10-21-2016, 12:06 PM
(10-21-2016, 11:00 AM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: The coach does not have the skill and talent that the players do. It's also a matter of revenue. When was the last time you saw someone wearing a Marvin Lewis jersey? How often do you think someone buys tickets thinking "man, I can't wait to see Marv clap on the sidelines"? The players are who generate excitement and revenue for the franchise, not the coach.
And there is a difference in college: the coaches there - from Bear Bryant and Adolph Rupp ca. 50 years ago to Coach K and Nick Saban today - college coaches definitely seem to have more of a following. And, maybe that was what really appealed to Knight about college - being the center of attention. Almost all his players stayed four years, but none any longer (unless redshirted) whereas a pro can spend his whole career with one franchise.
But, to your point, if it is the players who have all the talent and generate the excitement, it seems like the players who should be cut when fans are disappointed if you follow Knight's view.
JOHN ROBERTS: From time to time in the years to come, I hope you will be treated unfairly so that you will come to know the value of justice... I wish you bad luck, again, from time to time so that you will be conscious of the role of chance in life and understand that your success is not completely deserved and that the failure of others is not completely deserved either.
