Bob Knight

[just1np]

If you were a player, parent of a player, or a coach of a player with the potential/opportunity to play for Bob Knight, would you take that opportunity?

And why or why not?

[Edited by just1np on 7/31/02 11:02P]

[TJ]

Most definentely!!!! I have read his book and think he's an outstanding coach and disciplinarian.

[CoachT]

Posted by TJ:

Most definentely!!!! I have read his book and think he's an outstanding coach and disciplinarian.

 

I don't think I could answer that until after the fact. I always wanted to know what to expect from a coach and I'm not sure you would ever know with him.

[TnBball]

He is everything you would want as a coach as far as the discipline,Team First attitude, and basketball Knowledge..As a parent thats what I would be looking for in a coach..The other tactics, I couldnt deal with..Like CoachT said you never know what to expect from him and thats the only thing I couldnt handle.

 

I really love the fact that his players dont usually have tatoos, wear headbands, showboat, or trash talk..They just play ball and thats what Nasmith wanted when he invented the game, just play. Oh by the way hes players all Play extremely hard and you cant say that about every program like you can about Bobby Knights.

[cdm2003]

What does tattoos, headbands, cornrolls, etc. have to do with your performance on the court? I've never known a headband, or a fro to hurt anyone's performance. I think coaches should be more concerned on how they play than how they look, because going by how they look doesn't change the score at the end of the game.

[Edited by domonique2002 on 8/1/02 12:58A]

[Guest topdog]

There is one Tennessee High School player that got to play for Bob Knight and he liked him. Now he is playing for the NBA. He is Kirk Haston from Lobelville Tennessee. Kirk went to Perry County High School in Linden Tennessee made Mr. Basketball and Mr. Knight flew to watch Kirk play. He really was a good coach I think.

[rSquared]

I attended a coaches clinic in Nashville a few years ago that was sponsored by Baden. A great clinic with some outstanding speakers/coaches---one of which was Bobby Knight.

I came away from the clinic assured of two things.

One, Coach Knight probably knows his basketball but didn't seem to be a very effective speaker. About all he wanted to do was tell entertaining stories and use the phrase "God D____it" in every other sentence.

Some coaches got up and left the room while he was still speaking.

Two, I would much rather any kid of mine play for someone like Coach Don Meyer, Coach of David Lipscomb at that time, who was one of the other speakers. He

demonstrated and communicated a far better understanding of the 'X' and 'O' intricacies of the game while keeping his speech clean and holding the interests of his audience much longer than Knight had.

 

---rSquared

[TheEgoHasLanded]

Coach K at Duke learned many things from Meyer, he also refers to Meyer as a better coach and one of the best coaches in the nation(he even said Meyer was better then himself a few times)...in case you guys didn't know Coach K played under Knight at Army.

 

Coach K did share in his book a story about when his father was diagnosed with a brain disease. It was two days before Army was going to play a really good team. Coach K didn't know what to do, and I believe he still was a young guy (freshmen or sophomore). He said Knight took him to the airport, and told him to take as much time as he needed off. Coach K did make it back in time for the game, but I thought that was a very nice thing by Knight.

[TnBball]

Well to be honest I dont know any other reason why it would matter if players wear headbands and tatoos other than the fact that it takes away from the team concept of things...I dont know if you understand this but some college scouts wont even recruit a kid if they have any of the following..The same question you asked me about why should it matter..Ask Coach K that question..His players may have tatoos but they do not wear Dreads, or cornrolls, no headbands..all of his players are clean cut and shaved and I think thats how it should be...You can tell a Duke Bluedevil from the way he looks, talks, and performs on & off the court.

[PantherGam]

TnBall and Dominique, I respect the posts that you guys put on here. I think both of you are very knowlegeable of the game. I think TnBall has hit it on the head. I do not allow my guys to wear all the fads that kids have because of three basic reasons: (1) it does take away from unity on the team, (2) it portrays, whether we want to admit to it or not, a negative assertion of the player, and (3) the kid's future is on the line with all the college coaches looking at how they look and behave on the court. I would be the first to admit that any kind of hairdo, tatoo, headband, etc. does not affect the playing ability of a player, but it does affect his overall look to society as a whole. I really care about my players and I want them to have every chance in the world to make it in life and in college and on the court; that is why I do what I do and that is the only reason. As a coach, you have to look out for more than just wins; you have to look out for a young human being that is depending upon you to lead them in the right direction. This is and always will be my philosophy of high school sports; the kid always comes first.

[just1np]

Knight is all about teaching. Winning is a byproduct of what he teaches, and that is defense, discipline, teamwork, and playing smart.

I have found that the people that choose not to like him quickly throw in "he's a great coach", but they don't like what they see or hear. And what they see or hear is usually what the media wants you to see and/or hear.

Its like the old saying: "Dog bites man" isn't a story, but " man bites dog" is. The media wants a story, and throwing chairs or having a tantrum(my other favorite coach, Spurrier, is accustomed to doing that as well) is much more eye catching than "Knight and Indiana win again by playing smart and only scoring 60 points".

I have admired the guy as long as I can remember. People judge him on everything other than what they should, his ability to turn out quality young men for over thirty years.

Indiana, Army, and now Texas Tech have all won with kids that play far above their god-given abilities.

[TnBball]

PantherGam, you brought up some great points and the same points that I tried to bring up..I think players have to realize that coacehs dont try to take away from individual but basketball was meant to be played as a team game. Its not really old school because I know College Programs who don't and wont put up with braided hair, headbands, and dreads..Thats the ultimate goal prepare your players not only to win ball games but to be great young men.