For a guy who often acts as though he hates nothing more than the media, Bob Knight spent an awful lot of time making media appearances during the week after he resigned as head coach at Texas Tech. I thought his interview on ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning was one of the more revealing:
Knight talked about the differences of players today and players from a few decades back, when Knight began his coaching career, and he said he missed the good old days of 1962, when he was a high school teacher and was permitted to paddle students who acted up.
"Think about that in schools today," Knight said. "That just doesn't happen. I think we've become such a lenient society and a society that not only accepts mediocrity in a lot of ways but condones mediocrity simply because you don't infringe on the rights of a student and you don't take a kid to task."
That's where I take issue with Knight: Knight thinks it's a bad thing that our society has become less tolerant of adults who hit children; I think it's a good thing.
Knight also said basketball players today just want to be left alone to play their own game and want to have fun on the court, whereas Knight says players ought to focus more on hard work.
When asked about the timing of leaving Texas Tech during the season (something I criticized him for), Knight said, "I think it was perfect" because it gave his son, Pat Knight, a chance to learn what it's like to be a head coach for part of a season before he becomes the head coach on a permanent basis next year. Asked whether his players liked having their coach quit on them in the middle of the year, Knight didn't appear to have given it any thought.
Bob Knight Thinks Society Has Broken Down, Longs for the Days of Corporal Punishment
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2/09/2008 1:16 PM ET By Michael David Smith
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I'm inclined to think Indiana would have had far less trouble and embarassment, and Knight would have been a more successful coach, if IU had paddled him in 1979 after the Puerto Rico thing.
But that's Knight: He can hit you, you can't hit him. Come to think of it, that's many parents who smack their kids.
By his pitiful behavior over the years, Knight has done more than his share in making people think that if your famous you can do anything. He doesn't play by the rules of life and society and is proud of it. Why can't the rest of us do the same thing? Including his players.
Knight's right, but this doesn't condone his behavior at all. Too often he's confusing being a dick with being a disciplinarian.
Spanking your child because he lied = disciplinarian. Throwing a potted plant at a sixty year old secretary = dick.
Didn't listen to the clip, but how disgustingly "ass kissy" were the Mikes?
Mr. Smith, not only have we become more tolerant of mediocrity, we have become afraid of punishing our children. As a result, we have more and more disrespectful children who know there will be no consequences to bad behavior. I was spanked when I was growing up. It wasn't the actual spanking, it was the idea of being spanked that kept me in line. Whether you agree or not, fear of punishment keeps most people in line. Take away the fear of punishment in society in general and you have anarchy. The license to act with no consequence invites criminal behavor.
Had some problems but overall he was a great coach and helped a lot of people and universities.
I wish it was acceptable to beat the hell out of old evil basketball coaches.
http://sportswrap.berecruited.com/
Absolutely right about the corporal punishment. Our prison population would no doubt be lower if it were still allowed. We'd see fewer screaming brats in WalMart demanding their way, and we'd have far fewer punks in college and professional sports. My high school football coach took a leather strap to me just once. I straightened up my act.