Five Good Questions with Jeff Walker about Bob Knight

Today’s Five Good Questions is with Jeff Walker of the Lubbock Avalanche Journal....Jeff covers Texas Tech basketball and was kind enough to respond concerning former Red Raider head coach Bob Knight and his sudden retirement....

Q1. What is the feeling down in Lubbock now that Coach Knight has retired?
A. Honestly, I don't know because the team has been on the road for two games this week. I think the general sentiment was shock ... not that it happened this year, but that it happened before the season ended. I think Pat has said and done some things in this short time that has most fans willing to keep an open mind about him.

Q2. Coach Knight has a bad reputation in dealing with the media. How was your relations with him?
A. He hated me. No, I'm kidding. We got along well. He treated me fairly and I believe I did the same.

Q3. What did it mean to Texas Tech and its basketball program to have Bob Knight as its coach?
A. I have been saying for quite some time that Bob Knight and Mike Leach have brought more exposure, more attention, more publicity to Texas Tech than anyone has before. Knight took four teams to the NCAA Tournament, brought repeated nationally televised games, while Leach has taken Tech to eight consecutive bowls -- two on New Year's Day -- and has an offense that is appealing to most.

Q4.When he took the job at Texas Tech, many believed that Coach Knight had one good run left in him. Why did he have a difficult time taking the Red Raiders deep into the NCAA Tournament?
A. If you aren't Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, et al, how many times do you really take a team deep into the NCAA Tournament? His team went to the Sweet 16 three years ago and was close to going to the Elite Eight. If you look at the history of Tech's program, one other coach (AD Gerald Myers) took Tech to as many as four NCAA Tournaments and he coached here for 20 years. Knight did it in six.

Q5. Some media people up north here are ripping Coach Knight for "quitting on his team." What are your thoughts?
A. I've found there are people that either like him or don't and your opinion probably won't change on that no matter what he does ... good or bad. His players have said they don't feel he quit on them, so if they don't feel that way, why should anyone else?

Once again I would like to thank Jeff for his time....it is much appreciated.....