High-profile basketball coaches and famous football coach helped Donald Trump clinch the Republican nomination in Indiana this week, and put the final nail in the coffin of Ted Cruz’s campaign.
Along with support from Republicans and independents from the Hoosier State, Trump attracted four coaches to his list of backers: Bobby Knight, Lou Holtz, Digger Phelps and Gene Keady. All have Indiana ties and most have larger than life personas and experience in something Trump brags about: winning.
The foursome joined him on the trail, pushing his ability to make tough decisions and his leadership qualities, joining a long list of athletes and coaches who have endorsed Trump, including Mike Tyson, John Daly, Dennis Rodman and Pete Rose.
One sports psychologist said it’s logical that Trump is attracting these sports figures to his campaign.
“In sports, and in business, there’s clearly defined winners and losers,” said Dr. John F. Murray. “There’s sort of an emphasis on results.”
“There’s a comfort level with somebody that makes a strong platform of striving toward success are going to admire somebody that’s had business success,” Murray explained, adding that it all comes from the same “competitive perspective.”
Knight, whose name Trump notably misspelled in a tweet before referring to him as “Coach K,” was the first Indiana coach to endorse Trump, and he has repeatedly talked about Trump’s ability to tell it like it is. He even told one crowd that there has “never been a more honest politician” than Trump, while others cited his lack of political correctness as a reason to back the GOP front-runner.
“One of the things that appeals is the lack of political correctness,” Murray said, noting the “match in personalities” between Trump and some of his athletic supporters. “It makes sense that someone that’s brash … that they’ll admire somebody like themselves.”
In one of his more famous comments before leaving Indiana, Knight told a crowd at Assembly Hall that when he passes away, he wants to be buried upside down so “my critics can kiss my ass.”
The likes of Tyson and Rodman have also had their share of moments good and bad. Tyson, a former heavyweight champion, was convicted of rape, while the basketball hall-of-famer has other openly touting his friendship with Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea.
But Trump’s winning attitude helps him resonate with athletes, and Trump indicates winning is what he admires most about certain athletes.
Tom Brady? “A winner who likes winners.”
Derek Jeter? “All about winning.”
Mike Ditka? “A total winner.”
George Steinbrenner? “He knew how to win.”
Knight? “American legend.”
Trump’s most significant jump into the sporting world was largely unsuccessful. As owner of the New Jersey Generals, Trump pushed the league to move it’s spring schedule to the fall to compete directly with the NFL. The move never materialized after a lawsuit, forcing the league to fold.
