Knight's just one of the guys, though he insists he isn't

As a coach, Bob Knight delighted in ridiculing the media, so when he appeared on a conference call this week to discuss his expanded role with ESPN, a few ink-stained wretches took the opportunity to tweak Knight about his new career choice.

Despite his protests to the contrary, he has joined the industry he always disdained.

"I'm a coach that's talking about basketball," Knight said. "I don't consider myself in any way a member of the media."

Denial, Mark Twain once reminded us, ain't just a river in Egypt.

In his expanded analyst's role for ESPN, Knight will bloviate courtside on Thursday nights, make frequent studio appearances and sit on the panel for Saturday's College GameDay. He'll also be heard on ESPN radio.

When he stepped down as Texas Tech coach midway through last season, Knight began contributing to ESPN's basketball blather. Now he's a regular.

How does Knight rationalize his move to the dark side?

"My post-coaching career is fishing," he insisted. "Working with basketball is a hobby."

So he says.

For Knight's fans, stubbornness is part of his charm. As an analyst, it's unlikely he'll compromise his old-school approach to suit a younger audience.

Asked about this year's rule change that moved the 3-point line back a foot to 20 feet, 9 inches, Knight said, "I don't think it will affect the (shooting) percentages at all. Most 3-point shots are probably taken a foot or 20 inches behind the line to begin with."

Then he added, "I have never nor will I ever be in favor of the 3-point shot, because it takes away from the purity of the game."

Not the game the coveted demographic grew up with. The 3-pointer has been around 20 years, after all. The bulk of ESPN's loyal viewers can't remember a time when it, like baggy shorts, wasn't a big part of the game.

Depending how he approaches it, the ESPN job is an opportunity for Knight to remain current with a part of the audience that's too young to recall his best coaching days or infamous tantrums. His "hobby" offers him with a forum that fishing doesn't. On ESPN, he's an elder statesman, so don't expect the Worldwide Leader to be rolling out old video of Knight going ballistic.

ESPN's promotion of college basketball - as well as itself - is all-encompassing, but what about the quality of the product that's saturating the market? Is it really as good as we're led to believe?

While Knight is in the minority when it comes to disliking the 3-pointer, others legitimately complain that the continuity of the sport and many programs is hurt when the best players leave school after a year or two.

Is it possible college basketball was better to watch 20 years ago?

"I think there are more really good athletes playing than there were in the mid-'80s," Knight said. "Today, far more teams have better athletes playing basketball. But does that make for a better game? You know, I'm not sure."

Bob Knight not sure? Stop the presses.

Positive he is, though, about the Heisman Trophy race.

"If Graham Harrell doesn't win the Heisman Trophy," he said of the Texas Tech quarterback, "there ought to be an investigation."

Over the phone, Knight seemed to enjoy bantering with the men and women of the media, even as he argued that he's not part of the media.

Naturally, he had to get in the last word.

"I don't think," he said, "anyone would ever interpret one of you guys as college basketball experts."

You guys? Join the club, coach. Consider yourself one of the guys.

Bob Molinaro, (757) 446-2373, bob.molinaro@pilotonline.com