[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 194 (Monday, November 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 475--HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF COACH ROBERT 
                      MONTGOMERY ``BOBBY'' KNIGHT

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

                              S. Res. 475

       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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