| | BUFFALO, N.Y. -- If defense wins games, Indiana should be a
lock to make the Final Four.
Two days after Neil Reed, one of his former players, accused Bob
Knight of choking him three years ago at a practice, the Indiana
coach spent nearly 20 minutes Thursday night defending his
program and his record.
Talk about the sixth-seeded Hoosiers' game Friday night in the East
Regional against No. 11 seed Pepperdine -- which Indiana lost 77-57 -- had to wait.
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Chaney backs up Knight
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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Referring to himself as "The Black
Knight," Temple coach John Chaney has rallied to the defense of
Indiana colleague Bob Knight.
Suggesting the problem is American sports fans "buying bad
behavior," Chaney said he and Knight share the same philosophy in
that they won't put up with it.
"I think a coach who will not buy bad behavior is a good coach,
and he's rare," Chaney said. "Bob Knight is rare. I am rare. I am
another Bob Knight."
Chaney made his comments prior to practice at Buffalo's Marine
Midland Arena. Temple, the East Regional's No. 2 seed, met
Lafayette in their first game of the NCAA tournament today. The
Hoosiers are the bracket's sixth seed and play Pepperdine.
Knight is back in the center of controversy, accused of choking
former player Neil Reed. Knight has denied the claim while saying
he might have grabbed Reed around the neck for motivational
reasons.
Following his team's practice, Knight admitted to having some
regrets over how he has handled his players. But he's
comforted with the knowledge that a majority of his former athletes
have gone on to successful careers.
"When I have kids come back and talk about their experience
here and I see what they're doing, I'm not sure just what I'm
supposed to apologize for," Knight said.
While not referring to Knight's actions specifically, Chaney
wondered what happened to sports in America. "One of the things that I believe sincerely, in what he does
and what I do, is that I don't buy bad behavior," Chaney said. "I
don't buy it. And that's what this country is doing: buying bad
behavior."
As examples, Chaney referred to NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman, the
NFL's Michael Irvin and Atlanta Braves closer John Rocker, who has
been roundly condemned for making racists remarks.
Chaney said all have remained in their respective sports despite
their notoriety. Without going into detail, Chaney went on to say that whatever
Knight is accused of doing, Chaney will do more to his own players.
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"We've never had NCAA violations for recruiting or academics or
anything else," said Knight, who has led the Hoosiers to the NCAA
Tournament 15 straight years. "Our teams have been able to win
more games in the '70s, '80s and the '90s than any team in our
conference. I don't expect everybody to agree with everything that
I do or say. My mom doesn't.
"I'll bet that I've done since I've been in coaching about a
1,000 things to motivate kids or teams, and I'll guarantee that a
lot of them I wouldn't want to talk about at a church social or a
PTA meeting or a garden party," Knight said in response to Reed's
allegations, which came to light in an interview with CNN/SI. "But
we're not teaching kids to play canasta."
Knight also spoke about several of his former players, such as
Isiah Thomas and Kent Benson, who have excelled after college.
"If my kids left and weren't successful, if they were on the
bread line or selling drugs or in jail for one thing or another,
then I would have a lot of questions about what my methods were
leading to," Knight said. "But when I have kids come back and
talk about their experience here, what it's meant to them and I see
what they're doing, then I'm just not sure what there is that I'm
supposed to apologize for."
Indiana officials handed out a statement at Knight's news
conference Thursday night that included a report from associate athletics director
Steve Downing detailing an investigation three years ago into
Reed's accusation.
Downing said he questioned Knight and Reed, among others.
"Neil told me, point blank, that Bob Knight never choked him,"
Downing said in the statement.
CNN/SI reported Friday that Reed remembered the conversation
differently.
"He said 'I heard that coach Knight hit you.' And I kind of
laughed and said, 'He choked me but he didn't hit me.' And Downing
kind of dropped his head," Reed said.
The CNN/SI interview of Reed, broadcast Friday, was not included
in the network's original report on Wednesday.
Knight was not alone in defending himself. Seniors A.J. Guyton
and Michael Lewis spoke up for their embattled coach before
addressing questions about the Waves, who received an at-large bid
after going 24-8.
"Neil Reed was voted off the team by Mike and I, along with six
other players," Guyton said. "That alone says what we thought
about Neil Reed."
Guyton and Lewis said the negative remarks didn't have an effect
on the team.
"We've prepared for this game just like we have any other
game," Lewis said. "The controversy is with coach. That's why
A.J. and I stepped up. The rest of the team didn't have to worry
about it. They haven't said a word about it all week. They've been
focusing on Pepperdine. We were prepared to handle both, and I
think they were relieved."
His team was almost an afterthought Thursday night, and
Pepperdine coach Jan van Breda Kolff was well aware of it.
"Where is everybody?" he joked after Knight departed. "Maybe
a lot of people are thinking we're happy we're here. But we didn't
come to just be part of the 64 teams. Our team is focused. It's a
new experience for our guys, but I don't think they're going to be
intimidated." | |
ALSO SEE
Waves crash down on Indiana with 77-57 upset
Knight doesn't recall choking former IU player
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