Reflecting on Bob Knight’s Infamous Chair Throw against Purdue, Dave Portnoy Pays Tribute to Legendary Basketball Coach

Published 11/01/2023, 9:54 PM EDT

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Nicknamed “the General,” Bob Knight remains a legendary figure in NCAA basketball. He oversaw a total of 902 men’s Division I wins in the sport, the fifth-highest tally in NCAA basketball history. Sadly, on November 1st, six days after his 83rd birthday, Knight left this world for his heavenly abode. Following this, millions came forward to pay their unfeigned eulogies to the coach.

Barstool sports owner, Dave Portnoy also joined the ranks of those paying tribute to the coach. He took to his social media handle and shared a clip of the legendary coach, which showcased Knight’s indomitable spirit.

Dave Portnoy pays his heartfelt tribute to Bob Knight

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Sharing a throwback clip of Bob Knight on his X handle, Dave Portnoy added the words, “RIP. I hope he never loses to Purdue again.” In the clip, Knight said, “When my time on Earth is gone, and my activities here are past, I want they bury me upside down and my critics can kiss my a**.”

The clip was from ESPN SportsCenter’s top 10 sound bites starring Bob Knight. His words on this occasion ranked at the top of that list. It was a perfect riposte from Knight to his critics. There were many of those during Knight’s career. He had a 902-371 record during his coaching days, with a reputation for being an unforgiving perfectionist. Also on his coaching resume are three NCAA championships. Even so, there were times “the General” went overboard.

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When Bob Knight threw a fit … and a chair

Dave Portnoy also referred to the time Knight threw a chair across the floor. That was during the Indiana Hoosiers‘ 72-63 loss to Purdue University on home turf on February 23, 1985. Knight losing his cool was a staple of the basketball program at the Hoosiers. This time, barely five minutes into the game, Knight responded to a technical foul with a thrown chair.

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Dave Portnoy expressed the hope that Knight would never lose to Purdue again. In the 29 seasons that he coached the Hoosiers, the Indiana-Purdue rivalry became one of the fiercest in college basketball. In fact, Bleacher Report rates the rivalry between basketball coaches Gene Keady and Bob Knight as the third most intense coaching rivalry in college basketball. During the two decades they faced each other, Knight just about edged out Keady 21-20.

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Written by:

Anirudh Haridas

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Anirudh Haridas is a US Sports writer at EssentiallySports. A staunch sports fan, Anirudh brings his experience as a Soccer content writer. A diehard fan of ice hockey, Anirudh delved into the US sports arena, driven by the phenomenal pace of the sport.
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Edited by:

Purva Jain