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CNN Live At Daybreak

Indiana's New Coach Shows His Stuff

Aired March 29, 2002 - 06:55   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And this is the final weekend for NCAA Basketball, both men and women. Indiana comes to Atlanta, the Cinderella of the men's final four. The Hoosiers are a team of before and after.

CNN's Tom Rinaldi takes a look at the new Indiana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM RINALDI, CNNSI CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Above custom, beyond gesture, it was a perfect metaphor. Mike Davis climbing a ladder, and then doing what Indiana has tried to do for two tough tumultuous years: cut the cord between the past and the future.

BOB KNIGHT, FMR. HOOSIERS COACH: Who asked that question?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bob Knight emphatically speaking...

KNIGHT: Then why doesn't he come speak to me too if it's such a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) offense?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bob Knight, he's still upset over that travel.

KNIGHT: Some of you people ought to go find another (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This team is more, you know, unified and more of a family than any team I've been on since I've been here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Coach Davis is a very open coach. You know, he'll tell you what he's thinking and you can go to him and ask him questions and find out what's going on. And, you know, that really makes it more comfortable as a player.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just to see the smile on everybody's face, you know, again. And we know it's been a while.

MIKE DAVIS, HOOSIERS COACH: Who am I? Now here is a guy that no one knew, even coached basketball and win the final four. And I don't deserve the credit for it. You know, it's a blessing for me, and I realize that.

RINALDI: The banners are the proof. People will tell you Bob Knight's legacy is forever overhead in assembly hall. The three national titles; the five final fours; the 29 seasons; the banners, yes, but also the behavior.

KNIGHT: When my time on earth is gone and my activities here are past, I want they bury me upside down and my critics can kiss my ass.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a lot different now from two years ago, and we're very proud of this great program. Very proud of the team that came together. They worked hard. They have a lot of heart; they have soul too. They emulate their coach, and that's why we're proud of Mike Davis as well.

RINALDI (on camera): Whether it's hallowed ground or scorched earth, walking in the footsteps of a legend carries a heavy burden. As Mike Davis strives to emerge from Bobby Knight's ample shadow, he does so with a team Davis, in part, recruited, and with players that threatened publicly to leave the program when Knight did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well I think there was definitely a doubt, because Coach Davis had -- he didn't -- he wasn't the one that recruited me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, I came here to play here for Coach Knight, but I did trust Coach Davis. And so when he said he could do the job, I believed him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously there's going to be doubts, because he's never been a head coach before, but he proved himself, and I think everybody in the world knows that he's a great coach now.

RINALDI (voice-over): A different coach at minimum, with different results. Knight's results this year at his new school, Texas Tech, were remarkable in the regular season, but familiar in tournament time. Another first round exit; his fourth in the last six trips.

But the Hoosiers head to the final four for the first time since 1992. Davis has brought change in result and in feeling, in performance and in philosophy.

DAVIS: I'm similar to any other coach. I want to win, but I try not to embarrass the guys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's fun to play for. You can come to him and ask him questions when you have anything that, you know, you think we can do better and give him suggestions and he listens to that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just a much looser atmosphere outside of practice. Inside of practice, there's -- as far as intensity goes, there's not a whole lot of difference except that maybe Coach Davis doesn't yell quite as much.

RINALDI: The red sweater may be gone. The Hoosiers might use set plays never seen here before. But if Indiana will never forget Knight fully, winning creates new memories awful fast.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We consider ourselves Coach Davis' players now. This is just a transition that we had to make.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People that liked Coach Davis before, like him a little bit more. Those that hate him probably still hate him. But for the majority of people, they can appreciate and respect a man that works as hard and does what he does. They might not necessarily like him, but they respect him.

DAVIS: What we try to do is win the National Championship for Indiana. And if we win the National Championship, and when they put it up on the banner, it won't say Mike Davis, it won't say Coach Knight, it will just say Indiana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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