Not one for conventional thinking, Robert Montgomery Knight stepped down as head coach of Texas Tech University last week with 10 games remaining in the regular season. His son Patrick, who was named the successor several years ago, will coach the remainder of this season.
Since last week, ESPN has ran its obligatory Knight highlight reel, which we have all seen thousands of times.
If you are even slightly aware as a sports fan you know that he threw a chair, yelled at reporters weekly, punched a cop in Puerto Rico, etc.
Amidst those highlights, however, Coach Knight also granted a few interviews. During one with ESPN announcer Jay Bilas he hinted that he might not be done patrolling the sidelines and that we should "never say never."
As a lifelong fan of Indiana University, I suppose his resignation doesn't seem askew from his normal behavior. I can't see The General on a farewell tour, begrudgingly accepting some widget or what have you on every Big 12 school's home court while he waves disingenuously at the throngs of people trying to live a little piece of history. That spectacle would only soften the image of the man, take away the edge of what made him a winning machine.
Some would argue that his image needs to be softened in order to properly accept him as our winningest coach in major college basketball history. He's too rough around the edges for mainstream adulation and consumption. They're probably right in some way.
The legend that is John Wooden is a perfect example. Known as a classy and intelligent gentleman, Wooden was the pinnacle of what a coach should be. His UCLA teams were dominant for an entire decade. He saw the beauty of college basketball and taught it to his willing disciples. His brand of basketball was great, but it required talent. We know the names, Walton, Abdul-Jabbar, and the list goes on. Wooden combined his knowledge with talent to create greatness. His teams were glossy, almost too good to be real.
Knight was different—a flawed genius, like US. Knight worked hard his entire career. As a player at Ohio State he played in the shadows of John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas, two immensely talented individuals. Lucas would later remark that Knight's playing days at OSU shaped his frame of mind for the rest of his life.
Knight was a warrior but he didn't have the talent to be a star on that team. However, he didn't believe that talent was everything, and he would prove it as a coach.
Knight devised an offense centered around constant motion and screens. If executed properly the offense didn't require star players or even a dominant big man, only shooters and slashers. He needed guys who could knock down the open shot and get to the free throw line.
On the other side of the ball he taught a suffocating style of man-to-man defense that emphasized "helping" out your teammates. He understood that it doesn't take talent to defend, just will and tenacity.
4 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Anonymous about 1 year ago
You forgot to mention that John Wooden had the best recruiter in Sam Gilbert! Sam had deep pockets and was well connected and loved to provide whatever help he could to the players of John Wooden.
It's easy when you have the highest payroll of any basketball team of the time!
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David Travis about 1 year ago
This article is not only well written but captures the true essence of RMK. You are to be commended for writing such a candid tribute to a man I hold in very high esteem and who unquestioningly has flaws that I'm certain even he wishes weren't so. Yet, if you take that away from him he probably wouldn't be nearly as outstanding as he truly is. You're to be commended for this fine, accurate tribute!!
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Sad to see people going to such lengths to buttress such a terribly flawed and boorish thug that is RMK. A great and winning coach, no doubt. A great man? Even recognizing all of us are fallen sinners, the bullying, profanity, arrogance and disrespect so often extended to his competitors tags him as a man best left to fade away.
Sadly too, his model of arrogant behavior is felt in Indiana to this day. Go to the gyms and watch the high school or aau games. Too many of our coaches put on their best Bobby Knight impersonations.
Wooden, Coach K, Izzo, Painter, all flawed humans, are better models and better men.
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Christopher Meece about 1 year ago
To be clear. I in fact stated that he wasn't a "good" man but a great coach.
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