Jeff Mercer: Knight's appearance brought tears
- Thread starter hoosierdaddy_1972
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Wonderful read. I grew up watching the 76 team win it all. I went to hear Coach speak once, he has such a presence, very rare person. Sad to hear of his medical issues, his memory for details was always such an aspect of his intelligence and story telling. Glad to hear he was willing to make the trip to the campus.
I am kind of afraid to think that his suddenly coming around is a realization that his intelligence is slipping away and its now or never. Hope I am wrong.
I'm sort of torn on his return.
I was completely done with him forever after he went up to pu for a Keady function instead of coming to IU to celebrate the "76" team...
I've softened a bit after hearing he got together with the "76" team members at "The Working Mans Friend" but that pu move really, really soured me on him.
Now I'm willing to cut him some slack and welcome him back since he's clearly having some age related issues. Perhaps the pu move was a major red flag in that regard (dementia or worse)...
Like our baseball coach, my father had a signed photo of him up on his study wall in the family home back in the late "70's" that Bob Knight had sent to my father when he was ill, although it was nowhere near a crucifix or any important military items/photos...
It's always been clear to me that he was a hell of a coach while also exhibiting some personality flaws that probably often helped him be a hell of a coach.
I really enjoyed watching his teams play. I miss seeing guys having a clue as to what they were attempting to accomplish on defense..., and watching offenses run with some clear purpose in mind (like perhaps scoring)..,
While I wouldn't ever pay to see him speak (specifically because of that pu visit), I'd be glad to see him come back for one last standing ovation at Assembly Hall. He deserves that...
I was completely done with him forever after he went up to pu for a Keady function instead of coming to IU to celebrate the "76" team...
I've softened a bit after hearing he got together with the "76" team members at "The Working Mans Friend" but that pu move really, really soured me on him.
Now I'm willing to cut him some slack and welcome him back since he's clearly having some age related issues. Perhaps the pu move was a major red flag in that regard (dementia or worse)...
Like our baseball coach, my father had a signed photo of him up on his study wall in the family home back in the late "70's" that Bob Knight had sent to my father when he was ill, although it was nowhere near a crucifix or any important military items/photos...
It's always been clear to me that he was a hell of a coach while also exhibiting some personality flaws that probably often helped him be a hell of a coach.
I really enjoyed watching his teams play. I miss seeing guys having a clue as to what they were attempting to accomplish on defense..., and watching offenses run with some clear purpose in mind (like perhaps scoring)..,
While I wouldn't ever pay to see him speak (specifically because of that pu visit), I'd be glad to see him come back for one last standing ovation at Assembly Hall. He deserves that...
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I think that is a really good point about the personality flaws being part of his success. Normal nice guys generally don't accomplish the kind of things that he did.
One last standing ovation at AH would truly be incredible.
I agree with you and am sure those close to him encourage burying the hatchet and finding resolution.
I honestly don't see how it matters. I grew up in the 1970s and 80s, the height of the RMK era. IU basketball and Bob Knight are forever synonymous to me. Whether he now, decades later, has some sort of ceremonial reconciliation with people who had nothing to do with his departure doesn't change that one way or the other.
When you are losing your faculties, as he is, then you and your loved ones see things from a different perspective. Also it is often the case that as the transformation continue negative emotions are amplified so best to be in as peaceful a state as possible.
It also makes no difference to me but then my view is he was shamefully shafted by IU and a portion of the IU community.
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