BleedGopher
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per SI:
Will Bob Knight ever come back to [Bloomington]? They're honoring undefeated ‘76 team [Tuesday night]. — Jared Sanders (@jaredsanders88)
Jared is referring to the 40-year anniversary celebration of the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers, which was voted two years ago as the best team in college basketball history. That team was the last to go undefeated and win an NCAA championship. On Tuesday night, the 76ers were honored during a ceremony at halftime of Indiana’s home game against Wisconsin. All the living players, managers, doctors and their families were there, but there was one very conspicuous absence: Robert Montgomery Knight.
Coach Knight, of course, was fired by Indiana in 2000. The divorce was acrimonious, to say the least. It was also 16 years ago. Many people Knight believe transgressed him are no longer at the school—including the president who fired him, Myles Brand, who passed away in 2009. Yet, Knight is still so angry that he will not participate in any type of reconciliation at Indiana, including the wonderful tribute that took place this week.
I reached Knight on his cell phone late Tuesday night, and as you can imagine, it was a cordial but very brief conversation. He did not want to discuss it. The school’s athletic director, Fred Glass, told me that he had sent Knight a hand-written letter inviting him to participate in the ceremony, but he never heard back. Since taking over as AD in 2008, Glass has had several interactions with Knight, including a friendly, five-hour lunch meeting in Indianapolis a few years ago. But he was not surprised that Knight did not return his letter, nor that the coach did not show on Tuesday.
Buckner told me that he did not speak to Knight about coming back for the ceremony, but he was aware of others who had reached in hopes he would change his mind. Knight, alas, did not budge. “His strength is his curse. That’s true for all of us,” Buckner said. “His strength was always his conviction. I know he believes he’s right about a lot of things that happened, but the question becomes, what do you do now that you’ve proven that you’re right?”
To hear Buckner describe it, Knight missed quite a special evening. Indiana set up a huge dinner and panel discussion in Cook Hall, which serves as the current team’s practice facility. Everyone who was connected with the team was invited, along with their families. At halftime, the players were called onto the court. Each player was given a framed jersey. A video was played on the scoreboard. A banner was unveiled commemorating the team being named the greatest champion in NCAA tournament history. The shame is that Knight would have appreciated more than anyone the chance to see how the years have validated his convictions, at least in the eyes of his players.
“All of us shared throughout the night the things that he taught us. The drive, the focus—it was all there,” Buckner said. “He wasn’t there physically, but he was certainly there in spirit.”
Spirit is all well and good, but it is long past time for Bob Knight to allow this very deep and painful wound to heal. The pendulum won't keep swinging forever. Go home, Coach. Your family is waiting for you.
http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2016/01/06/bob-knight-indiana-hoosiers-1976-team-reunion
Go Gophers!!
Will Bob Knight ever come back to [Bloomington]? They're honoring undefeated ‘76 team [Tuesday night]. — Jared Sanders (@jaredsanders88)
Jared is referring to the 40-year anniversary celebration of the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers, which was voted two years ago as the best team in college basketball history. That team was the last to go undefeated and win an NCAA championship. On Tuesday night, the 76ers were honored during a ceremony at halftime of Indiana’s home game against Wisconsin. All the living players, managers, doctors and their families were there, but there was one very conspicuous absence: Robert Montgomery Knight.
Coach Knight, of course, was fired by Indiana in 2000. The divorce was acrimonious, to say the least. It was also 16 years ago. Many people Knight believe transgressed him are no longer at the school—including the president who fired him, Myles Brand, who passed away in 2009. Yet, Knight is still so angry that he will not participate in any type of reconciliation at Indiana, including the wonderful tribute that took place this week.
I reached Knight on his cell phone late Tuesday night, and as you can imagine, it was a cordial but very brief conversation. He did not want to discuss it. The school’s athletic director, Fred Glass, told me that he had sent Knight a hand-written letter inviting him to participate in the ceremony, but he never heard back. Since taking over as AD in 2008, Glass has had several interactions with Knight, including a friendly, five-hour lunch meeting in Indianapolis a few years ago. But he was not surprised that Knight did not return his letter, nor that the coach did not show on Tuesday.
Buckner told me that he did not speak to Knight about coming back for the ceremony, but he was aware of others who had reached in hopes he would change his mind. Knight, alas, did not budge. “His strength is his curse. That’s true for all of us,” Buckner said. “His strength was always his conviction. I know he believes he’s right about a lot of things that happened, but the question becomes, what do you do now that you’ve proven that you’re right?”
To hear Buckner describe it, Knight missed quite a special evening. Indiana set up a huge dinner and panel discussion in Cook Hall, which serves as the current team’s practice facility. Everyone who was connected with the team was invited, along with their families. At halftime, the players were called onto the court. Each player was given a framed jersey. A video was played on the scoreboard. A banner was unveiled commemorating the team being named the greatest champion in NCAA tournament history. The shame is that Knight would have appreciated more than anyone the chance to see how the years have validated his convictions, at least in the eyes of his players.
“All of us shared throughout the night the things that he taught us. The drive, the focus—it was all there,” Buckner said. “He wasn’t there physically, but he was certainly there in spirit.”
Spirit is all well and good, but it is long past time for Bob Knight to allow this very deep and painful wound to heal. The pendulum won't keep swinging forever. Go home, Coach. Your family is waiting for you.
http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2016/01/06/bob-knight-indiana-hoosiers-1976-team-reunion
Go Gophers!!
