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A Knight in shining imperfection
The Washington Times ^ | 2-6-08 | Tom Knott

Posted on 02/06/2008 11:20:01 AM PST by JZelle

Bob Knight embraced all the proper things in college basketball: discipline, dedication, loyalty, smarts and toughness.

His teams always had a high graduation rate, and there never was a whiff of rule-breaking associated with his programs.

And yet, instead of being serenaded to a chorus of hallelujahs as he exits Texas Tech in midseason, Knight is being reminded yet anew of his legendary imperfections and combustible nature.

Knight never was as disciplined as he demanded his players to be, which was the enigmatic dimension of his larger-than-life personality.

His ideals were impeccable. He just could not live up to all of them. It just was not in him. Even his advancing years failed to mellow him. To the end, he was as profane and combative as ever.

It was to his everlasting disservice that he could not take warmly to those he judged to have inferior intellect than his, which included most of the scribblers who chronicled his exploits and misconduct.

They never could see the game the way he could. They never could grasp the subtleties of the game that would lend substance to their thin analysis. They could second-guess, their practice of hindsight being flawless. They could question and criticize while never bothering to break down one game film.

That reality aroused the ire in Knight. He never respected the scribblers in his midst, and yet you had the feeling he never missed one word they ever wrote about him. It was merely another one of his many contradictions.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: basketball; bobknight; collegebasketball; ncaa
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How about Knight as a write in?
1 posted on 02/06/2008 11:20:10 AM PST by JZelle
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To: JZelle
He never respected the scribblers in his midst, and yet you had the feeling he never missed one word they ever wrote about him.

Ridiculous - the man could have cared less what was written about him.
2 posted on 02/06/2008 11:22:17 AM PST by day10 (Rules cannot substitute for character.)
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To: day10

couldn’t - my bad


3 posted on 02/06/2008 11:22:55 AM PST by day10 (Rules cannot substitute for character.)
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To: JZelle
You throwin' Knight's chair into the ring?


4 posted on 02/06/2008 11:23:04 AM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: JZelle

Bobby Knight is an a**hole. He has always been an a**hole. He will always be an a**hole.


5 posted on 02/06/2008 11:26:52 AM PST by shaft29
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To: Zuben Elgenubi

I only wish that Bobby Knight would have hit the ref with the chair. No permanent damage, mind you. Just enough to keep him from reffing that season.

Bobby Valentine - the ref in question, cost South Dakota State a national championship in Div 2 later on that year. The last minute was about as well refereed as the ‘72 Olympic Gold Medal game.


6 posted on 02/06/2008 11:26:56 AM PST by Illuminatas (Being conservative means never having to say; "Don't you dare question my patriotism")
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To: shaft29

“Bobby Knight is an a**hole. He has always been an a**hole. He will always be an a**hole.”

Are you Neil Reed? ;)


7 posted on 02/06/2008 11:30:28 AM PST by JZelle
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To: JZelle

Could be Luke Recker......


8 posted on 02/06/2008 11:31:54 AM PST by day10 (Rules cannot substitute for character.)
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To: shaft29
How about these poof sportswriters who were continually on a mission to get Knight? Even this article posted above. Knight genuinely cared for his players, especially for them to graduate.

You have an opinion like anyone else, but you don't have to mention it thrice in one post unless you're an alien with 3 a$$holes.

9 posted on 02/06/2008 11:35:59 AM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: Zuben Elgenubi

Like Coach said at the time:

“There was an old lady on the other side of the court that needed a seat!”


10 posted on 02/06/2008 11:37:37 AM PST by day10 (Rules cannot substitute for character.)
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To: Illuminatas
I had forgotten about that. You're right, the target was that puke Valentine.

In any event, JZelle asked if Knight could be a write in so I guess we have to determine whether he throws his hat in the ring. He's certainly available but the poof press would crucify him daily. He's probably the only person in America with higher negatives than Hildabeast.

11 posted on 02/06/2008 11:39:14 AM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: Zuben Elgenubi; Illuminatas

Are you guys sure it wasn’t Ted Valentine?


12 posted on 02/06/2008 11:40:40 AM PST by day10 (Rules cannot substitute for character.)
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To: JZelle
Overlooked in all of this is that Bobby had some minor neurological quirks frequently misinterpreted as outrageous behavior.

They weren't.

Anyone could see that he was just another courageous but handicapped individual doing his best to participate in what life offered.

Unfortunately when it came time to review his contract Myles Brand (top honcho at Indiana University) took the coward's way out of a self-created dilemma and deliberately chose to ignore the provisions of the "The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)" and simply tossed this poor man on the street.

Myles went on to an otherwise undistinguished career as a bureaucrat at the NCAA. His wife is a professor of gender studies (just in case anyone imagines Myles has his own head. The guy undoubtedly lives a life of unrelenting Hell Fur Shur.)

Bobby went on to Texas Tech where they really are "kinder and gentler". The Indiana University English department went into hiding, with some members actually seeming to disappear from the face of the Earth. Their budget continues to shrink and eventually it may be possible for Indiana to once again hold its head high when it comes to basketball when they are free to hire another coach who knows his job.

13 posted on 02/06/2008 11:43:12 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: Zuben Elgenubi

I am just amazed that there are members on this spot who excoriate Bill Clinton for saying” I smoked marijuana but did not inhale”, but have the temerity to defend a worthless piece of pond scum like Bobby Knight who when asked about a rape of a woman on the Indiana Campus said” she should have just laid back and enjoyed it”


14 posted on 02/06/2008 11:47:34 AM PST by shaft29
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To: shaft29

Well then, let’s switch sports. Tell me, when you go fishing do you always swallow it hook, line and sinker?


15 posted on 02/06/2008 11:53:11 AM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: day10

Yeah, it was Ted V. Books have been written about their relationship over the years.


16 posted on 02/06/2008 11:54:08 AM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: shaft29

Since Bobby’s remark wasn’t in regard to any rape on any campus, but rather the use of the old “”I think that if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it” with respect to playing basketball (but, alas, unfortunately spoken in the presence of Connie Chung ~ whose husband was busy making the family living by interviewing sexual perverts and freaks), I’d suggest your comment was not only out of line but also a sure sign that you need to see a doctor about getting your ears clean or something.


17 posted on 02/06/2008 11:57:16 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah

Connie Chung’s reaction was priceless.


18 posted on 02/06/2008 12:12:02 PM PST by JZelle
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To: muawiyah

In comparing our posts to shaft, I have to admit you are more the instructor. You have a very good recall of events and present them well in a very credible and polite manner. Thank you.


19 posted on 02/06/2008 12:13:51 PM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: muawiyah
Is the shaft29 in millimeters or micrometers? Just wondering as he sure doesn’t know anything about Bobby Knight either!
20 posted on 02/06/2008 12:40:45 PM PST by geezerwheezer (get up boys, we're burnin' daylight!!!)
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