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902 and Done!
By Jeff | February 6, 2008
It has been well documented news that Coach Bobby Knight has resigned/ retired from coaching the men’s basketball program at Texas Tech University . Some time on Monday, Coach Knight spoke with the Texas Tech Athletic Director, his son, Pat Knight, and fellow coaching staff, and his team about resigning from his head coach position effective immediately.
The Resignation Heard around the World!
To many, including myself, this news came as a big shock. As a Red Raider and an inhabitant of Lubbock, TX, I have had the honor and privilege of attending many Texas Tech basketball games coached by Knight. It’s a time of my life that will forever be remembered. I remember visiting Lubbock with my fiancee to look for a place to live during Knight’s first season at Texas Tech and finding out there was a home game that same weekend. I was ecstatic! I felt like a little school girl at a New Kids on the Block concert - except without the deafening screaming or the desire to throw my underpants on the court. Yeah, I know.
The impact of Coach Knight on me has been subtle but everlasting. Like many, my pre-conceived notion was one of intimidation, rudeness, and a temper that only rivals a two-year old. While some of that is justified by his behavior, especially towards the media, some of his criticism is unjust and biased.
I don’t consider myself a Knight-apologist, as they say, nor do I shy away from condemning some of his irrational behavior. I do call myself a Knight supporter for many things that he has done. If you don’t know, hopefully in addition to the images of chair throwing, chin-slapping, yelling, and abusive treatment towards the media, reports of giving, fund-raising for school libraries, high graduation rates, and innovative-thinking will make its way into the various reports of Knight’s coaching legacy. He was brutally honest. He did things the way he thought they should be done. He was loyal to those he thought deserved it. Like it or not.
Pat Forde from ESPN.com wrote an article that doesn’t make sense. Then again, maybe those of us on the prairies of West Texas don’t understand complex things in life. Idiot! I can understand certain parts of his article when viewed from his perspective. I wonder if there is a history between Forde and Knight that I am unaware of. Nonetheless, Forde paints a picture that Knight quit, that he failed Texas Tech University , and that he failed the game of basketball. What a croc! He even compares Bobby Knight’s resignation to Bobby Petrino’s act of leaving the Atlanta Falcons with games remaining. This is fundamentally flawed, at least for us simpletons here in Lubbock anyway.
First of all, Pat Knight has been the coach designate since 2005. We have known for about 3 years now that Knight’s son would take over when it was time for him to go. That fact alone changes everything. A plan has been in place for years now. It just didn’t have an execution date. Well, it’s now time to execute the plan. I believe that Coach Knight was truly getting weary. Pat Knight even admits that he’s talked his dad out of retiring at least twice before. This has been on his mind for some time.
Secondly, Coach Knight has nothing to prove to anyone. He doesn’t really care about the record because it just simply means he’s coach for a long time. And he has. I’m sure he cares though, even if only as validation for his players that he knew what he was talking about. At least that’s the impression I get. He certainly could care less what the media reports or what Pat Forde thinks of him. I guarantee that Knight does not gather his self-esteem from what the rest of the world thinks about him.
Thirdly, Knight spoke with another basketball legend, Pete Newell, about the best time to retire. As crazy as it sounds, now that I’ve had time to reflect a little bit from this news, I think resigning now makes perfect sense. As a father myself, I know the bond that exists between father and son. I know the pride felt when your boy solves a puzzle on his own, or he accomplishes something that you didn’t think he was ready for. My son is only four, but it’s pride nonetheless. There is no doubt that Pat Knight is ready to be a head coach and I firmly believe that his dad knew that. He had already taken over most of the practices and various other jobs for his dad. I can’t help but think that leaving with games left on the season is better than after the season for recruiting purposes. I refuse to contend that Knight is a quitter. I feel that he honestly believes that letting his son take over now benefits him and the program the most.
Ultimately, Knight will be judged by the personal experiences of those doing the judging. Isn’t that how we all judge anyway - based on our personal experiences? Those close to Knight, love him like a father-figure and a friend and those that had bad experiences will curse the ground he walks on. He is a polarizing figure to say the least. I simply offer this post to paint a picture not usually seen on television. I do not condone all the conduct that Coach Knight has displayed, but for most outsiders, it may come as a surprise that there really are more positive attributes to support than negative qualities to shun.
Interview with ESPN
Knight leaves with some impressive accomplishments:
- 902 Victories - most ever for NCAA men’s basketball
- 29 seasons out of 42 of 20+ wins
- 3 National Championships (all with Indiana University)
- 1 perfect season - also the last time anyone has gone undefeated
- Olympic Gold Medal
- Zero NCAA infractions or violations
- Ridiculous graduation rate for his players
Peace be with you Coach Knight! And let the Pat Knight Legacy begin. I for one am excited for it.
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Topics: bob knight, coach knight, men's basketball, pat knight, red raiders, texas tech |
February 6th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Fantastic article.
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..“Planet Earth†BBC Series Blu-ray, HD DVD, & DVD On Sale At Amazon.com
February 6th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
February 6th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Man I was surprised to hear this news. I thought Bobby was going to coach until he just tipped over one day!
I say good for him - he gave his son a chance to establish relationships with those boys and that will give him a better chance at making it.
Court’s last blog post..Starting A Flagship Blog Series
February 6th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
He’s truly been great for our city and our University. Money talks, I guess, and he has raised a ton of funding for this area. Thanks for your comments. I appreciate you stopping by Court.