Knight Defends Tressel...Who's Defending God?

"Nobody, God himself, could not...."

Those words caught my attention as I scanned the radio channels early morning on 3/9/2011.  What I heard wasn't from a religious or political station, but from an ESPN sports radio program.  Bobby Knight, former college basketball coach at Indiana and Texas Tech, was defending Ohio State head football coach Jim Tressel after Mr. Tressel was punished by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) for a certain rule violation.  Specifically, some of the student athletes under his watch illegally (at least according to NCAA) sold for profit certain sports memorabilia that were given to them, and Mr. Tressel failed to notify NCAA officials of the offense in a timely manner.

So, what did God have to do with this?  Mr. Knight suggested that the specific rule violation was relatively insignificant, and that the rules are cumbersome and confusing:

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous.  I think if something like that comes up, it is not the most noticeable of rules.  It's a rather obscure rule.  And they'll say, 'well, he should know all of the rules.'  Nobody, God himself, could not quote every rule in the NCAA law book.  In fact, God would call on the disciples to decipher it for him."  (from March 9, 2011 column by Erick Smith on usatoday.com)

I have never seen a copy of the NCAA rule book, and imagine that it must contain quite a monstrosity of regulations.  However, to say that God cannot figure it out can be nothing less than blasphemy, as God is omniscient, and knows every word, thought, speech and dream that ever existed before it came to be.  Although God made man in His image, Mr. Knight in turn made God in man's image instead, with limited knowledge and understanding, and needing help from his disciples.  Sadly, while Mr. Knight's words drew many reactions and comments, exceedingly few expressed any indignation about his "God" reference.

It is of little wonder that when God issued the Ten Commandments, the first three were intended to protect His name:

"You shall have no other gods before me."  (Exodus 20:3)

"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."  (Exodus 20:4-6)

"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misues his name."  (Exodus 20:7)

Mr. Knight will be responsible for these laws, and he will not be allowed to blame his disciples for not deciphering them properly.