DISQUS

Ben_M · 2 weeks ago

When Bob Knight was first at Indiana, the people surrounding the program in the athletic department really supported him and his vision of Indiana basketball and what it should be. I was really glad to read this letter because I truly feel Coach Tom Crean is surrounding himself with a similar group of people that want the very best for Indiana athletics.


Also, I support Bob in his choice not to come back because the media would draw away from other's accomplishments. I would not want to see Jerry Yeagley's honoring be distracted. There will be a time and a place.

johnbravo · 2 weeks ago

The simple fact that everyone is talking about Knight's absence and fawning over a letter proved the fallacy of the Coach's original argument. I find it difficult to believe that after so many years using the media and working the media that he didn't believe this would be the outcome. Bob Knight is playing everyone for fools. Just like he always did.

plane1972 · 2 weeks ago

I have been a huge Knight fan since I was a kid (still have an autographed photo of him in my office). I have not, however, been one of those blindingly loyal supporters bashing the University for how poorly they treated our former coach, and I have to agree with some of what johnbravo is saying here. It is a little problematic for me to hold out hope that a reunion of IU and Knight can occur only if Glass continues to kiss our former coach's ass. Coach Knight's ironically fragile sensibilities are still quite raw, at this point. Seems like we are still some time away from any open-armed embrace.

I was also a little disappointed RMK didn't acknowledge Yeagley in his comments. I remember at the height of his glory when the national media was loving Coach Knight, he once said that he wasn't even the best coach on the IU staff - referring to Yeagley - and that was after he had hung three banners and won gold in '84. Whether he truly believed that is up to you to decide. But, it would have been nice to mention him since they were on the same staff together and in the same HOF class.

johnbravo · 2 weeks ago

Good point about Jerry Yeagley.

Both Knight and Yeagley had an awful lot of success, and to compare that success is beyond apples and oranges in regards to the sports they coached and the demands on each.

Yet, if the question was ever posed about who was a better "coach" - and again this is all philosophical as we're talking about teaching or preparing young athletes to excel or being a role model, things of that nature - then I'd take a thousand Jerry Yeagley's over a single Bob Knight.