Knight and day for Mike Davis

With Tuesday's announcement by IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan removing any doubt as to who will coach the Hoosiers next year, let's all exhale.\nMike Davis isn't going to be fired, and he's not taking another job.\nEvery year a job opens up south of the Mason-Dixon Line, and every year we hear whispers as to whether Davis is going or staying. Two years ago, it was the Georgia job; last year Auburn supposedly had interest; and this year Tulane and Tennessee are looking for a coach. \nWho is to blame for all these baseless rumors? Hello, Internet. The message boards and fan forums have revolutionized sports reporting -- any middle-aged man sitting at his computer in his underwear eating refried beans can conjure up the next explosive scenario. And as a journalist, who can afford to take the risk of missing the scoop? Every rumor, every avenue must be pursued, and once our computer-geek culprit clicks "Submit Message," a buzz is created. Speculation sells newspapers, gathers viewers and intrigues all fans. \nTrust me, if Davis wanted to leave IU so badly, he would have by now. While the pressure of coaching such a tradition-rich program that expects great things might be overbearing at times, why wouldn't Davis relish the opportunity and spotlight such a high-profile job offers? Especially seeing as how Davis has set his coaching goal a tad higher than Tulane and Auburn -- that goal being a gig someday on the sidelines of an NBA arena.\nDavis is here to stay, and we journalists thank Greenspan for putting the skids on the speculation runaway train. Of course, if the Indiana Daily Student weren't free, I might be in the business of actually selling papers and would be singing a different tune. \nBut what's done is done. The decision has been made, so stop the bickering, stop the incessant e-mails, stop the Web site chatter, and stop rooting against the head man of the basketball team you hold so dear to your heart. \nWhile the past two years have been extremely harsh on Hoosier nation, especially with Bobby Knight's recent tournament success with the wasteland-located Texas Tech, remember the General hadn't been to a Sweet Sixteen since 1994 before this season. The "Great" Bobby Knight hadn't steered his Hoosiers to within a game of winning a national title since he actually won the thing in 1987.\nFolks give Knight far too much credit for his time in Bloomington. Don't get me wrong; the three national championship banners and his 661 wins look mighty fine and shouldn't be forgotten. However, in Knight's final five NCAA tournaments as IU's head coach, the General lost three times in the first round and twice in the second round.\nIn his final go-round with the Hoosiers, Knight lost in grand fashion to upstart Pepperdine in the first round by 20 points. In 1998, St. John's embarrassed the Hoosiers by 25 points, and in 1996, Colorado dismissed the cream and crimson by 18.\nYet Knight returned to Bloomington still held in high reverence as the great basketball mind. Granted, at least the Hoosiers made the tournament, unlike these past two seasons. But just remember, it wasn't so bright and sunny under Knight. Let us not forget the emotional baggage brought on by "His Greatness." Who knew when another profanity-laced outburst, chair toss or player choke would occur? But he wins, they argued. Wins what? In a "what have you done for me lately?" business, Knight hadn't produced. Davis did, and in just his second season. \n"Well, he won with Knight's players." \nThen we should offer more applause and acclaim to Davis because whether you'd like to admit it or not, the General, with those same players, didn't. \nDavis has at least been assured of one more year. Expectations are extremely high for a team two years removed from the NCAA Tournament, and the Hoosier head coach knows he needs to win -- now. And if he doesn't, let the debate be raised then. But for now, can we just let all of this Knight talk set with the sun?