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Bobby Knight Steps Down at Texas Tech

Sorry for the lack of a post today, but there really wasn't much news to work with.  Special Steve is still working on the Nebraska preview for me, we should have that up tomorrow or Wednesday.

But obviously the big--that's a severe understatement--news in the Big 12 and all of college basketball is Bobby Knight's resignation at Texas Tech.  Keep checking in over at Double T Nation for more on the situation.  For immediate reaction, see the first link above, Seth C has some excellent thoughts on Knight's tenure.

My personal emotions regarding Knight are mixed.  It goes without saying the man is one helluva basketball coach.  Only 900+ wins, national championships, and the last undefeated season in Division I college basketball.  On top of that, his teams play basketball the way it was meant to be played, from the motion offense to making free throws to just plain good fundamentals all around.  Off the court, he graduates players at an impressive rate.  

But he was the epitome of a flawed genius, whose temper constantly got the best of him and led him to near-psychotic episodes, such as the chair-throw and choking Neil Reid.  And those are only the more famous incidents involving the man.  While some of his incidents were almost comical (*strong* language warning, definitely NSFW), they still display an utterly immature and undisciplined side of a man who demanded the absolute opposite from his players.  If it were up to me, I would pick John Wooden, Dean Smith or Mike Krzyzewski ahead of Knight to coach my team without a second thought.  Maybe they didn't win as many games, but they won a lot and have brought home multiple national titles, and they did it with a level of class Knight's temper prevented him from displaying.

I'm sure there will be much speculation in the days to come as to why Knight quit now.  Seth C's post, linked above, tentatively begins to look into those issues.  My first reaction when my girlfriend told me about it was that there may be some health issues.  Please note that was merely a gut reaction at the moment I heard news that nearly sent me into the divider on I-610.  But the more I think about it, the more I believe it may really be simply because Knight is tired, or tired of coaching.  To take nothing away from Tech, it is simply a world removed from Indiana as far as basketball is concerned.  In Texas, and by that I mean anywhere in Texas, basketball will always play second fiddle to football.  The crowds simply haven't showed up in Lubbock, and I'm sure it's hard to get motivated as a coach when you've been at the very pinnacle of the game, in front of a raucous Assembly Hall, and suddenly you're relegated to a town that is sort of interested in basketball because you're the coach, but not much more.  Again, not a knock on Tech at all, but it just isn't Indiana, and I'm sure that was tough for Knight to deal with.

So in sum, while I can't really say that I will miss Bobby Knight, the Big 12 will be a less-colorful place because of his departure.  Best of luck to his son, Pat, who will be taking over as the Red Raiders' coach.  Well, except when K-State visits.