RUMORS AND RANTS had a seat at the IU press conference circus in Bloomington yesterday and sends photo evidence of ESPN.com’s Pat Forde not capitalizing on his star power. The senior staffer got a seat behind a huge photographer likely paying double for a Southwest Airlines ticket.

The bad seat didn’t prevent Forde from getting his story. IU is a mess and will now rely on Bobby Knight-wannabe Dan Dakich to rescue the program from these dark days. The first Dakich-run practice didn’t go too well. Six players failed to show.

Forde has a solution to the dissent: “Here’s my suggestion: Any player who doesn’t make the trip to Northwestern is cut. Kelvin Sampson should not be made a martyr for breaking NCAA rules. College players aren’t in charge of personnel decisions. Period.“**

Our intrepid reporter also caught Forde kicking back to do what ESPN types do:

• Call Mike Tirico and shoot the sh– with Michelle Tafoya, check
• Tip off the Herd to an obscure blog they can pilfer, check.
• Help the KGB locate Andrea Kremer’s favorite late-night watering holes, check.
• Get Mike and Mike to get me a reading for “Guiding Light,” check.

** In a major shock, the fake IU player revolt is ova.