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Bobby Knight versus the world: What else is new?
This time the General bullies Hall of Fame
?The latest chapter of Bobby Knight versus the world involves the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and, once again, the Indiana coach has muscled his way right past a group of administrators.
Larry Donald
Cats' Pause Columnist
To be elected into the Hall of Fame is a two-step process. First, there is a seven-man screening committee, chaired by Bob Cousy. This group is charged with determining whether or not an individual is worthy of being elected to the Hall. To get past this group one needs gain only a simple majority of the vote.
Next is the 24-member Honors Committee which votes secretly to elect members of the Hall of Fame. To gain entry, a candidate must receive 75 percent of the vote.
Last year Knight was nominated and easily cleared the first committee. Remarkably, though, the Honors Committee did not elect him to the Hall. So, this year his name was recycled and, again, he was approved by Cousy's committee.
At this point, however, Knight withdrew his name from consideration, a *perrogative* he apparently has under rules of the Hall of Fame.
What a sad day.
There's no question he oelongs in the Springfield Hall. Three national championships. An NIT crown. Olympic gold. Come on. We're talking about a knock out.
Now, because he's chosen one of his "I'll show you, world" postures and the Hall has meekly caved in, the possibility exists he might never be elected.
I suggest it is not Knight's right to withdraw his name. It should never have been allowed to happen. Do not participate in the ceremony, perhaps. Or refuse to recognize the honor, if he must. But withdraw the name from judgement? No chance.
I suggest the Hall of Fame has committed a grievous error by bowing to Knight's bullying tactics, but. then, show me any administrator anywhere who ever stood up to the man.
Too bad...
?After a whirlwind look at college basketball's opening weekend (and how did we ever exist before ESPN came along?) I stand ready to nominate a young man as early favorite for national Player of the Year. Not Danny Ferry. Not Sean Elliott. Not Stacey King. Indeed not.
The best college basketball player anywhere in the land just might be Ohio State's Jay Burson. He may be the most remarkable performer ever to visit our game. What he does with what he has simply doesn't seem possible...
?Michigan's going to be improved by Gary Grant's absence, Syracuse is better for having lost Rony Seikaly and Missouri won't miss Derrick Chievous for a moment. Sure, all of these players were near All-American calibre, but remember basketball is a team game in the truest sense...
?I find the saga of ex-Memphis State coach Dana Kirk the most confounding story I've ever witnessed in college basketball. Such a waste of human potential...
?Michigan coach Bill Frieder, frequently criticized for his soft non-conference schedule, is beefing things up with a home-and-home with North Carolina State, and athletic director Bo Schembechler is encouraging him to construct a Thanksgiving weekend tournament...
?Eddie Bird (yes, Larry's brother) was very impressive in Indiana State's opening game and could be an emerging story as the season goes along...
Is Maryland's Bob Wade in trouble of holding on to his position?
Oklahoma's Mookie Blaylock got off to a poor start in Maui. It appears the senior guard, considered among the nation's best, is pressing. In fact as coach Billy Tubbs looks back on that weekend the major disappointments were Blaylock and center Stacey King...
?Remember this: For all the great talent Syracuse and UNLV have, they'll break your heart at some point in the tournament because neither team shoots the basketball very well...
?I'm just guessing, but by mid-to-late January we should have an idea about the strength of Georgetown. See, I'm not sure they really begin Division I play until Jan. 1...
?The Atlantic-10 has a 60-game television package this year which is bound to help. This league has made some strides recently despite the over-powering presence of the Big East...
?Winner in my Best Basketball Yearbook of the Season Contest is Sporting News' College Basketball. The edition combines a nice mix of information, insight and feature material. Dick Vitale's Basketball is good, but needs some softer material. The guys at Street & Smith need to check the calendar. It's going to be 1990 very soon now...
?I keep hearing reports that Maryland's Bob Wade is in trouble, but give the man this: He keeps recruiting well and he hasn't shot back. A lot of players have come and gone, but I'm not sure Wade isn't paying the price for the way he got the job under the direction of former Maryland chancellor John Slaughter.
Much has been made of the fact Terp A.D. Lew Perkins hired Eddie Fogler at Wichita State while he was there (and Fogler has connections in D.C.), but I'm not certain anything's automatic. Besides, Wade deserves a chance to make a full run at the job here...
[ Indiana's talent simply isn't good enough to get the
Hoosiers into the Big Ten's first division...
?Clemson will make a surprisingly strong showing in the ACC, which is just a two-team race between North Carolina and Duke...
?Mentioning the Tar Heels, can it be long now before we start hearing whispers about Dean Smith losing his touch at age 57? A series of near misses on the recruiting trail, the latest of which was Kenny Anderson's choice of Georgia Tech, has begun such chatter, I'm certain. An amazing business, here...
?A few years ago when LSU coach Dale Brown was touring Europe he met a coach and his son. The 13-year old's name was Shaquille O'Neal, and both he and dad were impressed with Brown. A couple winters back the man made contact with Brown, telling him the boy was going to be a heck of a player. "How big is he," asked Brown. "About 6-10," replied the man. Brown sent an assistant to Texas to watch O'Neill play and the rest is recruiting history...
?The key for UCLA is to stay healthy this year. Despite not having a center, Jim Harrick can get this team into NCAA play, but injury must be avoided. The Bruins are only seven deep...
?Southern Illinois scores 100 points against Villanova? Huh?...
?I applaud the NCAA tournament committee's decision to listen to bids for the Final Four from places where the arena seats less than 30,000. Kansas City was an absolute pleasure last year because everyone could see and you didn't have 50,000 extra people in town who were there    party and clutter up the city. I guess that's just the puiui in me...
?While Seton Hall and Syracuse were making the Big East proud. Boston College's loss to Dartmouth and Siena's upset win over Pitt brought a halt to the (Continued on page 38)