Bobby Knight on John Calipari: The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

By Caesar Cliffius

I have always been a Bobby Knight supporter. When he threw that chair across the arena floor, I understood his frustration. When he slapped one of his players in the face during a time out, I thought he went a little over the top, but I realized what a competitor he was.

Even when he was accused of choking an Indiana University student, I still stood among his ranks.

ESPN.com has reported that Knight criticized University of Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari. "We've gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that's why I'm glad I'm not coaching," he said. "You see we've got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he's still coaching. I really don't understand that."

Knight, 69, was in Indianapolis speaking at a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

The schools/teams Knight was making reference to were the Massachusetts Minutemen, where he coached from 1988-1996, and the Memphis Tigers, coaching there from 2000-2009.

My allegiance to Knight notwithstanding, he himself is the poster boy for negative coaching behavior in college basketball history. I always blended his knowledge and genius at coaching with a remark made by the character Norman Bates in the Psycho movies: "We all go a little mad sometime."

Knight is currently an analyst and commentator of college basketball for ESPN. His 902 career wins put him at the head of the class in that category. He amassed those wins while coaching at Army, Indiana, and Texas Tech—where he retired.

Calipari, 50,  became a hot commodity by driving the Memphis Tigers to four consecutive seasons of at least 33 wins. His 2008 squad set an NCAA record with 38 wins and a showdown in the National Championship game against the Kansas Jayhawks, which Kansas won in overtime. The entire 2008 season was vacated due to NCAA violations concerning player Derrick Rose.

Here is a look at Capilari's record as a head coach in the NCAA:

A similar issue was found at UMASS when in 1996 the NCAA vacated their 4-1 record in tournament games because Marcus Camby had been given money and gifts by an agent.

Calipari resigned from Memphis and accepted a deal close to $32 million, for eight years, at the University of Kentucky. Memphis had allegedly countered with an offer of the same amount to keep him, but he refused.

If Knight were an example of dignity, honor, and sportsmanship, his remarks could be accepted much easier. They become very tainted indeed when his career antics are draped over the lens in which the remarks are viewed.

I have always liked Bobby Knight and probably always will. I just feel that those remarks were out of place, and unacceptable. People were calling for his head many times due to temper tantrums and outrageous behavior, both on and off the court.

So, Bobby, remember the old adage about glass houses? People who reside in them should refrain from throwing stones.

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