Knight: My Story

I truly believe there is only one way to judge a college basketball coach. League titles, NCAA appearances, total wins, Final Fours and National Championships are the norm in measuring success. And, of course, prowess in these areas will secure the legacy of anyone. However, the way I quantify coaching greatness is much more important than wins and losses. It's something you can't tangibly gauge. Simply stated, it's the relationships he or she cultivates with players. And the loyalty they show after they graduate. Even his staunchest critics can not deny that Bob Knight is a Hall of Famer in this category. In "Knight: My Story" Bob Knight writes about the relationships he has developed throughout the years with his former players. One needs to look no further than Landon Turner to realize why the ones he coached are tenacious Bob Knight supporters. Landon Turner played on Knight's 1981 championship team. Tragically, shortly after, Turner was paralyzed for life in a vehicle accident. Through the efforts of Knight, Red Auerbach selected Landon Turner in the late rounds of the NBA draft. A simple gesture which, Turner says, meant the world to him. The book is a window into the philosophies of a man who through the yelling, screaming, so called intimidation, language, and perceived sour demeanor, somehow has found the greatest allies in his former players. Some of Knight's pundits clearly know absolutely nothing about how to coach a basketball team; how to lead young men through a season of intense pressure and adversity. And, they are obviously not bright enough to understand that basketball is a metaphor for life. Knight is preparing boys for manhood. Do you think anyone of them (who gets it) make excuses when their boss asks them do accomplish a task? I think not. Knight is not a coach of basketball, he's a teacher of life. You need to look no further than his "eight greatest words", which appear in the first sentence of his book, "America, America, God shed His grace on thee", to realize how deep his character flows. I've been anticipating book since I was 15 years old. It was worth the wait.

Whether you love him, hate him, or are neutral toward him (I'm in the last category), Bob Knight's book is a fascinating glimpse at his personality, his Indiana basketball teams, and college basketball in general. For Indiana basketball fans (I'm an ACC fan) and college basketball fans in general (a category I fit into), this is a must read. Knight gives a lot of detail about his Indiana teams, especially those that won national championships, and discusses his point of view on the state of college basketball today. There are really two main topics that run throughout the book - and that is Indiana basketball and the controversies that have surrounded Knight - mostly because of his volatile temper. From a basketball standpoint this is really a great inside look at the college game and the Hoosiers. Knight's detestation of losing and lack of effort are part of what gets him into trouble because he is clearly a disciplinarian and expects a lot from his players and others involved in the program. On the other hand that is also why his teams traditionally have been over achievers. In my opinion, his success in college basketball has been mostly because of his coaching talent and getting his teams to play like a team instead of selfishly. Even though in some ways Knight claims, and I think in a lot ways rightfully so, that a lot of controversies about his temper and clashes with players, officials, or others is a result of his reputation and are undeserved. Frankly, I do believe him on this account. And he does seem contrite about some incidents that are clearly his own fault where he's lost his temper. Some may argue that he is not apologetic enough or doesn't face his own faults in some of the controversies and I can't disagree with that either. On these issues the reader will have to decide what to believe. But either way, this is highly readable and very interesting.

Often criticized, often misunderstood, Bob Knight has finally delivered with his own words. Many men who had had success in athletics simply write and autobiography, but Knight's book is much more. While telling the story of his life, Coach Knight also provides us detailed information on his coaching philosophy and theories. Young coaches, and even old ones, can certainly learn a lot from Knight. Too many people involved in athletics today don't seem to understand what they're trying to accomplish. Knight fully explains that the goal of athletics, in particular basketball, is so much more than simply winning games. He gives an in-depth look at what he has tried to accomplish over the years. He explains that he has tried to not only teach his players about the game, but about things that relate to their lives.Reading this book was an educational and entertaining experience. Anyone involved in athletics can benefit by reading it, and I would most definitely recommend it.

In "Knight: My Story", coach Knight lets us all into his world.This autobiographical view takes the reader on a trip from Knight's high school days in Orrville, OH, all the way to the start of his first season at Texas Tech. Those familar with "The General" will no doubt be impressed that "he tells it like it is" as easily in the written form as he does with the spoken word. There's no question that this is Knight's book!Basketball coaches will appreciate the snippets that Knight provides of "his" approach to basketball. While, not an "X's and O's" kind of book, there's plenty of basketball talk found here! Knight philosophical view of the game (and competition itself) really jumps off the pages of the book.There are copious amounts of "name-dropping" throughout the book, which I think shows the "small-town boy" that's still present in Knight's being. Anecdotes about big-time celebs such Ted Williams, Howard Cosell, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, and Presidents Ford and Bush are prominently discussed, just to name a very few. The index of the book is impressive if, for no only reason, then for the sheer number of major "players" that are displayed.All in all, this is a very enjoyable and quick read. Knight pulls no punches in discribing his firing from Indiana. For Hoosier fans, some of it will be gut-wrenching! Highly recommended for all basketball fans, but especially those from the Hoosier state!

From a basketball standpoint, Knight's career is amazing -- from playing as a reserve on a national championship team, to coaching at West Point, helping build the Indiana University program to a national power, and coaching the Olympic team, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that he's had a remarkable career.People want to dwell on the controversies -- but let's face it, no one wants to be judged entirely by what they've done wrong. Especially in one's autobiography. He makes comments about things that he'd wished he handled differently and answers questions about controversies openly. While he may not address some incidents to some people's satisfaction and may not provide as many mea culpas to some of his critics' likings -- he doesn't ignore the issues either.As a coach, he's probably not too different but other coaches -- but the media chooses to focus on his indiscretions. Maybe, as one fellow reviewer pointed out, he is overexposed -- but this is more the fault of restless media than any effort of Knight's to court attention. There are numerous coaches who sign players who have no business being in college and have no chance of ever graduating who are far more exploitive of college basketball than Knight could ever be, but the media chooses to pay them scant attention. Not surprisingly, Knight takes issue with a sector of the media. His objections are valid, but it's nothing that he dwells on.In any sports autobiography, there are three key questions: does the person's career have enough length and accomplishment to cover a wide range of events and people, does the author tackle difficult subjects with a degree of evenhandedness, and can the author avoid turning the book into a long, vindictive diatribe.Knight My Story is successful on all three counts. While he's critical of the Indiana administration for its handling of his dismissal, he never becomes vicious. It's important to consider this book relative to other books within its genre (autobiography, basketball) and not simply whether or not one thinks Knight should have told Jim Nantz whether or not he called his former players prior to the Final Four.All autobiographies are open to interpretation. More definitive readings of history happen down the line -- should the topic be worthy of a more detailed study. For any fan of college basketball, or for anyone who's interested in taking an open-minded approach to Bob Knight, this is very worthwhile reading.