Rick Majerus -- Bob Knight Compared
by Ultimate Ute
Although Majerus seems to have a much more versatile and pleasant
personality than "The General", to myself they do seem to have many
similarities.
I think we should keep this in mind in light of the recent dialogue related
to recruiting, and the relative frequency that Majerus (and Knight) are
unable to recruit a player the caliber of Jason Kapono.
- Both implement a disciplined motion offense, considered boring, old hat,
and restrictive by many recruits.
- Both are disciples of physical conditioning and relentless man to man
defense, and almost consider zone defense as sacrilege.
- Both demand, and usually receive, relatively high academic achievment from
their players.
- Both seem to regularly lose a recruit or two each year.
- Due to their demanding philisophy, personality, and system, neither will
probably ever be able to recruit like UCLA or Kentucky. But by the same
token both seem to regularly beat opponents whose rosters "on paper" contain
a much higher percentage of "blue chip" recruits.
- In games that require a high proportion of strategy, a chess match as it
were, both can X and O the majority of competing coaches into oblivion,
i.e., Check Mate.
- Both are divorced.
- For those people that gain acceptance into their circle, they maintain a
fierce life long allegiance and friendship.
Although both coach at institutions which enjoyed some measure of
basketball success and legacy prior to their arrival, they have almost
become icons, and the definition for their particular school and its
location relative to the college basketball landscape. In light of Knights
long tenure and commitment at IU, maybe we can hope Majerus's will be the
same at Utah.
Knight's got some NCAA titles under his belt. Maybe Majerus is in line for
one or two himself.
-Ultimate Ute
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