The other night, ESPN, as part of its series "30-for-30" (excellent sports journalism, by the way) created a show called "The Last Days of Knight," depicting the events leading to the departure of head men's basketball coach Bob Knight from Indiana University.
It was not pleasant. Knight went kicking and screaming, but that's part of the way he coached, too. About the game of basketball, his expertise and strategizing always will be among the best that the college game has ever had to offer (Reveal: I learned the intricacies of his motion offense and man-to-man defense and taught it with intensity, which pleased some and distressed others. I didn't like some of the results interpersonally, but I'm not sure that in a competitive sport one can do otherwise. That has always been the give-and-take of coaching.). But his handling of personalities to fit his style of attacking opponents, and making the mastery of the game as the goal, led to moments of genuine abuse.
Because of Knight's reputation and overbearing, intimidating presence which warned people away from getting on his bad side, much of what others would regard as unacceptable behavior was washed over--especially since, during his career at Indiana, the Hoosiers won three national championships and were nearly always in the conversation during other campaigns. His powerful voice, usually filled with expletives, was always bracing in support, obnoxious and offensive in opposition. His physical presence intimidated, and if it didn't, he intimidated by throwing chairs and grabbing people.
He was a forerunner of 45: He took pride in his polarization. Hate me if you want, but I'll beat you in the end. Winning is the only point, after all. I was not surprised whatsoever that Knight came out in support of 45's candidacy.
Like about 35-40 percent of the country at present, Indiana University overlooked and even held its nose about Knight's antics because he kept winning. It remained powerfully loyal--until film led it unmistakably to question his tactics.
Up until then, it was one person's word against the other. Knight, like 45, used exaggeration and deflecting (usually about the greater good of either teaching young men about life or his overall success) to ride out controversies until they subsided. But like 45, too, they just kept coming. Journalists who looked the other way were forced to confront the evidence that had just too much weight.
Much of the journalism concerning 45, and more of the commentary, still comprises speculation: If this, then that will be inevitable. It has built nearly from the time of his inauguration. The lies and hucksterist exaggerations began then with the size of the inaugural crowd, nothing remotely close to that of President Obama's first inauguration (of which I was a part). With one and then another revelation of misdoing and misappropriation of funds and cover-ups and skulduggery, we have come to expect emotionally strong but factually empty efforts to counteract the fact-findings.
Like 45, Knight spent much of his final days at Indiana condemning the press and trying to make it look like a bunch of hacks. Slowly, the press circled around him with facts, which included the way he looked in defending himself--inadequate, more vapid with each day, and self-centered. Like 45, it became all about him.
Unlike 45, though, once the higher-ups at Indiana understood the real situation, its actions were quick and decisive, without appellate delay or red tape. Knight's departure was not the end of him: He went on to a moderately successful stay at Texas Tech, and a turn in the broadcast booth. The game of basketball went on: some of Knight's disciples, most notably Mike Kryszewski at Duke, continued runs of tremendous success by using some of his tactics but rarely his style. Within one or two seasons, Knight was a flawed icon of the past.
45's money has bought, and will continue to buy, him time and an all-out effort to smudge and fog every and all violations of norms and laws so that he hopes people will, inevitably, wear out and let him be. But the mid-term elections have given his opponents renewed energy and hope, and now nothing will deter them from getting to the bottom line of his wrongdoings and inappropriateness. The press has continually knifed through his fog, too, and their written and visual records cannot now be erased.
His process of removal may come from two paths, and neither may ultimately succeed. But it will be attempted now, of that one can be sure. Those forces have now gathered and he must stand accountable.
Then what will happen? In all likelihood, 45 will (If he doesn't spend the rest of his life in jail, which may mean he may have to pardon himself, which it says here will result in a constitutional amendment specifically prohibiting it, a discussion of which will be done in this space whether it develops as an option or not) develop, or try to develop, that media empire he keeps discussing that the government itself should have. He will flood it with his own propaganda and try to claim that that's just what the major media outlets have been doing all along. (What he'll do against or with Fox will be all that more interesting.). Lacking that, he'll try to buy up everything he possibly can so that his children will take over the major portion of his grifting (having done a considerable amount themselves) and expand it. Unlike Knight, 45's awful influence may just be starting.
If he doesn't commit a major mistake and ruin much of this country first. There's plenty of time for that, if only in resisting removal by whatever constitutional avenues that will be invoked. Knight called upon his public, but after a while, it faded. 45's public may make removal very, very ugly.
Regardless, like Bob Knight, 45 cannot help himself. With every attempt to cover tracks, he reveals more. His lights, too, are fading. His voice, too, is becoming less and less relevant. Like Knight, he will soon become a tragic icon of the past, just one more replaceable person who believed he was the opposite.
Be well. I'll see you down the road.
Mister Mark
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