A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Coach Robert Montgomery "Bobby" Knight.

Bill: 118-sres-475
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-11-27
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Subjects: Athletes

Congressional tributes

Higher education

Indiana

School athletics
Latest action: action_date: 2023-11-27
text: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5617; text: CR S5601)

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-11-27
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution honors the life and legacy of Robert Montgomery (Bobby) Knight&nbsp;for his 45-year career as a head coach of collegiate men's basketball.</p>

action_date: 2023-11-27
action_desc: Passed House
text: <p>This resolution honors the life and legacy of Robert Montgomery (Bobby) Knight&nbsp;for his 45-year career as a head coach of collegiate men's basketball.</p>

tv_txt: III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 475 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 27, 2023 Mr. Braun (for himself and Mr. Young ) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Honoring the life and legacy of Coach Robert Montgomery “Bobby” Knight.

Whereas Robert Montgomery Knight (commonly known and referred to in this preamble as Bobby Knight ) was born on October 25, 1940, in Massillon, Ohio, and was raised in Orrville, Ohio; Whereas Bobby Knight graduated from Ohio State University and played basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team from 1959 through 1962; Whereas Bobby Knight enlisted in the United States Army and served on active duty from June 1963 through June 1965, and he served in the Army Reserves from 1965 through 1969; Whereas, in 1963, while enlisted in the Army, Bobby Knight became an assistant coach with the Army Black Knights; Whereas, in 1965, at the age of 24, Bobby Knight became the Head Basketball Coach at the United States Military Academy West Point; Whereas Bobby Knight had a legendary career as a college basketball head coach for more than 40 years, 29 of which were at Indiana University; Whereas the coaching success of Bobby Knight led to his induction into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this preamble as the NCAA ) Hall of Fame, the Indiana University Hoosier Basketball Hall of Fame, and the West Point Hall of Fame; Whereas, in his basketball career, Bobby Knight— (1) earned an NCAA National Championship as a player at 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, Bobby 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 Bobby Knight, remains the last team to complete the entire regular season and the NCAA tournament without a single loss; Whereas Bobby 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 approximately 80 percent of all players coached by Bobby Knight graduated, and an astounding 98 percent of all players that Bobby Knight coached for 4 years or more graduated, exceeding by more than 2 times the average graduation rates for Division I schools; Whereas, during the 40 years Bobby Knight served as a head coach, none of the teams he coached were ever cited for a recruiting or academic violation while competing at the highest levels of the sport; Whereas Bobby 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 emphasizes 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 Bobby 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 Bobby Knight never focused his coaching on winning a game, but on the path to becoming a champion, saying “The will to succeed is important, but what's more important is the will to prepare”; Whereas Bobby Knight earned the NCAA Naismith Award for Outstanding Contributor to Men's Basketball in 2007; Whereas, upon his retirement from Texas Tech University in 2008, Bobby Knight was distinguished as the winningest men’s basketball coach in the NCAA and the coach with the most wins in NCAA Division I history at the time; and Whereas Bobby Knight passed away in Bloomington, Indiana, on November 1, 2023: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) honors the life and legacy of Robert Montgomery Bobby Knight (referred to in this resolution as Coach Knight ), including the dedication of Coach Knight— (A) to the game of basketball, including the promotion of the game across the United States; and (B) in particular, to the game of basketball, the players, and the fans in the Hoosier State; (2) recognizes that 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 and the other colleges and universities that are associated with Coach Knight; (3) remembers the drive, determination, and character of Coach Knight and all that Coach Knight did to educate and mentor hundreds of players over his 45-year head coaching career; (4) acknowledges that few can ever achieve greatness, but Coach Knight propelled young men to touch greatness for at least a moment, giving them experiences and lessons that have shaped their entire lives; and (5) extends a heartfelt thank you to Coach Knight for his memorable service and continues to remember his legacy.