Players owe loyalty to team, not Bobby Knight
By Indiana Daily Student Staff
U-wire
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - With the appointment of assistant basketball coach Mike Davis as interim coach, Indiana University has made it over one hurdle.
The University has chosen someone who already knows the players
and can take our team through a difficult transitional period.
It would have been foolish to do otherwise. IU basketball doesn't
need a fresh face now; it needs someone who can make the transfer
of power as seamless as possible.
At least now, when the players walk into the locker room, they'll
see a familiar face in charge.
The next hurdle is keeping the rest of the team together. And
this one is up to the men's basketball players.
Since Bob Knight was fired Sunday, one of the biggest questions
on everyone's minds has been about the team: Who will stay and
who will go? The answer depended as much on the players as the
choice for interim coach. After IU made its move, it was up to
the players to determine the course of this 2000-2001 season.
And they've made the right choice. So far, everyone seems to
have their priorities in check and players are remaining committed
to the team.
Junior guard Dane Fife was one of the first to publicly consider
jumping ship. He said Monday that he would transfer to another
school, but the next day, he told CNN he was keeping his options
open. Freshman A.J. Moye also indicated he would leave IU. Both
have now decided to stay.
What IU needs now isn't more ego, grandstanding or more "big"
changes.
What both the team and the university need is stability. Part
of that will come from Davis, but the majority must come from
the players. So far, so good.
Many of these players, particularly the younger ones, came to
IU because of Knight. But by their own admission, when they got
here, they became part of a larger family. Now they're living
up to their responsibility, not just to IU but to their team.
If Knight really is the father of this family, then just because
daddy's gone doesn't mean the kids should walk out, too.
Should the players be upset? They have every right to be. But
should this have driven them off the team? That would have been
more than immature, it would have been irresponsible. But they've
all come through and decided to give IU another year.
They might have hedged their bets and cried "foul"
at the way Knight's situation was handled, but when it really
counted, they remembered the most important thing.
The jersey says "Indiana," not "Bob Knight."
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