By LARRY VAUGHT

The best thing about vaughtsviews.com is the insightful opinions so many of you have and share here.

Reader Bill Smith didn’t need long to respond to Mike Campbell’s defense of Bobby Knight not coming to GameDay Saturday after ripping UK coach John Calipari earlier this season.

Again, you can read his post, but I thought it was so good I didn’t want you to miss his perspective, either.

Here is what Smith posted in response to Campbell’s theory about Knight:

I appreciate the comments from Mr Campbell and yes it is true about the three national championships and the NCCA most wins by a coach. I am fine with the assessment that Bobby can make comments on issues. But to say you he has earned the right to spew (while only getting some facts right and embellishing on others) does not work for me.

As a coach Bobby would blast the media if he felt they spoke without due diligence on the facts. Yet as a media person himself he does not feel obligated to be factual about his comments. I do take exception about the portrayal many give about Bobby’s high integrity and moral values. To me he has demonstrated the opposite (punching a police officer from Puerto Rico, Throwing chairs without regard to who it may strike, suggesting if rape is inevitable enjoy it, striking and choking players and students, cursing and demeaning the media at press conferences, smacking opposing coaches, slamming a phone off the scorers table at the NCAA tourney with Dale Brown).

To suggest Bobby does not like Kentucky because of it’s past may not be accurate. There was a time when Bobby enjoyed fishing and was friends with Joe B Hall. I recently listened to Joe B. mention when their relationship with UK went south. It was when Joe B started beating Bobby in games. Then Bobby became mean towards both UK and Joe B. It was also mentioned by another writer that Bobby Knight was interested in the UK coaching position after we parted company with Billy G. So much for his dislike.

And yes it is true that Bobby never had any reported NCAA violations. But I remember a time when Bobby was the Pan American coach. During the tryouts he CUT one Charles Barkley while saving the last spot for a then high school player Delray Brooks, you remember him. He committed to play for Indiana, while some may not call that a violation, I would question the spirit in which Delray landed of the team.

I am fine that Bobby will not attend the UK game, what value would it bring to us.

I not saying my views are right, I’m just offering a different view of Bobby Knight.

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