Interview with the General

When I was a cub reporter (I've always wanted to use that phrase) first starting out at a tiny semi-daily in Michigan, I got to cover high schools and a Division III college. Once in awhile, I'd get to go to a Detroit Tigers game or a Michigan football game where I felt completely out of place and intimidated by the surroundings.

I felt like that again on Wednesday covering an historic game - Bob Knight's 876th career win against Louisiana Tech tied him for second on the Division I wins list with Adolph Rupp.

Knight joined the news conference after two of his players spoke. He entered the Hall of Fame room at the Thomas Assembly Center, noticed the TV microphones set up at the far end of the table and sat down at the opposite end.

The guy has an air of intimidation. How many times have we seen on TV his antics and incidents - throwing chairs, kicking players, spewing profanities? You try asking him a question with those scenarios flooding through your mind.

He didn't address the big question (What does it mean to tie Adolph Rupp?) until a reporter asked him as he was ready to leave. His response was in today's Times.

Knight was cordial with the media, possibly because he won. As he was leaving, he stopped in the corridor, turn around and came back in.
"But if you want to hear another Rupp story I've got one for you."

He may hate the media some times, but he certainly knows how to play it.