Bobby Knight Continues to Fight

Sept. 12, 2000 -- True to form, Bobby Knight will not exit quietly.

The fired Indiana University Basketball coach was unapologetic in an interview with ESPN but said he should have left the school months ago.

“I probably should have gone somewhere else,” he said in a 30-minute interview that became testy at times. Still, Knight said he wants to continue on at another school.

“I haven’t retired. I’m an unemployed teacher right now, andI’m looking for a place to teach. There are too many things that Ihave yet to explore about the game of basketball,” Knight said.

Asked if he was embarrassed by the chain of events that led to his firing on Sunday, Knight said no: “What I am is proud. I am really proud of what our basketball program turned out.”

Indiana Appoints Davis

The university made it official that Mike Davis has been appointed as interim head basketball coach. At today’s late press conference, Davis said he’s confident no players will be leaving the team.

“The first thing I’d like to say is that there’s no way I could turn down this job, because of the players and their parents,” Davis said. “But I’m sad because of the way it happened. I dreamed of becoming a head coach under different circumstances.”

In the meantime, Coach Davis is ready to take the helm, and he’s ready to start practices Wednesday at 6 to make up for lost time.

“My relationship with Coach Knight will never cease,” said Davis during a press conference at Indiana University. “I would just like to thank Coach Knight for all the things he’s taught me about basketball … that’s really helped me get to this level.”

Knight May Announce a Move

The good news for Knight is that campus police decided not to press charges against him. While witnesses agreed that Knight grabbed freshman Kent Harvey, they disagreed on how hard the coach grabbed the student. Knight said that after the student made what he considered a “slightly rude remark,” he tried to be a “stern but caring teacher.”

The 59-year-old Hall of Famer said he might take up an offerto help Isiah Thomas, a former Hoosier star now coaching theIndiana Pacers.

Since his dismissal Sunday, Knight has made only one briefpublic appearance, in Bloomington to speak to students who wereprotesting his firing.

He said he planned to talk to students on Wednesday. But he madeit clear in an interview with The Sporting News the weekly sports magazine on Mondaynight that it was time for him and his wife, Karen, to leave.

“We’re going to move,” Knight said. “And that’ll bedifficult. I’ve been here since 1971 and I really like the area. Ican play golf, I can catch 50 bluegill in an hour, I can go turkeyhunting. The place has fit my lifestyle.

“Now that’s all wiped out, and I feel worse about that than nothaving the coaching job.”

“If it was the right situation, I’d coach tomorrow,” he continued.

Thomas, who led Knight’s 1981 team to a national title, hasinvited Knight to join him on the Pacers’ bench as an assistantcoach, and Knight said he would be willing to do so on a limitedbasis.

“Isiah called me and I told him, ‘All you have to do is ask. Idon’t know what kind of commitment I want to make, but if you wantme to come to practice, evaluate players, do some scouting, justask,’” Knight said.

Triplets Flee Indiana

Meanwhile, Jerry Harvey, father of Kent Harvey and his brothers, Kevin and Kyle, told The Indianapolis Star the triplets had left the state with their mother and stepfather, Chris and Mark Shaw. He said the trip could include visits to other schools.

“Their freshman year is now in shreds,” their father said. Jerry Harvey said Kent has received threatening e-mail. Kent’s roommate, Dejavieur Speller, said threatening phone calls have been made.

The Harvey brothers and two friends were at Assembly Hall on Thursday to pick up football tickets when they encountered Knight. Kent Harvey said, “Hey, what’s up, Knight?”

Both sides say the basketball coach then grabbed Harvey’s arm to admonish him. Knight, his version of events backed by assistant coach Davis, said he was not as aggressive as Harvey and the other boys said he was.

“He grabbed me by the arm and just started saying stuff, which I got scared … I wasn’t really listening to him very well because I was just so caught up into how he got a handle on me,” said Harvey, who admitted he did not recall actually hearing Knight curse at him. “I don’t remember but my friend says he heard the F-word a couple of times.”

Knight held a news conference Friday to explain his side of the story.

“This kid looks at me and says ‘Hi, Knight,’” Knight recounted. “And as he’s moving I put my hand on the inside of his elbow and I looked at him and I said “Son, my name isn’t Knight for you, it’s Coach Knight or Mr. Knight.”

The coach said he didn’t curse at Harvey.

Legendary Basketball History

Knight served as Indiana’s coach for 29 years and has endured a long history of temper problems. The university warned him earlier this year that any more outbursts would lead to his dismissal.

After school President Myles Brand announced the dismissal Sunday morning an angry mob turned up in front of his residence and burned Brand in effigy. Several students were arrested for interfering with police.

On Sunday, Brand called Knight’s behavior “uncivil, defiant and unacceptable.” “I’ve been in higher education for 30 years…unquestionably, this is the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make,” Brand said. “Bob Knight is a legendary coach at a school with a legendary basketball reputation.”

Knight won three NCAA titles at Indiana and coached the 1984 men’s Olympic basketball team to a gold medal. But his brilliant career has also been marred by several violent outbursts over three decades — from throwing a chair during a game, to allegedly throwing a vase at a university secretary.

The university finally said enough was enough last spring after accusations emerged that Knight had choked a former player during practice in 1997. The school launched a full investigation, finally reaching the decision to suspend the coach for three games, fine him $30,000 and adopt a “zero-tolerance” stance on future behavior.

Still, Brand said Knight repeatedly showed disregard for the sanctions handed down on May 15 following the investigation.

“I still believe we had to give him one last chance,” Brand said. “He failed to live up to that … His unacceptable behavior not only continued since then but increased.”

The temperamental coach has already been offered a job by Isiah Thomas, new coach of the Indiana Pacers. Knight is scheduled to tell his side of the story in a live interview on ESPN at 7 p.m.

ABCNEWS affiliate WRTV in Indianapolis, ABC radio, ABCNEWS’ Jon Belmont and The Associated Press contributed to this report.