Basketball Legend Bids Farewell

By
Conservative Research Group
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It always grabs people’s attention when one of these legendary, larger-than-life characters passes away. Bob Knight was one of the most colorful and controversial legends in college sports history.

Knight was 83 and he had health problems for years. One illness in April landed him in hospital.

Knight’s family released a statement saying that it was with heavy hearts they shared that Coach Bob Knight died at his Bloomington home surrounded by family. We are grateful for the prayers and thoughts, and we appreciate that Coach Knight requested a private gathering of his family, which was honored.

Knight’s coaching career began at Army as the youngest college basketball head coach at 24 years old in 1965. He’s most famous for his time at Indiana where he amassed a remarkable record.

Knight won four championships – one as a student at Ohio State, in 1960, and three as the head coach of Indiana Hoosiers. Knight’s most impressive achievement was to coach the Hoosiers in 1976, who went undefeated with a 32-0 record. This team was the last unbeaten team in NCAA Basketball to date. In 1984, he coached the U.S. Olympic all-amateur team that won a gold.

His teams were known for their hard work, discipline, and high graduation rate. Knight’s outsized personality, and his sometimes bombastic antics, drew controversy.

ESPN reported that “he was a complex and erratic man who had an extensive record of outbursts throughout his life.” He was charged with hitting a Puerto Rican policeman and was later convicted. He also headbutted Indiana’s Sherron Willkerson, while screaming at him from the bench. Knight claimed that he had actually kicked his son’s chair.

In 1985, Knight was infamous for throwing a chair at a teammate during a match. He received a technical penalty. After an altercation on campus with a student, Knight was fired from Indiana. The rift between him at the university lasted for many years. Knight coached at Texas Tech for 7 seasons before retiring.

Knight was known as a coach who would do anything for a win, even though his behavior was erratic and he had never broken any NCAA rules. Knight was also known for his tendency to say controversial things during interviews.

He once told a journalist that if his primary goal at Indiana was to win games, he could probably do it as well as anyone else. “I’d just cheat and steal money from people in Indianapolis who wanted to run their operation this way. Then I would go out and find the best basketball players that I could. Then we’d beat everybody.”

Knight courted even more controversy in 1988 when he responded to a journalist’s question about his stress management.

“I believe that if rape was inevitable, you should relax and enjoy it,” Chung told him, adding that “that’s an old term you’re going use.” You have no control because the plane is down. I’m not referring to that. I’m referring to the act of rape. Do not misunderstand me. “But what I mean is that something has happened to you and you need to deal with it now.”

The coach was compelled to change his mind after the interview.

In another interview, he stated: “Anyone who knows me will be quick to point out that I am one of the very last people to have a casual attitude towards rape…or any other form of crime.”

Knight is revered by anyone who has any knowledge of college basketball for his work as a coach, despite all the controversy he generated. All over the world of college basketball, tributes were paid to Knight.

“We have lost one of the most influential coaches in basketball history today.” Mike Krzyzewski, former Duke coach, said in a press release that Knight was “clearly one of a sort”. Coach Knight mentored and recruited me and had a profound effect on my career and my life. It is a great loss to our sport and we are deeply saddened. Krzyzewski was Knight’s teammate at Army, and he surpassed him in terms of wins.

Tom Izzo, Michigan State’s coach, said: “He was someone I idolized as soon as I arrived [in 1983] – Bobby Knight was the best.” “He helped me and treated me well. I wish more people knew how kind he was. He was a completely different person, but if he needed help, he answered the bell. “The game has lost an iconic.”

Bob Knight is unique in his coaching abilities and his colorful personality. Please pray for Bob Knight’s family and loved ones.