As we are in the middle of March Madness, I thought I would share a story on why I AM NEVER LATE, EVER...PERIOD.

Growing up in northwest Indiana, one was either a Purdue fan or Indiana fan.  I was an IU fan and with that came the man, Bobby Knight.  So, going into my 8th grade year I signed up to attend the IU basketball camp.  If you have never been on IU's campus, it is beautiful and they conduct most of the camp out of the HYPR, which is a string of probably 10-13 courts.

Anyway, I am at Bob Knight's camp, summer of '83, I believe - John Cougar's "Small Town" was being taped on campus, etc.  So I get to meet Dan Dakich, Joby Wright and stay in the dorms on campus...cool stuff for a kid.  I remember always wearing a George Gervin jersey so I was nicknamed "Ice" at the camp.  I didn't exactly possess his silky smooth skills, but I could hold my own. 

As you attend Knight's camp he has a bunch of lesser known coaches running the camp.  He addresses the camp on the front end and gives a speach the night before the camp ends.  Now, love Knight or hate him - you have to know that he was literally a hero in the state of Indiana - larger than life.  He spoke, you listened.  So, I get through the camp...me and my buddy rooming together and had a late scrimmage the evening Knight was supposed to speak.  We shower, he takes off as I wasn't quite ready and I am like, "Where the hell did he go?"  So I get out of the shower and realize I am running way late, so I sprint from the dorms over to where Knight is scheduled and I get to the building, to the area where Knight is and realize..."Oh shit!"  He has already begun.  So, I decide to sneak in to along the side and Knight looks over at me and says, "Come here!"  Now remember, I am what - 12 years old?  I turn beat red and say, "Yes Sir."  He says, "Why is it you are late? I tell him and he proceeds to make me do 100 pushups in front of the entire camp...easily over 1,000 kids and coaches. 

Moral of the story:  DON'T BE LATE!  Love 'em or hate 'em, Knight was good at giving life lessons...sometimes in a professional manner, sometimes not so much.  Anyway, hope you enjoyed that because it was literally something I look back at with fondness thinking of the glory days of IU hoops.