When it came to Alaska, Knight was a better angler than coach

Originally published published on Nov. 19, 2007.

For nearly five decades, Bob Knight has been synonymous with college basketball.

He's won more games than any other men's coach in NCAA history. He's famous for wearing a red sweater, and he's infamous for his anger.

He's also an avid outdoorsman who loves fishing for trout in Alaska.

Knight, 67, is back in Anchorage this week but it's not to chase giant rainbows. He's here to coach Texas Tech in the Great Alaska Shootout.

This is the third time Knight has brought a team to the Shootout. He was here twice with Indiana, first for the inaugural Sea Wolf Classic in 1978 and then again in 1995.

Despite being the all-time winningest men's coach with 891 career wins, Knight has a losing record in Alaska at 2-4.

"I fished a helluva lot better than I coached," Knight joked in a telephone interview from Lubbock, Texas.

In advance of his return to Alaska, Knight talked with the Daily News about the tournament and his love of fishing.

Q: What do you remember from that first Shootout in 1978?

A: I remember that we didn't play very well. We ended up losing a very close game to Pepperdine and then we lost another close game to Texas A&M. Then we didn't beat Penn State very badly in the game for seventh place. We actually went on from there and played relatively well throughout the course of the season, but that was not a good tournament for us from a playing perspective.

Q: Back then, the idea of an exempt tournament in Alaska was so new. What was people's reaction to coming all the way up here?

A: I think the most important thing wasn't where it was but the fact that you could play three games. To me, being able to go somewhere where you can play three games, two of them being extra games, was just a great incentive.

Q: The Shootout means a lot to the people of Alaska, but what does the tournament mean to college basketball?

A: It gives teams an opportunity to play two extra games and play back-to-back games. There have been a lot of teams that have decided that's something they want to do, which then provides good competition. I think the two things put together has been a great inducement for people to come to Anchorage and play. Plus, the people in Alaska have been very receptive to the college teams. They've been very supportive of the tournament, the atmosphere has been good and they've been good to the teams and the people with the teams.

Q: Have you been here other than to coach basketball?

A: I have been to Alaska a dozen times and gone fishing. I have a very strong personal feeling for Alaska and the enjoyment that I've gotten in Alaska. Unfortunately not much of that enjoyment came from playing basketball in Alaska.

Q: Where did you go and what did you fish for while you were here?

A: I fished all over. I fished for mostly trout and big rainbows. And then I've caught salmon and other fish in fishing for rainbows, but rainbows has always been the fish that I've looked to go. … I love to come to Alaska to fish.

Van Williams covered sports for the ADN from 1993-2008. This story was first published on Nov. 19, 2007. In that year's Shootout, Knight and Texas Tech went 2-1 and lost to Butler in the championship game.