[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 475 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 475

   Honoring the life and legacy of Coach Robert Montgomery ``Bobby'' 
                                Knight.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   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
    Resolved, 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.
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