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| | Wednesday, May 17 Indiana AD says rift with Knight exaggerated | |||||
| Associated Press BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University's athletic director is confident that Bob Knight won't get in the way of establishing a new code of conduct. As part of the resolution of Knight's most recent controversy, Clarence Doninger -- who has had direct conflicts with Knight and was kept out of recent deliberations over the coach's future -- was asked to develop athletic department rules that might determine Knight's future. "The way I look at it, throughout my life I've never had a hard time getting along with people," Doninger said Tuesday. "Some have depicted this as sort of this conflict between coach and me. That was certainly exaggerated in this thing." In resolving a seven-week investigation into allegations that Knight choked a former player, IU president Myles Brand said Monday that Knight can stay as coach if he follows a zero-tolerance behavior policy. Knight was also suspended for three games in the 2000-01 season and fined $30,000. Knight promptly left for a scheduled vacation in Scotland after Monday's announcement. Brand also appointed Doninger -- who in February was involved in a shouting match with Knight -- to head a commission to develop policies for appropriate behavior for coaches, athletic department employees and student-athletes. University spokesman Christopher Simpson said Doninger's sometimes rocky relationship with Knight played no part in his selection to head the commission. "Clarence Doninger is our athletic director and he's going to lead this effort to help us develop a code of conduct because it reaches not just coach Knight, but all our coaches and all our student-athletes," Simpson said Tuesday. "It would be very odd not to have him in that role." Doninger has come to Knight's defense on many occasions since becoming athletic director in 1991, but the two have also had their share of problems. Doninger has admitted that he hasn't spoken with Knight since Feb. 19, when he and Knight got into an argument following a game against Ohio State. Doninger wasn't involved in the recent talks regarding Knight's future and wasn't consulted about the decision until Monday. He said Tuesday he understands that, because he was involved in some of the allegations against Knight, he shouldn't have been there to make the final decision, but he should have taken part in the deliberations. "In terms of being part of the deliberation process, I was not there," Doninger said. "I think the athletic director should have been involved." But that's irrelevant now, Doninger said. He's ready to move forward and believes Knight will not be a problem. "I think as we go forward, for the good of this institution and for the good of this athletic program, that of course we can both go for the common good," Doninger said. Though only one year shy of IU's mandatory retirement age of 65, Doninger said the recent troubles haven't pushed him to retire early, and he plans to work at least through his final year. Bruce Jaffee, an IU business professor and head of the university athletics committee, said Tuesday he believes Doninger can be objective despite past problems with Knight. "I find that Doninger is a man of honesty and integrity," Jaffee said. "I think he's a big enough person to not drive a policy that's specifically focused on Bob Knight or the basketball program." Jaffee doesn't doubt that Doninger can easily accomplish what he's been asked to do, but thinks that for Knight it might be a bit tougher. "I think it will work with these two people. I think they're big people," Jaffee said. "I think the much tougher question is, does Bob Knight have another teaching style, public behavior that he can put on sincerely?" | ALSO SEE Knight to remain as Indiana's coach Kreidler: Promises of another dark Knight Bilas: Knight, IU both to blame Bob Knight career timeline Stats Class: Knight in the NCAA Tournament Ratto: Hoosiers had no choice Katz: All eyes on Knight starting now  Vitale: Time to move onKatz: Trustees change tune  | |||||