For several years, I have had scribbled down in my notes an idea for an essay that I had planned to title, “What will happen when Bobby Knight dies?” Obviously, I never got around to writing this essay, and on November 1, 2023, legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight passed away. Here, I want to share some notes that I had written for this unfinished essay. I think the notes will suffice for understanding what the essay was intended to be about.
Thanks, James. I will take a look. Many boxing pictures follow an old formula, "Rocky"-style, outsider makes it big, etc. Boxers take a lot of blame for winning many matches and ending up poor, but it is easy to see how. Tony Zale might have won a $100,000 purse, a huge amount in 1946, but he had to pay for months of training expenses, 10% to his manager, more to his coaches, and then taxes. He ended up with $20,000, mortgage, 2 kids, and so on. I'll be interested to see the angle in "Jawbone." I appreciate the recommendation.
A very welcome essay, even in unfinished form, for which thanks. There are some great boxers who, when they retired, turned to working with boys in boxing and athletic clubs. Tony Zale, who boxed middleweight and held the world title twice in the 1940s, is a stellar example (his story is told in “Tony Zale: The Man of Steel,” by Thad Zale and Clay Moyle). Great athletes like Zale know that manly character is part of success in the ring or on the field. Looking at boxers today, I see little hope for more men like Zale. Zale was overshadowed by his most famous opponent, bad-boy Rocky Graziano, whose book, “Somebody Up There Likes Me” became a movie starring Paul Newman in 1956. Bad boy stories make for popular movies. Good man stories, we can see, don’t make movies. Very good post, James.
"– the man who delivers clear, authoritative, and decisive messages – that is desperately missing throughout various realms of society. Consequently, boys today might be lacking the same type of iconic male figures that someone like me, who was born in the 1980s, had the opportunity to." Bobby Knight was known for saying " If rape is inevitable relax and enjoy it." Some boys grew up admiring such men - that's what brings us to today.
Thanks, James. I will take a look. Many boxing pictures follow an old formula, "Rocky"-style, outsider makes it big, etc. Boxers take a lot of blame for winning many matches and ending up poor, but it is easy to see how. Tony Zale might have won a $100,000 purse, a huge amount in 1946, but he had to pay for months of training expenses, 10% to his manager, more to his coaches, and then taxes. He ended up with $20,000, mortgage, 2 kids, and so on. I'll be interested to see the angle in "Jawbone." I appreciate the recommendation.
A very welcome essay, even in unfinished form, for which thanks. There are some great boxers who, when they retired, turned to working with boys in boxing and athletic clubs. Tony Zale, who boxed middleweight and held the world title twice in the 1940s, is a stellar example (his story is told in “Tony Zale: The Man of Steel,” by Thad Zale and Clay Moyle). Great athletes like Zale know that manly character is part of success in the ring or on the field. Looking at boxers today, I see little hope for more men like Zale. Zale was overshadowed by his most famous opponent, bad-boy Rocky Graziano, whose book, “Somebody Up There Likes Me” became a movie starring Paul Newman in 1956. Bad boy stories make for popular movies. Good man stories, we can see, don’t make movies. Very good post, James.
Thanks, Allen. Have you seen the boxing movie "Jawbone," which came out in 2017? I think it's quite good. I wonder if you might also like it. Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90CBEWV-pP0
"– the man who delivers clear, authoritative, and decisive messages – that is desperately missing throughout various realms of society. Consequently, boys today might be lacking the same type of iconic male figures that someone like me, who was born in the 1980s, had the opportunity to." Bobby Knight was known for saying " If rape is inevitable relax and enjoy it." Some boys grew up admiring such men - that's what brings us to today.
I recommend browsing YouTube, etc. and listening to the way that Knight's former players, and other men in the sporting world, talk about him.