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November 17, 2006
How Much Bad Behavior Is Enough?
Bobby Knight is back on the front page again. Not for his basketball coaching efforts at Texas Tech or for being one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history, but for slapping a player on live TV while dressing him down. Check out the video here.
If you watch the video, the slap may not seem like a huge deal. But when you factor in Knight’s long history of violence and foulmouthed tirades (here are ESPN’s top 10 Knight moments), you can understand the media hoopla and calls for Knight to be fired a bit more.
Knight’s behavior is antisocial, to be sure. But his ability to get results is astounding. Knight, who coached Indiana University’s legendary Hoosiers for almost 30 years, ranks third in victories on the all-time coaches list and is one of only two coaches to play on and coach national championship teams, according to his coaching bio at Texas Tech. Knight also won a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics for his coaching of the men’s basketball team, which included sports legends Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing.
But Knight’s behavior caught up with him in 2000, after Indiana U’s president announced he’d developed a zero-tolerance policy regarding Knight. An incident where Knight allegedly grabbed a student’s arm tipped the scales, and he was finally fired.
So how much bad behavior cancels out good job performance? Voters on the ESPN Page 2 poll overwhelmingly believe a losing season is the only thing that will get Knight fired again. (Note: The other responses are actual things Knight has done.) It’s sickening to think about, but slapping people around seems to be OK as long as you get results.
So what do you think should happen to Knight? Have you ever worked with a seemingly untouchable Bobby Knight of your own?
And if you ever have to deal with a toxic boss, check out these resources:
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Posted by Christine on November 17, 2006 at 10:31 AM in Current Events | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
Oh man, I have so not respected this guy for a loooong time. His career should have been over way before he ever came to stain the reputation of Texas Tech. His fans seem to see no fault in him and would probably follow him to a spaceship behind a comet. I had one call me in '91 and threaten me after I made a comment that I would never want him leading my son in anything if he cannot control his temper. Of course, like idol like fan and that guy proved it.
It was inevitable, first throw chairs and from there to slapping people. If he were not a sports legend he would be arrested for assault. But in the mad, mad world of sports all that counts are the wins. Character and control mean nothing. Just look at professional sports. Hence I am not a sports fan.
Even Drill Sgts can't treat their recruits like he treats his players. Do some love him? Sure, but ever hear of Stockholm Syndrome? I don't even think anger mangagement classes would help.
He needs to retire or he needs to be blackballed by the sports establishment. Pete Rose only gambled and was banned from sports. I think verbal and physical abuse of players should also be cause for being banned no matter how successful a person might be IMHO.
Posted by: Maverick | Nov 22, 2006 8:58:32 AM
First of all how about a true report of the facts?
Knight did not "slap" the player, but knocked his chin with a closed fist to get him to pay attention to him.
Knight was motivating his player to stay focused.
Reporting this as an asault on the player portrays this incident out of context and adds to your losing credibility with your readers.
Posted by: Sir Vincent | Nov 22, 2006 11:29:20 AM
Y; but, the truth is when violence is shown 2 a non-military target (someone who has harmed, planning 2 harm, attempting 2 harm, or crossing certain boundaries that are excepted by society) then that person is in violation. Truth is I am sure there are many coaches out there that would love to serve the Texas Technical University some of which would do an acceptable job without uneccessary violence and/ or fear. He should've been counsiled on his 1st violation of this sort (let's face it-- it is an emotional job) and terminated at the second. Sorry; but, there is little excuse for uneccessary violence. If he was trying to get help for his anger issues that would be one thing but evidently he's not. Unfortunately by keeping this man on the payroll Texas Tech. has issued a clear message to their staff that misuse of their power real and percieved to deliver physical violence is okay. It is sad that this university has chosen to go down this road just to win a championship. Maybe someday they will choose honor again.
Posted by: Christopher Coyne | Nov 22, 2006 2:52:48 PM
Boo-hoo, a grown man was tapped in the chin when his coach was trying to get his attention because he was staring at his shoe-laces! Anyone who thinks the "sports-establishment" should come down on Knight obviously has never been an athelete. The parents of the athelete and the athlete himself are fine with what happened so why are we talking about it? This was not someone's five year old! I had a high school football coach who used to grab me by the facemask and even knocked me on the ground once (I was wearing pads, he wasn't) and I didn't cry about it! I understood, just like this basketball player understood, that my coach, like Knight, was just trying to teach a lesson. The game is better off with Knight than without him. Will all you whiners shut up and go learn how to discipline your children the proper way before they grow up and rob me??!!
Posted by: John R | Nov 22, 2006 8:20:05 PM
If you want a coach, you go to Knight. If you want someone who will step over your nonsense, you go somewhere else. He (Knight) isn't paid to be your mother or to be nice. Coaching is intrusive and if the coaching doesn't intervene, the results will be the same.
Coach on Bobby.
Posted by: Gene | Nov 22, 2006 10:43:25 PM
My Mother played professional baseball (All American Girls Professional Baseball League) and even at nearly 81 is bery competetive and yet she would NEVER act the way Knight acts. She coached softball in later years and would always try to get her team to outperform the others, and yes, she lived soem of her vicarious wnats through the younger players, but she would have NEVER raised a hand to any of them.
If that jerk Knight wants to fight so much, put him in the octagon and let some of those no-holds barred fighters let him know what fear really means. After that then ban him from any sports coaching for life. He is the perfect example of what we don't need in sports today.
If winning means so much to some people that they want a jerk like Knight as a coach, then they never did know what sportsmanship really was and probably never will.
Posted by: MT writer | Nov 23, 2006 5:24:38 PM
I was not surprised to hear Mr. Knight's name in the news once again. When I heard his name, I went, "OK, what did he do this time?" He should be looking for a new coaching position whenever Texas Tech feels his services are no longer required at that university.
On a more personal note, I have always been a good worker, as far as the job went, with high praise for my production and performance. However, I have what the laymen call an "attitude" or "anger management" problem (a VERY short fuse, if you will). As far as I can tell, it's cost me at least two jobs. "It's not a problem with your work, it's just that you can't control your temper, so we regretfully have to part company with you," one HR rep told me. I had to go to anger management twice, but I never got through the sessions.
It is hard to control your temper when you are so stressed out, and if you have no one to vent to in your personal life, you only make the pressure and stress get to you more.
I know that this may have nothing to do with Bobby Knight (although he DOES have a shorter fuse than mine), but I just wanted to get that out there.
Posted by: Linda | Nov 24, 2006 12:53:53 PM
I am in an environment where I dread going into the office. When I came into that company five years ago. I had that "Pollyanna Attitude" that things were going great. I had a postive attitude. I enjoyed going to work. Hardly, missed a day of work unless I went on vacations. I really I found my niche in HR. I have gained a whole lot of knowledge and experience that will take me to the next level. In the past year, the office went into reorganization where I have a new supervisor. This individual by the name of "Cecil" who happens to be toxic. This person has a warp sense of humor. There are times he would come by with snide remarks. There was one incident where we were in training. We were divided into groups. I took lead into the group. He came out of his chair and made a nasty remark about me "being on my knees" and that he never "sees me working so hard". That was it. In the past months, I have told him "I did not appreciated his comments. In his mind, I am the one with the problem. I found myself going down to his level by getting back at him. He gets a kick by making me upset. I get along with everybody and I am a team player. The problem with this individual he does not listen to me when I try to explain something to him. In his mind, I am not capable of doing my job. I have sent him lists of duties, I have performed but it does phase him. I am at the point, where I can't stand this individual. I have asked to be reassigned while I am still at this company. Now it is bad, For the past two months, I have been "throwing up" due to constant harrasment. Also, I found out he has been talking to other employees about him. This is very inappropriate. The point is I think Cecil would love turn me into Bobby Knight. That is not me! What should I do? It has not to stop now! I have mentioned this to his supervisor but to no avail.
Posted by: Marie | Nov 30, 2006 11:37:06 AM
It's curious to hear all this whining about brutality in the coliseum. Just goes to show you that collegiete athletics is for pigs. I think we should get back to academics and get rid of the damn Roman coliseum on campus. This is typical of the results-oriented society which thinks it's okay to destroy an entire nation in the name of anti-terrorism, eradicate millions of skilled American jobs in the name of globalization, etc.
Let the pros abuse each other to their hearts' content. Let's just get them off campus and find some other way to finance the education of our youth which is more in accordance with a society that has the moral fitness to survive.
My attitude regarding relationships with co-workers, including supervisors, is that freedom of speech should not be abrogated. After all, it is a professional environment in a tough world. If you don't like it, you are free to move on to non-profit work. Obviously, if you're being mistreated then your services are not deemed valuable enough to secure. Either handle this as the misapprehension it is or go somewhere where your co-workers, supervisor, etc. is frightened enough by the prospect of losing your contribution to mind their manners.
Posted by: Tom | Mar 3, 2007 6:19:26 PM
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