Knightmare in the Lone Star State

Former Texas Tech men's basketball Coach James Dickey discovered that finishing the 2000-01 season with a 9-19 record and the past four seasons with an overall record of 47-66 does not bode well for job security. During that time, the Red Raiders were penalized nine scholarship spots by the NCAA for recruitment violations and unethical conduct. The result has been four losing seasons.

COURTESY NEWSMAKERS Former Indiana bad boy Bobby Knight.

Although the sanctions will be lifted for the 2001-02 season, Dickey, a two-time Southwestern Conference Coach of the Year, will not be around to rebuild his team into a powerhouse in the Big 12. The university fired Dickey following the team's loss to Oklahoma State in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. "These situations are always difficult to address," Texas Tech Athletic Director Gerald Myers said. "The program wasn't successful, and this was the right decision for the program. This change was needed to get the program back on track."

The man whom Texas Tech considers capable of getting "the program back on track" is former Indiana coach Bob Knight. A legend in the world of basketball, Knight was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991, led Indiana to three national championships during his 29 years there, and remains the only coach to have won an NIT title, NCAA championship, Pan American gold medal, and Olympic gold medal. Although Texas Tech has yet to formally offer Knight the position of head coach, he has visited the school, and with an offer expected, it seems likely that Lubbock might soon be Knight's new home.

Knight offers Texas Tech the opportunity to rebuild its struggling program—under the fine tutelage of an experienced basketball coach. However, some knots exist along his string of accolades: he threw a chair during a game, put his hands around a player's throat during a videotaped practice, and grabbed a player's arm while lecturing him about manners—an action which ultimately led to his dismissal. Vendors in Lubbock are already capitalizing on Knight's tempermental behavior, printing t-shirts that read, "Put the kids to bed and glue down the chairs, KNIGHT TIME is coming."

For the most part, former players and fans regard Knight with the utmost respect despite criticism surrounding his behavior. Former player John Laskowski '75, wrote that Knight's style was "challenging physically and mentally," emphasizing that Knight was "smartest" when it came to his "ability to look at a guy and say he needs to be pushed more." Texas Tech officials cite Knight's commitment to education and the excellent graduation rate of his former players as supporting evidence for their choice. And what better place for Knight than a university where the street in front of the arena is named Indiana, where he brought his Hoosiers to inaugurate the opening of the Red Raiders' new arena in 1999, and where Myers, his long-time friend, works? Nevertheless, Texas Tech must consider the serious risk in hiring Knight, as it would be a gamble for any potential employer to hire an employee who was dismissed from his former job for violent and unacceptable behavior.

If Knight is offered and accepts the Texas Tech job, Red Raider basketball will never be the same, and the university will have made a grave mistake. Undoubtedly, Knight will bring some positive elements to the team. He will bring publicity and strong recruits to Lubbock and Texas Tech will become an immediate presence within the Big 12. But any positives will be accompanied by his tarnished reputation and the fear that the explosive behavior witnessed in Indiana will surface again in Texas. Perhaps Laskowski is right—Knight will "push" players to reach their full potential. But let's hope that, if given the opportunity to coach again, he is able to remember that pushing players is not meant literally.

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