that have no clue about what really goes on! I played college football at IU and its a great school. U of I is not the most attritive place in the Big 10, actually its one of the worst. The same goes for football, if you dont recruit your state you will not win. OSU football team is dominated by Ohio born players (Who happen to be ranked number 1). Gordon is from Indy so more power to Sampson and the IU basketball prgram!

Sampson tried to recruit Gordon to OU but he wanted to stay close to home. When Sampson got the IU job why wouldn't you contact him to check his level of interest. Question: if a kid vebally commits to a program as a junior then is unable to physically play does the school still honor the committment Answer: No Illini get over it!!

What a bunch of cry babies. Ethics this and ethics that. IU just stole one of the top players in the country from your program. You can say whatever you want but that is the hard truth. I love how everyone thinks Sampson is scum. For what, too many phone calls? Wow, he's awful. I'm sure if a top recruit contacted Weber and that recruit had verbally committed to another school, Weber would have said "I'm sorry but this is ethically wrong. I'm not interested." Give me a BREAK! Cry cry cry and then say bye bye bye to Gordon.

Illini fans should not lose any sleep over Gordon. Like another poster said, he's a one-year rental. He'll be off to the NBA after one year, the developmental league in two years, Europe in three and wondering what went wrong in four or five. And so what if Illinois doesn't get the top recruits from Chicago, Illinois or anywhere else. Other than Deron Williams, were any of the other members of Illinois' NCAA runner-up team considered "prime" recruits. It seems to me that Dee Williams was considered too short, Roger Powell was considered a player without a position because he was too small for power forward, Luther Head was an "athletic kid" who couldn't shoot, and James Augustine was, well, "tall." Seems to me you don't need the "cream of the crop" to be successful, just kids who buy into what you're doing, who are willing to work hard, who are good kids (and unless you have NEVER drank and drive, don't cast stones), and who check their egos at the door.

Calling a kid a scum is wrong, as others stated he is 17 and try to put yourself in his shoes. You grew up wanting to be play at indian and Mike Davis does not even give you the time of day. Then the situation changes at Indiana and you still have shot at playing at Indiana. Gordon came to Indiana, Sampson only started talking when the Gordon wanted him too. Come on people this is a young kid in difficult spot, give him a break. The Illini program will go on fine without him. Life is dynamic, get over it.

First, of all Kelvin Sampson is a big scum. Secondly, Bruce Weber has to turn his act around. He's gotta get more aggresive when it comes to recruiting. UI is doing nothing while the rest of the big ten is getting better

Oklahoma is a "dirty" school. Nothing but a bunch of scumbags. The fact that Indiana hired Sampson means they are now going to be a force in recruiting wars. They will, as evidenced by the Gordon affair, play dirty.

I think Coach Weber is very fundamentally sound but his small stature and squeeky voice doesn't impress the young jocks. They want bling and some *******. In defense of Weber, the loss of Gordon has more to do with Coach McClain (the ex-coach of the notorious Peoria Manual High School) then with Weber.

We Illini fans should be glad for the run we had. Major college programs (football and basketball) rely heavily upon good looking and slick talking Head Coaches (ever hear of Pete Carroll at USC?)and Bruce Weber, regretfully, is neither. If Illinois really wants to get down and dirty they should think about hiring Bob Huggins, the ex-Cincinnati head coach. Excellent recruiter, great coach and not afraid to offer a few "enticements" to get the great ones to come to Champaign. Forget the DUI crap, everybody has some "baggage" these days.

The sad fact remains, you are not going to win the national championship without a little "stink" on your fingers(unless you are DUKE)and Weber is too clean and afraid to bend the rules.

The Illinois job is way TOO big for Weber's personality...thats why they are missing out on kids, as well as the negative image he has in the Chicagoland Area amongst high school coaches!! Remember Lon Kruger......Weber makes things worst when he whines when kids dont come to Illinois and he accuses other schools of cheating and he bad mouths the players when they do not choose Illinois....WHAT A JOKE!!!!

Duke clean??? Duke is just as dirty as any other big-time program. We just don't hear about those underhanded dealings when it applies to Duke.