Knight still at the heart of Hoosier fans

When New Mexico guard J.R. Giddens' 3-point attempt at the buzzer clanged against metal and fell to the hardwood on Jan. 1, Texas Tech coach Bob Knight finally overtook former North Carolina coach Dean Smith for the most wins in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball history. It was a grand achievement for a man of unwaveringly stony character and high basketball intellect. While the IU community recognizes the achievement as evidence of Knight's importance to the game, the Hoosier nation no doubt feels it is partly responsible for this record. \nDuring his 29 years with the Hoosiers, Knight won 662 games. Six hundred sixty-two times opposing players hung their heads in defeat. Six hundred sixty-two times, Knight strode to the scorers table at midcourt and shook the hand of an opposing coach, who, despite exhaustive preparation, could not outwit the IU coach.\nSix hundred sixty-two. That's right. Six hundred sixty-two. And yet on two separate occasions, Knight, despite all he meant for IU basketball during his tenure and after, has been denied entry into the IU Athletic Hall of Fame. \n"How can this be?" a distant observer might ask. \nThe numbers alone should make him an honored member of IU history: 662 wins, 11 Big Ten titles, three national titles and one perfect 32-0 season, in 1976. And if that isn't enough (which seems completely ludicrous), the University's national exposure due to Knight's behavior and demeanor should capture him a place of honor.\nEven now, with Knight hardly mentioning IU in his postgame comments, how will the crimson and cream administration respond to the achievement of its long-time coach?\nFor those of us who were born before 2000, it seems odd that coach Knight obtained the record while wearing black and red instead of crimson and cream. We became so used to the General commanding his troops in battle, that when the news came that Knight was fired, with Mike Davis taking over the position, opinions exploded in a mess and Hoosier nation fell into a momentary state of pandemonium. \nBut despite what each individual Hoosier thinks of Knight -- great coach or bad man -- it would be a continued lack of respect for the University to deny him entry into its hall of fame. The throwing of a chair, disciplining of players and his abhorrence of the media aside, it's time the University gives recognition where it is due, and it is certainly due to Knight.\nWhether IU coach Kelvin Sampson can lead IU basketball to its past glory will have little impact on the way many fans feel about the coaching of the IU men's basketball team. Bob Knight is simply our coach. The man ignoring IU in his media comments cannot change that; nor can a new face yelling at the refs from the sidelines. And certainly former IU President Myles Brand's decision to fire Knight, in retrospect, did not remove him from his position in the hearts of fans. \nSo at Texas Tech as Knight continues to accumulate wins and extend his unparalleled basketball prowess, much of IU nation will look on with this message: Best of luck, Coach.