Posted on 02/04/2008 4:37:19 PM PST by jern
LUBBOCK, Texas -- A spokesman for Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers says men's basketball coach Bob Knight has resigned, effective immediately.
Just damn.
" Knight's academic successes rival his athletic ones. At Indiana, he graduated nearly 80 percent of his players. The national average for Division I schools is 42 percent. He endowed two chairs, one in history and one in law, and he raised millions for the library. He's doing the same at Texas Tech, donating $10,000 to a fund that's now raised $100,000. To increase graduation rates, he wants the NCAA to adopt this rule: Revoke a team scholarship for every player who doesn't graduate within five years. (Under that sort of stricture, some NCAA teams wouldn't have any scholarships left."
In the words of Isiah Thomas:Isiah, has your opinion of your former coach Bob Knight been changed at all by some of the allegations that have surfaced?
Isiah Thomas: No, if anything it's cemented my perception of his as a good coach and person. A lot of time what's happens, the traditions that our parents used when raising kids in the past - Bob Knight has lasted so long I would say that the conditions of coaching has changed. Bob Knight came from the era of Lombardi, Parcells and Schembechler - ones who demanded that you take responsibility for your actions. Now coaches tolerate and accept all sorts of things. Things I'm proud coach Knight has never accepted - even his own behavior.
Nothing in your post contradicts the evidence that he is a bully. There’s tape of him grabbing a player by the neck. There have been many recorded incidences of him verbally abusing his players, and showing terrible disrespect to the officials, including throwing chairs on to the basketball court during a game.
That type of behavior is inexcusable, and no quantity of wins or graduated players should let him get away with it. His behavior has provided the worst sort of examples of sportsmanship to his players.
My hat's off to the legendary coach, Robert Montgomery Knight, who loved to rip the media, and whose players did all three things they're supposed to do: (1.) play by the rules, (2.) make the grades, (3.) win games, in ways that we can't say about Denny Crum, Joe B. Hall, Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Mike Davis or Kelvin Sampson.
...you forgot, Tubby Smith. :D
Good catch. I accidentally left out Billy “Multiple DUI’s” Gillispie too.
The press hates him. When they reported his 900th, they just couldn't help but mention there were two female coaches ahead of him, somehow diminishing his feat.
No doubt that's true, and I think that's a primary reason that Coach Knight never really recruited any of the "blue chip" athletes. He looked for players that would excel in his system.
On another note, it's a dang tragedy that Calbert Cheaney left Indiana without hanging a banner. Everytime I think about college basketball, I can't help but think of the 1991-92 and 92-93 teams. It's just unbelievable. Sad.
Many of Knight's former players live in Indianapolis. They are doctors and lawyers and coaches and though I've never known any of them on more than a professional basis, but they are uniformly leaders in the community. They aren't drug dealers and they don't get arrested.
I had the good fortune to spend several years as a radio announcer for Indiana basketball during the Knight years. I didn't know Knight personally either, but I got a good, first-hand look at that program, the players, and the people. They were good people, and by design. That's how Knight ran his program.
As far as providing examples to his players, what do you think his players took away from Knight's treatment of Landon Turner?
>>The press hates him. When they reported his 900th, they just couldn’t help but mention there were two female coaches ahead of him, somehow diminishing his feat.<<
Well, he is a really nasty human being with an exceptional talent and an incredible work ethic. Its not surprising that people who have to deal with him would not like him but people who depend on his talent and work would respect him.
I worked for/with him and love the man, but what do I know.
To: jernInteresting juxtaposition of posts, there...He’s gay and has been having an affair with Richard Simmons.
To: RonPaulLives; SLB; BlueOneGolfKy. Ping, Please. :(
20 posted on 02/04/2008 7:44:09 PM EST by skinkinthegrass (just b/c your paranoid, doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you. :^( FRed was LMSM roadkill)
I have it on good authority that he’s going to be opening a furniture store. With every couch you buy, he’ll throw in a chair, too.
(Sorry, old joke, but appropriate for his retirement...)
In what capacity?
Media relations. No, I’m not joking.
LOL!
I always loved his relationship with the media! They would coninually ask idiotic things and he would continually abuse them....
Do you remember the famous “game face” question and answer? That is my all time favorite!
Those teams were an absolute joy to watch. My fovorite Indiana team of them all - and I followed them for many years.
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