Emotional biases sway journalist’s objectivity. And you the reader have no clue because those biases are never disclosed. They should.
I love college basketball coach Bobby Knight, formerly of Indiana (IU), now of Texas Tech. Don’t try to analyze it.
Mike Davis, formerly Knight’s right hand assistant, betrayed Knight when he took over as coach when Knight was fired. Don’t analyze that either.
But Davis is a Black coach, so after his first year, I rooted for him. I also praised his successes. And when Knight made snide remarks about Indiana that seemed aimed at Davis, I sent Knight voodoo vibes. Love never extends to letting a brotha get kicked.
Disclosure concluded.
Nothing but ego, masked as opportunity, convinces anyone to follow a legend. But unless the legend is your daddy, or play daddy, you better own the sandbox in which you play. Knight is not, nor will ever be again, Davis’ ‘daddy.’ Davis is from Alabama.
So Davis knew IU acceptance would only come if he won big.
So in his first three years he took the Hoosiers to the Final Four, had three 20-plus-win seasons, and defeated ranked teams like Illinois and Duke. Then he didn’t make the March Madness cut and IU started losing games they should have won. This year it was Iowa, Wisconsin, and a 19 point loss to Minnesota.
But even if IU had let Davis go, or Davis resigned, no one questioned that Davis would leave with “his head held high and his reputation and strong character intact,” said Reggie Hayes of the Mercury News. Until Davis choked.
With rumors flying he would resign, 90 minutes before IU’s game with Iowa, Davis said he was sick.
When he came back, he said that the fans and media’s negativity were causing his players’ poor production. He also suggested letting the Hoosiers be coached by one of their own, like Hoosier All American, now Iowa coach Steve Alford.
The next day he told The Sporting News he wasn’t quitting. He appreciated his IU opportunity.
Davis’ was in a living hell.
Where he chose to build his home.
Where he recruited sixteen players, one of which was his son, who depended on him for direction.
Where lately he played the blame game and acted resigned, forgetting that affected poor productivity more than fans and media.
Hopefully, Davis’ media babbling is now over, and while IU’s season may not be redeemable, Davis’ and his teams’ character still may.
I’m betting on.
1“Numbers won’t add up for Indiana’s Davis this season,” Reggie Hayes. Mercury News. February 10, 2006.
