Thursday, December 23, 2004
Boy Wonder
continues to suck up to Bobby Knight.Iowa coach Steve Alford, meanwhile, seemed genuinely embarrassed to beat his former coach for the first time in four tries. The relationship between teacher and pupil has taken some strange turns in recent years, and the last thing the pride of New Castle, Ind., wants - or needs - is for the General to start turning a cold shoulder again...
Alford definitely made sure to give attribution where due. Since their fence-mending a few years back, the prodigy has frequently (and wisely) turned to his mentor for guidance. Reviews of game film. Chalk-talks on strategy. Whatever you think of Knight as a person, the man knows his way around a basketball court the way Rembrandt knew his way around an easel.
"It's not like they're coming to Iowa," Alford said with a chuckle. "I go to Lubbock, trying to learn to get better at what we do.
