 |  |  | ||||||||||
|
|  | | |||||||||
 |  |  | ||||||||||
 | | | ||
| ESPN.com NFL | |  | |
| | | ||
 | Tuesday, May 16 IU made right decision Special to ESPN.com | |||
Now that the soap opera "As the World of Knight Turns" has reached a climax, I really believe the committee used good judgment in its decision to pass sanctions rather than complete dismissal of The General, Robert Montgomery Knight.
They took into account 29 years of dedication on the sidelines and for Indiana University. Yes, there have been several documented incidents, but what about all the positives. Talk to some of the players The General has coached over the years, guys like Isiah Thomas, Quinn Buckner, John Laskowski, Kent Benson, Brian Sloan (who is a doctor in residency whom Knight is so proud of). Knight's players, who put on that Indiana uniform and put in their four years, will tell you that they have learned how to compete in the game of life, to scrap and claw and deal with adversity. They have learned how to handle good times as well as bad times. When you look at Knight, these sanctions maybe should have been passed on a decade ago. If they were, they may have even made him a better coach. I think the great thing about all of this is this is the first time that I have seen him publicly address his problem of controlling his temper. I felt that was a positive in itself. They say that before one can solve a problem, they have to look in the mirror and admit they have one. It's great that for once he has stood tall and has been contrite through this entire situation. There's no question the embarrassment and humiliation to the university reached an unbelievable pinnacle. Something had to be done and this zero-tolerance stance is as strong as could be. To me, the three-game suspension and the $30,000 fine are meaningless. It is the zero tolerance which really sets the tone for his behavior in the future. Nobody can possibly condone the actions in the reports that we read concerning the secretary and the alleged insubordination with athletic director Clarence Doninger. The grabbing of Neil Reed by the neck is reprehensible and can't be part of any formula. When one studied all of the actions, I believe Indiana University president Myles Brand deserves a hand for not just quickly doing what so many had suggested -- firing a man who had given so much to the school. That's not just coaching on the sidelines, either. Consider the financial help for the institution, as well as helping people behind the scenes. Knight has no doubt had his problems. Many of us have had problems throughout our lives. To learn from them and go on, that's the sign of a man. There are many out there saying that there is no way he can survive under the current sanctions. There are those questioning whether his coaching expertise can reach its past success under the current edict. Think about the scrutiny, the evaluation, the cameras every place he goes and everywhere his team plays. You are dealing with a man, as Thomas said, who is a master communicator. I'm talking about a man who has a brilliant mind and when he sets his sights on making something happen, you'd better believe that there is a good chance it can and will occur. My feeling is that Knight will survive this. The coaching style will be similar to the past, the intensity and emotion will still be there. The temper will be controlled and utilized only in a positive way. I feel Knight will ultimately become the winningest coach in college basketball. Let us now move on. More from the Big TenI want to give a cheer to Tom Izzo for staying at Michigan State. I want to talk about something positive in the world of college basketball, baby! That's positive, saying no to the Atlanta Hawks and their $15 million offer. You'd better believe there was a sigh of relief in East Lansing when Izzo made his decision to stay with the Spartans. The players who will wear the green and white had to be happy with his return. Izzo is a college coach. His emotion, passion and intensity belong on the college sidelines. It was great that he didn't allow piles of cash to get in the way of making a sound decision. Then again, I guess you can live pretty well on $1.1 million a year coaching at the collegiate level. The bottom line is, it is still a very loyal decision to turn away almost three times as much to coach at the next level. Think about guys who dream all their life about coaching in the pros. Izzo still looked at what he had at Michigan State and opted to stay. I believe Izzo also took into account guys who didn't have any professional experience, either coaching or playing. Look at the track record, and it has not been good recently. Look at me, Dickie V., and it did not work out. John Calipari, Jerry Tarkanian, P.J. Carlesimo ... there are several common denominators. Each were college coaches who never laced them up on the professional level, and each coached with passion and intensity. They all found out that emotion and passion are very difficult to maintain over an 82-game schedule, plus the postseason. For those who scream "What about Larry Brown and Rick Pitino? They went from college to the pros!" remember that they served in the pro ranks as assistants. Brown also was a pro player as well. So I salute Izzo and I look forward to seeing him, as well as coach Knight, on the Big Ten sidelines next season.
 |  |  | ||
|
ESPN INSIDER
Copyright 1995-2000 ESPN/Starwave Partners d/b/a ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form. ESPN.com Privacy Policy. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service. | | | |
 | |  | ||