A chronology of events involving Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight, who
was fired Sunday:
1975-76 -- Upset over two turnovers, Knight grabbed sophomore Jim Wisman by
the jersey and jerked him into his seat.
1979 -- Was charged, and later tried and convicted in absentia, for hitting a
Puerto Rican policeman before practice at the Pan American Games. Knight was
sentenced to six months in jail but Puerto Rico decided in 1987 to drop efforts
to extradite him.
1979-80 -- Playfully fired a blank shot at a reporter. A week later Knight
and his wife took turns at the microphone and chided the Assembly Hall crowd
for not cheering enough during a game against Northwestern.
1980-81 -- Irritated Purdue fans and officials by bringing a donkey onto his
TV show wearing a Boilermakers cap. Later, in Philadelphia for the Final Four,
Knight was involved in a hotel shoving match with an LSU fan, who said Knight
stuffed him in a garbage can.
1981-82 -- Ohio State guard Troy Taylor said Knight cursed him after he
thought Taylor flagrantly fouled a player. Knight denied the charge and sent
films of what happened to the Big Ten and Ohio State. Ohio State later
supported Knight.
1982-83 -- Critical of Big Ten officiating, Knight stood at midcourt cursing
at Big Ten commissioner Wayne Duke, who was sitting in the press box. Two days
later, Knight assailed the referees for the "worst officiating I have seen in
12 years."
1984-85 -- Tossed a chair across the court during a game against Purdue.
Knight was ejected and suspended one game by the Big Ten. He later apologized.
1985-86 -- Received a technical foul for shouting at the officials during a
game against Illinois, then kicked a megaphone and chewed out the Indiana
cheerleaders for disrupting a free throw attempt by Steve Alford.
1986-87 -- Banged his fist on the scorer's table after being assessed a
technical foul during an NCAA regional tournament game against LSU. The
university was fined $10,000 by the NCAA and Knight received a reprimand.
1987-88 -- Refused to let his team finish an exhibition game against the
Soviet Union after he was ejected for arguing with a referee. He was later
reprimanded by the university.
1988 -- In an NBC interview with Connie Chung, who asked how he handles
stress, Knight replied, "I think that if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy
it." He explained he was talking about something beyond one's control, not the
act of rape. The remark triggered protests and a march of about 300 people on
the campus.
1990-91 -- Asked not to be nominated again to the Basketball Hall of Fame,
calling the voters' rejection of him in 1987 a "slap in the face." He was
elected and inducted into the Hall in 1991.
1990-91 -- Publicly feuded with Illinois coach Lou Henson, who called him a
"classic bully" who thrives on intimidation.
1991-92 -- Barred a female reporter from the locker room, saying it was
inappropriate for her to be in there and against university policy. All
reporters were subsequently barred from the locker room.
1991-92 -- Canceled the annual team banquet after a loss to Purdue cost
Indiana a share of the Big Ten championship.
1991-92 -- Playfully gave a mock whipping to Calbert Cheaney, a black player,
during practice for the NCAA West Regional. Several black leaders said they
were offended. Knight denied any racial connotations. He noted the bull whip
was given to him by the players, including Cheaney.
1993-94 -- Was suspended for one game after a sideline tirade in a 101-82
victory over Notre Dame. Knight screamed at his son, Pat, and kicked him in the
leg. When fans behind the Indiana bench booed, Knight turned and responded with
an obscenity.
1993-94 -- Accidentally head-butted freshman Sherron Wilkerson during a
timeout at Michigan State. After the next game, the Hoosiers' home finale
against Wisconsin, Knight took the public address microphone and recited a
profane verse directed at his critics.
1994-95 -- Was reprimanded and fined $30,000 by the NCAA for an outburst at a
news conference during the NCAA tournament. Miffed that an NCAA media liaison
erroneously said he would not attend the news conference, Knight lashed out at
him.
1997-98 -- Was fined $10,000 by the Big Ten for berating referee Ted
Valentine, whose officiating Knight called "the greatest travesty" he had
seen in his coaching career. Knight received three technical fouls and was
ejected by Valentine during the second half of a loss to Illinois.
1999 -- Investigated for possible battery after allegedly choking a man at a
restaurant. The man reportedly confronted Knight as he was leaving, contending
he heard Knight make a racist remark.
March 2000 -- Was investigated by the university after former player Neil
Reed said Knight choked him during a practice in 1997. A videotape of the
practice appeared to support Reed. Reports then surfaced of other
confrontations. In one, a university secretary said an enraged Knight once
threw a vase in her direction.
May 2000 -- Was fined $30,000, suspended for three games and placed under a
"zero-tolerance" behavior policy.
Sept. 7, 2000 -- Accused of grabbing a student by the arm and lecturing him
about manners after the coach was addressed solely by his last name.
Sept. 10, 2000 -- Fired for violating the "zero-tolerance" policy and for
what university president Myles Brand called a "pattern of unacceptable
behavior."
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2000, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved