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(11/15/06 5:06am)
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech coach Bob Knight says there were times he was wrong when his hot temper got the best of him on a basketball court. Not this time, however.\nThis time, everyone from the player he confronted to the player's mother and school officials say what Knight did was no big deal.\nIt all started Monday night when Knight went after Michael Prince, forcefully pushing his chin upward and telling him to look him in the eye during a timeout late in the Red Raiders' 86-74 victory over Gardner-Webb.\nAthletic director Gerald Myers defended Knight on Tuesday, saying he did nothing wrong when he "quickly lifted" Prince's chin. The president of the school's faculty senate, James H. Smith, said Knight's action was not "physical abuse or violence."\nKnight, with a history of chair-throwing, referee baiting and run-ins with school officials, was not available for comment to The Associated Press before Tuesday night's home game against Arkansas-Little Rock.\n"I'm sure there were some cases where I have been wrong, but (Monday night) wasn't one of them," Knight told ESPN.com. "I was trying to help a kid, and I think I did.\n"I flipped his chin up and told him to look me right in the eye so he could do the job we want. I said, 'Can you?' And he said, 'Yes,' and I said, 'OK, sit down and let's go.' If that's an issue, then I'm living in the wrong country."\nPrince told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal after Monday's game that what happened with the coach "was nothing."\n"He was trying to teach me, and I had my head down, so he raised my chin up," said Prince, who was seen moving his jaw around as he sat on the bench after the confrontation. "He was telling me to go out there and don't be afraid to make mistakes. He said I was being too hard on myself"
(03/24/05 4:20am)
LUBBOCK, Texas -- When Bob Knight coaches in the round of 16 for the first time in more than a decade Thursday night, one of his most trusted advisers won't be on the Texas Tech bench.\nThe Hall of Fame coach brings a seasoned staff, 39 years of coaching, 854 victories and 27 NCAA tournament appearances into the game against West Virginia.\nThere is also his wife, Karen Knight -- a former standout high school coach who brings sharp perspective from the stands.\n"It's a different set of eyes with a really good mind, is what we're talking about," Knight said. "It's been great for me to have somebody right there all the time."\nKaren Knight made a rare public appearance -- and offered a glimpse of her husband's softer side -- after Tech upset Gonzaga on Saturday. The coach brought her down from the stands, and she hugged him throughout a nationally televised interview, tears streaming down her face.\nBut Karen Knight offers much more than emotional support. In fact, the Oklahoma Girls' Basketball Hall of Fame member has been a key part of the brain trust that has helped turn around the Tech program.\nKaren Knight, who has been married to Bob Knight since 1988, is the coach's hoops sounding board. Her husband says she's the better coach of the two Knights, and she suggests defensive strategy and helps players with technique during practice.\n"The first time I ever talked to her about (basketball), I understood how much she knew," Bob Knight said. "I knew that immediately."\nThe marriage is Knight's second. He has two sons -- Tech associate basketball coach Pat Knight and Tim Knight, the school's assistant athletic director for men's basketball special projects -- from his first marriage.\nKnight declined to talk about how he and Karen Knight met. Karen Knight does not do media interviews.\n"She's been really good," Bob Knight said. "And not the least of it is her understanding about the whole thing, about how difficult this is, and how hard losing is. She has experienced all that."\nShe also has known the good and bad times during Bob Knight's career.\nHe won three national championships and 662 games at Indiana, but things turned sour when school officials said the coach known for his temper violated a zero-tolerance behavior policy.\nEven before then, the Hoosiers had struggled on the court. Indiana made it to the round of 16 in 1994 but struggled afterward, losing in the first round four times. In those final years, Karen Knight knew her husband was unhappy.\n"And she had to live with that, and I don't think that was easy for her, my disposition toward the whole thing," Bob Knight said.\nEven now, bad feelings remain. In a national radio interview after the Gonzaga win, he was critical in response to a question about his replacement there, Mike Davis. He said he was planning to fire Davis if he stayed at Indiana.\n"There's no way I would have kept the guy any longer than that," Bob Knight said. "That's their problem."\nThe problems have been few and far between in Lubbock, where fans have embraced Bob Knight since his arrival in 2001.\nHe has taken a team coming off four straight losing seasons and produced four consecutive seasons of 20-plus wins. Tech is in the round of 16 appearance for the first time since 1996.\n"I really think that she probably was hoping that we could do something in coaching in a situation that we would enjoy, that she would like and that I would like," Bob Knight said. "And that's really basically what we've had here"
(02/03/04 5:56am)
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech coach Bob Knight got into a verbal spat with the University chancellor at a grocery store Monday, prompting a review by school officials.\nSchool spokeswoman Sally Logue Post said she did not know details of the encounter between the basketball coach and Chancellor David Smith. \nSmith declined to elaborate on what happened.\n"This is obviously an issue that is internal to the university," the chancellor told The Associated Press. "Right now the athletic director and the president's office at the University are looking into the incident. We'll wait to hear more in the next few days about their review."\nAsked whether there was any discussion of removing Knight, Smith said, "I can't comment on any of those things right now."\nGerald Myers, the university's athletic director who was instrumental in bringing Knight to Tech in 2001 after he was fired at Indiana, witnessed the encounter, Post said.\nThe men were getting food around lunchtime at Market Street, an upscale grocery store about two miles from the University, said Dan Sanders, chief marketing officer for United Supermarkets, which owns the store where the incident occurred.\n"Apparently, there was some sort of disagreement," Sanders said. "It took place very quickly."\nNeither Myers nor Sports Information Director Randy Farley immediately returned telephone messages Monday night.\nWhile still at Indiana in March 2000, Knight was investigated by the university after former player Neil Reed said the coach choked him at a practice in 1997.\nIn May 2000, Knight was fined $30,000, suspended for three games and placed under a "zero-tolerance" behavior policy.\nIn early September 2000, Knight was accused of grabbing a student by the arm, cursing and lecturing him about manners after the coach was addressed, "Hey, Knight, what's up?"\nIn September 2000, Knight was fired from Indiana for violating the behavior policy. Indiana's president Myles Brand, now president of the NCAA, fired him for what Brand called a "pattern of unacceptable behavior."\nIn late December, Knight went into a profanity-filled tirade after an ESPN reporter asked about his relationship with former player Steve Alford, who was also participating in the interview. He later apologized for the incident.\nTexas Tech is 4-2 in the Big 12 Conference this season. The Red Raiders had been unbeaten in the league until last week, when they lost to Texas and Oklahoma State.
(03/11/03 5:17am)
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Bob Knight told Texas Tech he wouldn't accept his $250,000 coaching salary this year because his team failed to live up to his expectations -- and so did he.\n"He has standards," Texas Tech men's basketball spokesman Randy Farley said Monday. "He just didn't meet his standards, and so he said, 'I don't think I should be paid for that.'"\nTech (16-10, 6-10 Big 12) is the No. 7 seed in the Big 12 conference tournament in Dallas and plays Baylor on Thursday night.\nKnight was not available for comment late Monday, but he told the Dallas Morning News that he was taking the blame.\n"I'm just not at all satisfied with what transpired with our team in terms of our fundamental execution. I don't think it's anybody's fault but mine," Knight told the newspaper for its online edition.\n"You heard me talk after games all season long about missed opportunities and how we didn't see things (on the court). Those are things that have got to be taught. Learning those things is just as much a responsibility of the teacher as the ones learning those things," he was quoted as saying.\nLast season, Knight led the team to a 23-9 record and to the NCAA tournament. Before his arrival in March 2001, Tech hadn't had a winning season in four years.\nThis year could be Knight's first without 20 wins since 1995, when Indiana went 19-12.\nTech will probably need to win the conference tournament to make the NCAA field for the second straight year. Knight has said his team would accept an NIT bid if offered.\nIn his 29 years at Indiana, Knight won three NCAA national championships and had just seven seasons in which his teams failed to win 20 games.\nHis five-year contract is worth $4.5 million. He makes $250,000 in base pay, $150,000 in deferred annual income and $500,000 in guaranteed outside income through May 2006.\nKnight told Tech athletic director Gerald Myers last week that he was planning on giving up his salary this season.\nMyers said he tried to dissuade Knight, but it didn't work. "This is what he made up his mind to do. I think he's too hard on himself," Myers said. "I think he's done a great job these last two years, all the things he's done for this program, this university. There's no question that he earns his salary and more every day"
(02/07/03 6:21am)
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Bob Knight's office telephone started ringing early Thursday with friends calling to congratulate the Texas Tech coach on career win No. 800.\nBut Knight had already moved beyond that victory. In fact, not long after the Red Raiders beat Nebraska 75-49 Wednesday night, Knight had shifted his focus to improving his team's standing in the Big 12.\nTech, at 3-4 in the conference and 13-5 overall, still has to face Big 12 powerhouses No. 3 Texas and No. 12 Kansas.\n"I didn't want to be that way, I didn't expect to be that way, and I don't like being that way," Knight said of the Red Raiders' conference mark.\n"We can play with an awful lot of people right now, but we don't have much margin for error. We can't make mistakes. We've got to play better than really good teams have to play."\nTexas Tech, tied for fifth in the conference, faces No. 21 Missouri on the road Sunday.\nKnight joined three other Division I men's coaches with 800 victories: Dean Smith of North Carolina (879), Adolph Rupp of Kentucky (876) and Mount St. Mary's Jim Phelan (827).\nWith Phelan set to retire after this season, Knight, who has a career record of 800-303, would become the active leader.\nKnight has been a head coach for 37 years at three Division I schools. He got his 100th victory at Army, then moved to Indiana, where his Hoosiers went 662-239 and won three national championships from 1971-00.\nSmith, who says he doesn't get to talk to his longtime friend as often as he'd like, was not one of the many to phone Knight's office Thursday.\n"Everybody else will be calling him now," Smith said.\nSmith understands where Knight's attention is now.\n"I think his mind is on this next game, I guarantee you that," he said.\nKnight is optimistic about his team's potential.\n"These kids, I think, have proven that over two years that they can play with a lot of teams," Knight said. "We've also proven ... that we can have problem with a lot of teams, too.\n"I just want to see us get to a point where every time we go out there, there's going to be a chance to win."\nKnight touched on a number of topics at his postgame news conference Wednesday night.\nHe said he wants to remain in coaching at Texas Tech until "we're really good" or until he believes that isn't possible.\nHe also spoke fondly about his 30-year friendship with Smith, his experience as a player going against Rupp's Kentucky team and Phelan's longevity.\n"Jimmy Phelan has been in basketball longer than God's been around," Knight said. "And I'm sure he touched an awful lot of people."\nKnight also paid tribute to two other coaches: Fred Taylor, his coach at Ohio State, and Tech athletic director Gerald Myers.\n"I think my all-time favorite coach is the one I played for, and my next one is the one that I work for now," Knight said. "I had a great guy to get started with in college basketball and I've got a great guy to wind up with in college basketball."\nAnd probably some congratulatory phone messages to return.
(02/06/03 7:12am)
LUBBOCK, Texas -- With fans chanting his name and the magic number, Bob Knight entered the 800 club Wednesday night.\nKnight became only the fourth Division I coach to win 800 games, reaching the mark by guiding Texas Tech over Nebraska 75-49.\nAfter the victory, Knight took to the microphone and spoke to his supporters.\n"I've had some milestones, but I've never had a milestone in front of a crowd that I appreciated so much," he said.\nWhen he was finished speaking, his team circled around him, hugging him and jumping up and down.\nFans got into the excitement throughout the game.\nThe crowd chanted "Bobby!" and "800" during the final couple minutes of the game. A group of 11 Tech students stood frequently throughout the game, holding up white placards with red lettering that spelled out 1-800-Bob-Nite with the word 'WON' written vertically on the number one.\nThe Red Raiders (13-5, 3-4 Big 12) went on an early 26-0 run, making it easy for Knight to get the milestone win on his second try.\nTexas A&M spoiled his first shot Saturday, beating Texas Tech 64-59 in College Station.\nOnly Dean Smith of North Carolina (879), Adolph Rupp of Kentucky (876) and Mount St. Mary's Jim Phelan (827) have won more than 800 games in Division I. With Phelan set to retire after this season, Knight (800-303) would become the active leader.\nIn his first game as a head coach 38 years ago, Knight's team at Army lost to Princeton 70-49. The next game he turned it around with a 71-62 win over Worcester Tech, and he's not stopped winning since.\nKnight has been a head coach for 37 years at three Division I schools. He got his first victory and his 100th at Army, then moved to Indiana, where his Hoosiers went 662-239 and won three national championships from 1971-2000.\nAfter a year away from coaching, Knight made a startling comeback in West Texas. In his first season, he took over a Tech team that hadn't had a winning season in four years and went 23-9 and reached the NCAA tournament.\nOverall, Knight is 36-14 with Texas Tech.\nAndre Emmett scored 24 points and Kasib Powell added 16 to lead the Red Raiders.\nNebraska (9-12, 1-7) led only once in the early going before Tech took command. The Cornhuskers were held scoreless for more than eight minutes in the first half and without a field goal in the first six minutes of the second half.\nThe Red Raiders fell behind 5-0 early, but scored on 10 of their next 13 possessions to lead 26-5 while holding the Cornhuskers scoreless for more than an eight-minute stretch.\nTech built its largest lead of the game, 58-32, with 10:01 remaining.\nJohn Turek and Brennon Clemmons scored 10 points each for Nebraska.