| | I spoke to Bob Knight for an hour on Monday. There is no doubt in my mind that he will return to the sidelines to coach again.
His energy level is too strong, and he still has the desire to coach. I believe that somewhere down the line a school president will call on him to resurrect their program. He'll be high on somebody's list when a job opens up.
This whole situation is so, so sad. He is a genius and so bright, yet he can't see the problems that some of his actions have caused. I've listened to him speak and heard his knowledge of offense, of defense, and of how to handle and treat people. But he can't seem to discipline himself.
It's sad to have a talent destroyed by a temper. His strong ways hurt him at times.
I think some of Indiana President Myles Brand's statements on Sunday hurt Knight. He told me he felt the deck was stacked against him, and that he didn't feel he would survive zero tolerance. He said that the term "zero tolerance" was never really explained to him.
Knight felt that Brand wanted to fire him in May and that under the current situation there was no way he was going to survive. I feel Knight wanted people to know that he is not the so-called monster that some are portraying him to be.
I have known him for many years. And despite all the mistakes he has made, I understand how strongly he feels about loyalty. He said the only reason he decided to stay at Indiana when everything came down in May was his love for the kids he recruited. Jared Jefferies, A.J. Moye, the returning players. If he was such a monster, Knight wondered, why did his kids want to stay with him?
The bottom line was players knew Knight would treat them in a tough manner. But then that became a problem; if he yelled at a player in practice, would that lead to him being fired? What about getting a technical foul? How could he operate under "zero tolerance"?
Knight said that last week's incident with Kent Harvey was simply a matter of trying to tell the young man about addressing people in a courteous way. He did not intend to hurt him in any way. I personally feel he was wrong for putting his hand on that youngster.
He also questioned the way he was described as being defiant to Brand. Knight claimed he was called at 11 p.m. on Friday, and Brand asked him to stay instead of going on his fishing trip. Nothing was mentioned about being fired or any decision. Knight said he had money invested in the trip and a number of people were going because the coach was going.
There's another example of loyalty. Knight felt he would be letting people down and that turning his back on them would be wrong.
Sometimes divorce can be a positive thing. I am not preaching divorce, but sometimes it is best to go separate ways. There was so much pressure and tension in this situation. Knight disagreed with me when I told him this was probably the best for both parties. But the situation at Indiana would have been so tough with the athletic director, the administration, the board of trustees. A coach can't live in an isolated world with only his players on his side.
There was also a tension between alumni -- some siding with Knight, others against him. There was such emotion in that debate.
But now it is time for Knight to get on with his life. Perhaps he could work on TV and take my job, baby!
Knight said that he didn't dream this would be the way he would leave Indiana. He wanted to go out in grand style, yet his effort to become the winningest coach in college basketball history will have to come somewhere else.
I believe that day will come down the line. | |
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