On Saturday, Bobby Knight's Texas Tech Red Raiders won, giving the coach his 902nd coaching victory.

On Monday, Bobby Knight abruptly resigned from his position as head coach, leaving his son, Pat Knight, as head coach.

And shock waves roll through the sporting world.

Bob Knight, known as much for his fiery temper as his basketball brilliance, resigned Monday at Texas Tech, handing the team over to his son.

It was a stunning midseason move by the winningest menÂ’s coach in major college basketball, who gave no hint a change was coming. Pat Knight, a Red Raiders assistant, was appointed his fatherÂ’s successor in 2005.

“There’s a transition that’s going to take place here from me to Pat and I’ve dwelt on this all year long ... how it would be best for him and for the team and for what we can do in the long run to make this the best thing for Texas Tech,” Knight told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, which first reported the resignation.

The 67-year-old Knight informed Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers of his decision in a meeting around noon Monday, Texas Tech chancellor Kent Hance told The Associated Press. Knight then called Hance and told him.

“He’s ready,” Pat Knight said during his weekly radio show. “He’s tired.”

Hance said: “I think Bob is through with coaching. I think he got to the point where it wasn’t fun for him.

“He thought about it Sunday all day and talked to his wife and decided ’This is something I want to do.”’

Knight told the news paper he informed the team before practice Monday.

What can I say -- he reached that milestone of being the winningest coach in college basketball history. He was ready to go, and had the transition team in place to make it happen smoothly. And rather than have the rest of the season, or all of next season, be "The Bobby Knight Farewell Tour", he walked away so that his players would be the focus, not their coach. There is something to be respected in that decision, as hard as it is for fans to accept.

Here's wishing Pat Knight and the young men of the Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team the best of luck as they play out the season -- and hopefully have success in post-season play.

Posted by: Greg at 11:29 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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