John Creighton

January 21st, 2010 by John Creighton in Dispatches

Tags: Civility, College, Sports

I watched Bobby Knight and Brent Musburger call the Kansas State-Texas basketball game on ESPN Big Monday this week.  Number nine ranked Kansas State upset number one Texas 71-62 – though a home victory by one top ten team over another is hardly an upset.

Kansas State fans began to chant in celebration late in the game as victory became imminent.  Bobby Knight took issue with their chant.  The Kansas State fans were yelling, “Over rated; Over rated,” indicating their feeling that Texas does not deserve to be number one in the nation – and surely they won’t in next week’s polls.  The top spot will belong to the Kentucky Wildcats unless they are upset, too.

Bobby Knight asserted at the time the crowd was yelling “over rated” and again during post game commentary that disparaging chants like the one being called out by Kansas State fans are unseemly.  He indicated his preference for positive feedback rather than negative.  He suggested Kansas State fans should be chanting praise for their team – “Good effort; good effort,” Knight roll played – rather than put down the Texas team.

Viewers might have found Mr. Knight’s suggestion ironic.  Mr. Knight conjures up images of incivility.  Throwing a chair across a basketball court during a game.  Making disparaging remarks about officials.  Castigating members of the media.  Hitting players and students.

I must confess that I have not been a fan of Bobby Knight because of his uncivil behavior.  It’s one thing to be tough.  I can even understand a passionate coach yelling at players and referees.  I get emotional, too.  But, in the past, I often found Mr. Knight’s actions to be over the top.

Still, his comments during and after the game resonated with me.  I agree with Mr. Knight that cheering our own team rather than making disparaging remarks about the opposing team is a more fitting way to celebrate victory.  We teach our children that good sportsmanship means being kind to our opponents.  Yet, when we gather with other adults, we don’t think twice about hurling insults at rivals and officials.  We tolerate this behavior both in sports and politics.

So, here are my questions.  Is someone like Bobby Knight, with his track record, a credible advocate for civil behavior and sportsmanship?  Do his past transgressions disqualify him from speaking out?

It is a challenge for all of us to listen to people who have made mistakes or behaved badly in the past.  We have a tendency to tune out these people or mock them when they make remarks we find ironic at best if not downright hypocritical.

I know that as a public official I sometimes have to make extra effort to listen to certain people.  Their style, logic (or lack thereof) and/or behavior is off-putting.  The danger of not listening is that we might miss important insights or legitimate concerns.  That’s why I’ve tried not to develop a thick skin but rather a porous skin.

Developing a thick skin is easy.  It lets you block out the comments of anyone who you find offensive.  A thick skin leads to a, “Who cares what they say, they’re a jerk,” attitude.  Indeed, ignoring people out of hand is an easy habit to adopt.  Developing a porous skin is more difficult.  You have to keep trying to listen to legitimate points from people who really can be jerks.

Next Monday, I am going to basketball heaven: Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.  My brother-in-law and I are making our annual pilgrimage to watch the Jayhawks take on greatest rival, the Missouri Tigers.

I’m no fan of the Tigers.  We have cheering rules in our house (or at least I do):  Always cheer for Kansas, cheer for the Big 12 team if they’re not playing Kansas, but never cheer for Mizzou.

Bobby Knight will be in Lawrence next Monday, too.  I’ll try to keep in mind his suggestions for a more civilized way to celebrate at games.  And, I’ll keep working on developing a porous skin.

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Photo credit: Dearth85 (Flickr)