Kelvin Sampson Criticizes Big 12 Schedule and Travel Demands https://t.co/jvPRJtVKjP

— big12news (@big12pressbox) March 20, 2025

He criticized the Big 12's 20-game schedule and heavy travel, saying it's too demanding on players and harms their well-being. He pointed out grueling stretches with no breaks and long trips, calling it unfair to student-athletes.

They're paid well, sorry. Student athletes, not so much. Can't handle it now then life at the next level ain't gonna work out for you.

Some basketball players want to be good students also. Is the Big 12 talking about an 18 game league schedule instead of 20 games next year? I agree with Coach Sampson.

It might cut down on injuries to reduce the number of conference games also.

PapaBear2458 said:

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Some basketball players want to be good students also. Is the Big 12 talking about an 18 game league schedule instead of 20 games next year? I agree with Coach Sampson.

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Big 12 VP of Hoops said it's moving back to 18 next year.

USC and UCLA say 'hold my sneer / jeer / leer'.

- KKM

D!

Beat the Bulldogs!!

gobears20 said:

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He criticized the Big 12's 20-game schedule and heavy travel, saying it's too demanding on players and harms their well-being. He pointed out grueling stretches with no breaks and long trips, calling it unfair to student-athletes.

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Difficult travel schedule, with game destinations Texas to Iowa, Florida, WV, Utah, Arizona. Who could possibly have seen this as a problem?

We should do no more than sec or big 10

Tilman Fertita can afford to buy them a private jet.

Chronic complainer Kelvin is back. I wondered what took him so long to re-appear. I guess it was easier to fly to Tampa and then to Wichita and then to Greenville North Carolina and then to Philadelphia when he was in the AAC. And if he's truly concerned about his "student athletes" and their classes, then why are there rumors none of his guys whose eligibility expires this year have gone to class this semester.

I agree with him. Going to 18 conference games will help. The league should look at ways to make scheduling and travel with the students in mind...right after money.

gobears20 said:

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Kelvin Sampson Criticizes Big 12 Schedule and Travel Demands https://t.co/jvPRJtVKjP

— big12news (@big12pressbox) March 20, 2025

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He's complaining about something that has already been remedied with the 18 conference games next year.

I'm guessing he knows this but wants to show some recruits mom that he has his player's back.

Big12Fan2024 said:

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Chronic complainer Kelvin is back. I wondered what took him so long to re-appear. I guess it was easier to fly to Tampa and then to Wichita and then to Greenville North Carolina and then to Philadelphia when he was in the AAC. And if he's truly concerned about his "student athletes" and their classes, then why are there rumors none of his guys whose eligibility expires this year have gone to class this semester.

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It's tourney time. He has more sports reporters to whine to now so he is taking advantage of that.

He's correct on the 18 games, but complaining about travel is comical since he traveled just as much in the AAC.

But here's his "student athlete" complaint:

-He played in Stillwater on Dec 30th (UH classes hadn't started)
-He didn't travel again until Jan 11 (a Sat) when he went to Manhattan (UH classes not in session).
-He got to play at home during that next week, then had to travel to Orlando....on another SATURDAY

His only block in the year where he traveled twice during a week was Sat the 25th when he went to KU and then Wed to Morgantown.

Basically, UH is the one program in the league who shouldn't complain about the travel because they were the only ones who primarily had Saturday away games.

He was relatively quiet his first year in the league but now that he's feeling his success I guess he's headed back to his AAC days of complaining about anything and everything.

PapaBear2458 said:

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It might cut down on injuries to reduce the number of conference games also.

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Eliminate the Conference Tournament then or change the format/time... I get what you are saying but by the time we get to early March - - these B12 teams are gassed. It reflects in the NCAA Tournament.

I'd run the first half of the Conference schedule, take a 4-5 day break....after the break run your Conference Tournament mid-season in Vegas...then finish the 2nd half of your schedule...

gobears20 said:

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He criticized the Big 12's 20-game schedule and heavy travel, saying it's too demanding on players and harms their well-being. He pointed out grueling stretches with no breaks and long trips, calling it unfair to student-athletes.

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I bet that Big 10 travel is a bigger beating.

Big12Fan2024 said:

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He's correct on the 18 games, but complaining about travel is comical since he traveled just as much in the AAC.

But here's his "student athlete" complaint:

-He played in Stillwater on Dec 30th (UH classes hadn't started)
-He didn't travel again until Jan 11 (a Sat) when he went to Manhattan (UH classes not in session).
-He got to play at home during that next week, then had to travel to Orlando....on another SATURDAY

His only block in the year where he traveled twice during a week was Sat the 25th when he went to KU and then Wed to Morgantown.

Basically, UH is the one program in the league who shouldn't complain about the travel because they were the only ones who primarily had Saturday away games.

He was relatively quiet his first year in the league but now that he's feeling his success I guess he's headed back to his AAC days of complaining about anything and everything.

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It's possible he's speaking about the demands on the Student athletes and the conference as a whole. He's right! The conference make-ups are too big and short-sighted because of football revenue.

And he's a revenue sport.

This is all about money. The people getting the money dont care.

Y'all can complain about Sampson complaining but it doesn't mean he's wrong. We should want our dudes to not have unneeded wear and tear. Why should we play an extra game against Tech if Auburn isn't playing an extra game against Florida or Michigan State against Wisconsin

gobears20 said:

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He criticized the Big 12's 20-game schedule and heavy travel, saying it's too demanding on players and harms their well-being. He pointed out grueling stretches with no breaks and long trips, calling it unfair to student-athletes.

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"Student athletes" that's precious

boykin_spaniel said:

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Y'all can complain about Sampson complaining but it doesn't mean he's wrong. We should want our dudes to not have unneeded wear and tear. Why should we play an extra game against Tech if Auburn isn't playing an extra game against Florida or Michigan State against Wisconsin

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Michigan St and Wisconsin have been playing the extra game. B1G and Big12 were the only 2 conferences playing 20 games; ACC/SEC only played 18.

boykin_spaniel said:

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Y'all can complain about Sampson complaining but it doesn't mean he's wrong. We should want our dudes to not have unneeded wear and tear. Why should we play an extra game against Tech if Auburn isn't playing an extra game against Florida or Michigan State against Wisconsin

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It's like me complaining about the Biden administration. He's out of office so complaining doesn't help. Yorkman had already fixed the issue by going to 18 games when he started complaining publicly.

Why gripe about what was already fixed?

LIB,MR BEARS said:

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boykin_spaniel said:

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Y'all can complain about Sampson complaining but it doesn't mean he's wrong. We should want our dudes to not have unneeded wear and tear. Why should we play an extra game against Tech if Auburn isn't playing an extra game against Florida or Michigan State against Wisconsin

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It's like me complaining about the Biden administration. He's out of office so complaining doesn't help. Yorkman had already fixed the issue by going to 18 games when he started complaining publicly.

Why gripe about what was already fixed?

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Because Kelvin Sampson really likes to b1tch and lecture people.

What do the coaches of Cal and Stanford say about all their travel to the East Coast for the ACC????

Fre3dombear said:

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We should do no more than sec or big 10

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Big 10 has teams traveling 3,000 miles for games (UCLA or USC to Rutgers or Maryland). ACC has Stanford & Cal playing Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Duke, Virginia Tech, BC, & Syracuse. In each of those games, somebody must travel across the country. This always was going to be an issue with the latest realignment, the development of "super conferences", and conferences no longer based on geography.

I have not paid much attention to scheduling in the others, but at least the Big 12 did take this into account somewhat: we played 2 MBB games in Utah back to back. The same with Arizona. WBB did the same. I know some other teams had similar arrangements. That alleviates some of the problems. But we also had MBB on the road at Colorado and then at Cincy a few days later. We lost both games that arguably we should have won.

The 20 game schedule was a decent idea on one level but combined with the vast distances it turned out to be terrible. That's why the conference is going back to 18. WBB only played 18 & they are a 4 seed. I'm not saying that's the reason; only that it's an interesting correlation. They also had an easier occ schedule.

bear2be2 said:

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LIB,MR BEARS said:

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boykin_spaniel said:

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Y'all can complain about Sampson complaining but it doesn't mean he's wrong. We should want our dudes to not have unneeded wear and tear. Why should we play an extra game against Tech if Auburn isn't playing an extra game against Florida or Michigan State against Wisconsin

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It's like me complaining about the Biden administration. He's out of office so complaining doesn't help. Yorkman had already fixed the issue by going to 18 games when he started complaining publicly.

Why gripe about what was already fixed?

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Because Kelvin Sampson really likes to b1tch and lecture people.

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As a career cheat that Sampson has been it's important to fill air time so they can clean him up as he's heading out the door.