Indiana University athletic director Fred Glass, less than eight months into the job, has made his most courageous decision.
And no, it has nothing to do with drawing students to football games with free snacks.
Glass this week decided to induct former basketball coach Bob Knight into IU’s athletics Hall of Fame. And he is doing so without Knight’s consent and without polling the Hoosier nation.
For the first time since IU launched its Hall of Fame in 1982, a person will be inducted without their agreement to attend the induction. Not that Glass isn’t aiming for that. This week he sent out a hand-written letter of invitation to Knight for the Nov. 6 induction, and is dispatching an oral invite via a hand-picked Knight ally. That same ally is also on the nine-person committee charged with selecting Hall of Fame candidates.
The committee agreed to induct the likes of former soccer coach Jerry Yeagley and basketball player Steve Downing this year.
But make no mistake, Glass pulled the trigger on the decision to induct Knight. He got a nod from IU President Michael McRobbie to do so, but the final decision rested with Glass.
Glass told IBJ Friday that McRobbie neither endorsed nor opposed the move. In other words, this is all his, stand or fall.
Glass said he hopes Knight’s induction will help heal the Hoosier Nation, and he hopes Knight will eventually accept his invitation to be more involved in the IU program. But Glass is also smart enough to know Knight, who was fired by then IU President Myles Brand in 2000, is a lightning rod for controversy.
“I don’t kid myself that this will be universally embraced,” Glass told IBJ Friday. “But I have no problem being a part of this decision because it’s the right thing to do, and by not having Coach Knight in the Hall of Fame, it diminishes it.”
If Knight spurns Glass’ olive branch, it could be the athletic director’s credibility that diminishes. There are still plenty of wealthy IU alums who double as Knight loyalists. Glass, who is nursing a financially fragile athletic department while shepherding several capital projects, can scantly afford to appear further distanced from Knight or his legions of supporters.
Then again, if Knight rides back into Bloomington in 10 weeks time, Glass could be the hero this athletic department so badly needs. It sure takes courage to be the IU athletic director. And the steely nerves of a high stakes gambler.
For more on Glass' decision to induct Knight into the Hall of Fame, click here.
To follow The Score on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ibjthescore.
Back to Top
IBJ Conversations
12 Comments
Add Comment
Great idea, bad way of doing it. Knight is a jerk of a coach. A great coach, but a jerk. He could have coached successful teams without doing the majority of the publicity stunts he did. He got too big for his britches and the University refused to reign him in until it was too late. Had the university reigned him in the 70's and 80's, people would be talking about Knight retiring from iu, with another title or two, and naming the new iu arena (money would not be an issue) after him.
Ok, that said, Glass is smart to honor him, but should have checked with him first. If Bob said no, then drop it for a while. Glass has opened himself and the University to Knights whims. If Bob wants to be a jerk, he can now embarrass himself (like he cares) and the University (which he enjoys) for another couple of months. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Indiana University, IU Basketball, Indiana Basketball, IU's & Indiana's contribution to stirring up US enthusiasm as well as an Olympic Gold Medal. Miles Brand is long gone from IU and any public newsworthy event and Bobby Knight lives on not only in the memories of IU Alumni and the entire state of Indiana and is still newsworthy. I hope Bobby Knight recognizes that it is time to let bygones be bygones and come to receive a well-earned recognition.
That having been said, it was a sad day in Hoosier Land for those of us long time fans to see the General fired over minutia and what has happened to the program since then. Sometimes you get what you asked for and what you deserve.
I do not see the Hoosier EVER getting back to the glory days they once enjoyed. The Big Ten (?) and Bloomington are no longer the place to be. Weep on Hoosier 'fans'. The ride created by the General is gone and never to return.
I think Indiana should cite his achievements. If he doesn't show up, the plaque can say, Picture Not Available.
If Bob snubs the university, after all these years, does that -- maybe -- suggest that he's not a 'molder of men'?
Maybe he acted that way because he's a jerk?
Also, Yeagley's accomplishments at IU are significant enough to warrant entering the Hall by himself without other inductees and this distraction. IU missed the ball here. Knight may stay away to allow Yeagley the spotlight and avoid the circus atmoshpere.