As it turned out, Bob Knight needed one more timeout.

Unfortunately for him, he had none left.

On Sunday morning, the President of the University of Indiana informed the 59-year-old Knight that his services as Head Men's Basketball Coach were no longer needed. With this firing, not only does an era of Indiana basketball come to an end, but also the end of an era of college coaches.

There is no question that Robert Montgomery Knight is a basketball genius. One does not win over 600 Division I basketball games if you are not a good coach. His record includes three National Championships for the Hoosiers: more than any other active coach. Plus, the graduation rate of his players for over three decades should be displayed as a model to today's MTV/Sports Center generation of players.

However in the 1990's and beyond, Knight's teaching techniques compared with those of Tommy Lasorda, Norm Stewart and Dick Vermeil in their later days. None changed with the times and were found ineffective.

Knight's teaching techniques by today's standards are viewed as archaic. In this era of political correctness and "I'll see you in court" mentality, he is viewed as a dinosaur. A generation ago, all coaches were expected to scream holler and yes, touch, their players in order to get their points across. In those days, the ends did justify the means.

Yet, one of the biggest fallacies surrounding the General is a perceived lack of support by his current and former players as well as the alumni. One would never know that from the national media who have been blatantly guilty of piling on when it comes to impartial reporting on the former Hoosier Head Coach.

This is simply not correct. Knight is considered by many of his former players and IU Alumni as a hero and (yes) a role model. So much so that the University was split on his status. On the night of his dismissal, rallies and demonstrations were held around Bloomington campus. Internet chat rooms were crashing throughout the Heartland.

Earlier this summer, the Board of Regents of the University of Indiana along with the school's President put some time back on the clock for Coach Knight. In responding to an ESPN and Sports Illustrated story about dealings with former players, the General was not fired but given a direct order: a zero tolerance policy surrounding future incidents on his conduct and his players.

Ironically though, a non-player was the straw that broke the General's back.

According to reports, a freshman student spotted the former Coach in Assembly Hall and mockingly gave him salutations by using his last name. Knight approached the freshman, reportedly put his hands on him and promptly gave the lad a quick lesson on etiquette.

As it turned out, the boy's stepfather is a former talk show host in the Bloomington area and a self-proclaimed critic of Bob Knight.

I watched the comments of all pertinent parties on television. IN MY OPINION:

There's no doubt that this young freshman boy was never taught any manners by his parents/stepparents if this is how he addresses someone in authority.

There's also no doubt that this boy's stepfather is a radio talk show host wannabe with a clear agenda and visions of his fifteen minutes of fame.
AND
There is no doubt that Bob Knight should have been immediately removed from his duties as Head Basketball coach at the University of Indiana after this incident.

The President of IU drew a line in the sand for Knight 's behavior in May. The former coach crossed it. There was absolutely no doubt the University took the correct and proper action over this rather minor, but yet documented incident. The school had no other alternative but to give Knight his severance package. PERIOD

Frankly, the former coach has no one to blame but himself. Knight had to be aware that if it wasn't an immature nineteen year-old freshman student, it would be a reporter, or perhaps another University employee or perhaps a Big 10 basketball official that would bait him into a confrontational incident. There were many people out there that wanted to proudly display the notch on the gun belt that took Bob Knight out.

Bottom line: Bob Knight should have known better. He was out of timeouts and could not stop the clock. The General did not coach a good game. The buzzer sounded and he lost

In a state where basketball is treated as a religion, Knight's firing is equaled to the firing of a Pope. Still, after the white smoke clears, time marches on.

It's now time for both the University of Indiana and Bob Knight to march on. The decision has been made and all parties have to deal with it. IU has about a month to find a coach. Bob Knight can now sit by the phone awaiting a call from another university or television/cable network.

And right, wrong, or indifferent, and era has ended in Indiana and college sports.

On the basketball coach, Bob Knight learned how to bounce back when the officials gave him a "T" for a technical foul for his on-court behavior. This time, the University of Indiana gave their former Head Coach a different kind of "T" for his off-court behavior.

This one stood for termination.