Letters to the Editor
-
bob knight
"But I've found it's never a bad bet to take Bob Knight's opponent come Tournament time." Three NCAA championships dissed?!?!? I'll take Tech.
-
the name is J.R. Reynolds,
. . . not 'R.J.' Obviously (and admittedly), you're not writing with much authority on this subject, but you're probably right about the 'Hoos--one and out (maybe two--we've got a good history against Tennessee) is probably the best we can expect, even after taking a piece of the ACC regular season title for the first time since before Ralph Sampson's first knee surgery. Heck, we're just happy to be there.
--I also disagree with your judgment of Knight. He's a jerk, but his overachieving Texas Tech squads have performed better in the post-season than his last generation of pampered Hoosier stars, who couldn't handle the Knight treatment after having their asses kissed 24-7 since junior high. You don't have to like his methods, but they were obviously effective way back in the day, and it has taken him next to no time to turn a perennial punching bag into a contender in a pretty tough conference. I don't like Knight's style, but he is, ahem, the winningest coach in college basketball history, and his team plays with a collective chip on its shoulder, which is always an advantage in the tournament.
--I think you're right about Carolina and Georgetown--though I'd kind of like to see a Roy Williams vs. Kansas matchup for the title. We shall see.
Only a few more hours 'til we start wasting our employers' money at record rates . . .
-
I 'd Like To Share The Optimism
About Louisville. But this Texas A&M looks pretty serious to me. They were 13-4 in conference with their 4 losses being 70-68, 77-75, 98-96, and 57-56.
I'd say any team from a major conference that can make it through their entire conference schedule, regular season and tourney, without one loss of at least 7 to 10 points is pretty damn special. All road games are tough as hell now and you just have to figure that one time you are going to be off your game and the opposing crowd is going to spur their team on to a great performance (maybe even some ref home cooking)and you are going to get a loss with some degree of seperation. You know A&M, like anyone else, had to have some poor shooting nights, or were in serious foul trouble early in the game, or just did not have their normal focus on a given night. Yet they won them or played them to the buzzer.
Anyone who has all wins and just a few extremely close losses, has to be taken very, very, seriously in my book. It means when they take the court it's a pretty good bet they will either win or be in a position to win at the end.
-
McCain
According to Slate, John McCain has his picks posted on his website - you should try to get him into the competition. It would be interesting to see if political expediency bests sports prognostication.
-
As Far As Knight Goes
I'm getting tired of his act over the last 15 years or so. Quite often it's been his team getting beat early and badly in the tournament, then he proceeds to the post-game interview room and lectures the media about them not knowing a God Damn thing about basketball. The media is always to wimpy in the face of that bully.
Here's how it should be---
KNIGHT--You jackasses know nothing about basketball.
SOMEONE IN THE MEDIA--I beg your pardon, but it's YOUR team that just got the stuffing beat out of them, not mine.
-
Knight Is Out Of Control Ego---
---The very thing he claims to be preaching against, and "teaching" his players not to be. Teaching methods involving everything up to and including choke holds and head butts.
A previous poster said Knight's record at Indiana dipped when the players all of a sudden became pampered babies coming out of high school. Hooey. Knight's recruiting went south. Big time. His ego got so gigantic he thought he could win with anyone. Recruiting is a big headache anyhow, and he just opted out. He should have been fired for that before he was fired for extending his teaching methods to putting his hands on non-team members of the student body.
Read A SEASON ON THE BRINK if you want an insight in to Knight's ego. In one locker room scene he hollers at the team--"How many national titles do I have to win before you people will listen?"
How many do I have to win. I.
Boy, there's some appreciation for his earlier championship players.
-
re: wes
I've read *A Season on the Brink,* Wes, and you know, the interesting thing about that book is that, for everyone of those scenes where Knight is blowing his stack and behaving like a boor, there's an example of his integrity, generosity, and passion for his players and his team. Knight has crossed the line too many times to count, and yet there's no denying his committment to his players, his extraordinary graduation rate, his efforts to ensure that his players attempt to be legitimate students, or--most importantly--the loyalty of his former players, including those who were on the squads covered by John Feinstein for the book. Mike Krzyzewski, Steve Alford, Quinn Buckner, Scott May, Isaiah Thomas, and many others have stood by Knight; many of his former players' parents have expressed gratitude for the discipline he enforced on their sons.
I am not a defender or apologist for Bob Knight, but I see him as a much more complex and ambiguous figure than he is generally credited as being. Furthermore, having attended a number of Duke Blue Devils games with seats near the bench, and having heard the way Coach K. talks to his players, I'm convinced that the only thing that separates Krzyzewski from Knight is their management of the media. Knight doesn't bother to hide his contempt for journalists, whereas Coach K. has perfected the art of crafting a positive public image.
I think it's also absurd to imply that Knight's recruiting declined because of his own personal apathy. Knight may be too egocentric to court and flatter high school stars, but is that such a bad thing? Is it bad that Knight refuses to recruit players who openly admit that they haven't the slightest interest in any aspect of university life other than the basketball team, and intend to stay 'in school' only as long as it's necessary to become an NBA 1st round draft pick? Is it bad that Knight demands teamwork and discipline? Is it bad that Knight prefers players who expect to work hard and sacrifice rather than to be treated like royalty?
Knight's temper and vulgarity are unforgivable, but his teaching methods are admirable, and proven to be successful. Coach K. has perfected them, along with the art of public relations, and has consequently become the most admired active coach in NCAA basketball.
Just sayin.'
P.S.--I hate Dook!