Bob Knight slaps player ...

Since "bleeding heart" is typically a loaded political word referring to pansy-ass Democrat liberals who don't want to blow shit up in Iraq nor beat the ever-living daylights out of their children [/sarcasm font], thereby exhibiting WEAKNESS, let me just state that the problems with children today run across the political spectrum.

Tough guys say that people need to better discipline their kids, to kick the piss out of them when they do wrong, and then they fight like hell for school voucher legislation, for example, and write up laws that put the onus 150 percent on public schools to do all the work, thereby exonerating all the deadbeat, deadass, unemployed, hoochie-mama shouldn't-be parents out there.

The parenting problem is really an apolitical issue.

I got knocked around as a kid by my dad. Told I was lazy, a "punk," accused of doing drugs, got screamed at my parents who were totally out of control emotionally - all in the name of "discipline." It did absolutely no good, and I didn't start to grow as a person until I got out of the gravitational pull of the two of them and could deal with them at arm's length.

I guess what I'm saying is that some parents are just like some bosses or some police officers or commanding military officers - "discipline" in the wrong hands can do more harm than good. It becomes an opportunity for them to assert power to make up for perhaps insecurities and shortcomings they have. It can be a very, very potent combination.

Anyway, we should just be careful about believing that every child should get his head knocked in when he's young. Real parenting is not that simple. It's a balancing act - knowing when to play the strong man and when to nurture. God we've become a nation of extremists on every subject.

 

So what did he do that was so wrong? Had his chin down after screwing up in a game??!!

 

Back to that little journalism thing for a moment.

How can any of you actually expect this story to be treated like it was the coach at Winston-Salem State doing it?

It WASN'T. It was BOBBY KNIGHT. There's history behind it, a track record. THAT'S why it is a story.

 

Oh, so now we are going to use Huggins as an example of what is appropriate? You have to be kidding. At least Knight's players graduate.

And no, slapping Knight back is absolutely NOTHING like a kid hitting his mother back. These are adults and Knight is not the player's father.

I honestly would never smack my child in the face, but even at 3-years-old she would never get away with hitting me back if I gave her a smack for disciplinary purposes. But if she someday were in the same situation (let's say it was a woman coaching her at the college level), I would back her 100 percent.

And I had my facemask grabbed a time or two by a coach in high school. Doesn't mean I approve of it. And that was high school, not college. It's a different situation.

 

I believe the Puerto Rico cop he punched out sustained a broken jaw.

The punch for which he was convicted in absentia.

This wasn't that big a deal, but dude's a walking time bomb.

 

Serious question. I hear a lot about teaching kids "respect."

Sure, respect if fine. Is that such a big deal? I want my kids to do what I ask them. I want them to listen to teachers and behave, but I feel respect is earned, not taught.

So, to me, teaching "respect" is way down on the list of things kids need to learn.

I also think "respect" is a euphemism for "just shut up and do what I tell you" which is not a real great way to go about your life.

 

Yeah, that's kind of what I was trying to say, too.

 

Bob Knight has turned the Texas Tech program into a winner? Weren't they 15-17 last season?

 

Yours was more poignant, pringle.

 

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That's the whole point. Knight wasn't even upset. I can see the angst if this was done in a fit of rage. It very clearly wasn't.

 

Sweet 16 just two years ago.

 

Good post, Pringle. Very well said.

Some of you all, I guess, can keep beating your kids and teaching them about respect. I'll keep hugging mine and teach them the same thing.