Longform

Knight bids farewell

“The General” had his last stand Wednesday night in front of more than 6,000 people. Coach Knight bid IU goodbye in an emotional speech in Dunn Meadow. Bob Knight fans and protesters from across the region turned out to hear what he had to say. Knight addressed everything from his future plans to the reason for his termination.

An apathetic art form

So, heard of any big news lately? I was going to write a column about the Coach Knight situation, but then I remembered that you guys have heard, seen, read and said it all. It's not like I'm going to unearth some new outlook that will make everyone in America say, "Oh! What an insightful writer. Now my whole viewpoint has changed!" And what do I know about basketball, anyway? So I will go ahead and write about something else.

Demonstrations defeat purpose of college

It's the fourth day since the incident, and I am still ashamed. And no, I'm not ashamed of our University's president or its former basketball coach. I'm ashamed to call myself an Indiana University student.

Knight right to tell students to move on

Former basketball coach Bob Knight addressed the student body Wednesday, telling students he would eventually move on to a new coaching position and to other chapters of his life. He urged students to move on, too ' to keep supporting the basketball team without him and to take advantage of the unique opportunities this University provides.

Students should support tough choice

Let me preface this with the statement that I'm a strong college basketball fan. I love the game. I've watched "Mr. Knight" over a number a years. To be very truthful I've always thought of him as an embarrassment to the game, I don't care what school you attend(ed). The man will not control himself (the very thing he asks his student athletes to do). His tantrums will always outweigh his "good record and many wins".

Tantrums outweigh good record

I am writing to voice my full, undivided support of President Brand's decision to remove Mr. Knight from his position as head men's basketball coach. As an alumnus of Indiana University, and an employee, I believe that the decision of President Brand and the board of trustees was in the best interests of the University.

Tantrums outweigh good record

Students should stay on victims' side

Unfortunately for those who have been abused and humiliated by Bob Knight over the years, he was not fired soon enough.

Knight's off-court behavior bad

Coach Knight was one of those charismatic, schizoid talents you love to hate and hate to love.

It's Coach Knight to you

I am outraged by the recent IDS headline "Knight fired." It should read "Mr. Knight Fired" or "Coach Knight fired."

Public, alumni don't buy Knight's excuses

As an IU alumna, I am appalled by the smug, laughing faces of protesting students plastered across Internet news sites along with their representative remarks in the newspapers.

Coach should earn, not demand, respect

I am proud to be a graduate of IU, a graduate student at IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis and the mother of two IU students. I am saddened by the events of the last few days surrounding Coach Knight. I support President Brand in his decision for various reasons.

Time to end the embarrassment

I'm sorry that Bob Knight had to go out the way he did, but I'm not sad to see him go ' it's time for a coach who can motivate players without embarrassing the rest of us.

Universities are for education

I am an alumnus of the University of Oklahoma, where football tradition reigns. While Barry Switzer ran our football program, OU athletics had rapes, weapons and drug and alcohol prosecutions against athletes. Same thing when he ran the Dallas Cowboys. Yet years later, they name buildings after him, and he hangs around campus like a poltergeist. OU has spent a decade going through coaches in search of the next dynasty. Throughout my college career, I watched athletics take priority over academics.

Other programs just as deserving of attention

Call me crazy. I thought I came to Indiana University to get a first-class education. But in all my four years here, I have yet to see our first-rate music school get the kind of attention that the basketball program does. And that's sad. It just goes to show that we respect a man like Bobby Knight ' a man who would be reviled as a bully in any other field ' just because he can tell boys how to throw a basketball.

Basketball tradition does not need Knight

I felt a need to respond to the Nick Bowton column of Sept. 11 entitled "Time to Get Out of Here." Nick criticizes IU student Kent Harvey for his behavior with the Bob Knight incident. In particular, he writes "Perhaps (Harvey) doesn't like Coach Bob Knight or IU basketball. Perhaps he thought it would be entertaining to get Knight in trouble. Perhaps he just wanted to be on TV or in the news. Perhaps he should have thought before he acted."

Columnist guilty of promoting himself

I felt a need to respond to the Nick Bowton column of Sept. 11 entitled "Time to Get Out of Here." Nick criticizes IU student Kent Harvey for his behavior with the Bob Knight incident. In particular, he writes "Perhaps (Harvey) doesn't like Coach Bob Knight or IU basketball. Perhaps he thought it would be entertaining to get Knight in trouble. Perhaps he just wanted to be on TV or in the news. Perhaps he should have thought before he acted."

Columnist's word a veiled threat

Nick Bowton's thinly veiled public threat against the young man who was accosted by Coach Bob Knight underscores everything that is wrong with the ex-Coach's supporters ("Time to get out of here," Sept. 11). While Bowton waxed eloquent, and then some, on the supposed possible shortcomings of student Kent Harvey, he failed to explain why Coach Knight, considering his track record of violence and abuse, deserves anyone's loyalty.

Student reaction to firing 'disturbing'

As a proud former attendee of IU and supporter of Coach Knight, I find myself embarrassed and perplexed by his and the students' reaction to his ouster. The photos on the IDS Web site are especially disturbing.

Student riots an insult to good cause

My roommates were walking home last night, and, upon walking in the door, were greeted with a "Hey, Nora! We were in the middle of a riot about an hour ago!" I immediately think "riot at IU equals NRA meeting in Unitarian church basement." The mental images evoked from the word "riot" include: civil rights, gay rights, emotional protest over gender equality issues, human rights protests, etc., not the firing of a basketball coach after repeated, highly questionable acts.