Tark Can’t Be a Pawn for Knight

Yo, Tark:

Just thought I’d drop you a word of congratulations.

Congratulations.

That said, I want to give you some friendly advice. No, no, not about those alleged recruiting violations you guys allegedly racked up. I’m sure you’ll beat that rap. The kid probably inherited that money and those motorcycles and things.

No, what I want to talk to you about is your game against Indiana. Not that I think your Runnin’ Rebels will be overmatched Saturday, but I think you yourself might be overmatched.

No offense, old buddy. I’m not talking about coaching acumen or strategy or anything. I know you know hoops. You can run a team.

But can you handle (ominous organ chord here, please) . . . Bobby Knight?

If you’re not careful, this guy will have the officials toweling off the Hoosier players’ brows during timeouts. But don’t take my word for it, Tark. Here’s what USC Coach George Raveling told me:

“I think you have to be alert. Bobby is a guy who really understands the game from every perspective. He’s probably the best teacher of the game, and he also understands what it takes to win, and one of the things he appreciates is good officiating, and he tries to keep the officials on their toes. As an opposing coach, you’ve got to be into the game as keenly as Bobby, and you’ve also got to be involved with the officials.”

Let me interpret here, Sharkster. Raveling and Knight are good buddies, so George is not about to put any hits on Bobby. What Raveling meant by the preceding, I think, is, “If you don’t scream and shriek and cry and die and fly into a rage every three or four seconds, as Bobby has a tendency to do whenever he’s awake, then have a nice time watching Monday’s championship game on TV.”

Look, I know the officials are honest fellows. But basketball is an intense, emotional sport--listen to me, I’m telling you this, Tark. Officials are human. Maybe all that constant “personal involvement” from a coach like Knight results in one or two calls going Knight’s way. That’s not much, but how much did Indiana win by Sunday? An ace.

Did you see Knight? First half, everything is pretty calm. Ref makes a routine call, Knight sprints onto the court like he’s checking into the game, does an Earl Weaver in the ref’s face, then goes to the official’s table and gives it a karate-style whack. Bobby gets himself a technical, and later says he didn’t deserve it. Sheesh, he was only asking a question.

He’s right. He didn’t deserve a technical. He deserved three.

I’m sure you’re aware of the refs, Tark. Raveling keeps a file on zebras.

“I keep little cards,” Raveling says. “I jot down tendencies, which ones call walking, three seconds, which ones you can rattle and which ones you can’t. Like Booker Turner (veteran Pac-10 official), when he says, ‘OK, that’s it, the next one is a T,’ he isn’t playing around.

“I always felt you had to scout the officials like you do the opposing team. Sometimes if they have a tendency, I’ll bring it up before the game. ‘What’s your interpretation of the block-charge play?’ Just to plant a seed.”

When it comes to planting seeds, Bobby Knight is the farmer in the dell.

This is not to impugn Knight’s character or anything, Tark. Raveling tells me, “Nobody is more loyal or compassionate or loving than Bobby Knight.” I still vote for my mom.

He also calls Knight a “visionary,” who has made remarkable adjustments over the years. Knight plays zone defense now, he recruits JC ballplayers, he has cut way back on the passing-game offense, and he doesn’t even holler at his players as much as he used to. It’s been months since Bobby mugged one of his Hoosiers in public.

What I’m trying to say is, this is a very complex individual who defies easy labeling. Even in his fury, Knight might interject a little humor. Like the time his Indiana team was playing a Soviet team and Knight--now here’s a shock--didn’t like a call. So he took off his shoe and banged it on the scorer’s table, in a parody of Nikita--Khrushchev, not Wilson.

So what I think you have to do, Shark, is not let Knight get the drop on you. He tries to establish his relationship with the officials early in the game. If you sit back gumming your towel, they’ll carry you out of the gym on a stretcher.

Hey, I know, basketball shouldn’t be like this. Coaches shouldn’t influence officials, or even try. I blame it on Red Auerbach, but then I blame Red Auerbach when my car won’t start. When he coached the Boston Celtics, Red wrote the book on establishing relationships with refs via the creative beef. The master blaster.

Nowadays, a coach who thinks all he has to do is coach soon becomes an ex-coach.

I’m telling you all this not because I’m taking sides in this game, Tark. I must remain professionally objective. Besides, if I affiliate myself emotionally with you guys, what do I do if the NCAA winds up shipping your whole program to Siberia? I got no long johns.

But your ballclub does represent my own personal half of the United States, in which I take pride. And also, I just want to see a fair game Saturday night.

May the best team, and not the wackiest coach, win.

Sportingly yours,

Scott