Friday, April 14, 2000

Knight needs to apologize

---

BY PAUL DAUGHERTY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        Bob Knight should apologize, but he probably won't. Guys like Knight don't apologize. But this time, Knight should.

        I'm sorry I grabbed Neil Reed. It wasn't my place. I am a teacher, one of the best. But my temper constantly fights with my better judgment; too often, it wins.

        I am a good coach and a good man. For those keeping score, the good I have done far outweighs the bad. If it were a game, it'd be over by the first TV timeout. Good wins in a rout.

        My players graduate. I don't cheat. I don't tolerate mediocrity or misbehavior. I am a loyal man in a disloyal age. I have raised millions for my university.

        But with Reed, I was wrong. Completely. I'm sorry for that, and I'm sorry I've chosen to fight his charges instead of apologize for my actions. As someone who insists on accountability, I need to take a better look at myself. I am not above reproach.

        That would do it for this columnist. That would be good enough. And as soon as the sanctimonious, self-righteous media picked itself off the floor — after passing out from shock — it ought to be good enough for them, too.

        Because I know if Knight ever said he was sorry, he'd mean it.

Coach not a cliche
        The reaction to Reed's charges and the subsequent videotape was predictable enough: Fire Knight. Get rid of him. Who does he think he is? It fits neatly the cliche we've made him out to be, ever since he (1) fought the cop in Puerto Rico, (2) banged the scorer's table at Riverfront Coliseum, or (3) threw the chair. Can't forget the chair.

        But Knight is much too complex a character to be caricatured. People want to put Knight in this box; they want to jam him into that hole. He defies that. He's neither saint nor sinner. He's both. Just like the rest of us.

        Other coaches practice their evil away from public view; Knight is front and center. Other coaches court the media, or at least fool them with a phony public image; Knight doesn't give a damn.

        He's a substance coach in a style world. Whether that's a criticism of Knight, or just an observation, depends on your point of view.

        I know one thing: I hate to see what's going on now. Because I like Knight. I respect what he stands for. I've interviewed him solo half a dozen times in the past several years. I think I know what he's trying to do. It's not wrong. It may be dated. It is extreme. He's much to smart a man to do so many dumb things, over and over.

        But at his core, he is a decent man, with values I wish most of us shared. The worry with Knight is, he has gotten himself to a place where his legacy will be closer to sinner than saint. He won't be remembered for the graduation numbers or the honest program, or even for all the wins. He'll be The Guy Who Threw The Chair.

He's hurting himself
        That's the box he built for himself, and it's a shame.

        If he had chosen, he could have been Dean Smith. He could have been as revered as any coach who ever walked a sideline. Instead, he's The Guy Who Grabbed Neil Reed.

        It is time for him to apologize. It is time for Knight to repair a legacy that deserves better, before it's too late. Being sincerely sorry isn't a weakness. It's strength. Get on with it, Coach.

        Paul Daugherty welcomes your comments at (513) 768-8454.

See the Knight choking videotape at cnnsi.com