Knight to NCAA: ‘Let Him Who Is Without Sin Cast First Reprimand’

Bob Knight, censured for his conduct at a postgame news conference during the NCAA tournament in March, issued his own reprimand to the NCAA tournament committee Wednesday night.

The NCAA on Tuesday reprimanded Knight and fined Indiana University $30,000. But Knight, in a statement, said seven members of the nine-man committee either now represent or have headed the athletic departments at other schools where NCAA violations occurred.

He noted the reprimand mentioned a similar sanction against him and Indiana after the 1987 NCAA tournament, and he proposed an “eight-year purity plan that would require all members of the tournament committee to be so guilt-free.

“My ‘purity plan’ would mean representation on the nine-man committee would be only for those schools that have conducted their athletic business for at least the past eight years in conformity with the NCAA’s own rule book. I even have a suggested name for the rule: the John 8:7 Rule, which I have slightly paraphrased to read, ‘Let him who is without sin cast the first reprimand.’ “This is the first reprimand I have ever felt necessary to issue during my 19 appearances in the NCAA tournament. and I would cheerfully rescind this reprimand immediately if those on the committee in violation of the John 8:7 Rule will honor their pursuit of purity by stepping down.”

The statement ended: “My humble suggestion would be that the $30,000 fine be used to fund scholarships for underprivileged students rather than being used as expenses for the NCAA tournament committee’s annual golf meeting which this summer is at Cape Cod.”