After reflecting on the holiday season, you think about the family members that you spent time with. One of whom is someone you look forward to seeing every year; that crazy uncle. Everyone has one. You know the crazy uncle; he’s unmarried, has an extensive repertoire of outrageous stories, and cruises in to Christmas driving his beat up pick-up truck with a case of cheap beer tucked under his arm.

God love him.

But if I could choose someone in the world of sports to be my crazy uncle, I’d choose Bobby Knight. “The General” may not be the most loving man in sports, but we’re not looking for love from your crazy uncle. We don’t want to mimic his behavior; we just need someone who’s willing to share with you his various run-ins with the police and his escapades throughout the 1970s.

From a mere sports standpoint, Knight could keep me happy at the dinner table with his tales of playing for the 1960 NCAA Championship Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team and playing alongside legends John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas.

Watching the Christmas Day NBA game could be a very interesting event as Knight provides a live analysis of the game from the perspective of his basketball philosophy.

Or maybe he can discuss with you the 1975-76 season when he, as head coach, led the Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated mark and a national championship.

And of course, Knight could share with you what it takes to become the all-time leader in coaching victories for a Division I NCAA basketball coach, a milestone he recently attained.

Those are all great stories to be shared on a chilly afternoon during the holidays, but when it comes to “Uncle Bobby,” I may be looking for something a little different.

We could all huddle up around the fire and have him tell us what really happened at the Pan American Games in Puerto Rico in 1979 when he was arrested for assaulting a police officer.

“Uncle Bobby” and I can take a seat at Grandma’s house, as he is reminded of the time he threw a chair just like the one we each were sitting in onto the court during a game in 1985 after a call from a referee upset him.

We’ll chomp down some holiday ham as he explains to all of us that he merely wanted to give the potted plant to the secretary who accused him of throwing it at her, and it was all a big misunderstanding

We can all gather around with a glass of eggnog as he tells us what it was like having a book written and a movie produced centered around his life.

The family game of Monopoly or Charades will be slightly more intense with “Uncle Bobby” around. Keep your head up and play your hardest, because he certainly won’t tolerate anything but your best.

Knight is someone who could keep you entertained for hours with his anecdotes and the words that spew out of his mouth, and he could certainly make those long days at Grandma’s a little more interesting, to say the least. 

So in honor of another passing holiday season and Bobby Knight notching his 880th coaching victory for most all-time, I salute Knight and all of the crazy uncles out there. If it wasn’t for you and your hijinks, the holiday season would be just a little bit duller to those of us who truly look forward to seeing you. Hope 2007 brings all of you the same kind of success (and wild stories to share).