Sunday, October 8, 2000
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Sunday, October 8, 2000 |
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Do believers have a code of conduct? By
DAVID L. CHANCEY
After 29 years of abusive conduct, Indiana University recently fired basketball coach Bobby Knight for breaking a "zero tolerance policy" concerning Knight's behavior. Knight was a legend, a larger-than-life coaching icon that brought three NCAA championships to Indiana, and who left with 763 victories, fifth on the all-time college basketball list. No one ever questioned Knight's ability to coach. It's his belligerent behavior that finally brought him down. When I moved to an Indianapolis suburb in 1985 to assume my first pastorate, I quickly realized the priority of basketball in the Midwest. Midwesterners tolerate football season so they can get on with basketball. Allegiances line up clearly around either Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Louisville or Kentucky. And when IU plays Kentucky, watch out. Those folks aren't fans. They're fanatics. I arrived the season after Knight's infamous chair throwing incident. In February, 1985, the coach threw a chair across the floor in a fit of rage over a referee's call during an Indiana loss to Purdue. People were still talking about it as the next season got underway. They laughed, and bragged on their coach. As far as they were concerned, that was just Bobby. That's just one of numerous incidents in which Knight showed his bully style. In 1976, he grabbed guard Jim Wisman by the jersey and forced him into his seat. In 1979, he allegedly assaulted a Puerto Rican police officer while coaching in the Pan American games. In 1980, he fired a starter pistol with blanks at a Louisville newspaper columnist. During the Final Four in 1981, Knight allegedly tossed an LSU fan into a garbage can. In 1983, he swore at the Big Ten commissioner from midcourt about what he thought was a poorly officiated game. In 1986, he kicked a megaphone and yelled at IU cheerleaders for disrupting his players shooting freethrows. The list continues. In March, former player Neil Reed accused Knight of choking him in a 1997 practice. A former assistant coach provided video of the incident. The making public of that accusation brought to light another accusation from an athletics department secretary who said Knight threw a vase at her and broke a picture behind her desk 12 years ago. Thus, IU president Myles Brand imposed a "zero tolerance" policy on Knight, informing him that he would be dismissed immediately if he messed up again. What became the last straw is an irony. IU freshman Kent Harvey and four other students went to Assembly Hall to purchase football tickets, and spotted Knight. Harvey called out, "Hey, what's up, Knight?" The five students said Knight grabbed Harvey by the arm, dragged him aside and cursed him for his disrespect to an elder. Knight said he lightly touched Harvey on the arm, never used profanity and was only trying to teach a lesson in "manners." The IU president then offered Knight a chance to resign, and fired him when he refused. I've been thinking about Knight's dismissal and want to share a few observations. First, the Bobby Knights of society get away with inappropriate behavior and abusive conduct because people allow it. Permissiveness fed the situation. It didn't matter what Knight did. To the fans, he walked on water as long as he was winning. They identified with his rebel spirit. Until someone stands up in the family, the organization or even the church and says dysfunctional behavior will not be tolerated, then it will continue. I wonder where things would be if someone had called Knight down 29 years ago? Second, IU evidently went the second mile and was as redemptive as possible in dealing with Knight. IU President Myles Brand said, "It was the ethical and moral thing to do, to give him one last chance (in May). The fact is that having given Coach Knight one last opportunity, he failed to take advantage of it." God is a God of the second chance and his grace covers a multitude of sins. However, we will be held accountable for our rebellion, and one day will give account of our actions if we don't repent. Finally, after his firing, IU trustees adopted a code of conduct calling for IU coaches and athletes to treat others with dignity and respect. God holds us to a code of conduct. It's called "holiness." God said, "Be holy, for I am holy." To be holy is to be set apart from the world and dedicated to a special relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. We are commanded to strive towards a life of holiness in which God is honored by our character, conduct, and choices. (Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church in Fayetteville.)
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