Buster Sports

Bob Knight is the most important figure in the history of Indiana basketball. I suppose you could try to argue someone else, but I'd just point out to you that he's the most recognizable and then move on with my life, because you'd have no retort. And yeah, he left the school on bad terms, and yeah, he's currently suing them, but the Hoosiers still understand his importance and are inducting him into the IU Hall of Fame.

Too bad he's not going to bother showing up for his own induction ceremony. After all, no one wants him being a distraction.

Athletic director Fred Glass said Thursday that Knight contacted him directly to decline the invitation. Glass said Knight was concerned that the interest in him would be a distraction from the other six inductees.

On the bright side, at least Knight is being semi-polite about the whole thing ("semi" = the whole not showing up blatantly because he holds a monster grudge against the school part; "polite" = declining via a personal phone call). He could come out and publicly thrash the school instead, you know?

But that wouldn't really fit Knight's character since he became a "new public figure" in his role as an analyst for ESPN. In fact, it was surprising enough to see him not make a scene about the whole lawsuit thing.

Still, for a guy that won three titles (Branch McCracken won two, for those that don't know or want to try and argue the importance of someone else in Hoosier history) and defined Indiana basketball for multiple decades, it's a little depressing to see that he and his former employer can't somehow reconcile. Maybe he can kick it with Bobby Bowden instead -- at least they'll have something to talk about.

Bob Knight, Bobby Knight, Bob Knight IU Hall of Fame, Bob Knight Indiana Hall of Fame, Bob Knight Indiana Hoosiers