January 17, 2008

Bobby Knight gets 900th career victory. : In spite of slaps, chokes, and shootings, he's still on top of the heap.

read story | posted by canstusdis to Basketball at 11:38 PM CDT (19 comments total)

I admit it: i love bobby knight! After all that he's done wrong, he turns out players who have made more of themselves in the real world (as opposed to the world of the professional athlete) than most coaches out there. He wins, and does it with integrity (if not so much dignity). His programs are clean, free of rules violations. His players stay out of trouble with the law, and when they dont, they tend not to be his players much longer. Im glad he got his 900th win. He's earned it. I know people on here will tear into me for all the physical encounters he's had with players, referees, and the occasional fan, or you'll point out what a prick he's been to the media (i was a part of the media for a little while, trust me:we deserve most of what we get from coaches). Im not defending what he's done wrong. But he teaches his players integrity and fair play, and that is a lesson that is sorely missed in the college ranks, and for that i commend him. For that reason, i do think his 900th win is cause for celebration.

Comment icon posted by elijahin24 at 4:49 AM CDT on January 18

I totally agree with you. Bobby Knight is a molder of men in a society that desperately needs it. My generation is nothing but a bunch of soft, spoiled, cry babies. If we had more parents that would keep us disciplined the way Bob Knight does we would be a better society today. Note I said discipline us like him, not do everything else like him. The fact of the matter is, the man has won and been successful at his job, and turned out quality human beings that earn a degree and do something with their lives other than run through their money with drugs women and other useless things. If you don't like Bob Knight, don't send your kids to go play for him. Send em somewhere else where they can fail out of school, bang Bitc**s,do drugs and learn how to go pro (for a few years). I would rather my kid learn a good foundation of the game and leave the program a better man.

Comment icon posted by clemsontigersfanatic at 7:07 AM CDT on January 18

I think Bobby Knight is a classic example of a coach who's loved by (the majority of) his players, but most people's perception of him comes from his interactions with the media, who he has always basically despised. He has molded the Texas Tech program into a team that can play with, and beat, practically anyone. And any way you cut it, 900 wins is astounding!

Comment icon posted by dyams at 7:22 AM CDT on January 18

Bobby Knight is the greatest,he got 900 wins with 42 seasons,more seasons then anyone else,but he deserves all the wins that he got.He might be wild at times,but he is a good hard nose coach.

Comment icon posted by rhecker at 7:49 AM CDT on January 18

Good job Bobby. I hope you win a 1000.

Comment icon posted by Ironhead at 1:51 PM CDT on January 18

I would have thought that this headline would get more of a response, given BK's somewhat polarizing status. He's never hit me, so I do admire the accomplishment.

And I am not saying anything about the longest key on the keyboard.

Comment icon posted by THX-1138 at 4:29 PM CDT on January 18

Bobby Knight deserves the 900 wins. The games that I have seen Texas Tech play
weren't that exciting but they play hard for the most part. That is because he is an intense, but classy coach who demands the best out of his players. I hope he gets to 100 wins as a head coach. The only coach who has a shot to catch him then is coach K.

Comment icon posted by Scars at 9:22 PM CDT on January 18

Nice work General Knight. We miss you back here in indiana!

Comment icon posted by indycoltsfan at 10:12 PM CDT on January 18

THX-1138,
I intentionally made the headline provocative, thinking I'd get more of a response.
I'm also a big Bobby Knight fan, and thought his accomplishment was worth a thread.

If you don't like Bob Knight, don't send your kids to go play for him.

Yes, either player or reporter, you know what your getting with "coach".

indycoltsfan,
I feel sorry for the Hoosiers. They have a good program and great tradition. They should have never let him leave.

(This was my first post, so I appologise for the poor link. I'll do a little more research next time...)

Comment icon posted by canstusdis at 11:36 PM CDT on January 18

Bob Knight is a very skilled basketball coach and with 900 wins has proven his worth to several universities and West Point. That being said, some of his tactics are borderline of acceptable behavior. Grabbing a kid because he was called coach, to me is crossing the line and the blowup cost him his job, and in my opinion, was the right thing to do. With the media, he's a bully and has a hostile attitude especially after he loses. His use of four letter words, throwing chairs across the floor at games and his arrogence is legendary in college sports.

Well this can be all erased in some minds with winning and molding men to become something in their lives and that very well may be to certain fans. I would respectfully disagree. He doesn't set proper example for young fans and his antics are not neccessary for a successful program or molding men in their future endevors. Coach Kryzewski at Duke who played for Knight at West Point and was graduate assistant at Indiana, probably picked up much, if not, all his coaching ability from Knight. Coach K has not picked up the other so called qualities from Coach Knight and has been a excellent ambassador for college basketball and successful coach.

Comment icon posted by Nakeman at 12:58 AM CDT on January 19

canstusdis,
As I recall, he was run out of town by a politically correct a-hole university president. The next trash day after he was fired, trash cans all over town were overflowing with red IU gear and Texas Tech license plates started showing up on cars as soon as he took the job there.

I have always been a fan of Mr Knight and all he stands for. Yes, he has a short fuse. Yes, he has crossed the line when his temper got the best of him. But he is a coach who coaches for the love of the game and he cares about his players. He teaches his boys much more than the game of basketball. He prepares them to be winners on the court and out in the real world, just in case that big NBA contract don't come through. I don't agree with chair throwing or cussing a blue streak after a tough loss, but he is a real man, and this world could use more guys like him.

Comment icon posted by indycoltsfan at 8:11 PM CDT on January 19

just in case that big NBA contract don't come through. I don't agree with chair throwing or cussing a blue streak after a tough loss, but he is a real man, and this world could use more guys like him.

Well, I guess I'll cuss, throw chairs across my living room floor to show my sons what a real man looks like. That's not a real man, he's a self righteous, self absorbed basketball coach who thinks is behavior is alright based on winning and tongue lashing his players. See the comparision to Coach K to Knight and tell me. Coach K at Duke loves the game, he teaches his boys much more about life besides basketball. He teaches his men to be winners on and off the court. He does it with chartacter and humility and not like some spoiled child who throws tamprums ever time his doesn't get his way.

As I recall, he was run out of town by a politically correct a-hole university president. The

Polically correct and an a-hole. That's easy to say about a man that was between a rock and hard place. The man had to answer to a lot of people about the incident and decided the couse of action was appriopriate . How far was he supposed to go with his behavior. As I parent how far would you go with child the constantly ignores your warnings. Feels your authority doesn't apply to him because his perception of himself in invulerable, due to the fact he wins alot of basketball games.

No, I'm sorry, I will give Knight all the credit in world for winning 900 games, and for being in my opinion, one of the greatest college basketball coaches in the history of game. But I will not condon the the way he has conducted himself when compared to the way Coach K has accomplished the same respect and admiration from his peers and player alike.

Comment icon posted by Nakeman at 8:51 PM CDT on January 19

Don't get me wrong, Nakeman. I'm not making excuses for coach Knight's behavior. It was wrong to throw that chair. Oh, and by the way, it was A chair. And that was about 20 years ago or so. So he has a really strong chair to win ratio going.

But seriously, Knight's days at IU were numbered anyway. He is a throwback to a simpler time. A time when the school hired a coach to do a job and then let him do it. Knight never wanted to listen to anyone else tell him how to be a basketball coach. He ran the program on HIS terms and took zero B.S from anyone. Nowadays that just don't work. IU wanted to take him down a few notches and tell him what to do and he wanted no part of it. They put him into a situation they knew he would never be able to live with and he promptly got himself fired. In time he would have probably left on his own anyway.

I don't throw chairs around my living room and I doubt that Bobby Knight does either. But warts and all, I respect coach Knight and what he stands for. The world has changed, but he is the same hard nosed, stubborn, opinionated son of a bitch he always was. And I find something very respectable about that.

As for coach K, I couldn't agree more. I have great respect for him as well. There are many great coaches who get results without "throwing chairs" and they deserve credit for all they accomplish.

As a parent I would not stand for the kind of behavior you describe. However, I don't think The university president was Bobby Knight's father. He was not even involved when coach Knight was hired to run that basketball program. For years he was allowed to run that program as he saw fit. And they stayed out of his business. That program had a great deal of success. Then as time passed by and the world caught up to IU and it's basketball program, others started trying to stick their nose in his program and started making changes and telling him what to do. And you know the result. He just didn't fit in anymore.

Now he's back in the driver's seat, and look what happened. He has taken TTU's program and turned it into a pretty respectable program. And I don't know, but I'll bet they stay out of his business down there in Texas.

I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but it works for Bobby Knight, And it is working pretty well for Texas tech.

Comment icon posted by indycoltsfan at 11:13 PM CDT on January 19

I agree with you that times have changed and I do respect coach Knight as a basketball coach. He seems to have toned down somewhat from his earlier days ( who hasn't) with the occasional lapses. I just wouldn't want my children to see such behavior from someone in a authortarian position.

Comment icon posted by Nakeman at 11:35 AM CDT on January 20

indycoltsfan,
THANKS, for supporting a man who expects young men to be responsible to their community, school, and parents. As for all the so-called problems with Bob, most of it was an element of the media that did not like being called out by a man that knows more about the game in his toenail than they all do together.
He didn't suck up to them because he didn't care what they thought, and he didn't have to.
The true measure of BK is what the majority of the parents of the players who played for him thought of him.
Isaiah Thomases mother and Isaiah give Bob full credit for saving his life and turning him into a man. Steve Green is another example of BK influence. Steve is a very successful dentist in the Indianapolis area that BK loaned money to to get his practice started, I could go on and on.We all deal with authority in this society and the ones who are able to deal with it are the leaders of men. The ones that can't, are pink pantied underachievers.
As for the university president who finally dealt the final blow to BK at Indiana, he put his tail between his legs and ran 1 year after he dealt Bob the final blow. He now is doing such a bang up job of running the NCAA.
Indiana has not had any degree of success since Bob left. Two less than successfull years with one coach, and probems with the NCAA the last 2 years.
Bob Knight was not an anything goes type of guy that prevails in college athletics today, he was the boss and if a player didn't like it they could go else where and play, if their parents would let them.

Comment icon posted by sportnut at 11:01 AM CDT on January 21

Indiana has not had any degree of success since Bob left.

I believe they made it to the championship game in 2002.

Comment icon posted by bender at 12:44 PM CDT on January 21

Bender they did that with a team that was entirely recruited by bob knight.

Comment icon posted by elijahin24 at 1:49 PM CDT on January 21

Understood, but to say that they have not had any success since he left is false. A championship run coming off of a 5-seed is also rather impressive.

Comment icon posted by bender at 1:52 PM CDT on January 21

The true measure of BK is what the majority of the parents of the players who played for him thought of him.

An interesting take, to be sure. I'm much more interested in how his former players speak of him. You know, since they're the ones who actually played for him, not their parents.

Indiana has not had any degree of success since Bob left.

You're absolutely right. Even though I can't find them mentioned anywhere here, I'm sure Texas Tech is ranked above Indiana.

Comment icon posted by The_Black_Hand at 3:03 PM CDT on January 21

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