Media Portrayal Continued
Under the Gun
Unfortunately, he is known as much for his churlish bullying, physical and verbal abuse, rejection of social and professional norms, and his often rude and hostile behavior towards players, referees and reporters. As stated before, Knight’s temper boiled over many times: who has not watched the 1985 video when he tossed a chair across the court in a game where Indiana lost against Purdue? He was suspended for one game by the Big Ten, and Knight later apologized for his action.
Given his propensities for self-destructive behavior, some commentators have suggested that Knight would not survive a high school coaching job in the present today.On March 12, 1994, after the Hoosiers’ home final against Wisconsin, Knight recited the following during senior day ceremonies: “When my time on earth is gone, and my activities here are past, you can bury me upside down, and my critics can kiss my ----!” Indeed, he is not called the General for nothing.From March 17 to May 14, 2000, Indiana University investigated Knight after his former player Neil Reed claimed his coach choked him during a 1997 practice. A videotape appearing to support Reed’s claim surfaced in April of that same year. Other reports that have followed include that Knight attacked a former Indiana sports information director, attacked former assistant coach Ron Felling shortly before his 1999 termination and once threw a vase near an athletic department secretary. Such incidents, if nothing else, attest to the complex nature of his personality.
Sadly, many people only remember the controversial moments of his career, and suggest that he does not deserve respect and deny that he was a true mentor. Also, some members of the media did not like the way he coached, stating that he was complicated and inconsistent. Nevertheless, his achievements overshadow the admittedly negative aspects of his career. His loyalty, honesty and devotion to solid standards for players go beyond the controversies. Despite the negative incidents discussed in this essay, Bob Knight has tremendous support among basketball fans, especially those who are aware of his many accomplishments off the court and the positive influence he has had on his players. They mention his honesty, integrity and exacting ethical standards that he always demonstrated with them. Above all, he is clearly aware of what some supposed experts are not: that regardless of what critics say about him, his college basketball coaching legacy is firmly entrenched in NCAAhistory.
