Usually these days when Coach Bobby Knight speaks, most of us half-heartedly listen. I feel that he is a great encyclopedia for college basketball and could coach the hell out of the motion offense, but he needs to keep his opinion to himself on topics especially when talking about other people. He is the last person who should be criticizing anyone with his track record. Now that he is a media person I guess he feel it is his turn to rebuke college basketball for all it has done to him. A couple of days ago he made a comment about Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari that has stunned the nation. He wondered aloud how a coach that has had two programs get probation after he leaves because of what has happened during his tenure gets jobs in major college basketball. That is about as low a blow as one can give another without actually doing it. True Memphis and my Alma mater UMASS received sanctions for things that happened during Cal's tenure. If the NCAA knew what the basketball players were doing during his tenure there he probably would be arrested and banned from the state of Massachusetts. He can coach, recruit and win. Period. But his statement upset me because Coach Cal isn't the only coach that gets jobs. Jerry Tarkanian did the same things at Long Beach st. and UNLV didn't he? I am not trying to slam these coaches but my point is in all sports the hiring of coaches is a joke. It is incestuous and some may say racist. The NFL has decided to put in the Rooney rule that makes every team that is looking for a coach, interview a black one first then go ahead and hire whoever you want after. At least they are trying to include us in the process but come on haven't we seen the same re-tread coaches around the league? Any coach that has coached under Bill Walsh or Mike Holmgren or Andy Reid seem to get all of the NFL jobs. Major League baseball has a similar system as the NFL and the same managers get jobs all over the league. I love Joe Torre don't get me wrong but how many teams has he managed? Jim Rigelman has managed I believe three teams and does not have a winning record anywhere.Only a handful of managers have job that were their first and only jobs. Mike Scosia has been the Angels manager for a boat load years. Terry Francona has been the Red Sox for a few years too. Ozzie Guillen and Tony La Russa have been with their teams for a awhile too. My point in mentioning all of this is that there are a lot of bad coaches and managers getting hired on all levels of sports and there does not seem like new faces get a chance to show what they can do. Next year already Mike Shananhan and Mike Holmgren will be back coaching in the NFL. Tony Dungy and Bill Cowher refuse to be interviewed for jobs but every year their name comes up for every job. So I am calling on all new coaches around the globe to succeed and build a name for yourself quickly. I am tired of seeing the same people getting the same jobs and keeping you down.. Brian Kelly did it the right way. Turner Gill did it the right way too. Tom Crean is swimming upstream at Indiana but at least he is swimming.... Over the next few months lets see how many new faces get a shot at the big time. Coach Knight you have opened Pandora's Box. Let's see if the world is listening.. If not you could always throw a chair......
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