Bob Knight Never Changes

Posted by Mark Barnes Jan 23, 2007

Bob Knight never changes.

This is great news for Texas Tech basketball fans. It’s very bad news for the media, covering college basketball in the Big 12 Conference.

Some people believe Knight has mellowed in recent years, especially since leaving Indiana and taking over at Texas Tech.

Even though Knight still has issues with players, most onlookers see a softer Knight than the one notorious coach, who tossed a chair across the gym floor in a game, while coaching the Hoosiers a long time ago.

Knight’s recent lifting of the chin of a player during a Texas Tech game raised the ire of the national media, even though the Red Raiders player and his parents scoffed at the episode as a harmless, effective, coaching technique.

So, aside from rare events like this one, maybe Bob Knight has softened. Just don’t ask college basketball journalists, forced to interview the Texas Tech coach weekly, if they agree with this.

In a recent teleconference with Big 12 media, Knight was to entertain questions for ten minutes. This turned into ninety seconds, ending with Knight unceremoniously hanging up on the interviewers, when one asked him what it’s like to “be in his doghouse.”

Apparently he got his answer.

Bob Knight, it seems, will once again bear the brunt of the media, irritated at his brusque responses to what he believes to be impertinent queries. Writers and sports talkers will call Knight all kinds of names and say he’s bad for the game.

For his part, Knight won’t care, and his bosses (if Knight actually has bosses) shouldn’t care either.

All that’s important is that the same, grouchy old Bob Knight is doing what he does best – out-coaching everyone, as he did recently in a resounding win over a much more talented and fifth-ranked Kansas squad. And as he’ll probably continue to do all season, with a Texas Tech team that will often be outmanned and outgunned at every position.

Come March, though, Bob Knight will remind the college basketball world why it’s best that some things never change.