HERE YOU GO. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] MY NEXT GUEST, ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND CONTROVERSIAL COACHES IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL. COACHED INDIANA UNIVERSITY TO THREE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. HE TALKS ABOUT IT IN THE NEW "NEW YORK TIMES" BEST-SELLING BOOK, RIGHT HERE, "KNIGHT: MY STORY." PLEASE WELCOME, BOB KNIGHT. [ APPLAUSE ] >> Jay: HOW ARE YOU, BOB? GOOD TO SEE YOU. THERE HE IS. >> I HAVE A COMPULSION EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE TO THROW A CHAIR. >> Jay: REALLY? >> JUST KIND OF BROUGHT ONE WITH ME. >> Jay: YEAH, YOU'RE LIKE THE GUY WALKING TALL. THAT'S YOUR WEAPON NOW. YOU COULD BE LIKE A MARTIAL ARTIST, YOU CARRY A CHAIR. HOW YOU BEEN? >> I'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD. HOW ABOUT YOU? >> Jay: I'M OKAY. I'M OKAY. >> I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT, BUT I GOT A JOKE I'D LIKE TO TELL. >> Jay: REALLY? [ LAUGHTER ] IT'S NOT ABOUT A RICH GUY AND A POOR GUY? >> IT IS ABOUT A RICH GUY AND A POOR GUY. >> Jay: THE FOLKS AT HOME WILL NEVER HEAR IT. SO HOW YOU DOING, OKAY? >> I'M DOING REALLY GOOD. HOW ABOUT YOU? >> Jay: I'M OKAY. I'M OKAY. YOU KNOW, WE'LL START WITH SOME OF THE OBVIOUS STUFF. OF COURSE, INDIANA DID PRETTY GOOD. >> VERY GOOD. >> Jay: THEY DID VERY GOOD. THEY'RE VERY GOOD. OF COURSE, THOSE ARE PLAYERS YOU RECRUITED. HOW'D THAT MAKE YOU FEEL? DO YOU FEEL GOOD FOR THEM? >> I WAS REALLY HAPPY FOR THOSE GUYS. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I THINK, THE ULTIMATE FOR YOU IS TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU'RE ALREADY THERE, DON'T SLIP. I MEAN, YOU'RE AT THE TOP RIGHT NOW. YOU'VE WON THIS THING TEN YEARS IN A ROW. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT THE SAME RECORD THAT JOHN WOODEN HAD ALMOST. >> Jay: WELL, WE'RE DOING OKAY. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE TO PLAY AND TO GO SOMEWHERE IN THE TOURNAMENT, THAT'S KIND OF THE ULTIMATE FOR A COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER. >> Jay: RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. NOW DID YOU WATCH THE GAME? >> I DON'T EVER WATCH BASKETBALL ON TELEVISION. I SEE ENOUGH OF IT. >> Jay: REALLY? >> YEAH. I REALLY DO. IT'S LIKE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE OFFICIALS TILL I COME OUT ON THE FLOOR. THERE'S ENOUGH AGGRAVATION, I DON'T WANT TO BE AGGRAVATED BEFORE HAND BY KNOWING THAT I HAVE TWO BAD OFFICIALS. >> Jay: YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ] >> MY YOUNGEST SON, PAT, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, WE HAD A LITTLE TUNNEL THAT WE KIND OF COME THROUGH TO GET ON THE FLOOR AT TECH. AND THREE TIMES THIS YEAR, BEFORE I GOT TO THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND I COULD SEE THE OFFICIALS, PAT CAME UP AND PUT HIS ARM AROUND MY SHOULDER AND HE SAID, "DAD, YOU AREN'T GONNA LIKE WHAT YOUR GONNA SEE OUT THERE." [ LIGHT LAUGHTER ] >> Jay: YOU'VE BEEN AT TEXAS TECH FOR, WHAT, LITTLE OVER A YEAR? >> YEAH. >> Jay: NOW, NO TECHNICALS, RIGHT? THIS HAS BEEN GOING -- NO PROBLEMS. NOW WHAT IS IT? IS IT YOGA? ARE YOU DOING AROMA CANDLE THERAPY? [ LAUGHTER ] >> NO. I'VE READ A COUPLE OF YOUR BOOKS. >> Jay: REALLY? REALLY? [ LAUGHTER ] >> AND THEY KEEP ME RELAXED. >> Jay: REALLY? >> YEAH. >> Jay: PUTS YOU RIGHT TO SLEEP, DO THEY? >> YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY. YEAH. >> Jay: OH, YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT YOU'VE TURNED THAT TEAM AROUND IN ONE YEAR, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD. >> THANKS. >> Jay: I MEAN. [ APPLAUSE ] >> WE INHERITED A COUPLE OF REALLY GOOD KIDS. WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH IN RECRUITING. GREAT -- THEY DEVELOPED A HECK OF A CHEMISTRY. WE HAD EIGHT DIFFERENT COACHES FOR THESE KIDS A YEAR AGO. THEY PLAYED UNDER EIGHT DIFFERENT GUYS, AND THEY PUT THEIR TALENTS TOGETHER, THE THINGS THEY COULD DO, THEY COULDN'T DO, THEY UNDERSTOOD. WE REALLY ENJOYED IT. AND I ENJOYED IT IMMENSELY, BECAUSE TEXAS TECH'S A GREAT SCHOOL IN A COMMUNITY THAT I REALLY ENJOY. I THINK THE COMMUNITY REALLY GOT INTERESTED IN THESE KIDS. WE HAD A GAME, WE PLAYED OKLAHOMA, AND SOMEBODY CAME IN AND SAID, "YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LINE UP OF ABOUT EIGHT BLOCKS OF STUDENTS WAITING TO GET INTO THE GAME." AND WE JUST FINISHED OUR PRE-GAME MEAL AND EVERYTHING. AND I HAD THE TEAM GO OUT, AND THE TEAM WALKED DOWN THE WHOLE EIGHT-BLOCK LONG LINE OF KIDS AND CAME BACK. IT WAS REALLY KIND OF A NEAT THING TO SEE COLLEGE KIDS SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION TO OTHER KIDS FOR THE SUPPORT THEY WERE GETTING. >> Jay: HAVE YOU MELLOWED? >> NO. >> Jay: NO? >> NO. NO. >> Jay: NO? >> WHY? I MEAN, I'VE HAD TOO MUCH FUN NOT MELLOWING. I MEAN, I THINK IF I MELLOWED I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY FUN. >> Jay: YOU KNOW, IT'S FASCINATING, BECAUSE THE PRESS, AND YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HAD THE BEST RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESS. >> NOT REALLY. >> Jay: NO, BUT -- [ LIGHT LAUGHTER ] >> IT'S BEEN TENUOUS AT TIMES. >> Jay: BUT SEE, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS SHOW THE OTHER SIDE. THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS FASCINATING ABOUT THE BOOK. 'CAUSE I WOULD WATCH AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE, TAKE THE CHAIR-THROWING INCIDENT, WHICH, TO ME, WHEN I WATCH, I DON'T FOLLOW COLLEGE BASKETBALL THAT MUCH, I'M THINKING, "DID THIS HAPPEN, LIKE, '92, '96. WHEN WAS THAT?" AND THEN I REALIZED, WHAT WAS THAT, '85? >> SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> Jay: AND YET, THAT PIECE OF TAPE JUST HAUNTS YOU. THAT JUST KEEPS COMING AND COMING AND COMING, DOESN'T IT? >> I TELL YOU, IT WAS GREAT IN A WAY, BECAUSE I WAS PRETTY CAREFUL. IT WAS NOT SOMETHING DONE OUT OF CONTROL. I PICKED IT UP, KIND OF SLID THE CHAIR ACROSS THE FLOOR AND MISSED EVERYBODY. WHAT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE HAND, THERE'S A LADY ACROSS THE COURT WHO REMINDED ME OF MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE WAS ABOUT 80 YEARS OLD, AND I'D BEEN UP COMPLAINING A TIME OR TWO ABOUT THE OFFICIATING. YOU KNOW, I'D GET UP AND THEN I'D SIT THERE, THEN I'D GET UP. I HEARD THIS LADY SAY, "BOB, BOB," YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF CURIOUS SO I SAID, "MA'AM, WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?" AND SHE SAID, "IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SIT DOWN TONIGHT, THROW ME YOUR CHAIR, WILL YA?" >> Jay: REALLY? [ LAUGHTER ] OF COURSE. YOU KNOW WHAT'S INTERESTING, I WATCHED THAT ESPN MOVIE. I'M GONNA ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT PROBABLY NO ONE ELSE HAS ASKED YOU ABOUT THE ESPN. I KNOW YOU DIDN'T SEE THE MOVIE, BUT WERE YOU BOTHERED BY THE GUY IN THE MOVIE THAT PLAYED YOU WAS FATTER THAN YOU? [ LAUGHTER ] >> NO. I THINK THAT -- [ LAUGHTER ] >> Jay: BRIAN DENNEHY, A GREAT ACTOR, BUT HE'S GOT ABOUT, WHAT, 30 POUNDS ON YOU? >> YEAH, HE HAD A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'M TELLING YOU, WHEN I LOOKED AROUND THIS STAGE. WHERE'S KEVIN? KEVIN'S THE ONLY GUY IN HERE WHO LOOKS LIKE HE CAN PLAY. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Kevin: THANKS, BOBBY. >> I LOOKED TO SEE WHO I COULD RECRUIT, AND KEVIN'S IN. I MEAN, I GOT NOBODY ELSE HERE TO RECRUIT. >> Jay: YEAH, AND HE'S THE TALLEST ONE IN THE BAND, SO THAT SHOWS YOU. >> Kevin: JUST DO YOUR INTERVIEW. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Jay: NOW, I MEAN, I DID SEE THAT MOVIE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING. NOW OBVIOUSLY, SO YOU DIDN'T WATCH IT. YOU DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT. >> I REALLY WANTED TO GO TO A GOOD MOVIE THAT NIGHT, SO I SAW "WE WERE SOLDIERS." >> Jay: THAT WAS A GOOD MOVIE. >> IT WAS GOOD. YEAH, IT WAS REALLY GOOD. >> Jay: DID ANYBODY CALL YOU? DID YOU SPEAK TO BRIAN DENNEHY? >> BRIAN DENNEHY CALLED ME A COUPLE DAYS AFTERWARDS. AND I ALWAYS REALLY ENJOYED THE PARTS THAT HE PLAYED EITHER ON TELEVISION -- >> Jay: GOOD ACTOR. >> EXACTLY. ON THE MOVIES. I JUST SAID, "YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE REALLY BEEN HAPPY IF SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE JUST CALLED ME AND SAID, 'HEY, WOULD YOU SIT DOWN WITH BRIAN DENNEHY AND TALK TO HIM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE SCRIPTED HERE FOR HIM AND EVERYTHING,'" BECAUSE AS I WATCHED THE HEIGHT OF THAT MOVIE -- I MEAN, ONE TIME, BRIAN DENNEHY'S TALKING ABOUT COOKIES AND MILK. I MEAN, I TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS TO PLAYERS, BUT COOKIES AND MILK ISN'T ONE OF THEM. [ LAUGHTER ] I'M SAYING TO MYSELF, "MAN." AND WHAT I TOLD BRIAN WAS, "I WOULD HAVE REALLY HELPED YOU WITH THINGS THAT I SAY OR DON'T SAY." I THINK THE CREDIBILITY OF SOMETHING IS HURT WHEN PEOPLE THAT REALLY KNOW YOU, IF THEY SEE SOMEBODY PORTRAYING YOU, AND IT'S SKIT OR WHATEVER, AND IT'S THINGS YOU SAY, THAT'S GREAT. BUT IF NOT, THE CREDIBILITY IS JUST ISN'T THERE. >> Jay: RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH. THE OTHER THING I FOUND FASCINATING, AND I GUESS I KNEW THIS, BUT DIDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL I READ THE BOOK. ACTUALLY, I DIDN'T READ THE WHOLE BOOK, I WAS KIND OF SKIMMING THROUGH THE BOOK THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNICAL BASKETBALL, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN THE -- LIKE, THE MOTIVATIONAL PART. THAT'S WHAT'S FASCINATING TO ME. 'CAUSE YOU HAVE THIS REPUTATION, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TEMPER AND EVERYTHING, YET, YOU SEEM TO GET SUCH TREMENDOUS LOYALTY FROM YOUR PLAYERS. D THE THING TD ESPECIALLY IMPRESSIVE WAS, MORE OF YOUR GUYS GRADUATE THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER. NO DRUGS, NO -- YOU KNOW, JUST NOTHING. AND THE GUYS ARE INCREDIBLY LOYAL TO YOU. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE PRESS SEEMS TO MISS? >> I GOT A GREAT STORY THAT I KEPT AT HOME. I DON'T KEEP VERY MANY THINGS THAT ARE WRITTEN. BUT I GOT ONE AT HOME WHERE A GUY STARTS OUT AND HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO COACH KNIGHT AT TEXAS TECH, I'M TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT HIS PLAYERS GRADUATE, THEY USUALLY WIN, THE STANDS ARE FULL AND THE PEOPLE IN TOWN LIKE THE GUY."■ AND I LOOKED AT THIS AND I SAID, "MAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE HELL ELSE IS THERE? THAT'S NOT BAD." >> Jay: YEAH, THAT'S NOT BAD AT ALL. THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. [ LAUGHTER ] YOU NEVER WANTED TO COACH IN THE NBA, RIGHT? >> NO, I NEVER THOUGHT A PLAYER SHOULD BE PAID MORE THAN A COACH. [ LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE ] >> Jay: YOU KNOW WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS BECAUSE I DID HAVE AN NBA COACH ON ONCE AND HE TOLD ME ONE TIME HE HAD A RULE, TIES ON THE PLANE OR IT WAS A $10,000 FINE. HE SAID, ONE SEASON, ONE PLAYER WROTE HIM A CHECK FOR $160,000. >> TO TAKE CARE OF THE YEAR. >> Jay: YEAH, TAKE CARE OF THE YEAR. 'CAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO WEAR A TIE. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT? WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT? WELL, IT'S A FASCINATING BOOK, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A HUGE BASKETBALL FAN. JUST THE MOTIVATIONAL PART OF IT IS REALLY TERRIFIC. YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING TO FINALLY MEET YOU. WE'VE DONE SO MANY JOKES ABOUT YOU OVER THE YEARS. >> ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN PRETTY GOOD, TOO. >> Jay: OH, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ LAUGHTER ] WELL, THERE YOU GO. BECAUSE, YOU SEE, YOU MOTIVATE ME TO WRITE THOSE JOKES. GOD BLESS YOU, SIR. BOB KNIGHT, HERE'S THE BOOK, MY STORY. BE RIGHT BACK WITH ALANIS MORISSETTE. HEY, WILL YOU SIGN MINE? [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
