It’s been about eight and a half months since Bob Knight wandered away from his post at Texas Tech, but the sports world is still in the throes of withdrawal. We miss the man. We need the man. We want him back so much.
Well, Knight is back. Not back back, of course, but giving interviews is a start, right? In an interview airing tonight on Indianapolis’ WFYI, Knight talked with an old friend of his for an hour in front of 500 fans. We’re assuming they’re fans, since the event was taped a month ago and we never heard anything about protestors or projectile tomatoes or anything. Anyway, while the interviewer thought broaching the topic of post-Knight Indiana basketball “wouldn’t have been fair,” there was a lot of reminiscing–and a bit of talk about the future, too:
Knight said that he would return to coaching basketball if the right opportunity came along, but he didn’t say where or when.
Of course he wouldn’t say where or when. Coaches never do that until the ink is dry on their contract. It’s not like he’s going to say, “Oh I don’t know… maybe some place in Palo Alto… or I’ve heard State College, Pennsylvania is lovely in the autumn.” C’mon.
It’s hard to say whether returning to coaching would be a mistake. Clearly he loves the job, and clearly he’s good at it. In addition to his record as the winningest coach in NCAA men’s basketball history, he also graduates nearly every single player, and it’s hard to imagine the last Knight player who was arrested. Anyone at all?
But the sports world is a fishbowl now, and Knight is now the most scrutinized man in all of college basketball when he’s around. Every expression of anger is overanalyzed, every red face cause for concern, every expletive grounds for dismissal. And yes, his temper is legendary, but it’s also largely abated. He’s too old to get angry like he was in the ’80s.
And really, why not come back and potentially leave on a good note instead of staying gone, his last opus unfinished and unsuccessful? Heck, if he wins another title, maybe they’ll make a movie about him, and he’ll have a better actor playing him than Brian freaking Dennehy. What a waste of a role that was. It takes more to play Bob Knight than an overweight old guy with a raised voice. There isn’t a damned bit of resemblence between the two. Here’s what they ought to do: get Robert DeNiro and give him a fake nose. I guarantee you Knight’s hilariously NSFW locker room tirade sounds better coming out of DeNiro’s mouth than Brian Dennehy’s. Did I mention I hate Brian Dennehy? Because I hate Brian Dennehy.
2:31 pm on October 15th, 2008
I suggest Charles Durning. He does a great job as Peter Griffin's dad on "Family Guy". And he's also fat with white hair.
2:33 pm on October 15th, 2008
If you're going to get Deniro for Bobby Knight, you'll have to get Al Pacino for Steve Alford.
2:36 pm on October 15th, 2008
What have you got against Brian Dennehy? He's a fine actor.
2:38 pm on October 15th, 2008
If Knight really is looking for a new coaching job, Ave Maria University has an opening:
http://sportsbybrooks.com/swearing-lying-coach-axed-at-catholic-school-20166
2:46 pm on October 15th, 2008
Knight said that he would return to coaching basketball if the right opportunity came along, but he didn’t say where or when.
Well, that narrows it down.
3:05 pm on October 15th, 2008
Get Steve Martin. He can put on weight like DeNiro did for "Raging Bull".
3:09 pm on October 15th, 2008
Sorry, Steve will be busy starring in "The Bobby Johnson Story".
3:19 pm on October 15th, 2008
Despite not coaching there anymore, Bob Knight is still heavily revered in Indiana. He could give a speech at the Colts' new stadium, and seats would sell out in minutes. No way there would be any protestors.
And if there were, they'd be beaten up by Bobby supporters.
3:33 pm on October 15th, 2008
It would be great to see Bob Knight back on the sidelines, just for the entertainment value alone.
3:52 pm on October 15th, 2008
That's not the fingers Bobby usually uses toward the media.
5:35 pm on October 15th, 2008
Get this man to Arizona!
8:36 pm on October 15th, 2008
Bob Knight is a dinosaur who should have been made extinct a long time ago. His bullying tactics and oafish demeanor soils the spirit of basketball and demeans the purpose of fair play. When he was fired for cause from IU, there were more people in Indiana who were applauding the action than condemining it. Any player of his with half a brain hated his guts. Stay out of coaching Knight. You're too much of an asshole and an egomaniac to be effective leading anything except the line to hell.
10:59 am on October 16th, 2008
People from all over the world flock to museums to see dinosaur bones. If you could ever recreate a dinosaur, wow how many people would come see it. Bob Knight is the greatest TEACHER the game has ever seen. Let his past players speak for themselves, you, the village idiot, have no right.
11:19 am on October 16th, 2008
I believe Bobby Knight will come back to coaching. It's what he loves to do. If he's waiting for the perfect opportunity to come back, I doubt he'll have to wait too long. Several programs will line up to get him.