Indiana released its response to the NCAA this afternoon. It's a document that suggests the school has been punished enough and does not deserve additional sanctions. It also states that it's "reasonable to conclude" former coach Kelvin Sampson repeatedly misled NCAA investigators.

Sampson has formally addressed the NCAA with a written response, too.

The following text is his cover letter, obtained by CBSSports.com.

May 8, 2008

VIA OVERNIGHT DELIVERY

NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions
1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Dear Committee Members:

Enclosed is my written Response to the allegations set forth in the NCAA enforcement staff’s Notice of Allegations to Indiana University, Bloomington, dated February 8, 2008. I have been assisted in the preparation of this Response by legal counsel to ensure that I proceed as expected by your policies, procedures and practices.

When I appeared before you in April 2006 to address recruiting telephone contact violations at the University of Oklahoma, I accepted responsibility for my mistakes, I answered your questions truthfully and with great candor, and I pledged to do everything within my power to avoid violations in the future. That experience had a profound effect on me. I was embarrassed and I was wholly determined to not put myself and my family through another experience like that.

When I arrived at Indiana University, I hired an experienced staff and made my expectation of strict compliance with NCAA rules and with the restrictions imposed upon our staff very clear. As set forth in detail in the body of my Response, each member of my staff confirms that my expectations were made clear. I endorsed and cooperated fully with the monitoring systems set in place by Indiana’s athletics compliance staff. I relied upon the monitoring program that was set in place. Again, the statements of my staff as set forth in my Response confirm this. I told my staff repeatedly that I never again wanted to go through an experience like I had in the Oklahoma case and that we as a staff needed to completely buy into the monitoring systems implemented by Indiana’s compliance program.

On the day the recruiting restrictions ended in May 2007, I felt a sense of great relief and peace. I believed that the darkest days of my coaching career were behind me and that we could now move forward with our goal of returning Indiana’s basketball program to a position of prominence. I went to Athletic Director Rick Greenspan’s office and together, we celebrated the occasion with “high fives.” With the recruiting call monitoring system we believed was being operated by the compliance staff, neither of us had any reason to think there might be issues.

Accordingly, I cannot adequately describe in words how stunned I was to learn from Mr. Greenspan later that summer that the compliance office’s review of my staff’s phone records had revealed possible violations. First, I could not believe that if in fact the records showed violations, some since my staff’s earliest days at the University, the matters had not been detected and brought to the attention of Mr. Greenspan and myself much earlier so they could have been addressed in a timely fashion. And second, given how strongly and frequently I had communicated to my staff that I expected 100 percent compliance – I could not believe that NCAA rules and Committee on Infractions’ imposed restrictions had apparently been disregarded.

My life since that day has been a nightmare and my family has suffered profoundly along with me. I have been judged by many in the media and public to be a cheat and a liar and I have lost my job – all long before I will have had an opportunity to present my case to you and without Indiana University conducting a meaningful investigation into the allegations made by the enforcement staff. Even this NCAA process has not followed the prescribed course. A date for the hearing of this case was set before interviews, including one of me, were completed by the enforcement staff and before the enforcement staff issued its Notice of Allegations. These pre-determined results are of grave concern to me. It is my hope that the scheduled June hearing will allay my fears that final judgments have already been made.

As difficult as this process and experience has been for me, I do, given the circumstances, look forward to the opportunity to appear before you and, with the assistance of my counsel, to attempt to ensure that you have all of the information available on the relevant matters so that you can make a fair, unbiased and accurate determination on whether I knowingly participated in telephone conversations with recruits that were contrary to the restrictions imposed upon me and Indiana University by your committee following the Oklahoma infractions case.

Sincerely,

Kelvin Sampson

Text of Sampson's letter to the NCAA

I relied upon the monitoring program that was set in place.

I seems like this might be the heart of the problem. A monitoring program is supposed to check in on compliance and identify any problems. It is not supposed to direct the operations. That's the coach's job.

Sampson is blaming the monitors for not stopping him from doing something that was against the rules. It was HIS job to know the rules and abide by them. The monitoring is supposed to be a safety net, not the first and only set of standards.

Text of Sampson's letter to the NCAA

Obviously Mr. Sampson has never had to be responsible for his actions. It amazes me that a someone with behavior like this can rise to a position of presitige and responsibility. How has he made it through life, so far, blaming others for his mistakes? How have previous employers allowed this, better question how did his parents and coaches allow this? Certainly growing up he was taught to be accountable for his actions. Just as I'm sure he preached it to his players. I really feel for the former players of his, obviously they must feel betrayed by him due to his hypocrasy. I still feel IU should share part of the blame for allowing him to continue to operate without him actually being monitored. I mean wasn't he on probation- and isn't that the point of a probation? To observe and ensure someone complies with rules and requirements? Come on! I don't believe that IU is totally innocent in this case. Yes, they are screwed but the rules still apply. Why should the program and university be left off the hook simply because their new coach got rid of practically everyone less the school face further sanctions? The answer is simple- they are trying the same crap; they are trying to pass the blame solely to Sampson. Discipline the hell out of the university. Let everyone know that behavior and total disregard of the rules( by both coach and university) will not be tolerated. Sorry IU fans, but it is the truth. Your administration knowingly turned a blind eye. Hopefully Crean will turn it around and bring IU back to prominence.

Text of Sampson's letter to the NCAA

Well said everyone. KS is where he belongs, the NBA. He knows basketball, he just has no morals. That makes him perfect for the NBA. Dwayne Casey is doing fine in the NBA. He was involved in the Kentucky Chris Mills controversy a couple of decades ago. Sampson obviously has a great rapport with young players. It's a shame he is teaching them the old saying, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission". The IU athletic director should be history.

Text of Sampson's letter to the NCAA

Sampson is cheater and it is hard to believe that he was once, not very long ago, the head of the system that he cheated. He was a "Cancer" for the University, the Athletic Department, the Basketball team, the fans of Indiana, the kids and students that looked up to him, the city of Bloomington and state of Indiana. Why did he think he was above the powers to be? Did he think he could walk on water?..... Cellvin, we're not in California, our jerseys do NOT read USC and we don't put our players names on the backs of the jerseys..... I am sooooo glad Indiana ridded themselves of this chronic cheater, it's just too bad he got away with $750 and he still wants to blame everyone involved except himself.... have fun in the NBA you prick and I promise I will be behind your bench at a Bucks game next season giving you Hell..... count on it!