Hoosiers react to Knight’s resignation

It has been nearly eight years since Bob Knight left the sidelines of Assembly Hall to coach at Texas Tech.\nBut the former IU coach’s name still draws strong emotions in Bloomington. And when news came Monday that Knight was resigning immediately, former IU basketball star Scott May, who played under Knight, said he was “happy” to hear Knight was leaving basketball.\n“He was tired. He had been tired, he had looked tired,” May said by telephone Monday night. “I was glad to see him go out on his own terms. Now he can go on and play with his grandkids.”\nMay, who started on IU’s 1975-76 undefeated national championship team, said he last spoke with Knight about three weeks ago. He said the two still keep in regular contact, but he was not aware of Knight’s plans for the future.\n“I don’t know all of the details, but he resigned or wanted to step down,” May said. “He has his own reasons, so I’m happy that he decided to go on with his life.”\nDuring his weekly radio show at the Hoosier Den in Foster Quad, IU coach Kelvin Sampson gave his reaction to Knight’s resignation.\n“He’s a giant,” Sampson said. “Directly or indirectly, he’s probably influenced more coaches (than anyone else), especially guys my age. There are Hall of Famers and there are Hall of Famers, and I’m not so sure there are many on the same shelf as he is.”\nOne Hoosier who is no stranger to Knight’s influence is former IU English professor Murray Sperber. During Knight’s time at IU, Sperber was one of Knight’s most outspoken critics, calling into question Knight’s behavior and antics off the court.\n“Bob Knight was a great basketball coach in terms of the Xs and Os, but he certainly was not a great human being,” Sperber said in an e-mail Monday night. Sperber was in California and unavailable for a phone interview.\nSperber mentioned that Knight benefitted from the “Bloomington media machine” that often covered up his “failings.” \n“Because he was such a great coach in terms of his knowledge of basketball and his innovations in the game, it is sad that he will be remembered more for his failings than his (basketball) successes,” Sperber said. “But Bob Knight was certainly the master of his fate and he chose that course.”\nKnight was also a master of influence, which often led him to shape his player’s lives, both on and off the court.\nMay said it was difficult to describe the impact Knight had on him. He said he tries to make one trip to Lubbock,Texas, every year to visit with his old coach. May, who still lives in Bloomington, said Knight’s phone call three weeks back had been to check on his son Sean, who played for North Carolina and currently plays for the Charlotte Bobcats.\n“We probably are what we are because of him,” May said of the players Knight coached.\nMay said he thinks Knight will remain in Lubbock for the foreseeable future. \nBut the former IU coach will return to Bloomington – at least for a day. The all-time winningest coach in NCAA men’s history will be speaking at the Little Nashville Opry on April 26.\nAlthough the reason Knight resigned wasn’t clear as of Monday night, May said he is happy to see Knight go this way after watching him be forced out of Bloomington nearly eight years ago.\n“Not too many times in life you get to leave on your own terms,” he said.