There are two types of people in this world. Actually there are many more but you can divide sub categories into two main ones. A group that appreciates Bob Knight's greatness...and a group that does not.
It goes much deeper than you may think. It's not just about basketball.
With the sudden retirement of Coach Knight, this seems to be a fitting time to discuss his legacy...his influence...his greatness. Lets put wins aside (902 of them in 42 years)...and lets put aside the obvious comments from the obvious people "yeah, great example he set, didn't he throw a chair across the court in the middle of the game". He is a "black and white" guy...and I love "black and white" guys...there is no gray...there are no excuses...there are no reasons...there is success and there is failure. When you get down to it in real life that is what we have...success and failure and how you deal with them both. Mommy and Daddy aren't always going to be around to make everything alright. When you dig yourself a hole and bury yourself in shit, no one is going to get you out of it but you. The world is big...the world is cruel....and if you don't have the tools you will drown...or suffucate...and fail. That is a fact. Coach Knight taught those tools. His message is always that he is teaching kids how to make it in the "real world".
People in Indiana love him unconditionally. Just as you are born and taught to love Jesus or Mohammed Ali we are born to love Coach Knight (if you are from Indiana and don't love Coach Knight...we have no love for you). As a kid you saw him yell, berate, verbally undress his players...and you might have even muttered "I don't know if I could play for him"...but then when you came to your senses all you could say is "When I play for the Hoosiers I will be so good that he won't yell at me". Ask Steve Alford if that worked. Bottom line is that we saw them win and we knew who was in command. We learn early...Don't make excuses and when you win the ends always justify the means. Always.
There are lots of people that don't like Coach Knight. People who don't quite understand what he does as a teacher...as a coach. They make untelligent comments about him throwing a chair, or choking a player, or slamming his fist on a scores table. They don't see the good...and after their first statment...you dont expect them to. You can tell a person who doesn't appreciate his leagacy. It's easy. Most of the time they are complaining....or making an excuse...or talking shit about a friend of theirs...or taking a sick day after a night of heavy drinking...or being a hypocrite. They tell you that they couldn't finish the project because the power went out. They call that a reason, not an excuse...they have fooled no one, but themselves. They say they hate losing, but what they really mean is that they are a poor loser. There is a big difference.
You have to respect anyone who goes against what is "popular opinion"...because as we all know the majority, unfortunately doesn't have a clue. He did things his way. I love that. Wishywashy sucks. He believed his way was the right way and he never waivered, never made excuses, never apologized. I respect that, as does anyone who appreciates what Coach Knight has done.
He never cheated and his teams always graduated the highest percentage of players. All of this done in a wining program. All 902 wins aside...his programs were winning programs. Miles Brand made one real mistake in his career and he knows what it is. Or maybe he doesn't. I wouldn't expect him to understand the importance of Coach Knight in molding young lives and futures. Poor guy is just a dumbshit.
I am thankful for Bob Knight and all that he has done for Indiana basketball and the kids who grew up worshipping him and the program he built. We are now approaching 30 and we still understand the "old school" approach to how life is supposed to be. He is another reason why I am thankful for growing up in Indiana.
Jim Rome and Billy Packer can go fuck themselves.
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