Bobby Knight's Health

[quote="Knight" post=326719]NY Post
https://nypost.com/2019/03/02/bob-knights-health-is-declining/[/quote]

I'm not a Bob Knight fan. In fact, I was usually 100% against everything he stood for, at least when it came to on the court matters.

That being said, it's sad anytime a person's brain stars to deteriorate. You don't go quickly when that happens. You just get worse and worse, and at a very slow pace. I hope that he at least, is free of pain.
 
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Quite simply may be the greatest coach of the past 50 years. Demanded a ton from his players for the privilege of playing for one of his teams - discipline, execution, diligence and to work at least as hard in the classroom as on the court.

Yes, his well documented outbursts took attention away from his brilliance on the court. Ask me about the kid he grabbed and if the kid had any brains, he learned to respect elders from that point forward. He had little patience for IU president Myles Brand, because quite frankly Knight didn't cowtail to anyone. He demanded that players do it his way, as a coach should, and had tremendous success. He was extremely loyal to his assistants, and they were long term assistants who would have fled a jerk. He also availed himself to former players in need, once saying, "Once a player graduates, they can call me for any reason at any hour of the day and I will help then. But while they are here, we aren't friends. I'm their coach and they are the players, and they will do as I tell them."

Listening to Knight discuss basketball, there was always candor, a directness, and honesty. If you asked what he felt was a stupid question, duck, because he embarrassed dozens of writers with insults for asking anything that dumb. I felt I always learned something when he spoke, and it's sad to think that is kind of on the decline.

If I had a kid that played, I'd let him play for Knight. Chances are I'd get back a man.
 
That ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Knight was good.

Was sad to learn that the kid he choked in the video had a rough road after that, but ended up with having a family, was a teacher/coach but sadly died at 36 years old due to heart problems.
 
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[quote="RedStormNC" post=328385]That ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Knight was good.

Was sad to learn that the kid he choked in the video had a rough road after that, but ended up with having a family, was a teacher/coach but sadly died at 36 years old due to heart problems.[/quote]

What about all the kids whose groins he grabbed? He was no saint. I sure would not want have had my son play for him!
 
[quote="ron " post=328388][quote="RedStormNC" post=328385]That ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Knight was good.

Was sad to learn that the kid he choked in the video had a rough road after that, but ended up with having a family, was a teacher/coach but sadly died at 36 years old due to heart problems.[/quote]

What about all the kids whose groins he grabbed? He was no saint. I sure would not want have had my son play for him![/quote]

Serious allegation, but the guy who made it also said:

The allegations stand in curious contrast with Jadlow’s defense of the embattled Knight. After the polarizing and infamously combative coach was fired in 2000, following a player’s assertion that Knight had grabbed him roughly by the arm and screamed at him, Jadlow spoke passionately about Knight.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with all my Indiana stuff,” he said in the aftermath, according to Topeka’s Capital-Journal. “I’m sure not going to be wearing anything Indiana. I’m ashamed to say that I’m a graduate of Indiana. [Knight] is a guy who should have a monument of him erected.”

Even today, Jadlow insists he’s “a Knight guy,” he told WTHR. “I’m proud to have played for him and love him like a father.”
 
One of the highlights of my life was being on my honeymoon 1990 in maui at the westin. I was sitting in the hot tub and in walks in bobby knight. Couldnt have been nicer to my wife and myself. Was eager to talk basketball and wished us well in life. Class individual for sure.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=328389][quote="ron " post=328388][quote="RedStormNC" post=328385]That ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Knight was good.

Was sad to learn that the kid he choked in the video had a rough road after that, but ended up with having a family, was a teacher/coach but sadly died at 36 years old due to heart problems.[/quote]

What about all the kids whose groins he grabbed? He was no saint. I sure would not want have had my son play for him![/quote]

Serious allegation, but the guy who made it also said:

The allegations stand in curious contrast with Jadlow’s defense of the embattled Knight. After the polarizing and infamously combative coach was fired in 2000, following a player’s assertion that Knight had grabbed him roughly by the arm and screamed at him, Jadlow spoke passionately about Knight.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with all my Indiana stuff,” he said in the aftermath, according to Topeka’s Capital-Journal. “I’m sure not going to be wearing anything Indiana. I’m ashamed to say that I’m a graduate of Indiana. [Knight] is a guy who should have a monument of him erected.”

Even today, Jadlow insists he’s “a Knight guy,” he told WTHR. “I’m proud to have played for him and love him like a father.”[/quote]
Knight was fired after grabbing the arm of a student not a player.
 
[quote="bamafan" post=328652][quote="Beast of the East" post=328389][quote="ron " post=328388][quote="RedStormNC" post=328385]That ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Knight was good.

Was sad to learn that the kid he choked in the video had a rough road after that, but ended up with having a family, was a teacher/coach but sadly died at 36 years old due to heart problems.[/quote]

What about all the kids whose groins he grabbed? He was no saint. I sure would not want have had my son play for him![/quote]

Serious allegation, but the guy who made it also said:

The allegations stand in curious contrast with Jadlow’s defense of the embattled Knight. After the polarizing and infamously combative coach was fired in 2000, following a player’s assertion that Knight had grabbed him roughly by the arm and screamed at him, Jadlow spoke passionately about Knight.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with all my Indiana stuff,” he said in the aftermath, according to Topeka’s Capital-Journal. “I’m sure not going to be wearing anything Indiana. I’m ashamed to say that I’m a graduate of Indiana. [Knight] is a guy who should have a monument of him erected.”

Even today, Jadlow insists he’s “a Knight guy,” he told WTHR. “I’m proud to have played for him and love him like a father.”[/quote]
Knight was fired after grabbing the arm of a student not a player.[/quote]

No kidding. This quote came from the guy who wrote a book about knight grabbing genitals of players. It was strange that the goes on to speak so positively about knight.
 
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[quote="Beast of the East" post=328662][quote="bamafan" post=328652][quote="Beast of the East" post=328389][quote="ron " post=328388][quote="RedStormNC" post=328385]That ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Knight was good.

Was sad to learn that the kid he choked in the video had a rough road after that, but ended up with having a family, was a teacher/coach but sadly died at 36 years old due to heart problems.[/quote]

What about all the kids whose groins he grabbed? He was no saint. I sure would not want have had my son play for him![/quote]

Serious allegation, but the guy who made it also said:

The allegations stand in curious contrast with Jadlow’s defense of the embattled Knight. After the polarizing and infamously combative coach was fired in 2000, following a player’s assertion that Knight had grabbed him roughly by the arm and screamed at him, Jadlow spoke passionately about Knight.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with all my Indiana stuff,” he said in the aftermath, according to Topeka’s Capital-Journal. “I’m sure not going to be wearing anything Indiana. I’m ashamed to say that I’m a graduate of Indiana. [Knight] is a guy who should have a monument of him erected.”

Even today, Jadlow insists he’s “a Knight guy,” he told WTHR. “I’m proud to have played for him and love him like a father.”[/quote]
Knight was fired after grabbing the arm of a student not a player.[/quote]

No kidding. This quite came from the guy who wrote a book about knight grabbing.[/quote]
Well than I would question anything he wrote if he got that fact wrong.
 
I thought that sounded strange as well. He may have did something to a player that resulted in a "one more chance"-type deal, but it was a student who got him fired. He said something like "Hey Knight," and Bobby was pissed that he didn't get called Coach Knight or Mr. Knight. I remember the kid was getting threats and may have had to transfer. He may have also been part of a set of triplets and they all had to leave. Of course, if all of this is wrong I'm not sure where I imagined any of this. I remember at the time thinking it sounded like a setup by the kid.
 
Great coach, but just another guy who let the power go to his head and thought the rules didn't apply to him. An a-hole to a lot of people. Not someone I would want mentoring my kids about life. Basketball yes, but not life.
 
[quote="Monte" post=328974]Great coach, but just another guy who let the power go to his head and thought the rules didn't apply to him. An a-hole to a lot of people. Not someone I would want mentoring my kids about life. Basketball yes, but not life.[/quote]

Agree, 100%.

I could never work for someone like him. Now, that does not mean you can't be critical with me. I just believe you can do so, while also maintaining a calm, and dignified manner. Also, you can get your point across without abusing people. You don't always have to tell them they'e a piece of s-t. Yes, there are some people who respond well to that kind of stuff, but there are plenty of others who don't. That does not make them any less of a person, but people like Bob Knight believe that it does.

That being said, what's happening to him right now is a very cruel twist of fate.
 
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So much has changed in our culture and sports since Knight's heyday. It's unfair to critique him based on today's optics. He was by all means old school, which demanded his player's full attention and precise execution according to his rules. They had to attend class, they had to graduate, they had to do things exactly his way. They weren't coddled. Steve Alford would routinely get thrown out of practice for some infraction. Would guess playing for Knight was like going to boot camp. You would be trained hard and it required you do things exactly as Knight commanded. The results are undeniable. There was only one general, Knight. He wasn't there to coddle, he was there to coach winning basketball by the rules, without breaking them. He didn't pay players, have recruiting violations, ran perhaps the cleanest program of any coach with his level of success, and by a wide margin. His coaching staff was with him for a very long time, and that's some indication of his integrity and loyalty. Former players. Including those he treated most harshly, like and admire him.

Could he survive today? My guess is he would have to adapt, but I'd hire him.in a heartbeat.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=329009]So much has changed in our culture and sports since Knight's heyday. It's unfair to critique him based on today's optics. He was by all means old school, which demanded his player's full attention and precise execution according to his rules. They had to attend class, they had to graduate, they had to do things exactly his way. They weren't coddled. Steve Alford would routinely get thrown out of practice for some infraction. Would guess playing for Knight was like going to boot camp. You would be trained hard and it required you do things exactly as Knight commanded. The results are undeniable. There was only one general, Knight. He wasn't there to coddle, he was there to coach winning basketball by the rules, without breaking them. He didn't pay players, have recruiting violations, ran perhaps the cleanest program of any coach with his level of success, and by a wide margin. His coaching staff was with him for a very long time, and that's some indication of his integrity and loyalty. Former players. Including those he treated most harshly, like and admire him.

Could he survive today? My guess is he would have to adapt, but I'd hire him.in a heartbeat.[/quote]

Beast just for the moment let’s put aside how he handled his kids, because I give coaches and teachers a lot of leeway when it comes to handling kids. That comes from my years with the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Jesuits. It’s how he treated people in general(no pun) that I take exception to. You know that old cliche “treat people how you would like to be treated”? Well apparently Knight doesn’t know that cliche, because can you imagine his reaction if people treated him the way he treated, for instance, members of the media? He was a great basketball coach and a pompous asshole as a human being. And he either taught his kids to behave like him, which makes him a horrible role model, or he taught them to “do as I say, not as I do”, which makes him a huge hypocrite. Brilliant basketball mind. Huge douchebag. I’d never want someone like that teaching my kids life skills.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=329009]So much has changed in our culture and sports since Knight's heyday. It's unfair to critique him based on today's optics. He was by all means old school, which demanded his player's full attention and precise execution according to his rules. They had to attend class, they had to graduate, they had to do things exactly his way. They weren't coddled. Steve Alford would routinely get thrown out of practice for some infraction. Would guess playing for Knight was like going to boot camp. You would be trained hard and it required you do things exactly as Knight commanded. The results are undeniable. There was only one general, Knight. He wasn't there to coddle, he was there to coach winning basketball by the rules, without breaking them. He didn't pay players, have recruiting violations, ran perhaps the cleanest program of any coach with his level of success, and by a wide margin. His coaching staff was with him for a very long time, and that's some indication of his integrity and loyalty. Former players. Including those he treated most harshly, like and admire him.

Could he survive today? My guess is he would have to adapt, but I'd hire him.in a heartbeat.[/quote]
Check your PMs Beast
 
[quote="Monte" post=329019][quote="Beast of the East" post=329009]So much has changed in our culture and sports since Knight's heyday. It's unfair to critique him based on today's optics. He was by all means old school, which demanded his player's full attention and precise execution according to his rules. They had to attend class, they had to graduate, they had to do things exactly his way. They weren't coddled. Steve Alford would routinely get thrown out of practice for some infraction. Would guess playing for Knight was like going to boot camp. You would be trained hard and it required you do things exactly as Knight commanded. The results are undeniable. There was only one general, Knight. He wasn't there to coddle, he was there to coach winning basketball by the rules, without breaking them. He didn't pay players, have recruiting violations, ran perhaps the cleanest program of any coach with his level of success, and by a wide margin. His coaching staff was with him for a very long time, and that's some indication of his integrity and loyalty. Former players. Including those he treated most harshly, like and admire him.

Could he survive today? My guess is he would have to adapt, but I'd hire him.in a heartbeat.[/quote]

Beast just for the moment let’s put aside how he handled his kids, because I give coaches and teachers a lot of leeway when it comes to handling kids. That comes from my years with the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Jesuits. It’s how he treated people in general(no pun) that I take exception to. You know that old cliche “treat people how you would like to be treated”? Well apparently Knight doesn’t know that cliche, because can you imagine his reaction if people treated him the way he treated, for instance, members of the media? He was a great basketball coach and a pompous asshole as a human being. And he either taught his kids to behave like him, which makes him a horrible role model, or he taught them to “do as I say, not as I do”, which makes him a huge hypocrite. Brilliant basketball mind. Huge douchebag. I’d never want someone like that teaching my kids life skills.[/quote]

Bigger discussion and don't want to waste space here. Nearly all his players hold him in high regard. As does his former staff. I know a local former hs coach who knows him and hold him in the highest regard. Knight's impatience to use your vernacular, was with the douchebags who run universities, demand wins that result in donors and enrollment, but wanted him to do things his way, not knights formula for success. I think he had an impatience and disdain for sportswriters who wrote about basketball but knew little. Too quick tempered for me, but he is an intense person. I'd judge him much more by the people closest to him and not by those inflamed by well publicized but largely isolated events over 50 years of coaching
 
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