Suffice to say, legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight is not one to bite his tongue and mince words when asked a direct question or a request for his opinion is made.
Such was the case Monday night when The General gave his two cents worth on a part of the current “situation” facing his alma mater.
Speaking to the media Monday night before an awards ceremony, the Ohio State alum and former Indiana/Texas Tech head coach was asked about the rules broken by five Buckeye football players -- receiving cash and/or discounts in exchange for, in part, their personal OSU memorabilia -- that led to five-game suspensions. As expected, Knight lashed out at an “out of touch” NCAA and its “idiotic” rules.
“I understand what’s happened and there was a rule that was violated,” Knight said. “But it was an idiotic rule. ...
“I think this NCAA that we’re currently involved with is so far out of touch with the integrity of the sport that it’s just amazing.”
I could not agree with Knight more; it is an idiotic rule. Or, as we’ve stated on multiple occasions, it’s utterly asinine that players cannot sell their personal stuff when billions of dollars are being made off their collective backs. And ACLs and ankles and concussed brains.
However, and regardless of how idiotic and asinine they are, it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s against the Association’s bylaws as they’re currently written. And it doesn’t change the fact that lying and covering up what were, in the grand scheme of things, minor indiscretions turned what was a mildly negative situation that likely would’ve blown over in a matter of month into a full-blown black eye for the university and could lead to significant repercussions for the football program for years moving forward.
Of course, and not so unexpectedly, that issue wasn’t addressed by Knight. The whole “coaching brotherhood”, we suspect.