Would Bobby Knight do it?

This is the question we must all ask ourselves when faced with a tough decision. Just apply it to everyday questions such as: Should go to school or work today? Should I have that next drink or 15th piece of pizza? Should I pick up Derek Lee or Prince Fielder in my fantasy baseball draft? Well, would Bob Knight do it? Would Bob Knight buy his wife tickets to an opera or tickets to a Wisconsin vs. Ohio State game?

This question was posed to me the other day by a great individual, Mallards Manager C.J. Thieleke (Coach). Last year I set Coach up with a program where he went and read to a local classroom for half an hour. He was a little worried when I first told him about the engagement that I had signed him up for. However, come game day he was in stellar form and loved the experience. Ever since that day I have not hesitated to sign him up for anything and everything community related.

Some of our recent adventures have been signing Coach up to be a Big Brother, for Big Brothers Big Sisters, offering his services to do a PSA for Club TNT, and offering to have him appear at local schools to kick off Maynard’s Lil’ Ducks Reading Program, presented by The Mattel Toy Store. The program has taken off like the ball off the end of a Rob Lyerly or future Mallard big Harold Riggins bat! There has been a great amount of feedback from area schools and teachers as they are all excited to sign their students up for the program. One of the features of the program is the opportunity to have either Maynard or Manager C.J. Thieleke come to your school for a kickoff or ending celebration to help create excitement about reading and highlight the importance of reading to the youth of American. At the moment, Maynard is up two on Coach (sorry Coach). Two all-school assembly’s have been scheduled at Lake View Elementary School and Windsor Elementary School thus far! (If your son or daughter goes to one of these schools you might want to tag along with them on the day of the assembly. As the Mallards embark into the school assembly circuit, it is sure to be entertaining and informative!)

With every new school that signs up I joke with Coach and tell him that I have signed him up to read in front of 300 or 400 kids and he always gives me the same great response..he throws his hands up and says, “What?, O, Come on Kev, what are you talking about, you’re crazy, you’re crazy”…Then he goes right back to hacking away at his laptop and continues looking up stats and rumors about future and current Mallard players. Things finally came to a boiling point for him the other week, as he was living the office to go home for the day I said, “ O, Coach by the way I signed you up to speak in front of a 2nd grade class to explain the importance of reading.” Then the phrase was born, he looked right at me and said, “Kev from now on, ask yourself this question before you sign me up for anything else; Would Bob Knight do it?” He then turned to walk out, but before he could take one step, I broke out laughing hysterically and so did Jerrad and finally Coach himself joined in. I don’t know if it was because Bob Knight happened to be in town for college game day or if he over heard me talking about going to the Badger vs. Ohio State game and all I wanted to do was meet Bobby, or what compelled him to say it, but whatever it was I am glad he did.

I have tried to consider the phrase when signing Coach up for engagements and activities since this day, but each time I can’t help but crack a smile and say, Yes Bob Knight would totally do this! Bob Knight would go to work everyday; he would not have that 15th piece of pizza or extra drink. Bob Knight would totally pick Derek Lee over Prince Fielder, and we would buy this wife tickets to the opera because he got free tickets to the Wisconsin vs. Ohio State game.

Well my laundry just finished drying so that must mean the time has come for me to leave you all once again. Until next time Mallard blog fan or fans…. keep on, keep truckin’!


Extras: Since my last posting (basketball and curling spiraling downwardly out of control), we have not lost a basketball game which is awesome. Our curling team on the other hand has not shared the same fortune, but we did have a bye this week so we didn’t lose, SCORE!