Bobby Knight - Disciplinarian or Bully?

[MrMustang1965]

If Matt Doherty had done this (and I don't think he ever would, by the way), we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

[smupony94]

Burgers and Cheer

[angryfan04]

Bully

[couch 'em]

He's gonna get hit harder than that by other players on the court playing tight D. Society needs to take the tampon out of itself. Maybe if there were more disciplinarians we would have such pathetic kids these days.

[Big10Ponyfan]

He's gonna get hit harder than that by other players on the court playing tight D. Society needs to take the tampon out of itself. Maybe if there were more disciplinarians we would have such pathetic kids these days.

Kids who are enabled by their parents that every time they screw up, mom and dad are there to hold their hands rather than tell them to clean up their own mess.

[J.T.supporta]

What's the big deal about this whole thing anyway??? It just gives the sports nation something to talk about on a slightly slow sports week. I'm sure most of you would not want your kids to be treated like this by any of their respected coaches but its not like Knight threw a chair at the kid. I started playing sports in 2nd grade and since then I was always taught to make eye contact with your coach at all times and never look away from him when he is addressing you. Knight is a great coach just trying to teach the lessons of life. Never hold your head down because you can always correct your mistakes. Hold your head up high and look ahead to make corrections. I'd call it more of a love tap than a slap. Its not like he opened his palm and [deleted] slapped him.

[jtstang]

He's gonna get hit harder than that by other players on the court playing tight D. Society needs to take the tampon out of itself. Maybe if there were more disciplinarians we would have such pathetic kids these days.

The cynic might ask whether a person who obviously has no self-discipline can be regarded as a disciplinarian.

[DickerJames]

I think Jean-Jacques Taylor summed it up pretty well in the DMN today, great coach/serious issues. When you watch the video it doesn't look too bad on the replay in solw motion, but in real time it was a pretty hard hit. Telling the kid to look at him would be the correct way to handle it in my opinion.

[Big10Ponyfan]

Did anyone hear the fake Bob Knight on the Ticket yesterday morning break into song with Red Skies at night? Pretty funny.

[DiamondM]

Gene Wojeickowski over at ESPN wrote my sentiments exactly. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2661872&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos1

Here are the best excerpts:

I don't doubt that Knight meant zero physical harm against Prince. I don't doubt that he sincerely thought he was teaching Prince a lesson in body language and attitude. And I don't doubt that he could have taught the same lesson without forcing Prince's chin up.

***

But here in 2006, for better or for worse, Knight has to quit with the macho sideline routine. We get it: you're an old-school hard [deleted]. Congratulations. But unless you want to spend the remainder of your career doing the stop-drop-and-roll routine after every fire storm, then maybe it's time to adjust.

***

Rule No. 1: Enough already with the hands. Stick them in your pocket. Duct tape them to your red sweater. Use them to count to 10. Or better yet, to nine -- that's how many wins you need to pass the stately Dean Smith of North Carolina.

And speaking of Smith, I don't recall anyone ever accusing him of poking, choking or nudging a player to make a point. Smith understood the power of a look, a word, a tone. To resort to anything else, like a tiny pop to a player's chin, would have meant he failed as a coach.

[Ikus]

The cynic might ask whether a person who obviously has no self-discipline can be regarded as a disciplinarian.

There's nothing cynical there at all. That might be the most most lucid point ANYONE on this site has ever written.