By
Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Rubio defends deposed 'General,' Murray saw it coming
A day after Indiana University fired head basketball coach Bobby Knight, Arizona coaches and officials had differing opinions as to whether or not his dismissal was justified.
Knight was fired Sunday for violating IU's "zero-tolerance policy." An altercation last Thursday with Kent Harvey, an Indiana freshman, seemed to be the final straw.
David Rubio, Arizona's women's volleyball coach, was unsatisfied with the reasoning behind the 69-year-old Knight's dismissal.
"I've been following it pretty closely," Rubio said. "As (Michigan State basketball coach) Tom Izzo said, 'I smell a rat.' What we're seeing in the media is not the whole story."
Adding intrigue to the story was the fact that Harvey's stepfather, Mark Shaw, had been one of Knight's harshest critics in the past.
"I think the father put his stepson up to baiting Knight into having a confrontation," Rubio said. "It's unfortunate that he has to go down in a negative way."
UA basketball graduate assistant coach Josh Pastner views the situation differently.
"It's a real awkward situation," he said. "He was a brilliant coach and person. I think (ESPN basketball analyst) Dick Vitale said it best - no coach is bigger than any university."
Pastner, who counts Knight's son, Pat, as one of his close friends, believes Knight needed to be more civil in the workplace.
"In any field you're in, you have to work with people under you and above you," Pastner said. "I know Pat (Knight) really well, and even he has said at times that his dad has an unfortunate lashing out (problem)."
Pastner, a former UA shooting guard, fails to believe that Knight's inability to change with the times led to his firing.
"Back in 1960, 1990 and 2000, you've got to send the right message," Pastner said.
UA cross country coach Dave Murray believes Knight's temper led to his ultimate demise.
"If I would have acted like that, I would have been fired a long time ago," he said. "Bobby Knight is an extreme example of on the court...well, personality."
In a written statement, UA head basketball coach Lute Olson expressed his optimism for the coach's future.
"It is unfortunate that a great career should end in such a negative manner," he said. "I am certain that both coach Knight and Indiana University will recover well from these unfortunate circumstances."
Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood is appreciative that Olson rarely lets his temper jeopardize the university.
"It's a tough and sensitive situation," Livengood said. "My thoughts would be simple - thank goodness I don't have to deal with that here."
Indiana will likely replace the surly Knight with a coach who can be more media-savvy. Knight, nicknamed "the General" from his days coaching at West Point, was rarely fond of media members.
With the vacancy at IU, Pastner wasted no time in sending the Hoosiers' his resume.
"It's a done deal," Pastner said of the application process. "I know there's a zero-percent possibility. Anytime there's a job opening, I send an application in."
According to Rubio, coaches in the 21st century will need to represent the university both on and off the court.
"If you wrote a job description now, having someone who can represent the institution off the court is every bit as important (as winning)," Rubio said. "Lute (Olson) does that very well - he could run for governor and probably win."
Knight, however, seemed unable to change as the years progressed.
"Being a maverick is OK, but we all have constraints," Livengood said. "In this day and age, we're all held accountable. The message never got through. Bobby Knight is a smart man - he knew where the line was and he crossed it."
