Volume 4, Issue 2 University of Houston
Staff Editorial
Hurry -- expand the locker rooms
It's sad when one man is a bigger story than a game between two college basketball teams with winning records. But that's what happens when Texas Tech's Bobby Knight comes to town.
Knight was once known for winning three NCAA championships as the head coach of Indiana's men's basketball team and occasionally losing his temper in very public settings. Over the last three years, he has become better known for having choked a player, intimidated his secretary and cursing various people in public and private.
Texas Tech Coach Bob Knight directs his team during Friday night's game.
Kevin Harwerth/ Breaking News
What was once a moderate anger control problem that caused minor embarrassment to him and those around him escalated into a man out of control. Indiana University's administration finally dismissed Knight after he yelled at and shook a student who addressed him merely as "Knight," rather than Mr. Knight or Coach Knight.
Most recently, Knight was involved in an altercation with Jerry MacDonald, the general manager of Houston's Compaq Center, where Tech played UH on Friday. In his post-game press conference, Knight took time to complain about the cramped locker rooms in the facility, saying it "would have been very, very cramped with four midgets."
Afterwards, MacDonald approached Knight as the team was leaving to discuss Knight's comments about the arena. MacDonald reported that Knight launched into a flurry of profanity and offered to fight MacDonald.
"He said, 'If you want to settle this right now, let's step outside,'" MacDonald said. "I could not believe what I was hearing. I said, 'Step outside and settle the size of our locker rooms? Are you nuts?'"
It seems clear the problems Knight had at Indiana will likely continue at Texas Tech. Just as what happened for many years at Indiana, school officials moved quickly to cover up Knight's tirade.
"At no time did Coach raise his voice or respond unprofessionally to a situation that was foisted upon him," team spokesman Randy Farley said. "To the contrary, the coach talked calmly and quietly with the Compaq (Center) employee before getting on the bus and taking his seat."
Texas Tech made a desperate move by hiring a man who has a long history of a "pattern of misbehavior," as Indiana officials cited when they fired him. Tech is apparently willing to do anything for a winning program, even hire a clearly troubled man who will likely do as much harm as good to the program.
UH lost to Texas Tech, but nobody really won. Knight lashed out, a hard working employee was intimidated and the victorious Red Raiders, now 7-1 were overshadowed by their coach's antics.