Former IU basketball coach Bobby Knight passes at 83.
- Thread starter mrsilv04
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dnewton3
Staff member
I respect his many accomplishments; he was an icon.
His off-court antics were storied as well.
RIP.
His off-court antics were storied as well.
RIP.
I grew up in Southern Indiana, played ball up to HS. My dad is from Indianapolis but we try to not talk about that fault. 
Some of my HS friends played under him at IU (I went elsewhere/did not play college ball to be clear).
We all still, and they, loved him despite his antics and the bad press the national press gave him. He was honest, passionate, creative, subtle, and at the same time bombastic. He was a small heartland piece of pure America, from 1776 to present day, from east coast to west coast. Plus, he was genuine and really cared about his players. He had his temper, his faults but his heart was 100% always in the right place. As much as the press tried to make him controversial, his genuine honesty won through to the public. That’s my and other’s take on it and maybe a parallel to current times.
My dad and I had some KFC and talked about this a few hours ago. Both agree with you; an icon. Not as well respected now, sadly. My dad talked about how he and Jerry Tarkanian had been big, loud, advocates for protecting exploited student-athletes’ education rights. I “vaguely” remember something about that but need to go look that up and clarify.
Also I met Larry Bird once a long while ago (at a John Cougar concert in Boston - an Indiana tri-fecta) and had the chance to discuss Knight with him. Priceless.
Some of my HS friends played under him at IU (I went elsewhere/did not play college ball to be clear).We all still, and they, loved him despite his antics and the bad press the national press gave him. He was honest, passionate, creative, subtle, and at the same time bombastic. He was a small heartland piece of pure America, from 1776 to present day, from east coast to west coast. Plus, he was genuine and really cared about his players. He had his temper, his faults but his heart was 100% always in the right place. As much as the press tried to make him controversial, his genuine honesty won through to the public. That’s my and other’s take on it and maybe a parallel to current times.
My dad and I had some KFC and talked about this a few hours ago.
Both agree with you; an icon. Not as well respected now, sadly. My dad talked about how he and Jerry Tarkanian had been big, loud, advocates for protecting exploited student-athletes’ education rights. I “vaguely” remember something about that but need to go look that up and clarify.Also I met Larry Bird once a long while ago (at a John Cougar concert in Boston - an Indiana tri-fecta) and had the chance to discuss Knight with him. Priceless.
Really sad. He gave some amazing speeches at IU. During my freshman year my teammate backed into Knights car at Assembly Hall (B-ball arena at IU). It was our freshman year and he was scared to death that our strength coach was going to find out and run him. lol
Some of his on court antics were legendary as well. Nobody could toss a chair as well as he could…
And I think he did a furniture store advertisement for a local Indiana company and at the end of it Bob Knight said, “ and I will throw in the chairs for free.”
Bob was a genuine, real deal article type man. . Extremely intelligent yet could be very simplistic and profane, had a very bad strong temper yet he truly cared for and loved others including many of his players who played for him.
Bob Knight was a conundrum of a man who was true to himself. Good, bad or indifferent.
One thing I read about was where a former player of his was hurt very, very severely in a car accident… Bob Knight made sure he was taken care of and helped him out greatly. That’s the side of him that was not well known except by those who truly knew him. Bob didn’t do things for show.
I remember **** Vitale taking about Bob Knight and it was extremely obvious how much Vitale thought of him and how much goodness there was in Bob that many people didn’t know or ever see.
This reminds me of what JJ on Street Outlaws said…. “ It is what is is… And it ain’t what you think.”
I think that may well sum up Bob Knight… Godspeed Bob.
