I grew up playing basketball in Indiana.
Henryville, Indiana to be exact.
Not quite sure I knew at the time how big of a deal that was, but I have as I grew up, aged, and traveled around the country and the world working basketball camps.
Being a basketball coach from Indiana is a big deal, and I cannot help but think that a lot of that comes from Bob Knight being the head men's basketball coach at Indiana University for so many years. People know him.
But I'm just a nobody. I was a decent high school player with a couple offers to go and play at smaller schools, not IU like I wanted. Something about not being good enough, I guess.
Then I started coaching and this is my 33rd year and let's say that I'm a better assistant than I was a head coach. As was pointed out recently on a message board dedicated to high school basketball (crazy, huh) it was pointed out that I was a sub .500 coach as a head coach at Henryville and I am just an assistant now, but people don't forget, or are able to look up the info.
But when I travel, and coaches find out I'm from Indiana...it's a big deal.
So I wasn't good enough to play at IU, I wasn't a great head coach, and I never met Coach Knight, so why am I writing about his influence on me?
Because...it's Coach Knight and Indiana basketball.
Knight was the sort of person you thought would be around your entire life, kind of like your parents or God himself.
But growing up in Indiana during the 1970's and 1980's, Bob Knight's influence was everywhere in basketball. From his motion offense to his man to man defense, we all did something like it.
Coach Knight's attention to detail and scouting, it's funny, I was talking to Marty Simmons (former IU player) recently and I watch old games from Knight's years at IU and how they describe him as a genius.
I didn't see it.
And I realized why.
My high school coaches were so influenced by him that the things we did here in Indiana are so ingrained that we take it for granted.
Sure, he had his downfalls, we all do, but one of the things he is critiqued over is his language and loud yelling.
Before our culture worried so much about mental health (and we should), and the feelings of everyone, Knight taught in way that was awful from the outside, and maybe worse from the inside, but in a way that prepared you for life.
And there is no one harder on you than life.
My high school coach, Terry Rademacher, was very similar to Knight at the high school level, and I am so glad that I played for a guy who held me accountable behavior wise and on the court.
I guess hearing of Coach Knight passing yesterday, November 1, really shook me up a little because he was such a huge figure in general, but with basketball being so important to me and my family, you can see his influence everywhere.
I pray for Coach Knight's family (it includes years of former players) and friends (it also includes former players), and I hope they can take some joy or satisfaction that Bob Knight was one of the best ever at what he did and influenced so many baskeetball players and coaches.
Some that do not know they're being influenced even today.
Even a nobody basketball player and coach from Henryville.
