topic Re: Bobby Knight in Sports

Bobby Knight

lovesrecess — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 20:24:51 GMT

Just saw former coach Bobby Knight being shown lots of love at the Indiana basketball game today. Standing ovation. He had quite a fiery yet successful coaching career. Sad to read he is in in declining health and has difficulty with his memory. He will turn 80 next October.

Re: Bobby Knight

IUredhead — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 20:42:19 GMT

It was the first time Coach Knight has been back in Assembly Hall since he was fired in 2000. It was wonderful to see the former players there too. I had tears in my eyes when he came out. This past summer Coach & his wife moved back to Bloomington and he's seen around town eating quite often. I'm thankful for Quinn Buckner & Randy Wittman for being instrumental in getting coach back today. Former Purdue Coach Gene Keady is also at the IU/Purdue game. And, both he & Coach Knight will be honored at the Pacers game this evening.

Re: Bobby Knight

liliblu — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 20:45:13 GMT

I don't wish suffering on anyone. But Bobby Knight was a volatile man. He cursed at reporters, threw a chair across a court, chocked a player, and slapped another. He even kicked his own son during a game. He was verbally abusive to players as well. Knight was a successful coach but not a great person. I don't think I could stand up an applaud him.

Re: Bobby Knight

Sooner — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 20:57:07 GMT

I would hope my alma mater wouldn't tolerate a coach with that attitude. I am sure he is loved by many, but he is not my idea of what athletics should embody.

I, however, wish him no ill will.

Re: Bobby Knight

sidsmom — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 20:58:02 GMT

@liliblu wrote:

I don't wish suffering on anyone. But Bobby Knight was a volatile man. He cursed at reporters, threw a chair across a court, chocked a player, and slapped another. He even kicked his own son during a game. He was verbally abusive to players as well. Knight was a successful coach but not a great person. I don't think I could stand up an applaud him.

@liliblu

Thank you.

He's one of the many stories we hear about where horrible people

who are ill or declining in health & suddenly we should forget

every wrong-doing they've ever done.
Nope.
Doesn't work that way.

I, too, couldn't stand up and applaud him. He's a creep.

Re: Bobby Knight

Patriot3 — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 21:02:36 GMT

Bobby Knight was a mean coach. However, hearing him as a commentator on a few games, he does know his basketball!

Re: Bobby Knight

scatcat — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 21:11:34 GMT

We are big Purdue fans (Boiler Up!) but even I had tears in my eyes. Not because I am a Bobby Knight fan, but because he looked frail and aged. He showed up and his players and the crowd were happy.

I'm happy Purdue won!

Re: Bobby Knight

Love my grandkids — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 21:56:58 GMT

I don't think being old and frail gives a mean, nasty coach a pass.

He was horrible and abusive to his players and I recall when he kicked his own son.

No pity from me.

Re: Bobby Knight

scatcat — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 22:05:35 GMT

@Love my grandkids wrote:
I don't think being old and frail gives a mean, nasty coach a pass.

He was horrible and abusive to his players and I recall when he kicked his own son.

No pity from me.

I didn't say I gave him a pass. I said I am not a fan. The only pity I have for him is his visible declining health.

But where was IU when he was abusive, kicking, throwing chairs, screaming? Looking the other way? That seemed to be a theme back then (I'm thinking of a certain church)

Re: Bobby Knight

Dragonflyveb — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 22:49:51 GMT

As a Purdue fan, I witnessed a lot of Knight's bad behavior. IU fans would always say, "yeah, but how many national championship flags hang in Mackey Arena?" As if that excused the chair tossing and abuse. . .

Re: Bobby Knight

jubilant — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 17:00:40 GMT

Bobby Knight was very important to basketball here in Indiana. It's true that he is known for his "basketball genius" here..... but I found him to be someone I wouldn't want coaching my son.

Hopefully, now that he is older he is sorry for some of the things he said and did. I heard he has said some pretty nasty things about those who fired him. It sounds like he may have dementia now so who knows what state of mind he was in when he said it. Still, he did make a specticle of himself and did not set a good example for his players or anyone else for that matter. I sure don't agree with the way he coached. Maybe life has taught him some valuable lessons and he is a better man today. I hope so.