The opinions of some on these boards about Bob Knight are absurd. Why don't all of you consider this: for all his faults Bob Knight was/is the best in two different fields. He was the best college basketball coach of his era, and he is now the best analyst in college basketball broadcasting. Hardly anybody posting here will sniff top 1,000 in his chosen profession, while Knight was the best in two. Grow up. People are not perfect, but some, including Bob Knight, are excellent in their professions. Most of us would consider ourselves very lucky and skillful if we even approached his accomplishments.
As an aside, many his teams simply played beautiful basketball. We should be so lucky to have a Wake team that played like some of Knight's teams. People would be knocking down the doors to get in and not staying away in droves.
The opinions of some on these boards about Bob Knight are absurd. Why don't all of you consider this: for all his faults Bob Knight was/is the best in two different fields. He was the best college basketball coach of his era, and he is now the best analyst in college basketball broadcasting. Hardly anybody posting here will sniff top 1,000 in his chosen profession, while Knight was the best in two. Grow up. People are not perfect, but some, including Bob Knight, are excellent in their professions. Most of us would consider ourselves very lucky and skillful if we even approached his accomplishments.
As an aside, many his teams simply played beautiful basketball. We should be so lucky to have a Wake team that played like some of Knight's teams. People would be knocking down the doors to get in and not staying away in droves.
People are not perfect, but some, including Bob Knight, are excellent in their professions.
You're missing the point. Nobody is saying that Knight did not have an awesome record or was not a successful basketball coach. That's as undeniable as facts come.
BKF's portrayal of him as a saint is crap, though, and both you and I know it. Bob Knight is many things, but good person he is not. I don't think good people do the things that he did in positions of power that he held. That said, you're right: I wish that Buzz would coach a game in which the product on the floor was more appealing than cat vomit; likewise, if Buzz choked somebody on this team, threw a chair, or something of Knight's caliber, he'd be gone in 5 seconds flat.
Now that that straw man is out of the way, his broadcasting prowess is a matter of opinion.
Most of us don't physically and mentally abuse kids in our profession. Nor do most good bosses force standards onto others that they don't hold themselves to. Having success doesn't mean someone is not a shit human being.
I don't see how my pointing out that excellence and success are not the same is a strawman. You can't possibly believe that they are.
I don't think BKF portrays him as a saint. Everybody knows that Bob Knight is no saint. But if you want to evaluate a man fairly consider his virtues as well as his faults. And Knight's virtues considerably outweigh his faults.
You can enjoy which ever color man you like. I think Knight is the best.
The opinions of some on these boards about Bob Knight are absurd. Why don't all of you consider this: for all his faults Bob Knight was/is the best in two different fields. He was the best college basketball coach of his era, and he is now the best analyst in college basketball broadcasting. Hardly anybody posting here will sniff top 1,000 in his chosen profession, while Knight was the best in two. Grow up. People are not perfect, but some, including Bob Knight, are excellent in their professions. Most of us would consider ourselves very lucky and skillful if we even approached his accomplishments.
As an aside, many his teams simply played beautiful basketball. We should be so lucky to have a Wake team that played like some of Knight's teams. People would be knocking down the doors to get in and not staying away in droves.
I don't see how my pointing out that excellence and success are not the same is a strawman. You can't possibly believe that they are.
I don't think BKF portrays him as a saint. Everybody knows that Bob Knight is no saint. But if you want to evaluate a man fairly consider his virtues as well as his faults. And Knight's virtues considerably outweigh his faults.
You can enjoy which ever color man you like. I think Knight is the best.
Here is your original post:
You made the assertion that Knight is the best coach in his era (which is substantiated by his record) and as a commentator (which is a matter of opinion that I know some share and some do not).
Most of us would consider ourselves lucky and skillful to have approached his accomplishments professionally, sure. OK. I can buy that.
Here's my point, though (and you're welcome to disagree with it):
If getting to that point means employing verbal and physical harassment, intimidation, and abuse sustained over a long period of time to people I was hired to lead, mentor, and coach, then please excuse me while I accept the shame of not attaining the same heights as Mr. Knight. Occupying positions of power means using that power to better yourself and the people around you. It's not a case of "pussification of America," but rather, Knight was just a bully who got away with it because there wasn't anybody or any entity capable of stopping him until Brand put a merciful end to it.
Likewise, because Knight was smart enough to not do anything overtly sketchy, we have no idea whether he did or did not do anything sketchy, either on the recruiting or academic side of things. Given that nobody from that or any era of basketball is clean, given what we know about guys with "clean" reputations like K and his ilk, etc. I'm going to caution against the Knight crew throwing stones in what may be a glass mansion. It's speculation, sure, but it's not exactly misguided.
Knight was a masterful coach; he was a horrible human being. That is and was the point. Most agree with you - myself included - about Knight's merits in terms of W-Ls, x's and o's, and the product he put out on the floor.
A) Bobby Knight got great results as a coach at Indiana. There is no denying that, no matter how you feel about him personally.
B) BKF has stated in the past that he would cheer for a Bobby Knight team over a team that his own son played on... so you may underestimate what kind of regard he holds Knight in.
C) Can we just get back to talking about how ridiculous it is that Louisville rehired Petrino instead of letting bkf hijack yet another thread with his nonsense?
So....back to virgins....
Pretty cool being married for 46 years by the way, BKF. Congrats
I'm no saint and I understand in big time football things are rarely squeaky clean, but this is amazing. World class scumbag. Apparently they kicked out a lot of his players from UL after he left the last time. Hmm.. weird. They think all of a sudden ole Bobby is going to clean himself up? And I nearly choked when he said UL is a destination job...like the last time you were there and left huh? He even kept a straight face when he said it..