I recently read that legendary Indiana University basketball coach, Bobby Knight, said that the best thing about that job was how great the fans were. I couldn\u2019t help but wonder what he meant by that.<\/p>\n

Did he mean that the fans were truly educated about basketball, the skills needed for a player to be successful and the strategy to create and winning team? Did he mean that they were the most respectful fans towards opposing players and fans?<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think so. If Knight has been somewhat cerebral about technique, his passion in the game would border on demonic. His on-court demeanor included throwing chairs across the court to constantly berating referees over calls, whether they were justified, not justified, or just plain ambivalent; it didn\u2019t seem to matter.<\/p>\n

So, good fans must have meant those who would back him and the team, no matter what. He didn\u2019t want doubters, only those who would consistently be uninhibited in their fierce loyalty to the flagship team of the Hoosier state.<\/p>\n

There are other kinds of fans at sporting events. These are the ones who rarely shout or yell. They may be quietly taking in the game, engaging in analytical conversation with friends about the game and players, or even having off-topic conversations that seem relevant at the time. On many counts, they are the \u201cgood fans.\u201d They may not support the coaches wish for a multi-million-dollar contract extension, but they probably think that the players should be paid for their work.<\/p>\n

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