Perspective needed on all sides of Knight debate

Originally Published: November 17, 2006

By Jay Bilas | ESPN.com

When I saw the incident between Texas Tech coach Bob Knight and his player, Michael Prince, it did not trouble me, nor did I believe that it crossed the line into the realm of unacceptable behavior. When I spoke to Bob Knight the day after the incident, and inquired as to the substance of what was said, I had no problem with it.

However, while I do not condemn the action, I do not feel that it is the best manner in which to get a point across to a player. I believe there was a better way, especially given how sensitive our society has become in recent years, and I do not feel that there was a need to touch the player on or near the face.

I do not feel that the incident merited such intense scrutiny and criticism by the media. I do not believe that Knight deserved to be so severely criticized for the manner in which he chose to make his point with his player. I believe the issue has been magnified, exaggerated, overstated and overhyped, and that Knight has been treated a distinctly different manner than any other coach would have been in a similar situation.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider