Coach should earn, not demand, respect

I am proud to be a graduate of IU, a graduate student at IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis and the mother of two IU students. I am saddened by the events of the last few days surrounding Coach Knight. I support President Brand in his decision for various reasons. A few of them are:\n1. Coach Knight is first and foremost a teacher of young people. Would we have tolerated such behavior from our history or business professors? As a teacher, he is a role model to the students of IU. Unfortunately, I witnessed on TV last evening just how effective he has been as a role model for our students. I saw rude behavior, destruction of property, foul language and even death threats lodged against Mr. Harvey. It seems IU students have watched too many post-game interviews featuring Coach Knight.\n2. Coach Knight is an embarrassment to IU and the state of Indiana. I, for one, do not want people thinking that Hoosiers behave in such a violent and infantile manner as does Coach Knight.\n3. Does anyone else see the irony in a full-grown man demanding respect from a student by violently grabbing his arm and using profanity? (Come on, folks, the Coach's previous patterns of behavior warrant giving this student the benefit of the doubt.)\nCoach Knight will react as he has in the past: He will blame everyone but himself. It is time to grow up, Coach, and maybe someday you will earn the respect you so desperately seem to need and say you deserve.