Bobby Knight retires mid season; Leaves team to son Pat

Bobby Knight has left the game of basketball. To be totally honest, I'm in no way shocked. Knight always, whether he admitted it or not, coached by the standard: "Do as I say, not as I do." Knight, earning his 900th career win as a collegiate coach, came January 16th as his Texas Tech team beat Texas A&M 68-53 at home, at which games end Knight proclaimed to his home fans that maybe the Raiders would pile on a few more wins with attendance like that evening's.

Whether what Knight did throughout his career, during the late 60's and early 70's at Navy, the mid 70's until the year 2000 at the University of Indiana or in the past eight years at Texas Tech, was wrong or not, he, at this point in time, is basketball's all time greatest coach. With the success he has had with his players and teams, he's only established one decent star at the NBA level in Isaiah Thomas. What does this mean? Knight squeezed more talent and effort out of every single player he had better than anyone else.

The Dean Smiths of the world had incredible talent, which is not to take away anything my personal favorite all-time coach from North Carolina, but for Knight, it has always been a different story.

Knight's graduation rates at all three schools he has visited have been staggering and better than anyone else's.

Knight's successor happens to be his own son, Pat. Pat will take over the team for their remaining 10 games, hoping to grab an NCAA tournament bid. This could be a tough task, but one that will propel Pat Knight into the coaching realm with the Red Raiders on the outside of the "bubble," looking in.

Reid Durost

(Reid works as the Public Address Announcer for Husson College Athletics and is also the team Media Relations, Internet Content Supervisor and Public Address Announcer for the Maine Sting and Maine Tide, semi-pro men and women's soccer teams coming to Bangor in 2008)