A Magical Moment
2/9/2020 3:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Once a coach, always a coach.
Bob Knight, the legendary former head coach of Indiana basketball, the man who helped the Hoosiers to three of their five national championships and won nearly twice as many games as any other basketball coach in Indiana University history, returned to
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall following a near 20-year absence to the thunderous adoration of a sell-out crowd.
During a ceremony at halftime of the Hoosiers' battle with rival Purdue, former players from the 1979-80 Big Ten championship team and throughout the decades were honored, but it was Knight's appearance that was the highlight. Knight's former players were announced, then a video presentation helped introduce the coach who is, for many, Indiana basketball.
He didn't speak to the crowd. He didn't have to. Everyone else was happy to speak for him.
"I think this is one of the great days in college sports history," said Quinn Buckner, a star during his days at IU and an anchor on Knight's undefeated 1975-76 team.
Buckner was joined by another former IU star, Randy Wittman, in the hallway after halftime. The grown men were emotional. Their coach had finally returned home.
"Randy was very instrumental and led the charge," Buckner said. "We all pitched in to try to get him here to see the reaction from the people who appreciate not only Indiana basketball, but Coach Bob Knight. We thought that was really important. Get him in and let him really enjoy it. We really think he did. Did you see him get fired up?"
Knight enjoyed the warmth of the crowd and plenty of hugs with his former players, but on Branch McCracken Court once again, Knight couldn't help himself.
He pumped his first. He yelled "Play defense!" to the student section, drawing another roar from the crowd.
Again, once a coach, always a coach.
It's almost difficult to put into words how important Knight's return to Assembly Hall was to much of the Indiana fanbase. The building Knight built into one of the most intimidating in all of college basketball chanted "Bobby! Bobby! Bobby!" as Knight walked onto the court, escorted by his son, Pat Knight, Buckner, former IU player Steve Green, and former IU star Scott May.
Knight's departure from IU in 2000 was controversial, and echoes of Knight's dismissal still resound with some fans today. There were many who feared the man they called "The General" would never come back to Bloomington let alone Assembly Hall.
IU has reached out to Knight repeatedly over the years, but old wounds can take a while to heal. The time that has passed, the reasons why it took so long for Knight to come back, ultimately are irrelevant.
"We have to be realistic about today," Buckner said. "We had a historic day. The only thing that matters is that coach came back to Bloomington, and he came back to IU. What was here before is gone."
Director of Athletics Fred Glass welcomed Knight back with open arms.
"Over the course of his Hall-of-Fame career, I don't think anything meant more to Coach Knight than the relationships he developed with his players," Glass said. "It's great that he is able to enjoy this moment with so many of them. We are very pleased to welcome him back to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall."
Wittman wasn't shy about his feelings.
"I am emotional," Wittman said. "He's a big part of who I am and who we are. I came here as a kid and left here as a man. What I've done in my life was in a big part owed to him. It's very emotional."
Knight was emotional as well. He had tears in his eyes as the cheers washed over him, and he clearly enjoyed spending time with his players. But the spark is always there.
He embraced former guard Keith Smart, the kid who drained a floating jumper with :04 seconds left to bring the Hoosiers their 1987 national championship. Knight hugged Smart, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him for a second. Smart immediately responded by breaking down into a defensive stance and moving his feet, recreating a drill that he had run thousands of times for Knight during his IU days.
It all made for a special moment in Indiana basketball history, the brightest spot in what has been a roller-coaster year. The 2019-20 Hoosiers fell to Purdue, but for those in attendance, the day wasn't about the present. It was about the past and dreaming of a brighter future.
"As Quinn said, I don't know if there's going to be a bigger day," Wittman said. "Hopefully we'll win a couple more national championships before long, but to have our coach go back to Indiana and let these fans and the state of Indiana show their appreciation… and he showed his appreciation for them."
Knight visited with ESPN analyst Dick Vitale on the court, joking that he wanted the headset. Knight then led the crowd in a fist-pumping chant of "De-fense! De-fense!" again before making his way off the court with Pat Knight, Smart, and former star Mike Woodson in tow.
But then Knight stopped. He stood just short of the tunnel he had entered countless times before. He raised his hands to the student section, most of whom weren't even born when he last coached at IU. It didn't make a difference. They understood the impact of the man, the importance of the moment. The students roared one more time, and Knight stood with his head down.
He remained in place for 17 seconds, savoring the moment. The IU band broke into the final five notes of the IU fight song, and when the fans screamed the traditional "I-U!" to close the song, The General once again began marching, this time out of the spotlight.
Knight may return again in the future. He may not. It doesn't make a difference. The chance for Knight to walk on the court one more time, to bask in the roars of the crowd, has been anticipated for years. Now it has happened, and it's a moment that will provide closure for many.
Woodson was clear why he felt it was important for Knight to finally return to Assembly Hall.
"He made all his marks right here at Indiana University," Woodson said. "This is home."
Bob Knight, the legendary former head coach of Indiana basketball, the man who helped the Hoosiers to three of their five national championships and won nearly twice as many games as any other basketball coach in Indiana University history, returned to
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall following a near 20-year absence to the thunderous adoration of a sell-out crowd.
During a ceremony at halftime of the Hoosiers' battle with rival Purdue, former players from the 1979-80 Big Ten championship team and throughout the decades were honored, but it was Knight's appearance that was the highlight. Knight's former players were announced, then a video presentation helped introduce the coach who is, for many, Indiana basketball.
He didn't speak to the crowd. He didn't have to. Everyone else was happy to speak for him.
"I think this is one of the great days in college sports history," said Quinn Buckner, a star during his days at IU and an anchor on Knight's undefeated 1975-76 team.
Buckner was joined by another former IU star, Randy Wittman, in the hallway after halftime. The grown men were emotional. Their coach had finally returned home.
"Randy was very instrumental and led the charge," Buckner said. "We all pitched in to try to get him here to see the reaction from the people who appreciate not only Indiana basketball, but Coach Bob Knight. We thought that was really important. Get him in and let him really enjoy it. We really think he did. Did you see him get fired up?"
Knight enjoyed the warmth of the crowd and plenty of hugs with his former players, but on Branch McCracken Court once again, Knight couldn't help himself.
He pumped his first. He yelled "Play defense!" to the student section, drawing another roar from the crowd.
Again, once a coach, always a coach.
It's almost difficult to put into words how important Knight's return to Assembly Hall was to much of the Indiana fanbase. The building Knight built into one of the most intimidating in all of college basketball chanted "Bobby! Bobby! Bobby!" as Knight walked onto the court, escorted by his son, Pat Knight, Buckner, former IU player Steve Green, and former IU star Scott May.
Knight's departure from IU in 2000 was controversial, and echoes of Knight's dismissal still resound with some fans today. There were many who feared the man they called "The General" would never come back to Bloomington let alone Assembly Hall.
IU has reached out to Knight repeatedly over the years, but old wounds can take a while to heal. The time that has passed, the reasons why it took so long for Knight to come back, ultimately are irrelevant.
"We have to be realistic about today," Buckner said. "We had a historic day. The only thing that matters is that coach came back to Bloomington, and he came back to IU. What was here before is gone."
Director of Athletics Fred Glass welcomed Knight back with open arms.
"Over the course of his Hall-of-Fame career, I don't think anything meant more to Coach Knight than the relationships he developed with his players," Glass said. "It's great that he is able to enjoy this moment with so many of them. We are very pleased to welcome him back to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall."
Wittman wasn't shy about his feelings.
"I am emotional," Wittman said. "He's a big part of who I am and who we are. I came here as a kid and left here as a man. What I've done in my life was in a big part owed to him. It's very emotional."
Knight was emotional as well. He had tears in his eyes as the cheers washed over him, and he clearly enjoyed spending time with his players. But the spark is always there.
He embraced former guard Keith Smart, the kid who drained a floating jumper with :04 seconds left to bring the Hoosiers their 1987 national championship. Knight hugged Smart, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him for a second. Smart immediately responded by breaking down into a defensive stance and moving his feet, recreating a drill that he had run thousands of times for Knight during his IU days.
It all made for a special moment in Indiana basketball history, the brightest spot in what has been a roller-coaster year. The 2019-20 Hoosiers fell to Purdue, but for those in attendance, the day wasn't about the present. It was about the past and dreaming of a brighter future.
"As Quinn said, I don't know if there's going to be a bigger day," Wittman said. "Hopefully we'll win a couple more national championships before long, but to have our coach go back to Indiana and let these fans and the state of Indiana show their appreciation… and he showed his appreciation for them."
Knight visited with ESPN analyst Dick Vitale on the court, joking that he wanted the headset. Knight then led the crowd in a fist-pumping chant of "De-fense! De-fense!" again before making his way off the court with Pat Knight, Smart, and former star Mike Woodson in tow.
But then Knight stopped. He stood just short of the tunnel he had entered countless times before. He raised his hands to the student section, most of whom weren't even born when he last coached at IU. It didn't make a difference. They understood the impact of the man, the importance of the moment. The students roared one more time, and Knight stood with his head down.
He remained in place for 17 seconds, savoring the moment. The IU band broke into the final five notes of the IU fight song, and when the fans screamed the traditional "I-U!" to close the song, The General once again began marching, this time out of the spotlight.
Knight may return again in the future. He may not. It doesn't make a difference. The chance for Knight to walk on the court one more time, to bask in the roars of the crowd, has been anticipated for years. Now it has happened, and it's a moment that will provide closure for many.
Woodson was clear why he felt it was important for Knight to finally return to Assembly Hall.
"He made all his marks right here at Indiana University," Woodson said. "This is home."
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