Steen Broten — posted 9/14/00 11:10 a.m.
The higher ups at that fine institute of higher learning probably found out Knight was voting Republican or something, lord knows we cant have that.

Mike Albert — posted 9/13/00 3:10 p.m.
By choosing "Pro-Knight" I don't wish to give the impression that I'm "Anti-Indiana U." That's far from the truth. I think Indiana U. did the only thing they could do. The only thing the national media would allow them to do.

I'm not "pro" or "anti" either Knight or IU. I'm "anti-media". It's the media that took this 59 year-old man, steeped in decades of his own habits, and literally put his life in a fishbowl since May. It's the media that forced IU's hand in firing Knight. By attacking his old bosses, Bob Knight is showing he doesn't know who the real enemy is.

If Knight is having a hard time understanding the "no tolerance" policy he was forced to abide by, allow me to explain. By "no tolerance" what the university was saying was, "If you get in the news paper for any other reason than for winning basketball games, you're out of here."

And what else could they do? Three national championships is great, but if the university is not powerful enough, outside of Indiana, to combat the bad publicity he was attracting.

It's unfortunate, because it was clearly a gang-bang. When the media finds a "buzz-word" that sells newspapers, like "El Nino", "Y2K", or "John Rocker" (and "Bob Knight" is clearly one such buzz-word), they won't relent until the story is tapped dry. For no apparent reason, Bob Knight's entire personal life was flashed before all of our eyes back in May. (Maybe there weren't any plane crashes that week.) And how could an old boy like Bob Knight survive under such p.c. scrutiny?

The more I see of Bob Knight, the more I like him. When you watch him talk, you get the sense that what you see is what you get. Some people wear their political correctness on their sleeve. Bob Knight wears his true self on his sleeve. He's a real good old boy, and I know another university will pick him up, and let's hope to Heaven they win a national championship! Oh, the revenge that would be!

Bill McDermott — posted 9/13/00 3:05 p.m.
It's odd that IU waited until the incoming recruiting class began the year before committing the sin.

greg lea — posted 9/13/00 10:35 a.m.
I see this as symptomatic of the liberal Establishment's effort over the past three decades to label as pathological and then do away with whatever overt manifestations of masculinity are found in American public life. Twenty years ago colorful people were not in quite as much danger of offending the new feminized value-regime as they are today. I don't really care about sports one way or the other, but Knight seems to me like the kind of guy who makes life a little more interesting.

steve sigmon — posted 9/13/00 10:35 a.m.
he tells the news media what he thinks of them. somethig i do not have the opportunity to do., and they are out to destroy him . great coach ,studients need men like him if you cant take the heat stay out of the kitchen.

Mrs. C.R. Heinrichs — posted 9/12/00 2:25 p.m.
Petty politics Tenured Professors with an axe to grind (Sperber) Weak administrative policies Whining former ass't coach Self-indulgent players who could not handle their adolescent egos Unfortunately, Coach Knight could not refine his personality to suit those like myself, who deplored his language and tantrums but admired his character building abilities with his players. And in the end, his enemies became the spokesmen for "Character doesn't count when itserves our purpose to dismiss it as a defining asset." What hypocrisy!

steelkilt — posted 9/12/00 2:25 p.m.
Should we be surprised Coach Knight got the axe? He's a great coach, a great shaper of young men, a person who generally demands perfection from his players. He's also a person who tends to speak his mind in public and who often loses control when he gets upset. Sure, let's ignore all he's done for Indiana and for the many kids he's coached. Let's ignore the way he managed to win basketball games without cheating, like so many other high-powered programs. Let's ignore it all and do what makes the best sense in today's hyper-politically correct society: let's fire him because he refuses to lie down and let people walk all over him and because he refuses to shut his mouth and behave like a good boy. Let's fire him because he won't change his ways. Who needs a one-of-a-kind American icon anyway?

Donald Dozier — posted 9/12/00 2:25 p.m.
Although I can't imagine him being sucked in by a low bred punk seemingly sent to get him, the party line coming out of Bloomington rings hollow. Mr. Brand said this was not the only incident. How short was the tether Brand sought to attach? Was Bobby ordered to like people he loathed? Was he supposed to accept brow beating from an ambulance chasing lawyer? Was he guilty of insubordination? If so, why was he not canned on the spot? Was he hired to coach basketball (something he does quite well) or to pat high dollar drunk alumni on the fanny? It has never been suggested that he enter the diplomatic service. Perhaps some of his bluster is due to insecurity. Not being schooled in matters of the head I shall leave that to the brilliant sportswriters and others who are salivating. Donald P. Dozier 818 Gen. George Patton Rd. Nashville, Tennessee 37221

David — posted 9/12/00 12:40 p.m.
Yes, Bob Knight has anger management issues. But it's certaianly nothing new. Indiana officials knew of his anger the last time they issued a contract. His players knew it when they signed to play for Mr. Knight. Yet, a handful of critics -- both in the media and our communities -- are suddenly shocked when Mr. Knight acts out in the way he has for years. This most recent example (which reeks of a setup) is hardly worthy of termination. Further, it is both hypocritical and unfair for Indiana University to end a legend's career at one of the more storied college basketball programs in this manner.

Eric Goedde — posted 9/12/00 11:00 a.m.
Bobby Knight does his job for 29 years, exactly the same way, but the last few years his teams haven't lived up to expectation. So now the university acts tough. It's funny that when he threw the potted plant at the wall and yelled at the secretary nothing was done about it at the time. Well it happened 12 years ago, right after he won a national championship. He throws a chair and nothings done about it. But now Myles Brand says that that goes against the zero-tolerance policy (imposed in May of this year) since the university "just discovered it" this summer. It's good to know that Rahard Casey can start at QB in Penn State while he faces criminal charges while Coach Knight will be fishing while facing charges of holding a kids wrist. Makes sense to me.

bruce — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
Knight has deserved firing many times, however, this obvious set-up using the step-son of an anti-Knight talk show host is really low. If the University thought they needed a new head coach to revive lagging basketball fortunes they should have said so. At least Bob Knight himself never weasled around like this!!! Not even a bully deserves this cheap shot treatment!! Not exactly a defense or a tribute to Knight, but what's right is right.

Ken Curren — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
To fire or not to fire is not the question. The question is Why would anyone fire someone based upon a borderline incident that was reported by the stepson of the single largest media critic of the man in question. The situation reeks of a setup and political cowardace. Bob Knight could be let go for a number of reasons, but to do it under this condition is both unfair and intelectually corupt.

Gwen Hopper — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
This is the most stupid thing, firing Coach Knight Some of the players will probably leave and I hope they do.

John Flanagan — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
It is not that an employee shouldn't be fired for cause. It is that the cause, bad behavior, has never been universally applied criterion by the NCAA. This is selective enforcement. Yes, his behavior has been at times egregious, but now the rumor blends with fact to cause the public lynching. If Indiana authorities feel that Knight must go--fine. But to suggest that he has been uniquely injurious to the NCAA or Indiana's image is preposterous. When measured, the good and bad of Knight is evidence that he was the best coach in the country. Today the NCAA is still a retraint of trade organization that victimizes the "students" that participate in college sports. But then who among the conspirators has a vested interest in improving the situation--The Media, The Universities, The Pro Teams, The NCAA? Not when you can profitably play the game of let's go con a black kid. We'll call him a student athlete, get him some chicks and make a buck off of his efforts. Then we'll send him back home with nothing of value in terms of education. But this Bob Knight --just too damn macho. He's gotta go. The term "demanding" used to be a good thing in reference to a teacher or coach, but with all debate now feminized, well the modern warrior will be a cross between Alan Alda and dresser. The sequel to "Hoosiers" ends in a tie and the captains kissing and crying.

Scott Shephard — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
The world has become too politically correct when a coach, a teacher, a leader, can't grab a boorish student by the elbow and improve the student's appreciation of respect for their betters. As for the physical abuse charges. I have never seen an Indiana player benched with a broken nose or a crushed eye socket. It all overblown in our age of sensitivity. If people don't like the aura of "leadership by intimidation" that has surrouded the Indiana program, than they don't have to play basketball there. They could have just watched a classic, and a class, ball club win with consistency.

Jeff — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
It was a step-up! Coach Knight was in a no-win situation.

Jack — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
Only in America! A successful, vitriolic coach can be lynched by the media, while an accused rapist, known liar, and habitual womanizer can be president and blindly supported by the same reporters! Bob Knight is a better, more worthy MAN than Bill Clinton will ever be. In addition, he reached the absolute top of his chosen profession, something which 99% of his critics will never do. Reporters are assholes.

Lawrence R. Kupferschmidt — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
I am no friend to Bobby Knight but if some snot- nose freshman punk had addressed me the way this pusillanimous little pipsqueak did, I would have personally grabbed him by his tiny withered scrotum and ripped his testicles out. This is what Liberalism has led us to. Insufferable, pompous, assholes who think they own the world. Die Kent Harvey, and spare us all having to put up with you slimey, stinking carcass.

Alex Johnson — posted 9/12/00 10:30 a.m.
Let's focus on what a mouse that sorry freshman is...oh no, the coach grabbed me and said bad words to me. Please...there are too many crybabies and spoiled athletes (and freshman students) around for Knight's style today. I guess graduating your players, winning national championships (including the last undefeated team) just isn't good enough anymore.