Should Bob Knight Return to Coaching College Basketball?

As rumors surface about Bob Knight's possible return to college basketball as the head coach at the University of Georgia, countless fans across the country have started debating whether or not the immortal coach should go back to the sidelines. Even though detractors will cite Knight's semi-troubled past that involved his physical altercation with a former player and a string of verbal infractions against players and referees, the fact remains that the man knows basketball; however, that is not the reason to bring The General back. He offers so much more than his 902 wins, and the young men who would come in contact with him would all benefit.

Nine years after being dismissed by Indiana University amid serious controversy concerning abusive language and behavior, and roughly one year after abruptly retiring midseason from Texas Tech, Knight now contemplates, according to a quoted friend, bringing his zero tolerance, strictly disciplined approach to Georgia, a program that has suffered recently and is in desperate need to resurrect itself. If Georgia elects to offer the position to Knight, or at least attempts to gauge his desire to come to Athens, it will prove to the suddenly-weakened SEC and the rest of the country that they are serious about redirecting the wayward ship. It would also prove to alumni, current students, and prospective student-athletes that the university values the traditional, education-rich philosophy this iconic coach has adhered to wherever he has gone.

At the age of 24, after one year of coaching junior varsity basketball at Cuyahoga Falls High School in Ohio and two years as the assistant coach at Army, Knight became the head coach at West Point, where he coached and later mentored current Duke Blue Devils and Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski. In 1971, he left the U.S. Army and went to Indiana University, a place where he won two national championships and compiled 661 victories.

His legend, however, came under fire when a former player, Neil Reed, claimed Knight choked him during a practice, an accusation Knight denied vigorously. Yet, when a videotape of the incident aired on CNN Sports Illustrated, one that clearly shows Knight's hands around the throat of a young Reed, irrefutable evidence was built against the coach. The noose was tightened around Knight's neck and, after another on-campus incident involving a student, Knight refused to resign, which resulted in his termination in May of 2000. He later signed on to coach Texas Tech, a place he spent seven seasons building a struggling program into a respectable national competitor.

If you put aside his numerical accomplishments and step back a moment away from his unfortunate mistakes, you will find a deeply introspective, well read man who, at heart, sees himself as a teacher-a perspective with which the majority of his former players would agree. Hailing from a military education, he finds comfort and consistency in traditional discipline, the type that raised most of the adults now complaining about his "extremism". These same adults will tell embellished tales of the hardships they encountered growing up and the tough, hardcore discipline they received from strong, determined parents. Yet, they baulk at the identical values that made them who they are when Coach Knight employs them.

Some critics claim that he fails the young men he encounters, yet they do not see an overwhelmingly positive body of work he has accumulated. A vigorous supporter of various charitable and youth organizations, Knight, despite the national embarrassment surrounding the events at Indiana, remains committed to educating the country's youth. His teaching and coaching skills, as refined and deep as they are, make him an ultra-popular speaker at clinics, camps, and business events. Coaches flock to his workshops to listen to Knight dispense not only the basketball wisdom that has made him famous, but also the human understanding that makes him a prolific motivator. And, ironically enough regarding his critics' perception that he is a violent, abusive man, his summer youth camps not only sell out, but they also have long waiting lists. Also, in 2003 Knight became the first inductee in The Vince Lombardi Titletown Legends, an honor that pays direct tribute to people who embody the characteristics of the legendary Packers coach: dedication, respect, love, family, teamwork, and discipline. Aren't these qualities the ones we want our young men to gain in their formative years? (speakers.com).

A man who demanded his players succeed in the classroom as well as on the court, Knight has graduated a miraculous 98% of his athletes, a number that boggles the mind when looking at the current trends in college athletics. Knight does not fear setting standards and forcing players to reach them, even if it means pushing them to limits they formerly believed they could not reach. He cares little about outside opinion, and instead believes in the core and foundation he has seen work for years. In his mind, the ethics and morals that helped to build this country years ago, the ones that guide a proud and efficient military, have not changed with time.

Unlike the touchy-feely nature of some coaches, Knight makes no excuses for his hard-edged style, and he stands behind his philosophies. Parents who send their sons to play for Knight know full well that the task ahead will be difficult, but they must also be fairly certain that their son will walk out a tougher, stronger man who has a college degree and a deep set of basketball memories. They will find that they sent away a boy, and Knight returned a man.

Our nation, at least in the sporting and education cultures, has, at times, cultivated a generation of wimps, kids who do not have to take responsibility and instead get to hide behind their parents' complaints and threats. We often make success too easy, and we reward the average and mundane rather than pushing intelligently for excellence. No one wants to damage kids, but if we fail to impose a toughness, a resilience that results from knowing how to dig deep and test one's character, are we not harming them then?

Although some disagree with Knight's past and question his decisions, the fact remains that we do not need fewer people like him; in fact, we may very well need more. Bob Knight is a great basketball instructor, but he is a greater teacher and mentor for life. Inviting him back into a game he has long dominated will re-instill a sense that toughness and discipline is still an important facet in our sporting and educational landscape.

Sources:

http://www.speakers.com/listing.asp?sid=191

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Knight