Bobby Knight and Dirt

The "Basketball for Thought" is a commentary by Kris Gardner.

April 2000

I could play for Indiana's Bobby Knight. Now that I have your attention, let me give my two cents on the Knight - Neil Reed saga.

If I were talented enough to get a Division I basketball scholarship, I'd be proud to attend Indiana University and play for coach Knight. I say that despite knowing all the turmoil and controversy surrounding Knight for his "choking" of former player Neil Reed as well as his Draconian coaching techniques.

First, let me be very clear: I don't believe Knight choked Neil Reed. I've seen the grainy videotape footage and Knight’s placing one hand on Reed's neck for about 3 seconds is not my idea of a choke. When Neil first went public with his accusation, my first thought of the choke was a two hands around the neck, Latrell Sprewellchoking P.J. Carlesimo, type choke. The tape showed that wasn't the case at all. However, I do believe a coach should never put his / her hand or hands on another player in a threatening manner. Whether Knight's hand on Reed' neck was done in a "threatening manner" is up for debate. I don't believe it was especially when compared to Lou Holtz grabbing one of his players by the face mask and dragging the player to the sideline because he got a penalty.

I don't agree with Knight's coaching philosophy because I believe a coach should treat each player differently when it comes to motivation. Bobby Knight treats all his players the same: like dirt.

I believe a coach should know which players he / she has to motivate by giving them a proverbial kick in the butt and which players he / she has to motivate with a pat on the back. Knight breaks down the psyche of his players and makes them think and act as a unit just like in the military. As a result, when a player like Reed or Ricky Calloway (who claims Knight punched Steve Alford in the stomach at a practice) goes public with a different and much harsher image of Knight, most of his former players will quickly support Knight with an eerie, almost blind faith.

Coaching like an Army general, is probably the only method of coaching Bobby Knight knows. Does that mean the game has passed him by? Not necessarily. It means he needs players who can put up with the verbal (not physical) abuse in order to succeed.

The lack of success IU has had over the last 8 to 10 years may indicate today's players are no longer willing to experience Knight's methods of coaching. If that is the case, then Indiana isn';t going to return to the levels of success it reached in the 1970s and 1980s until Knight is replaced.

Indiana University is no different than most of society. The school has allowed Knight to throw a chair across the court; curse out officials and reporters; and, yell at his players in public for years because Knight was winning. Many people support Knight simply because he's a winner and damn his coaching methods. That support is no different than letting a star athlete slide by in school because he can "help win us a championship" or letting a famous person break the law simply because of his / her fame.

I don't condone what Knight did or has been accused of doing; but, I believe when all the investigations are done, he'll still be head coach at IU.