Knight's lawyer replies to Brand letter

The storytelling and name calling between the IU administration and former basketball coach Bob Knight's camp continues.\nRussell Yates, Knight's attorney, sent out two letters Wednesday. One was sent to the IDS, calling for IU to "immediately discontinue their campaign of misinformation that is apparently intended to publicly justify the University's firing of Coach Knight without true cause." \nHe also sent a letter to University Counsel Dorothy Frapwell suggesting the two sides meet and come to an agreement over items related to Knight's contract. Frapwell said it was a very cordial letter but had not replied as of late Wednesday night.\n"I want to get his deferred compensation resolved, then I want to talk about the noncompete clause," Yates said. "I hope we can have an amicable meeting, and then everybody can go their own way."\nThe University has deposited $1.3 million in the compensation fund, and it has grown to more than $4.5 million thanks to interest. It is to be paid out over a 10-year span, but the start date is in question. The noncompete clause states Knight will forfeit the deferred compensation if he joins a Division I program in Kentucky, Indiana or in the Big Ten.\nYates wrote the IDS in response to a letter written by President Myles Brand Sept. 13 that was addressed, "Dear Friends," and distributed to alumni. Brand recapped and re-affirmed his decision to release Coach Knight from his contract. \n"Unfortunately, as weeks passed, I received more and more reports of hostile, difficult and uncooperative behavior by Coach Knight toward fellow IU employees and toward the University," Brand wrote. "This continuing series of events over several months left us with no real alternative. With the support of a strong majority of the board of trustees, I decided to relieve Coach Knight of his duties as basketball coach.\n"Included among these incidents was a meeting in which Coach Knight verbally abused a female IU administrator with others present; his continued refusal to work through the chain of command …; angry and inflammatory remarks he made in public and private …; and his refusal to appear at previously scheduled pre-season Varsity Club events …"\nYates said most of Brand's comments are "misleading, incomplete and wrong." \n"Suffice it to say, President Brand, as well as (Christopher) Simpson, based on our review of the facts and our investigation, have twisted the facts to suit the result they have long desired," Yates wrote at the conclusion of his letter.\nSimpson, vice president for public affairs and government relations, spoke for himself and Brand, who was out of town.\n"I see nothing to be gained by going back over those issues," Simpson said. "The last time I talked with a person of the media was 10 days ago, so I'm not sure I understand this 'campaign of misinformation.'"\nYates was upset by Brand's comments, "The overriding issue here is that no person -- no president, coach, faculty member student or trustee -- is bigger than Indiana University," and that, "Coach Knight wrote the final chapter to his career here."\nReplied Yates: "Knight has had a greater and more positive history with Indiana University than either Myles Brand or Christopher Simpson have, or will ever have."\nSimpson was unaffected by the insult and said he had no comment regarding the personal attack.\n"When you're the chief spokesman for a university this size, (derogatory remarks) come with the territory," Simpson said. "We wish Coach Knight the absolute best, and we're 110 percent behind coach (Mike) Davis and his basketball team as we move toward basketball season."\nRead the letter from Myles Brand.\nRead the letter from Bob Knight's attorney.