Knight takes cheap shot at Calipari
December 17th, 2009 | 
Author: By LARRY VAUGHT
There was a time when I had some respect for then Indiana coach Bob Knight, but not now.
If he had treated my son the way he treated many of his players, I would have been livid.
But I also can’t believe the cheap shot the suddenly saintly Knight took at Kentucky and John Calipari Thursday night based on what the Associated Press is reporting.
During a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, Knight said he doesn’t understand why Calipari is still coaching.
“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.”
Massachusetts and Memphis were both sanctioned by the NCAA for violations committed during Calipari’s tenure.
Knight, who won a record 902 games as coach of Army, Indiana and Texas Tech, did not elaborate or take questions from reporters according to the AP story.
How brave is that? Take a cheap shot and walk away without justifying it or explaining it. Wait, that’s what he did when he threw a chair on the court and grabbed one of his own players.
Unless Knight has information that has not been verified by anyone else, the NCAA did not name Calipari in any violations at Memphis or Massachusetts. And I would like the know-it-all Knight to explain how Calipari should not have played a player at Memphis that was cleared by the NCAA to play and then a year later ruled ineligible.
Knight was a bully who tried to intimidate people. He’s a dinosaur in college basketball now. He’ll an analyst for ESPN’s coverage of the Xavier-Butler game Saturday afternoon and he’ll probably tell stories about his 902 wins and three national titles that made Indiana fans put up with his outlandish behavior
However, I also remember talking to former UK coach Joe Hall before UK’s game at Indiana last week about Knight.
“Our first four games, he beat me and loved me. Then we won eight of 12 and he didn’t like me. He loved me the first four. We went fishing together, coached in the Olympic Trials together. One time we had a stretch where we won six of seven and he didn’t like that at all. His friendship depended on him beating me,” Hall said.
And that tells you a lot about the former coach who took the cheap shot at Calipari and then “bravely” walked away without explaining it.
Posted in UK Basketball
he wants the truth but he cant handle the truth his is an old man that chokes kids an has temper tamtrums in front of the country
Willis, no truer words were every spoken. I agree!
Move on. get over it…knight is nother more than a has been.
10-0, 10-0, 10-0 go cats!
this guy wonders how cal is still coaching…?? i am wondering how in the hell he gets a job at espn for all his antics he has done…on and off the court…talk about rewarding a bully…him giving advice on integrity is like tiger woods giving marital advice….he just tainted his own name even more…
Tony’s question doesn’t merit a response. He makes no sense, and is on the Ol Guilty til proven innocent! It amazes me how our coach has not one single major NCAA violation, while the Bill Selfs, Roy Williams & Coach Ks magically get overlooked. I think it’s hilarious!
Just read coach cal comments on knight remarks, he didn”t defend himself to well in my opinion.
He doesn’t have to!
Great Job Larry.
Bob Knight is a coward and a Jack A..
Cal was wise not to defend himself. It would have only served to pour fuel on a fire that would have led to more media coverage (a la Pitino when he called his press conference about Sypher). Cal did the smart PR thing which was to complement Knight, say he disagrees, and move on (until Tipton tried to steer the conversation back to controversy–surprise there). If you’re innocent then you don’t need to be defensive. Of course, the most appropriate response would have been to throw a chair out into the crowd of reporters.
Steve and Brandon said it well and i’ll leave as it is.
perhaps it would be beneficial if someone were to fax or send a UPS package to ESPN, CBS, FOX-Sports and all of the other sports media outlets detailing the infractions of the Pitino, Roy Williams types still coaching…and then send one to Bobby Knight (complete with a detailed reminder of just why he was “let go”)…of course, in this country, if you have pull, your indiscretions can be forgiven much more quickly than if you haven’t done anything at all and still get accused of something you had no control over…very funny..and very sad…it’s getting to the point where it’s just redundant seeing everyone say the same party line over and over again without a shred of evidence…trying to paint Calipari (and UK) as cheating, lying, payoff ridden, backdoor dealing et al…all the while not realizing that UK takes towing the line quite seriously… otherwise…it will be nice when Calipari wins a championship and no one gets suspended or found a year later to be ineligible (by the same NCAA body that approved that kids eligibility)…so he can finally shake the image of what he isn’t…
There are good reasons why Bobby Knight and his clone (Billy G) are not coaching.
Coach Cal’s response to the latest allegation by Knight is just another example of a truly first class person and coach. Anyone who has followed college basketball news this year have already heard of the these know that coach Cal was not involved and has been cleared of any wrong doing. What a great lesson we all can learn about to deal with difficulties beyond your control.
Bob Knight is envious of CoachCal, envious because he’s coaching a program that’s better than any he’s been at, and earning more money than Knight would ever earn, in even 9 lifetimes. Knight is a sore loser, yes, everyone knows he has a losing record against UK,(15-18).
Dear Coach Cal,
I am so sorry about the unfortunate things I said in my little speech the other night. I really didn’t mean any of them. I wasn’t exactly myself. You know what they say about combining prescription meds and alcohol. Nod, nod, wink, wink. This group I was addressing weren’t exactly teetotalers, if you know what I mean. So again, I am very sorry.
I tell you what. I would like to do something nice, to make it up to you. How about I take you dove hunting? I know a nice little farm down in south Lubbock. I will even provide the shotguns. Just don’t tell anybody you are going. Let’s let this be our little secret. Well, I’ll be in touch with the details. Remember: DON’T TELL ANYONE! Ta ta for now!
Your friend,
Bob Knight
Beautifulm Larry and commentors! The nicest thing anyone can say about BK is that the bully is wghat has been said- an a-hole!
Sam aka SamKat
Great comments here. One of the best points was maybe about Knight just being envious of Cal. Had not thought of that.
Also thought John Clay had a really good column in the Herald-Leader today about this
Tony,
I believe you’re just fishing now. There were a ton of things wrong with the OJ trial that don’t carry over to the Cal-NCAA “situation”. So my answer to your lack of a question would be a lack of an answer. If your Q is “did Cal know?” then my best opinion would be no. HE turned in the Camby situation. It seems like a man with no integrity would have just shuffled it under the rug.
Memphis: does everyone realize that it is the SCHOOL that is responsible for making sure a kid is properly eligible? The coaching staff is only responsible for proper recruitment. That’s why the SCHOOL was penalized. He was cleared by the NCAA, and that is all that was required of Cal…and the NCAA agrees.
With your “elephant in the room ’syndrome’” comment…that is off as well. We have a positive relationship with Cal AND a positive relationship with his past. Reference “Heider’s Balance Theory” to see why that doesn’t apply. I’m a psychologist, and I reference these things because you clearly are not and are misrepresenting things which psychology has produced.
Also, if anyone noticed, Bobby referenced UMass and Memphis STATE as the two schools Cal “put” on probation. Guess he’s off Knight’s hook on the second one.
Integrity . . . that sounds good, huh? Especially coming from a guy who choked his players and mentally abused them as a coach. Not to mention he can’t go back to Puerto Rico because he’ll be arrested. Yep, he’s a man of integrity. A legend in his own mind.
I do not think you can use integrity and KNight in the same sentence
Can’t use “Knight” and “integrity” in the same sentence? That sounds like a challenge to me. I accept:
Robert Montgomery KNIGHT is a miserable, old, bullying piece of garbage with no INTEGRITY.
Sorry I had to prove you wrong Larry.
I understand the point Knight was trying to make. It has happened that coaches do things to get a program in trouble and move on. Our very own Eddie Sutton didn’t sit out after we were slapped with NCAA violations. But Knight’s pointing out UK and indirectly Calipari as what is wrong with college basketball
is nothing more than Big Blue envy at its worst/best.
If Mr. Integrity Knight wants to know what is wrong with college basketball and all of the sports world in my opinion he should look no further than his own career.
The mentality that as long as you are winning any behavior is acceptable. His actions over the years would have led to numerous arrests for mere mortals. But he was winning. Throw chairs…that’s just passion. Keep winning. Assault a reporter, an opposing fan, your team members…you brought us trophies so no problems here.
What’s this….tourny time….IU is first round and down.
Wait a minute Mr. Knight you aren’t so nice now. In fact you might have some behavior issues. We lost again…oh no….he grabbed a student. Get him out of here.
Winning covers a multitude of bad behavior. Roy Williams just showed his behind royally throwing out an opposing fan from the hallowed halls of UNC. His AD backs him up because he is sporting a championship ring. Roy could smell alcohol on the guy 20 rows up when all those around him said he did nothing wrong.
I live in Louisville. Pitino won the Big East last year. That is Jurich’s guy. He has not embarrassed the university. Wonder if Kragthorpe had went to Porcini’s if that would have been shameful to the university. See he wasn’t winning yet.
You got me, Jim
And Marsha, what a wonderful post. Thoughtful, insightful, factual and passionate. Thanks for taking the time to share it
I think its pretty apparent that Knight has some mental issues.
And has had them for as long as I can remember.
Dear Mark,
I do NOT have mental issues.
ROSES ARE RED…
VIOLETS ARE BLUE…
I’M SCHIZOPHRENIC…
AND SO AM I.
Sincerely,
Bobby Knight (and “friends”)