Just finished reading a book about Bobby Knight called KNIGHT FALL: The Truth Behind America’s Most Controversial Coach.
Pretty easy for me to read. I figure either you’re interested in this person or not, and if you are you’re probably already aware of a lot of the content in this book.
So instead of a full recap of the full 318 pages, I’ll merely highlight some of the more notable, interesting, funny, and disgusting things said by, and about, this man.
“Let’s have ten seconds of silence to give the sportswriters in attendance something they can quote accurately.” —BK
“Most people, they hear the word discipline, and right away they think about a whip and a chair. I’ve worked up my own definition…doing what you have to do, and doing it as well as you possibly can, and doing it that way all the time.” —BK
“If I was really going to hit the sonuvabitch I’d have knocked him into the third row.” —BK after giving Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall a ‘love tap’ on the head after a game and Hall complaining to the media it was a punch.
“I think that if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it.” —BK after being asked by Connie Chung ‘There are times Bobby Knight can’t do it his way, and what does he do then?’
“Bob always, always, has to have the last word. And more often than not, it’s the last word that gets him in trouble. —Edwin Williams, I-U administrator (1986).
“Knight ahead of Dean Smith? As a man Knight can’t carry Smith’s whistle. As it is, Knight ahead of John Wooden stinks. Wooden could think of something nice to say about Al Capone, but you bring up Knight’s name and Wooden’s mouth crinkles into a ‘no comment.’ ” —Rick Reilly, Sports Illustrated.
“Why is he so angry? It’s a question that springs to mind when I look at an image of Bobby Knight in full fury. Apparently it’s one that Indiana University’s officials didn’t bother to ask themselves before they allowed this dinosaur to remain as the school’s basketball coach despite a well-documented history of abusing players, coaches, administrators and anyone else who just happened to be there.” —Bill Walton
“He can be as charming as anybody in the world or he can be the biggest horse’s ass in the world. But he makes that decision, and he does it in a split second. —Harold Andreas
“The guys who leave that program made the best decisions ever. If I had to do it all over again, I would have left after my freshman year.” Former IU player Richard Mandeville.
“I heard someone describe him one time as a man of substance in an age of style. I think that’s true.” —Karen Knight, the coach’s second wife.
“I had a love-hate relationship with him. I love to hate him.” —Charles Barkley
“He’s exactly like Dean Smith, except for the yelling.” —Michael Jordan
“I try to help you guys out every once in awhile…in this profession you all chose that’s one step above prostitution.” —BK speaking to a field of reporters.
“You know, quite frankly, I don’t give a damn about the Republicans. And then on the other hand, I don’t give a damn about the Democrats, either. This man, this man, he’s not a Republican, he’s not a Democrat. At heart, he’s just a great American.” —BK at a Donald Trump rally in 2016.
“Never gamble and don’t hang out with queers.” —Bobby Knight’s father’s last words to Bobby before he headed off to his freshman year of college.
