Bob Knight's Euphoric Recall

You want to know something about people?

First off, their memories can be very short.

And, at times, particularly selective.

For example, just watch all of the warm and fuzzy things sports writers and people (yes, I distinguish between the two) will start to say about one Robert Montgomery Knight, now that he's "retired".

I use the word "retired" in quotes because I fully suspect he will return to coaching at some point in the not-so-distant future.

Oh yes, in many cases the same writers and otherwise sane, rational people that used to scoff at the often boorish and bullying tactics of Coach "don't call me Bob" Knight, will now serve up rhetoric so sweet that it will need to be delivered with a toothbrush.

They even have a name for this kind of behaviour in addiction therapy. It's called "euphoric recall", where the addict only remembers the good times and not the bad. 

And so with Knight "addicts", it has always been this way.

But why the empathy from the folks who were not charter members of the Bobby Knight Fan Club?

Look, I don't know why this happens—what sympathetic switch gets turned on in the minds of people—but it does.

Maybe we wish we still had the guy around to talk about.

Perhaps we truly did not see his good qualities until retirement forced us to take a closer look. 

I don't know.

And yes, the man has good qualities.

He's generally regarded as one of the finest basketball minds that ever stepped into a gym. From an X's & O's standpoint, the man is actually quite brilliant.

And he usually graduated his players, an attribute too often lacking in college sports today.

I'm certainly not above a little discipline in a kid's life. But let's not turn a blind eye to the chair throwing, name calling, his own son (for cryin' out loud) slapping, side of Bob Knight. 

The man could be quite brutal in his handling of most people he did not like, which usually meant those that did not plant their lips firmly on his keister.

And to see some of the same sportswriters, the ones who's life was made tough by Coach Knight, now begin to sing his praises just makes me wonder.

And you know what the worst part of this 180 degree change in direction is?

Mr. Knight doesn't want any part of their meandering, nor does it get even one ounce of respect from the man.

It's just that he wins, and common decency loses.

So the next time you hear a sound bite or read an article praising the Hoosier legend, just remember what a pompous jerk he was, and don't let any visions of sugar plums dance through your head to make you think otherwise.

However, now that I think about it, Illinois could sure use a new coach to get back to their winning ways and Bob Knight...nah, forget it!