Bobby Knight resigns from Texas Tech

[ErieHog]

Obviously some, if not many, disagree with me in that I think Bob Knight's behavior was not excused by his record.  The point was made that he graduated his students and cut them if they did not attend class or used drugs.  Well, shouldn't every coach do this?  If some do not, fine ... but I chose not to be a fan of their program, regardless of how successful that program may be.

So you'll stop watching college basketball?  Here's how 'clean' it is over the past 40 years....
From Dan Wetzel:

"At the national level, the elite level, how many coaches really did it honestly through the years?" said Sonny Vaccaro on Monday. "That's a good question."

Vaccaro spent 43 years virtually inventing and then running grassroots basketball. He staged all-star games and shoe company camps, signed endorsement deals with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant and was, at the very least, a sounding board for just about every dirty recruiting deed ever done.

He's not called college basketball's "Godfather" for nothing.

"Because of my role, I know these things," Vaccaro said. "I've heard it all. I've been there for these things."

So how many of the big-time, great ones are or were really, truly clean? Vaccaro spent some time thinking about it, running down national championships won, Final Fours made and coaching careers lionized.

"I guess three coaches, maybe four, I'm not 100 percent sure about one guy," Vaccaro said. "And even among that group, Knight stands alone, stands above. I've never heard a single thing about him, never heard anything. Nothing. He's the cleanest one."

Vaccaro, never a close friend of Knight, paused and was kind of blown away at the idea.

"You know, that's incredible. Really, that's the greatest thing you can say about him."

[RedSatinHog]

I think Dan Wetzel hit it on the head:

"In his opinion the purpose of college athletics falls into three main categories:

1. Ensure an education (both academically and in life) for student-athletes.

2. Follow the NCAA rules.

3. Win.

After that, it's all small stuff. After that, he figured, what really mattered?

So, if you happened to be the coach who has a near 100 percent graduation rate, who has hundreds of former players who swear your teaching drove them to success, if you happened to do all this while completely following NCAA rules and you won more games than anyone – essentially the best of all-time at Nos. 1, 2 and 3 – would you want to hear about what you consider the other stuff? "


I'll miss Coach Knight; he was everything that is good,decent, and honest in college basketball.

+1.  Way to go, Erie.

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

I have taken the American Sports Education Program coaching course, as it's required for something I do.

Bobby Knight is offered, by name, in that class as an example of how NOT to coach.

I'm glad Bobby Knight is gone from coaching college sports.

Did he win? Yeah.....several years ago.

Was he a good coach as in good for those who played for him? Would I have wanted anyone related to me to play for him?

Hell no.

I mean if all you're interested in is wins, well, you know the Waffen SS got some wins, too.

But I'm glad he's gone.

I wish all the Bobby Knight worshippers would follow their little tin dictator into obscurity, too.

obh

Pffftttt!!

More drivel from a mambsy-pambsy, touchy-feely boy.

You know, most people that went into the military pre-2002 (we now allow "time out" thanks to this culture) probably didn't like their drill sergeant at all either, but when the bullets were flying, they probably loved the guy.  Once out of the military, the things they learned from the drill sergeant:  Dedication, discipline, loyalty, hard work.......In other words, turning them into men, they probably appreciated that as well.

I can't, for the life of me, understand all the man-love that I've seen on here and on another board for the:  Old School Discipline, the way our parents and grandparents did things in life, their values, work ethic, morality, etc.

And then when shown an example of it today, at present, the MTV pop-culture belief system kicks in.

Our culture is very, very soft my friend.  I dread the day that something happens that requires us to toughen up because I don't think we have it in us as a society.

[RedSatinHog]

Pffftttt!!

More drivel from a mambsy-pambsy, touchy-feely boy.

You know, most people that went into the military pre-2002 (we now allow "time out" thanks to this culture) probably didn't like their drill sergeant at all either, but when the bullets were flying, they probably loved the guy.  Once out of the military, the things they learned from the drill sergeant:  Dedication, discipline, loyalty, hard work.......In other words, turning them into men, they probably appreciated that as well.

I can't, for the life of me, understand all the man-love that I've seen on here and on another board for the:  Old School Discipline, the way our parents and grandparents did things in life, their values, work ethic, morality, etc.

And then when shown an example of it today, at present, the MTV pop-culture belief system kicks in.

Our culture is very, very soft my friend.  I dread the day that something happens that requires us to toughen up because I don't think we have it in us as a society.

+1.  Preach it, Sooieecide!!!!

[freethrow]

Perhaps he is going to work with O'Reilly Auto Parts --- he already has the wardrobe.  I can see him now, "Hey, A@@h@le, that f*^%^ng spark plug will fit in your piece of s&*t car!  Now don't the F*&^ hassle me again!

Let us please hope he is gone for good!

As a young coach in the early 70's, I went to a Converse clinic in Houston specifically to hear Bobby Knight. Did I learn any basketball? No! I learned he hated women, hated women's athletics and really hated women coaches. With a few women coaches sprinkled in the crowd, he spent his time using every vulgar euphemism I ever heard to refer to women and their body parts. He spewed profanity in every direction and totally ignored the purpose for which all in attendance had come.

No matter how they bury him, face up or face down, his a$$ will always show.

[RedSatinHog]

And please tell us specifically what he said or did that brought you to the conclusion that he hated women and their athletic programs.  Are you just insenuating that he should have changed his entire message conveyance because there were women in the audience?  If so, that was a mistake on your part for ever thinking the man would change anything for anyone.  He was anything but politically correct, and that seems to be exactly what you are implying he should have done.

And I have a very hard time believing the man accomplished all he did in his career without teaching anyone anything about the game of basketball.

[WilsonHog]

And please tell us specifically what he said or did that brought you to the conclusion that he hated women and their athletic programs.  Are you just insenuating that he should have changed his entire message conveyance because there were women in the audience?  If so, that was a mistake on your part for ever thinking the man would change anything for anyone.  He was anything but politically correct, and that seems to be exactly what you are implying he should have done.

And I have a very hard time believing the man accomplished all he did in his career without teaching anyone anything about the game of basketball.

He actually taught a class for many years at Indiana. He believed in academics and loved to teach, in the court or in the classroom.

[freethrow]

And please tell us specifically what he said or did that brought you to the conclusion that he hated women and their athletic programs.  Are you just insenuating that he should have changed his entire message conveyance because there were women in the audience?  If so, that was a mistake on your part for ever thinking the man would change anything for anyone.  He was anything but politically correct, and that seems to be exactly what you are implying he should have done.

And I have a very hard time believing the man accomplished all he did in his career without teaching anyone anything about the game of basketball.

I assume that most of us there that day came to here him speak about basketball. Instead we were greeted with a tirade about the worthlessness of women's sports laced with profane references to women's body parts.

Somehow all his coaching success never meant much to me after that.

[cthog99]

jim rome just said that he quit on his team, so at least someone on espn said it.

[RedSatinHog]

jim rome just said that he quit on his team, so at least someone on espn said it.

Jim Rome has never said a nice thing about Coach Knight, so why should today be any different?  He's a mamby pamby radio punk. 

I don't look at it that Knight quit on his team at all.  It's not like he left for another job.  He's just tired of the circus that is CBB, and after 42 years on the job, I think he's earned the right to call it quits.  If he's burned out, it would be unfair to the young men on the team and to the boosters of TTU for him to stay around and collect money for doing so.

[hogtheball]

I can't believe somebody compared Knight to Hitler, when another WWII figure is the perfect comparison.   Bobby Knight was the George Patton of basketball.   

[Bob1959]

Here's what I don't get:  Petrino leaves the Falcons before the season's over and he's drawn and quartered by the ESPN crew.

Knight leaves Tech before the season's over and ESPN's having a virtual love fest for the guy.

Regardless of what you think about Knight's behavior, why the difference in the way the two departures were treated?

[ErieHog]

Here's what I don't get:  Petrino leaves the Falcons before the season's over and he's drawn and quartered by the ESPN crew.

Knight leaves Tech before the season's over and ESPN's having a virtual love fest for the guy.

Regardless of what you think about Knight's behavior, why the difference in the way the two departures were treated?

You've missed a lot, if you think ESPN's giving Knight a pass.

Here's a typical example:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3230826&sportCat=ncb