Crazy, Passionate, Bobby Knight Brings Another Level of Frenzy to a Street Game

    Rest in peace Coach Knight. Yes, as many have said since yesterday when you passed away at age 83, you were one of a kind. Your passion and at times unorthodox practices and behaviors brought an increased amount of attention and hyperbole to the sport that had become valued across the United States and increasingly the expanding world, but it became bigger and better with you as a part of it.

    I grew up with his presence and players roaming the campus and my hometown. His first All-American center came into my parent's copy and type shop when I was a kindergartner. I missed him while I was in the bathroom, but the legend of this Indiana giant scraping the ceiling reverberated in my core. Later players would come and go, some moving on to the NBA where we would watch and hope that they could further win and succeed.

    We, in Indiana, with the rival Purdue up the road and all the other cross-country rivals, craved the whole process. Recruiting, first games, pre-season classics, conference rivalries, tournaments, articles, TV and radio shows, the madness and hysteria. The anticipation of the big game.

    Knight was part of the big show that brought us all together. Love or hate him, he made the game a bigger deal. And he, or the team, or the players, or the process hooked some of us for life.

    Did he learn invaluable lessons from his Hall of Fame coach at Ohio State? Undoubtably. Did he learn a few more things enrolled at Army and coaching there, mixing with commanders and historical icons? Without a doubt. Did he find the right people to feed and be consumed by his dedication and at times crazed yet calculated efforts and maneuvers? Yep.

    I write about a lot of things related to basketball and Knight; there will be more to come.

    See you in the heavens, coach.

    Kent Harvey, Neil Reid, and the rest of us. On both sides of the veil.