Nepotism creeping into college athletics

Everyone wants to help their kids, right? It's a natural impulse. That extends to helping them find jobs, or even guiding them toward taking over the family business.

But nepotism can take strange forms, as in the recent pre-hiring of basketball coaches at several major universities. Like father, like son.

At least, that's what they're counting on at Texas Tech, Washington State and Oklahoma State.

The latest hiring came to light in a recent newspaper report that said Bob Knight's son Pat has agreed to a five-year deal to replace his father as the Red Raiders' coach — eventually. Exactly when Boorish Bobby retires is uncertain, but word is Tech has already made its decision.

Interested candidates need not apply.

At least Tech won't have to change the nameplate on the head coach's door. It will still say "Coach Knight."

Does this mean the new coach gets to feud with the press, abuse players and throw chairs, too?

Meanwhile, coaches hoping to move up are sighing with despair.

There goes one more job opportunity. As the saying goes, it's not what you know, it's whom you know.

There's another saying, too: Love is blind. Most fathers think their kids are great. Strange part is, so do a number of universities.

Coaching is becoming an exclusive club — you can't get in if you don't have the pedigree.

The Knight decision is the latest in a growing string of similar hires. Earlier, it was announced Tony Bennett (the coach, not the singer) will replace father Dick at Washington State, as soon as the elder Bennett retires. Likewise, Sean Sutton has already been penciled in as replacement for father Eddie at Oklahoma State.

Who's going to be the new travel secretary, Aunt Violet?

Naming future coaches ahead of time isn't unprecedented. Kohn Smith was told long before he became basketball coach at Utah State that he'd be replacing Rod Tueller. That's why he returned to Logan, his hometown, after serving as an assistant at Indiana. Jud Heathcote hand-picked his successor, Tom Izzo, at Michigan State.

But should the son of a successful coach really be a successor?