My Run-in w/ Kelvin Samspon

[UnderHisOwnPower]

My run-in with Kelvin Sampson morning after 2003 championship

I’m waiting to fly back to Houston at NOLA airport having partied all night. Strike up a conversation with a very nice woman at the gate. She congratulates me on the Syracuse win and how much she enjoyed watching them play. Next thing I know, I’m towering over a guy that looks exactly like Kelvin Sampson. The woman proceeds to introduce me to her husband Kelvin. He’s quite “dickish” leading to his wife giving him a bit of hell at which he reminds her while pointing at my shirt that Syracuse knocked his team out of the tourney. I try to ease the tension by saying something about next year and he flippantly responds “it should’ve been this year.”

At this point I’m still being nice … and ask him what he would’ve done differently versus Syracuse having had time to think about how the game unfolded. Again, in a completely confrontational tone, he says “the only thing I’d change is the location of the game.”

Without missing a beat, I calmly said, “That’s surprising. I would’ve thought you might’ve brought someone in that had a clue how to attack our zone since you sure as hell didn’t.” Kelvin stormed off while he wife laughed out loud at my comment.

Lets go Auburn!

Ha ha, maybe next time

 

[kingtidge]

He was pissed. Quite pissed. I mentioned to his wife that I was trying to be nice and she waived me off … said something like that‘s on him.

Just be glad it wasn't Bruce Pearl... Ur face would have been rained in spit...

 

[RF2044]

Pearl is a POS.

 

[kingtidge]

Pearl is a POS.

It is known.

 

[MadNY3]

My run-in with Kelvin Sampson morning after 2003 championship

I’m waiting to fly back to Houston at NOLA airport having partied all night. Strike up a conversation with a very nice woman at the gate. She congratulates me on the Syracuse win and how much she enjoyed watching them play. Next thing I know, I’m towering over a guy that looks exactly like Kelvin Sampson. The woman proceeds to introduce me to her husband Kelvin. He’s quite “dickish” leading to his wife giving him a bit of hell at which he reminds her while pointing at my shirt that Syracuse knocked his team out of the tourney. I try to ease the tension by saying something about next year and he flippantly responds “it should’ve been this year.”

At this point I’m still being nice … and ask him what he would’ve done differently versus Syracuse having had time to think about how the game unfolded. Again, in a completely confrontational tone, he says “the only thing I’d change is the location of the game.”

Without missing a beat, I calmly said, “That’s surprising. I would’ve thought you might’ve brought someone in that had a clue how to attack our zone since you sure as hell didn’t.” Kelvin stormed off while he wife laughed out loud at my comment.

Lets go Auburn!

This story made me smile. Nice work.

 

[Charbroil]

My run-in with Kelvin Sampson morning after 2003 championship

I’m waiting to fly back to Houston at NOLA airport having partied all night. Strike up a conversation with a very nice woman at the gate. She congratulates me on the Syracuse win and how much she enjoyed watching them play. Next thing I know, I’m towering over a guy that looks exactly like Kelvin Sampson. The woman proceeds to introduce me to her husband Kelvin. He’s quite “dickish” leading to his wife giving him a bit of hell at which he reminds her while pointing at my shirt that Syracuse knocked his team out of the tourney. I try to ease the tension by saying something about next year and he flippantly responds “it should’ve been this year.”

At this point I’m still being nice … and ask him what he would’ve done differently versus Syracuse having had time to think about how the game unfolded. Again, in a completely confrontational tone, he says “the only thing I’d change is the location of the game.”

Without missing a beat, I calmly said, “That’s surprising. I would’ve thought you might’ve brought someone in that had a clue how to attack our zone since you sure as hell didn’t.” Kelvin stormed off while he wife laughed out loud at my comment.

Lets go Auburn!

Just to play devil’s advocate, I’m sure a lot of coaches might not exactly be thrilled to have a complete stranger from an opposing fanbase asking them “what they would do differently” after a big loss. I’d imagine if a Butler fan asked Jim Boeheim this same question in 2010 he would insult their height or some other snarky comment.

Now that being said, it sounds like Kelvin Sampson was kind of a jerk from the get-go. So not completely defending him.

 

[Toga]

My run-in with Kelvin Sampson morning after 2003 championship

I’m waiting to fly back to Houston at NOLA airport having partied all night. Strike up a conversation with a very nice woman at the gate. She congratulates me on the Syracuse win and how much she enjoyed watching them play. Next thing I know, I’m towering over a guy that looks exactly like Kelvin Sampson. The woman proceeds to introduce me to her husband Kelvin. He’s quite “dickish” leading to his wife giving him a bit of hell at which he reminds her while pointing at my shirt that Syracuse knocked his team out of the tourney. I try to ease the tension by saying something about next year and he flippantly responds “it should’ve been this year.”

At this point I’m still being nice … and ask him what he would’ve done differently versus Syracuse having had time to think about how the game unfolded. Again, in a completely confrontational tone, he says “the only thing I’d change is the location of the game.”

Without missing a beat, I calmly said, “That’s surprising. I would’ve thought you might’ve brought someone in that had a clue how to attack our zone since you sure as hell didn’t.” Kelvin stormed off while he wife laughed out loud at my comment.

Lets go Auburn!

Or you could have gone with this.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

He was pissed. Quite pissed. I mentioned to his wife that I was trying to be nice and she waived me off … said something like that‘s on him.

Did you ask her out? Seems like the timing was ripe.

 

[OrangePA]

I was there. Less than 4 minutes into the game the outcome was clear. They had zero clue against a zone that moved in synchronicity.

We also had the best player on the court.

That usually is the difference.

Plus, we had excellent young talent around the best player - Hakeem, Gerry, Billy Edelin.

Systems are interesting, but talent is what normally wins the game and talent won that game.

 

[baggerbob]

I always maintained that we were criminally overlooked all year and should’ve been a 2 seed, so if they were going to make us be an underrated 3 seed, then they at least owed us Albany.

If Billy hadn't sat out a full year, and then the NCAA made him sit the 1st semester for a bogus reason we might not have lost any games.

 

[OrangePA]

If Billy hadn't sat out a full year, and then the NCAA made him sit the 1st semester for a bogus reason we might not have lost any games.

He took a lot of crap.

 

[ForCuseSake]

Hollis Price, 3-17.

 

[IthacaMatt]

That score isn’t indicative of how bad they got crushed. We were on cruise control the last 10 minutes of game time.

It's been a long time, but I remember us being up by huge numbers early, and them having turnover after turnover just trying to start their offense.

 

[Cheriehoop]

It's been a long time, but I remember us being up by huge numbers early, and them having turnover after turnover just trying to start their offense.

Your memory is correct. We were up 30-20 at halftime. Then I think we scored the first 8 points in the second half. The game was over. Ok had 19 turnovers and 9 less rebounds than we did. Our fg% was .521 and OK’s was .310.

 

[orangefog]

Your memory is correct. We were up 30-20 at halftime. Then I think we scored the first 8 points in the second half. The game was over. Ok had 19 turnovers and 9 less rebounds than we did. Our fg% was .521 and OK’s was .310.

But, if it were in a more neutral venue, it would have made all the difference. Kelvin Sampson is such a freaking douchebag.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Pearl is a POS.

With all due respect (and channeling my inner Rudy), there is only one "Pearl" in this house

 

[Forza Azzurri]

If Billy hadn't sat out a full year, and then the NCAA made him sit the 1st semester for a bogus reason we might not have lost any games.

If Billy doesn't sit out that first semester, Pace may not have seen the floor and JB may not have had the confidence to go to him...

 

[Cusefan0307]

I was there. Less than 4 minutes into the game the outcome was clear. They had zero clue against a zone that moved in synchronicity.

Yup. Then the same thing happened 10 years later with Crean and Indiana. 2 of the most dominant zone wins ever.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yup. Then the same thing happened 10 years later with Crean and Indiana. 2 of the most dominant zone wins ever.

And Marquette the next game after Indiana. Their offense was dead in the water all game.

 

[Cusefan0307]

And Marquette the next game after Indiana. Their offense was dead in the water all game.

At the time everyone seemed to assume we were going to beat Marquette after beating Indiana, but I remember being concerned about that game. They beat us in their arena that year in a game Davante Gardner destroyed us from the high post and had beat us 2 years earlier in the phantom Scoop backcourt call game with much of the same personnel. Crazy we rolled them after struggling to defend them for much of Buzz's tenure there.

 

[HOFCeluck]

At the time everyone seemed to assume we were going to beat Marquette after beating Indiana, but I remember being concerned about that game. They beat us in their arena that year in a game Davante Gardner destroyed us from the high post and had beat us 2 years earlier in the phantom Scoop backcourt call game with much of the same personnel. Crazy we rolled them after struggling to defend them for much of Buzz's time there.

We might have lost 3 of 4 going into that elite 8 game

Lost @Marquette 2011
Lost in tourney 2011
Won in @home 2012
Lost @Marquette 2013

 

[Cusefan0307]

We might have lost 3 of 4 going into that elite 8 game

Lost @Marquette 2011
Lost in tourney 2011
Won in @home 2012
Lost @Marquette 2013

Yep. We won the first two games against Buzz in 2009 and 2010, but even then we had to out score them. Until the regional final we never had much success against them on defense.