Indiana Sure Has the Knight Stuff

As an alum of Indiana University, I was obviously disappointed with our early exit from the NCAA tournament. My only consolation was the expectation that the daily dose of Knight bashing that arrives on my doorstep each morning would ease. Surprise! Since IU’s exit four days ago, not a day has gone by without some mention of Knight’s inhumanity and how his apologists are circling the wagons again.

Why is it that when former players and coaches support Bob Knight, it must be due to some brainwashing they received during the time they were at IU? Why is it that any allegation made against Coach Knight is automatically assumed to be correct, no matter how preposterous? Why must his current players be made to suffer from the distraction due to this adverse publicity?

The obvious answer is this: Bob Knight sells. He’s a great story for CNN/SI two days before March Madness, he’s a great story for HBO one week later, and he helps sell the Los Angeles Times every day in between. So what if all of the principals in the Neil Reed incident deny that Knight choked him (including Neil Reed, three years ago). So what if he didn’t really kick the president of Indiana University out of his practices, if we allege it, people will buy it.

Do I believe that Knight is an angel? Certainly not, but I have seen firsthand some of the many fine things he has brought to Indiana. So, here’s a deal for you. I promise to be more balanced in my defense of Bob Knight just as soon as the media are more balanced in their attacks on Bob Knight. But I’m not holding my breath.

JEFFREY SPERO

Santa Monica

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In his screed against Indiana Coach Bob Knight, J.A. Adande unwittingly pays Knight the ultimate tribute by stating that “Indiana players so rarely do well in the NBA.”

To run a successful basketball program these days without NBA fodder is remarkable. Adande might also wish to check out the Indiana graduation rate and compare it to those of his favorite teams.

JEROME S. KLEINSASSER

Bakersfield