Bobby Knight became an infamous figure in the world of college basketball for his chair-throwing temper tantrums and reports of emotional abuse of his players. His tumultuous relationship with the Indiana administration boiled over in 2000 when video of Knight choking Neil Reed during practice three years earlier surfaced. That, coupled with an accusation by a student that the coach grabbed his arm, prompted the university to fire him and Knight has not stepped foot in Bloomington since.
Bobby Knight on Indiana administration that fired him: ‘I hope they’re all dead’
Knight told Dan Patrick on Friday morning that he has no plans of ever going back to Indiana.
On Friday morning, Knight was interviewed on The Dan Patrick Show in advance of the premier of a Showtime documentary about the Hoosiers’ legendary 1976 season that saw the team go undefeated on its way to a national championship.
Knight’s long-held bitterness toward Indiana higher-ups is well-known, with some fans and writers calling for the university to cool on its overtures to and veneration of the former coach.
In the course of Knight’s interview with Patrick, the question of a ceremonial return to the program’s campus he helmed for 29 years came up. Knight had some off-putting things to say about Indiana and university history. Patrick asked why “we” — do we? — want Knight to return to Assembly Hall so much. Here’s the coach’s response:
“Well, I think I’ve always really enjoyed the fans, I always will ... On my dying day, I will think about how great the fans at Indiana were. And as far as the hierarchy at Indiana University at that time, I have absolutely no respect whatsoever for those people. With that in mind, I have no interest in ever going back to that university.”
Knight wasn’t finished, though, as Patrick leaned in to point out that most, if not all, of those in the university’s administration at the time are no longer there.
“I hope they’re all dead,” said Knight, sitting petulantly on a 16-year grudge that he caused in the first place. “Well, some of them are ...” replied Patrick, to which Knight abruptly interjected, “Well, I hope the rest of them go.”
Yes, Bob Knight coached some legendary Indiana teams for 29 years. Yes, Bob Knight won the university three national championships in basketball. Yes, former players still sing his praises, with Isiah Thomas most recently petitioning him to return to Assembly Hall in late November 2016. But it’s probably time for the university and fans to venerate other former Indiana players and coaches, and let Knight stew in peace.
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