Coach Bob Knight (Photo from Google images)
Coach Bob Knight was a gift to the game of basketball. The Hall of Fame Coach passed away on Wednesday at the age of 83 in his home in Bloomington, Indiana. I’ve dreaded this blog for a long time.
Growing up, I loved Coach Knight. I still remember my Dad telling me the story about his famous quote: “When my time on earth is gone, and my activities here are passed, I want [them] to bury me upside down, and my critics can kiss my ass!” From that moment on, I knew I would love Coach Knight. And I did.
Ooole Bobby
I never got to meet Coach Knight, but in a weird way, I feel like I have. The summer after college I worked at what I would consider to be the slowest golf course in Myrtle Beach, SC. (It was also the most expensive course.) Besides getting the worst tan lines of my life from spending the summer on the beverage cart, I also read more books that summer than I ever read in college and high school combined. (This was before smartphones.)
I was reading KNIGHT My Story by Coach Knight and I literally just finished reading about his admiration for high school coaches like Coach Morgan Wooten. Ten minutes later I was making a drink for a golfer who had a huge ring on. I asked him about it and he said it was for DeMatha. Before he could say anything else I asked him if he was Coach Morgan Wooten and he was shocked that I knew who he was. I held up the book and said Coach Knight loves you, I literally just read about you. He laughed and said “Ooole Bobby” with a smile. I asked him to tell Coach Knight his biggest fan was 5’0 tall. Coach Wooten said he would and that Coach Knight would love it. While I don’t know if Coach Wooten ever told Coach Knight about me, I will forever believe he did.
The General
He was nicknamed ‘The General’ and he was built from a different generation. A generation that valued respect, followed rules and understood that working hard was a basic skill in life. Coach Knight believed in preparation and he coached hard. He was proficient in using a four-letter word and often inten. He demanded high academic standards. 98% of his four-year players graduated college, more than double the national average. Coach Knight’s tough love style of coaching can be viewed as flawed or fearless. However, his success as a coach and his impact on the game of basketball can never be challenged and will never be matched.
What most people never knew about Coach Knight is that his first love was baseball. He was an avid fly-fisher, he loved American history and gave thousands of dollars to supply libraries with books. Most of his giving was anonymous and his kindness was never mentioned to the public.
The Sweater
Some people hear Coach Knight and think of the chair toss. I think of the sweater. The polo shirt and sweater became his signature style in an era of coaches wearing a suit. The sweater eliminated him from being able to take off and throw a sport coat. You can read a previous blog about the Sweater https://alisonstclair.com/sweater/
No other men’s basketball team has ever been able to have an undefeated (32-0) season like his 1975-76 season with the Hoosiers. He won three national titles at Indiana. His coaching career began at Army in 1965 and ended at Texas Tech in 2008 with 902 career wins and 371 losses.
Coach Knight is the only coach to win the NCAA, NIT, an Olympic gold medal, and a Pan American Games gold medal. Coach Knight is also one of only three people who have both played on and coached an NCAA championship basketball team. (Dean Smith and Joe B. Hall are the other two.) No other coach has ever given their salary ($250,000.00) back because they didn’t believe he earned it like Coach Knight did in 2003. It’s important to realize that in college sports the best programs usually have NCAA violations. Coach Knight ran successful programs and never broke an NCAA rule.
My Way
In 2020, I wrote about Coach Knight returning home to Indiana after more than two decades of not stepping foot in Assembly Hall. https://alisonstclair.com/welcome-home/ You could see his health was declining even if there is a part of you that can’t accept seeing your hero declining with age. We don’t know what changed to make Coach Knight return to IU, but we all knew Coach Knight would do things his way.
When Coach Knight retired he said “I’ve simply tried to do what I think is best. Regrets? Sure. Just like the song. I have regrets. I wish I could have done things better at times. I wish I would have had a better answer, a better way, at times. But just like he said, I did it my way, and when I look back on it, I don’t think my way was all that bad.”
Coach Knight said he wanted to be buried upside down so his critics could kiss his ass. But for some people, if you live long enough, you become loved. I have a feeling that all of those critics are looking back and saying Ooole Bobby with a smile.
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1 Comment.
Very touching! Coach Knight was remarkable despite his hot temper and chair throwing event. He will always be remembered among sports legend! The personal touches you capture in your writing add so much!