Growing up in Indiana there are things that you know from birth. You know that corn is “knee-high by July” or that pork tenderloin worth its salt will always be bigger than its bun. However, the thing that every Hoosier knows is basketball. At this point it’s a cliché, the whole “In 49 states it’s just basketball, but this is Indiana” slogan is trite, but the sentiment holds true. Most Hoosiers, even those who could not care less about it, know basketball.
How exactly does a state get here? Well, build a culture of excellent high school basketball, have an immensely popular movie released about said high school basketball, five colleges with distinct and memorable college basketball legacies, a steady professional team and the most enigmatic, controversial, hard-nosed, famous and maybe best college basketball coach of all time.
That coach is of course Bob Knight, and by the time this issue is being released he will have been dead for around a month. However, Knight’s legacy of scandal and success will stand the test of time.
When you grow up in Indiana you hear stories of Knight’s many exploits and he is made to be an untouchable, larger-than-life-figure that defies standard rules and conventions. Yet, the first time I ever saw Knight at Assembly Hall was in Feb. 2020 when he hobbled onto the court during halftime.
It was the first time Knight had stepped foot in Assembly Hall since he was fired in 2000. Knight was a shell of himself. Shackled with worsening dementia, he was helped across the court by former players.
This was not the Knight that was mythologized for nearly 30 years in Bloomington. This Knight was older, aging, and maybe just a little bit less vindictive.
Remember, this is the same Knight that vowed never to return to Assembly Hall after his firing. The same Knight that famously held grudges, often to his own detriment. Yet this same Knight was clearly emotional as he stood at center court.
If someone as stubborn, head-strong and steadfast as Knight can put differences aside for the greater good, so too can Indiana University.
With the hiring of Mike Woodson, one of Knight’s former players, naturally, Knight was around the team more, even becoming a regular at practices. That once untenable situation between university and coach seemed to have been repaired.
However, and rather surprisingly, IU has not made an effort to recognize Knight beyond his initials, RMK, being stitched onto a patch worn by players and coaches wearing Knight’s infamous red sweater.
You would think that IU would be quick to honor Knight in some way, and maybe it’s Knight’s controversial legacy that is giving them pause, but whatever the case, IU would be foolish not to honor Knight in some grand way.
Perhaps the most perfect opportunity is Assembly Hall itself. Its official name is “Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall”, named after philanthropist Cindy Simon Skjodt, whose massive donation to IU allowed the university to renovate the stadium during the 2010s.
While I mean no disrespect to Mrs. Simon Skjodt, perhaps Knight should take precedent. His contributions to the university extended far beyond athletics and is a large part in IU’s illustrious basketball history.
With Mrs. Simon Skjodt’s blessing of course, IU would be foolish not to commemorate Knight in this way.
