Bob Knight Slapping Player

[zippy]

Do you guys agree that this was OK? Bob Knight slapped a player in the face to get his attention while talking to him today. The kid was looked like he was listening to Knight, but was looking down. Knight slapped him to make him pay attention.

[SeguinMatadors]

Do you guys agree that this was OK? Bob Knight slapped a player in the face to get his attention while talking to him today. The kid was looked like he was listening to Knight, but was looking down. Knight slapped him to make him pay attention.

I see no problem with it. I wouldn't be opposed to doing it as a coach someday. I think people need to stop being such pansies. It isn't like he punched him or took a full swinging slap.

[GRP05]

If the player has a problem with it and wants to do something about it, that's one thing, but I don't think other people have the right to freak out about it for him.

[zippy]

I see no problem with it. I wouldn't be opposed to doing it as a coach someday. I think people need to stop being such pansies. It isn't like he punched him or took a full swinging slap.

I thought the expression on the kids face was priceless. I would never do it to a player, but I am not Bob Knight either. I wonder how these kids feel when he does that? I think he needs to at least give them a warning. Like say, "hey, I am about to ***** slap you, prepare for it so I don't bust your lip"

[zippy]

If the player has a problem with it and wants to do something about it, that's one thing, but I don't think other people have the right to freak out about it for him.

The guy calling the game said he did not see it as a problem with it. I am sure it will be blown up in the press as more time passes.

[stevefoxsc]

some people need the shiz nit slapped out of them.

[SeguinMatadors]

I thought the expression on the kids face was priceless. I would never do it to a player, but I am not Bob Knight either. I wonder how these kids feel when he does that? I think he needs to at least give them a warning. Like say, "hey, I am about to ***** slap you, prepare for it so I don't bust your lip"

Athlets at the collegiate level tend to be full of theirselves. They are worshiped on campus so naturally they get big headed. A little discipline and humiliation here does a service to the individuals and the team.

[zippy]

some people need the shiz nit slapped out of them.

I guess, I do not follow B-Ball, and I do not know anything about the kid that got whacked. I do know of some in all levels of play that need to be beyond a slap, they need a foot to the teeth. I am just not the type to give it. I like other methods I guess.

[zippy]

Athlets at the collegiate level tend to be full of theirselves. They are worshiped on campus so naturally they get big headed. A little discipline and humiliation here does a service to the individuals and the team.

You see that at the jr high level nowdays:D I know of a couple of high school kids I have seen this year that must be worshiped on their campus. They sure were big headed. You can fix that on the field by having it smashed in when you get a chance. That kid was for sure humiliated! He looked like he was going to cry.

[SeguinMatadors]

You see that at the jr high level nowdays:D I know of a couple of high school kids I have seen this year that must be worshiped on their campus. They sure were big headed. You can fix that on the field by having it smashed in when you get a chance. That kid was for sure humiliated! He looked like he was going to cry.

In middle school I worshiped my self. My friend Jay and I thought we were better than everybody. Superior athletes, superior looking, superior beings. I haven't changed much. lol.

[lonny23]

Of all the things he's done, that's near the bottom slightly above the talk about using a whip as a motivational tool on his players when talking to the media at the NCAA tournament, but below tossing the chair on the court in Indiana. Gene Keady said Knight wouldn't need to do that if parents taught their kids to look at them when they're being disciplined.

I've never hit my girls like he did that guy last night, but I've grabbed my youngest daughter to turn her head and make her look at me when I was talking. Many times not looking is a sign of rebellion against what's being said. On the other hand, it does no good to look down in shame. You have to keep your head high and learn from the discipline.

[LUFPAN]

I cant count the number of times I've wanted to slap a ball player from Tech.:D

[okt0ber]

In middle school I worshiped my self. My friend Jay and I thought we were better than everybody. Superior athletes, superior looking, superior beings. I haven't changed much. lol.


I know that's not true..... :D

[Favpack]

Did ya'll see the video?

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=30458DDC-F41D-47C9-9DEB-E76FB35B2CB1,5175E705-3339-46D0-B772-335954E7BE03&t=c160&f=06/64&p=&GT1=8717

Good grief, give me a break. I'm not a huge Knight fan, but he barely grazed the kid's chin. Whoopdeedoo.

[dada]

What's the BIG DEAL? Even the player said "Coach was just trying to talk to me and I had my head down so he raised my head".....Give me a break man!

[SV61]

But the fact is that it was Bobby Knight. That changes everything!

You know, a person with his history.............

:rolleyes:

It is between the kid that got "slapped" and Knight. A camera caught it. Now, it is "news".

Yea.

:o

[svhorns]

I would have slapped Knight right back... its a respect thing for me...

[yallerjacket]

I would have slapped Knight right back... its a respect thing for me...

Someday you'll develop some common sense, don't worry.

[svhorns]

Someday you'll develop some common sense, don't worry.
I dont care who you are.. whether your the pope, Coach Knight, Mack Brown, or a bum... you slap me...Im slappin back...who does he think he is to just go and slap a kid because he THINKS hes not paying attention... forget that... im not gonna be embarassed on national TV because he thinks im not paying attention... it was a worth a good laugh though....

[lonny23]

Did ya'll see the video?

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=30458DDC-F41D-47C9-9DEB-E76FB35B2CB1,5175E705-3339-46D0-B772-335954E7BE03&t=c160&f=06/64&p=&GT1=8717

Good grief, give me a break. I'm not a huge Knight fan, but he barely grazed the kid's chin. Whoopdeedoo.
Make sure you watch the next one after that. It comes up automatically. You get to see him toss the chair, talk about the whip as a motivational device, and my favorite...make a bunch of faces when a reporter asks him about game faces!:D

[lonny23]

But the fact is that it was Bobby Knight. That changes everything!

You know, a person with his history.............

:rolleyes:

It is between the kid that got "slapped" and Knight. A camera caught it. Now, it is "news".

Yea.

:o
Jay Bilas was talking about this stuff on Mike and Mike this morning. He doesn't have a problem with it and said that he sometimes thinks something should be talked about, but he's told, "That's no big deal." He said they always think Knight-related stuff is news. The media covers what the want to cover and hides what they want to hide. Most of the time, it's the suits behind the scenes that tell the front people what to say.

[slorch]

I haven't read anyone else's post, so I am sorry if I repeat anything someone else has already said. i wanted to respond to this uninfluenced by the board.
First, I am a disciplinarian father. there are rules to live by, and respect of leaders/ elders is expected. With that respect comes responsibility of the leader/ elder to coach and teach in a positive manner. I don't have an issue with Bob Knight demanding respect. He should be mature enough to deal with it out of the public eye. It is Bob Knight's fault for touching the player in public, not demanding his attention.
Secondly, I have heard on the radio shows repeatedly today, " he abused the kid." Are we in France now? is this what America has turned into? It wasn't abuse, and also the player is a man. If he had a problem with Knight's approach, then redirect it appropriately( or as inappropriately as Knight did to begin with.) I once had a QB coach who loved to pop us as he would play the DE, whom we were reading for the option pitch or run. One day he challenged me by pushing me back on my can as I pitched the ball, as if to embarrass me in front of the team. he said he slipped. Next play, same call, i ran over him and knocked him on his back. i told him I slipped. He winked at me and said he got it. My point is, it's not as if the player is the dreaded "victim " here. I have heard so many folks talk about how the player should never have been touched. And we wonder about the "wussification" of America. It is ingrained in a lot of people's heads that we can't physically discipline any more. It's no wonder there's so much "victimization" out there, nobody knows how to stand up forr themselves anymore! I'm not saying the Tech player is a wimp, I am saying a mentality out there exists that let's people think you can't physically touch a person to get their attention. I disagree.
Lastly, Tech knows what they bought in The General. If my kid was on the Red Raider team, I'd sleep well at night knowing someone is investing in his future by teaching him how to be responsible, proud, and successful, the same things we are already teaching them. That is what Bob Knight undeniably teaches his players. His graduation rates say it, and former players say it. I don't blame him for being Bob Knight, and I would be honored to have him coach my kids- honestly. Look at what happens to his players- where's all of the trouble makers from Indiana? Where's all of the former Red raiders hoopsters in the news?
Society complains about the thugs and then we gripe because a guy cares enough to teach a player how to be a man. I say, teach my kid, if he gives you trouble, deal with it. if my kid has an issue with it, he'll tell the coach or me. Either way, i know what I'm getting when I send my son to Tech to play for Coach Knight.

[lonny23]

I haven't read anyone else's post, so I am sorry if I repeat anything someone else has already said. i wanted to respond to this uninfluenced by the board.
First, I am a disciplinarian father. there are rules to live by, and respect of leaders/ elders is expected. With that respect comes responsibility of the leader/ elder to coach and teach in a positive manner. I don't have an issue with Bob Knight demanding respect. He should be mature enough to deal with it out of the public eye. It is Bob Knight's fault for touching the player in public, not demanding his attention.
Secondly, I have heard on the radio shows repeatedly today, " he abused the kid." Are we in France now? is this what America has turned into? It wasn't abuse, and also the player is a man. If he had a problem with Knight's approach, then redirect it appropriately( or as inappropriately as Knight did to begin with.) I once had a QB coach who loved to pop us as he would play the DE, whom we were reading for the option pitch or run. One day he challenged me by pushing me back on my can as I pitched the ball, as if to embarrass me in front of the team. he said he slipped. Next play, same call, i ran over him and knocked him on his back. i told him I slipped. He winked at me and said he got it. My point is, it's not as if the player is the dreaded "victim " here. I have heard so many folks talk about how the player should never have been touched. And we wonder about the "wussification" of America. It is ingrained in a lot of people's heads that we can't physically discipline any more. It's no wonder there's so much "victimization" out there, nobody knows how to stand up forr themselves anymore! I'm not saying the Tech player is a wimp, I am saying a mentality out there exists that let's people think you can't physically touch a person to get their attention. I disagree.
Lastly, Tech knows what they bought in The General. If my kid was on the Red Raider team, I'd sleep well at night knowing someone is investing in his future by teaching him how to be responsible, proud, and successful, the same things we are already teaching them. That is what Bob Knight undeniably teaches his players. His graduation rates say it, and former players say it. I don't blame him for being Bob Knight, and I would be honored to have him coach my kids- honestly. Look at what happens to his players- where's all of the trouble makers from Indiana? Where's all of the former Red raiders hoopsters in the news?
Society complains about the thugs and then we gripe because a guy cares enough to teach a player how to be a man. I say, teach my kid, if he gives you trouble, deal with it. if my kid has an issue with it, he'll tell the coach or me. Either way, i know what I'm getting when I send my son to Tech to play for Coach Knight.It's just like Gene Keady said this morning. Bob Knight wouldn't do some of the things he does/has done if parents had taught their kids right to start with.

[dada]

It's just like Gene Keady said this morning. Bob Knight wouldn't do some of the things he does/has done if parents had taught their kids right to start with.
I hope Operation P@@@ification dosent get rid of all the GOOD coaches by the time my son reaches high school. Coach Knight, Coach K....the coach from Willis HS....we need more of them.

[slorch]

It's just like Gene Keady said this morning. Bob Knight wouldn't do some of the things he does/has done if parents had taught their kids right to start with.
those aren't kids, they're VICTIMS!

[slorch]

One more thing about the mindset of America today. Society cringes because Knight "slapped" a player who is 20-21 years old. We let 18 years olds fight and die for our freedom every day. How's that for my perspective?

Semper Fi!

[lonny23]

I dont care who you are.. whether your the pope, Coach Knight, Mack Brown, or a bum... you slap me...Im slappin back...who does he think he is to just go and slap a kid because he THINKS hes not paying attention... forget that... im not gonna be embarassed on national TV because he thinks im not paying attention... it was a worth a good laugh though....
I have to say this. When I was little, I learned I worked for mommy and daddy. They fed me, put me in clothes, and gave me a place to live. They were my bosses and I worked for them. Whatever rules they had for me, I was expected to follow or suffer the consequences. We have bosses as adults, too. Bob Knight is the boss of that basketball team. I guarantee you he's told the players to look him in the eye when he's talking to them. They know what to do. That kid was not doing what he was taught to do. I think Coach Knight could've handled it better, but the kid had some kind of consequences coming to him.

[svhorns]

I have to say this. When I was little, I learned I worked for mommy and daddy. They fed me, put me in clothes, and gave me a place to live. They were my bosses and I worked for them. Whatever rules they had for me, I was expected to follow or suffer the consequences. We have bosses as adults, too. Bob Knight is the boss of that basketball team. I guarantee you he's told the players to look him in the eye when he's talking to them. They know what to do. That kid was not doing what he was taught to do. I think Coach Knight could've handled it better, but the kid had some kind of consequences coming to him.
im not going to go any further in this argument... its basketball not football... what was the point of touching him... there was no point... he wasnt looking, why not yell at him and give him an earful instead... theres never a point to touch a kid like that... if you want respect you better earn it... slapping a kid is not a way to earn respect... is it?

[zippy]

I see a lot of talk of "leaders", "boss" etc. The same folks are kind of "for knight and the slap". I agree, it was a baby slap at best. It might have busted a lip at best. However, just some things to consider. Please respond to your thoughts on this:

What if it had been the girls TT B-Ball team that Knight was coaching and he hit a girl like that?

What if your boss at work who is your "boss" and "leader" was to do this to you if you were not paying attention while getting griped out?

And last, what if this took place at a high school and the kid was an 18 year old SR.? Is it ok when you are 19 in college, but not when your 18 in high school? (for the ones that agree)

I do not mean to nag, but I am working on my masters during the summer and this could be a topic for a class next year. Coach Knight and his tactics that is. I have a lot of info that I have collected over time, and this just adds to it.

[GoOwls]

I would have slapped Knight right back... its a respect thing for me...

He was showing a lack of respect by not looking into Coachs' eyes for his verbal beating. You should have considered that before you made your last statement. Sometimes a person needs to be disrespected for their own lack of respect.

[GoOwls]

The kid doesn't have a problem with it and his parents praised Knight for his discipline.

END DISCUSSION!!

[svhorns]

He was showing a lack of respect by not looking into Coachs' eyes for his verbal beating. You should have considered that before you made your last statement. Sometimes a person needs to be disrespected for their own lack of respect.
hes a freakin kid... if I were to screw up I would be scared to look into the coaches eyes also... He was obviously down about something...

[GoOwls]

hes a freakin kid... if I were to screw up I would be scared to look into the coaches eyes also... He was obviously down about something...

He graduates his players.
His players are usually very successful in the real world after he gets through with them.
His players say he was one of the most instrumental people in the success of their lives and his discipline was the main reason.
He is universally loved by ex-players and their parents.

It is my experience that most of you kids with all the attitude would do well to have a little of that discipline in your lives. However, it should have happened in your childhood. It may be too late now.

[dada]

im not going to go any further in this argument... its basketball not football... what was the point of touching him... there was no point... he wasnt looking, why not yell at him and give him an earful instead... theres never a point to touch a kid like that... if you want respect you better earn it... slapping a kid is not a way to earn respect... is it?
So it would have been OK if he was a football player?

[dada]

hes a freakin kid... if I were to screw up I would be scared to look into the coaches eyes also... He was obviously down about something...
Like someone else said.....19 year old Basketball player= KID
19 year old in Iraq=MAN

I wish every coach was like coach Knight.

[Mhs06]

Did any of yall see him violently hit the same player on the back at the game last night?? It was borderline sexual harrassment!

This whole thing is being blown way, way out of proportion. This would be no big deal if any other coach did it, but just because its Bob Knight, ESPN has to single him out ALL DAY.

[yankee]

So it would have been OK if he was a football player?
of course it would have been. it's football. :rolleyes:

[backthepack]

im not going to go any further in this argument... its basketball not football... what was the point of touching him... there was no point... he wasnt looking, why not yell at him and give him an earful instead... theres never a point to touch a kid like that... if you want respect you better earn it... slapping a kid is not a way to earn respect... is it?

Actually, yes. It is a pretty good respect getter...I mean as long as it isn't closed fist, I don't see a problem with it. I know alot of kids around me that haven't ever been disciplined in their life that don't develop respect for anyone around them. It's sad, really.

[Lufkin_Class_Of_08]

I see nothing wrong with it...he didn't choke the player like he did in indiana, and he didnt punch him...and the parents were ok with it...the kid thought it was no big deal but all of america jumps up and makes a big deal about it...it would be another story if the parents were upset but they werent so lets just drop this and go on to other basketball games

[lonny23]

So it would have been OK if he was a football player?
So far we've established that it's OK for the coach to get away with a 15-yard facemask penalty, but it's not OK to try what might or might not be a foul depending upon the score, who's ahead in the series, what teams are playing and whether or not it's a full moon!:p :D

[lonny23]

Did any of yall see him violently hit the same player on the back at the game last night?? It was borderline sexual harrassment!

This whole thing is being blown way, way out of proportion. This would be no big deal if any other coach did it, but just because its Bob Knight, ESPN has to single him out ALL DAY.
They've talked about it for 2 days on Mike and Mike. Yeah, he assaulted all of the Tech players last night. I think he should go to prison!:rolleyes:

[dada]

I see nothing wrong with it...he didn't choke the player like he did in indiana, and he didnt punch him...and the parents were ok with it...the kid thought it was no big deal but all of america jumps up and makes a big deal about it...it would be another story if the parents were upset but they werent so lets just drop this and go on to other basketball games
Well according to the Chronicle...the PLAYER was quoted as saying "I was coming of the court with my head down and coach told me to hold my head up and don't worry about my mistakes".....But the PC police say it's CHILD ABUSE.....the same people saying that the COACHES don't have respect and control after the FIU-Miami brawl.....I turn on the news and see a family trying to sue the city because their 13 year old drowned in a drainage ditch while playing in flood waters. Give me a break dude....Parents don't want to take responsibility anymore and then want the people trying to make change arrested. Call me crazy....but anyone on this board has my permission to discipline my child if they see him out and about up to no good because he KNOWS better and if he's out of line he deserves it. If my son came home and said "I was kicked off the team" and I find out it was because he wasnt following rules or not respecting the coach.....TOO BAD...you have the rest of the year to think about it...try again next year. Be responsible for YOUR actions and stop trying to force the blame on other people. Stop looking for a scapegoat. Totaly off subject but even Trojan has to remind us that it's only 99.9% effective against pregnacy because it it said 100% someone's daughter would be pregnant and instead of the parents discilining the girl they would want to sue the condum company......Some people really need to look in the mirror and ask are they part of the soulution or part of the problem.

[lonny23]

I see nothing wrong with it...he didn't choke the player like he did in indiana, and he didnt punch him...and the parents were ok with it...the kid thought it was no big deal but all of america jumps up and makes a big deal about it...it would be another story if the parents were upset but they werent so lets just drop this and go on to other basketball games
I just look at it this way. The kid is from Plano West and as soft as this country is getting, Texas still has the right idea more than the rest of the country. We still know that kids need discipline. That's why you see so many parents on here talking about how they were disciplined as kids and we talk about doing it to our kids, too. That kind of stuff makes better kids and ends up making you better adults. I'm sure he had a good upbringing in Plano and his parents are probably like mine and would've said he deserved it!:D Bob Knight is a mean guy, but he has a soft heart. He cares about his players and he wants to turn them into men. If I had boys, I'd let them play for him and they wouldn't have a problem. He's the boss and if you work hard for him, he'll love you to death.

[lonny23]

Well according to the Chronicle...the PLAYER was quoted as saying "I was coming of the court with my head down and coach told me to hold my head up and don't worry about my mistakes".....But the PC police say it's CHILD ABUSE.....the same people saying that the COACHES don't have respect and control after the FIU-Miami brawl.....I turn on the news and see a family trying to sue the city because their 13 year old drowned in a drainage ditch while playing in flood waters. Give me a break dude....Parents don't want to take responsibility anymore and then want the people trying to make change arrested. Call me crazy....but anyone on this board has my permission to discipline my child if they see him out and about up to no good because he KNOWS better and if he's out of line he deserves it. If my son came home and said "I was kicked off the team" and I find out it was because he wasnt following rules or not respecting the coach.....TOO BAD...you have the rest of the year to think about it...try again next year. Be responsible for YOUR actions and stop trying to force the blame on other people. Stop looking for a scapegoat. Totaly off subject but even Trojan has to remind us that it's only 99.9% effective against pregnacy because it it said 100% someone's daughter would be pregnant and instead of the parents discilining the girl they would want to sue the condum company......Some people really need to look in the mirror and ask are they part of the soulution or part of the problem.Many people are part of the problem. My parents told people to discipline me if I acted up. I didn't act up because my parents started disciplining me at an early age. From an early age, I learned God was the boss and I'd always be under somebody in some sort of a chain of command. My parents prepared me to be in the military long before I ever decided to join. You just have to ovecome your rebellious flesh that wants to do your thing instead of what your boss wants.

[lonny23]

Check out this ESPN article:

Knight: I didn't do anything wrong, would do it again
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight told ESPN.com on Tuesday afternoon that he was trying to raise Michael Prince's confidence when he flipped his chin up during Texas Tech's game with Gardner-Webb Monday night in Lubbock.
And, if he were faced with the same situation Tuesday night against Arkansas-Little Rock, he said he would do the same thing.

"I'm sure there were some cases where I have been wrong but [Monday night] wasn't one of them," Knight said Tuesday. "I was trying to help a kid and I think I did. "If I was confronted with the same set of circumstances I would do the exact same thing," Knight said.

Knight coached Tuesday's game without any discipline.

"I have said nothing publicly about it, nor do I intend to, and that's the attention it deserves," Knight said following his team's 93-59 win over Arkansas-Little Rock.

Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers issued this statement Tuesday:

"I have discussed this with Michael Prince, his parents and Coach Knight. Coach Knight did not slap Michael. Here is what happened: Michael came off the court with his head down and Coach Knight quickly lifted Michael's chin up and said, 'Hold your head up and don't worry about your mistakes. Just play the game.' In my opinion, Coach Knight did not do anything wrong."

Knight said that Prince is an "energy kid and brings energy to every play and practice and a valuable player for us." He said the Red Raiders were faced with a crucial part of the game and Prince had made a bad pass. He said at the subsequent timeout he put his hands on Prince's shoulders.

"Mike has a confidence problem," Knight said. "He wants to play so badly that it hurts him. I told him, 'Mike we've got to have you playing in these circumstances.' I said, 'Are you OK playing in these circumstances?' He had his head down.

"I flipped his chin up and told him to look me right in the eye so he could do the job we want. I said, 'Can you?' And he said 'Yes,' and I said, 'OK, sit down and let's go.' If that's an issue then I'm living in the wrong country," Knight said.

Prince was quoted in Tuesday's Lubbock Avalanche-Journal as saying, "He was trying to teach me and I had my head down, so he raised my chin up. He was telling me to go out there and don't be afraid to make mistakes. He said I was being too hard on myself."

Associate head coach Pat Knight said Prince's parents, who were at the game Monday night, came by the office earlier Tuesday wondering what they could do to offer support. "His parents were in total shock that anything was made out of this," Bob Knight said. "If Mike had his head hanging over a mistake again I'd flip his chin up tomorrow. I'm trying to get him to be the best player he can be and his parents' answer was that they didn't expect anything else."

Knight said Prince's parents told Knight that they have had problems with Michael not looking people in the eye.

Pat Knight said the staff was unaware there was an issue until someone had called him after the game. He said he went to his father and told him that there was a video they had to see.

"I could have sat there for an hour and I never would have come up with the problem," Bob Knight said.

Pat Knight said he was right there and didn't think twice about it at the time, either.

"I've spent a lifetime doing what I think is best for kids collectively and individually," Bob Knight said. "I've done it my way and while my way irritated some people, so be it. I've turned out a lot more kids over the years."

Knight said he watched the video one time and added at the beginning with his hands on his shoulders that he's "not screaming at him, not yelling at him and earnestly talking to him. If someone wants to make an issue out of this then that disappoints me."

Knight said he thinks back to when former St. John's coach Joe Lapchick called him down from West Point early in his Army career in the mid-1960s. "He asked me, 'Is it important for you that people like you?' And I thought for a second and said, 'Coach, I hope people respect me but I don't think I can worry whether people like me or not,'" Knight said. "His response was, 'Bobby, my boy, if it's important that you be liked then don't get into coaching.' That's why I say if I were confronted with the same circumstances with a kid who feels badly about a mistake my reaction would be the same."

It was only two weeks ago that Knight dismissed leading scorer Jarrius Jackson because the senior guard wasn't on the road to being eligible for the second semester and Knight didn't want him playing if he wasn't going to be available past December. "I kept him out of practice for a week and he progressed well and then I let him practice for a week and he progressed well and now I'm letting him play for a week and then we'll see how he's doing," Knight said of Jackson, who is averaging 24.5 points in two games so far this season. "He's made every stop to this point," Knight said. Knight wasn't afraid to discipline Jackson for poor academics. And he added this final thought on Monday's incident.

"You'd have to be an idiot to slap a kid under any circumstances," Knight said. "I've been called a lot of things and idiot isn't one of them. I'll always remember what Mr. Lapchick told me: 'Do what is best for kids.' I'm proud of the fact that his parents are in total agreement with what I did."

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

[dada]

Check out this ESPN article:

Knight: I didn't do anything wrong, would do it again
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight told ESPN.com on Tuesday afternoon that he was trying to raise Michael Prince's confidence when he flipped his chin up during Texas Tech's game with Gardner-Webb Monday night in Lubbock.
And, if he were faced with the same situation Tuesday night against Arkansas-Little Rock, he said he would do the same thing.

"I'm sure there were some cases where I have been wrong but [Monday night] wasn't one of them," Knight said Tuesday. "I was trying to help a kid and I think I did. "If I was confronted with the same set of circumstances I would do the exact same thing," Knight said.

Knight coached Tuesday's game without any discipline.

"I have said nothing publicly about it, nor do I intend to, and that's the attention it deserves," Knight said following his team's 93-59 win over Arkansas-Little Rock.

Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers issued this statement Tuesday:

"I have discussed this with Michael Prince, his parents and Coach Knight. Coach Knight did not slap Michael. Here is what happened: Michael came off the court with his head down and Coach Knight quickly lifted Michael's chin up and said, 'Hold your head up and don't worry about your mistakes. Just play the game.' In my opinion, Coach Knight did not do anything wrong."

Knight said that Prince is an "energy kid and brings energy to every play and practice and a valuable player for us." He said the Red Raiders were faced with a crucial part of the game and Prince had made a bad pass. He said at the subsequent timeout he put his hands on Prince's shoulders.

"Mike has a confidence problem," Knight said. "He wants to play so badly that it hurts him. I told him, 'Mike we've got to have you playing in these circumstances.' I said, 'Are you OK playing in these circumstances?' He had his head down.

"I flipped his chin up and told him to look me right in the eye so he could do the job we want. I said, 'Can you?' And he said 'Yes,' and I said, 'OK, sit down and let's go.' If that's an issue then I'm living in the wrong country," Knight said.

Prince was quoted in Tuesday's Lubbock Avalanche-Journal as saying, "He was trying to teach me and I had my head down, so he raised my chin up. He was telling me to go out there and don't be afraid to make mistakes. He said I was being too hard on myself."

Associate head coach Pat Knight said Prince's parents, who were at the game Monday night, came by the office earlier Tuesday wondering what they could do to offer support. "His parents were in total shock that anything was made out of this," Bob Knight said. "If Mike had his head hanging over a mistake again I'd flip his chin up tomorrow. I'm trying to get him to be the best player he can be and his parents' answer was that they didn't expect anything else."

Knight said Prince's parents told Knight that they have had problems with Michael not looking people in the eye.

Pat Knight said the staff was unaware there was an issue until someone had called him after the game. He said he went to his father and told him that there was a video they had to see.

"I could have sat there for an hour and I never would have come up with the problem," Bob Knight said.

Pat Knight said he was right there and didn't think twice about it at the time, either.

"I've spent a lifetime doing what I think is best for kids collectively and individually," Bob Knight said. "I've done it my way and while my way irritated some people, so be it. I've turned out a lot more kids over the years."

Knight said he watched the video one time and added at the beginning with his hands on his shoulders that he's "not screaming at him, not yelling at him and earnestly talking to him. If someone wants to make an issue out of this then that disappoints me."

Knight said he thinks back to when former St. John's coach Joe Lapchick called him down from West Point early in his Army career in the mid-1960s. "He asked me, 'Is it important for you that people like you?' And I thought for a second and said, 'Coach, I hope people respect me but I don't think I can worry whether people like me or not,'" Knight said. "His response was, 'Bobby, my boy, if it's important that you be liked then don't get into coaching.' That's why I say if I were confronted with the same circumstances with a kid who feels badly about a mistake my reaction would be the same."

It was only two weeks ago that Knight dismissed leading scorer Jarrius Jackson because the senior guard wasn't on the road to being eligible for the second semester and Knight didn't want him playing if he wasn't going to be available past December. "I kept him out of practice for a week and he progressed well and then I let him practice for a week and he progressed well and now I'm letting him play for a week and then we'll see how he's doing," Knight said of Jackson, who is averaging 24.5 points in two games so far this season. "He's made every stop to this point," Knight said. Knight wasn't afraid to discipline Jackson for poor academics. And he added this final thought on Monday's incident.

"You'd have to be an idiot to slap a kid under any circumstances," Knight said. "I've been called a lot of things and idiot isn't one of them. I'll always remember what Mr. Lapchick told me: 'Do what is best for kids.' I'm proud of the fact that his parents are in total agreement with what I did."

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
Now maybe everyone wil STFU

[zippy]

Dada4W, I hope people do not STFU, I really need opinions! I think I have enough on this topic however. Thanks for the response. I did ask another question in a later post on around page 2. Yesterday at 6:43 pm, but its either been overlooked, or people do not know how to answer it. You seem to be the one that agrees most with Knight, can you answer it for me? Anyone else as well. Here it is again:


What if it had been the girls TT B-Ball team that Knight was coaching and he hit a girl like that?

What if your boss at work who is your "boss" and "leader" was to do this to you if you were not paying attention while getting griped out?

And last, what if this took place at a high school and the kid was an 18 year old SR.? Is it ok when you are 19 in college, but not when your 18 in high school? (for the ones that agree)

I do not mean to nag, but I am working on my masters during the summer and this could be a topic for a class next year. Coach Knight and his tactics that is. I have a lot of info that I have collected over time, and this just adds to it.

[lonny23]

What if it had been the girls TT B-Ball team that Knight was coaching and he hit a girl like that? Considering I've done something like that to my daughter, I'd only ask that he use less force, but the idea behind it is OK.

What if your boss at work who is your "boss" and "leader" was to do this to you if you were not paying attention while getting griped out? It would shock me, but I'd do better the next time. I doubt this was the first time it happened or that they knew what he expected.

And last, what if this took place at a high school and the kid was an 18 year old SR.? Is it ok when you are 19 in college, but not when your 18 in high school? I don't distinguish between it being OK in college or high school.

[slorch]

im not going to go any further in this argument... its basketball not football... what was the point of touching him... there was no point... he wasnt looking, why not yell at him and give him an earful instead... theres never a point to touch a kid like that... if you want respect you better earn it... slapping a kid is not a way to earn respect... is it?
he was getting his attention...
Don't you think the player probably respects him, he is willing to commit 5 years of his life to the man...

[slorch]

Dada4W, I hope people do not STFU, I really need opinions! I think I have enough on this topic however. Thanks for the response. I did ask another question in a later post on around page 2. Yesterday at 6:43 pm, but its either been overlooked, or people do not know how to answer it. You seem to be the one that agrees most with Knight, can you answer it for me? Anyone else as well. Here it is again:


What if it had been the girls TT B-Ball team that Knight was coaching and he hit a girl like that?

What if your boss at work who is your "boss" and "leader" was to do this to you if you were not paying attention while getting griped out?

And last, what if this took place at a high school and the kid was an 18 year old SR.? Is it ok when you are 19 in college, but not when your 18 in high school? (for the ones that agree)

I do not mean to nag, but I am working on my masters during the summer and this could be a topic for a class next year. Coach Knight and his tactics that is. I have a lot of info that I have collected over time, and this just adds to it.
you're comparing apples to oranges.

This year, My 8 year old's f'ball coach grabs him and pushes him into the hole on defense, trying to show him "filling" the gap. The man is teaching him the game.
If i grab one of my emplyees like that, I'd be on my back probably and at least in a courtroom. The T-ball is different, because they are still learning the game at its fundamental stages. everyone there is a volunteer. A DivI basketball program is a whole different level of commitment, both by the players and the coaches. i think this differentiates the contact in the 2 different cases.

as far as whether an 18 or 19 year old is a man has little to do with his position in life( college or high school), rather with his maturity and ability to handle responsibility.

[GoOwls]

Dada4W, I hope people do not STFU, I really need opinions! I think I have enough on this topic however. Thanks for the response. I did ask another question in a later post on around page 2. Yesterday at 6:43 pm, but its either been overlooked, or people do not know how to answer it. You seem to be the one that agrees most with Knight, can you answer it for me? Anyone else as well. Here it is again:


What if it had been the girls TT B-Ball team that Knight was coaching and he hit a girl like that?

What if your boss at work who is your "boss" and "leader" was to do this to you if you were not paying attention while getting griped out?

And last, what if this took place at a high school and the kid was an 18 year old SR.? Is it ok when you are 19 in college, but not when your 18 in high school? (for the ones that agree)

I do not mean to nag, but I am working on my masters during the summer and this could be a topic for a class next year. Coach Knight and his tactics that is. I have a lot of info that I have collected over time, and this just adds to it.

Girls can be an "itch" with a "b" as easily as boys can be a "rick" with a "p". Girls, and their parents, should expect punishment for misbehaving just as equally as boys should. If a parent doesn't agree, don't let your kid play competitive sports. By definition, competitive sports brings forth strong emotions. If the parents and your child aren't ready to accept that premise, I would advise you to take up piano lessons.

[DiamondJ2]

I see a lot of talk of "leaders", "boss" etc. The same folks are kind of "for knight and the slap". I agree, it was a baby slap at best. It might have busted a lip at best. However, just some things to consider. Please respond to your thoughts on this:

What if it had been the girls TT B-Ball team that Knight was coaching and he hit a girl like that?

What if your boss at work who is your "boss" and "leader" was to do this to you if you were not paying attention while getting griped out?

And last, what if this took place at a high school and the kid was an 18 year old SR.? Is it ok when you are 19 in college, but not when your 18 in high school? (for the ones that agree)

I do not mean to nag, but I am working on my masters during the summer and this could be a topic for a class next year. Coach Knight and his tactics that is. I have a lot of info that I have collected over time, and this just adds to it.
make sure you add all of good things that Knight has done, too. But I doubt if the media will ever report all of those.

[mad_fan]

Wow, same long posts in here...

[WestPlano006]

Do you guys agree that this was OK? Bob Knight slapped a player in the face to get his attention while talking to him today. The kid was looked like he was listening to Knight, but was looking down. Knight slapped him to make him pay attention.

I played basketball with the kid he hit in high school. He was damn good then.

[Matthew 2000 Eagle]

The last time I checked, Michael Prince's mother and father DIDN'T have a problem with what Coach Knight did. So, why do other people have a problem with it? I guess some people don't raise their kids like they used to.