Title: A resolution honoring the 50th anniversary of hiring Robert Montgomery "Bobby" Knight as the Head Coach of the men's basketball team at Indiana University.
Policy area: Sports and Recreation

Summary:
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate honoring Robert Montgomery "Bobby" Knight, collegiate men's basketball coach at Indiana University.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 157 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 157

  Honoring the 50th anniversary of hiring Robert Montgomery ``Bobby'' 
   Knight as the Head Coach of the men's basketball team at Indiana 
                              University.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 15, 2021

     Mr. Braun (for himself and Mr. Young) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the 50th anniversary of hiring Robert Montgomery ``Bobby'' 
   Knight as the Head Coach of the men's basketball team at Indiana 
                              University.

Whereas Coach Bobby Knight had a legendary career as a college basketball head 
        coach for more than 40 years, 29 of which were with Indiana University, 
        starting on March 27, 1971;
Whereas the success of Coach Knight has led to his induction into the National 
        Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this preamble as the 
        ``NCAA'') Hall of Fame and the Indiana University Hoosier Basketball 
        Hall of Fame;
Whereas Coach Knight--

    (1) earned an NCAA National Championship as a player at The Ohio State 
University in 1960;

    (2) won 3 NCAA National Championships as the Head Coach of the men's 
basketball team at Indiana University in 1976, 1981, and 1987; and

    (3) won a National Invitational Tournament championship as the Head 
Coach of the men's basketball team at Indiana University in 1979;

Whereas, during his 29 years at Indiana University, Coach Knight--

    (1) coached 11 Big Ten Conference Championship teams;

    (2) took 24 teams to the NCAA tournament; and

    (3) earned 8 Big Ten Coach of the Year awards and 4 national coach of 
the year awards;

Whereas the 1975-76 men's basketball team at Indiana University, which was 
        coached by Coach Knight, is the last team to complete the entire regular 
        season and NCAA tournament without a single loss;
Whereas Coach Knight coached the United States men's national basketball team to 
        a gold medal in the 1979 Pan American Games and to a gold medal in the 
        1984 Olympic Games;
Whereas Coach Knight had an 80 percent graduation rate for his players, with an 
        astounding 98 percent graduation rate for all players who he coached for 
        at least 4 years, more than twice the average graduation rates for other 
        Division I schools;
Whereas, even after 40 years as a head coach, none of the teams coached by Coach 
        Knight were ever cited for a recruiting or academic violation while 
        competing at the highest levels of the sport;
Whereas Coach Knight attained 902 wins during his overall head coaching career 
        at the United States Military Academy, Indiana University, and Texas 
        Tech University, by perfecting--

    (1) the motion offense, which emphasized discipline, teamwork, 
selflessness, and perimeter passing to control the game and increase the 
percentage of successful shots; and

    (2) smothering man-to-man defense;

Whereas Coach Knight had a reputation as a passionate player and coach, a man 
        who never accepted defeat, who pushed himself and his teams to achieve, 
        and created a persona in line with the great Vince Lombardi and Woody 
        Hayes;
Whereas Coach Knight never focused his coaching on winning a game, but on the 
        effort it took to become a champion, saying ``The will to succeed is 
        important, but what's more important is the will to prepare''; and
Whereas Coach Knight earned the NCAA Naismith Award for Men's Outstanding 
        Contribution to Basketball in 2007: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) Coach Robert Montgomery ``Bobby'' Knight set the 
        standard for excellence as a collegiate men's basketball coach 
        at Indiana University;
            (2) the success of Coach Knight was in turn the success of 
        the entire Indiana University system and a source of continuing 
        pride for the entire State of Indiana;
            (3) we honor the drive, determination, and character of 
        Coach Knight and all that Coach Knight did in educating and 
        mentoring hundreds of Indiana University players over 3 
        decades;
            (4) few can ever achieve greatness, but Coach Knight has 
        propelled young men to touch greatness for at least a moment, 
        giving them experiences and lessons that have shaped their 
        entire lives; and
            (5) for all the memories, Coach Knight, we give you a 
        heartfelt thank you.
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