Bobby Knight frequently made it clear that he didn't much care about media reaction and judgments, but he sure had a knack for grabbing headlines. He did it again yesterday, quitting as Texas Tech's coach after 42 years of ranting from the sideline.

Anyone who knows anything about college basketball knows about Knight, his years of glory at Indiana and blow-ups that became part of his legend. Two days removed from the New England Patriots' pursuit of perfection that fell 35 seconds short, I'm reminded of what many would consider the single most impressive Knight accomplishment -- the 1976 national championship when his team went 32-0. It hasn't been done since. 

That team included Kent Benson, Quinn Buckner and Bobby Wilkerson. Unlike the Patriots' cliff-hanger with the New York Giants, Indiana put its stamp on that national title with an emphatic 86-68 win over Michigan in the final. Actually, the year before, Knight's Indiana team went 31-1, getting knocked out of the tournament by runner-up Kentucky by two points in the regional finals.

You can dial up just about any opinion you want about Knight. On the plus side, the 902 wins, the admirable graduation rates, the loyalty of his players. On the other side, the embarrassing tantrums, the bullying and the sheer nastiness. There is no judgment here on Knight's life resume. But his current team is 12-8 and still in the running for the field of 64 next month. I've read his rationale for quitting at this moment, about the transition to his son Pat taking over as head coach and his feeling that it would be better for the team in the long run.

Who knows if all that's true with a few weeks left in the current season, but if it is, then I guess his players are better off without him. Sadly.