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Topic:  A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...

Topic:  A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
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Bobcat Love
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  Message Not Read  A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 12:36:31 PM 
Here is one thing that I haven't seen discussed to date:

I would highly question whether Groce wants to play Matta twice a year for the foreseeable future. More specifically, I would question whether he even wants to play him at all, forget about twice a year in a hotly contested B1G.

This is certainly not an uncommon phenomenon. Guys like Roy Williams never wanted to play Dean Smith, Crean doesn't play Izzo, Howland doesn't play Dixon, and the list goes on. There's obviously a special bond formed, the point your entire scheduling philosophy is altered b/c of the opposing Coach.

It's really odd to me, but I'm obviously in a completely different world. I can't see Steve Jobs saying he would stay out of the tablet PC business b/c he had a personal friendship with Mark Hurd at HP several years back.

My point is that this protege/mentor dynamic is a strong one that bears discussing. I have said all along, it's not Illinois that scares me this year. It's the other crazy stuff that is yet to come on the coaching carousel. This stuff goes on into the summer, and I can almost guarantee we will see several more, plum jobs open up soon. 

Take Kansas State for example. They're going to lose Frank Martin. It would be a perfect landing spot for Groce. They'll pay. It's a good college town. He'll be able to recruit there. They have facilities. Again, not saying it will happen - but right now, Illinois is not my chief concern - and the Matta thing has a big part in that.

LOVE
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colobobcat66
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 12:45:03 PM 
The loyalty thing is often mentioned as a deterrent to some of this for sure.  I'll take a different route and say that any good mentor is not against his pupil succeeding, even if it means doing it against him.  Think about it, don't you want the best for someone who you have taken on like a son?  Do you want him to be limited and held back because of a possible competition on the floor? I don't really think so.  Groce will always admire Matta and I think it would be a real honor for him to be on the same floor, since it shows the world what impact Matta has had on his student.  Just my take, but I can't put myself in Groce's shoes for sure.

Last Edited: 3/26/2012 12:45:45 PM by colobobcat66
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Ryan Carey
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 12:48:50 PM 
We know that Groce and Matta have each said they don't ever want to play a real game against each other...but I think it's more likely the Matta health issues could play a role.  

Does Groce stay at Ohio while waiting for Matta's back issues to force him to retire?  Has Matta ever said, "John, I think I got another 2 years in me, after that, I'm recommending you for my replacement."  If Groce leaves now, does Boals turn down an Ohio offer with hopes of OSU staying in house and promoting him to the lead chair?

Ryan M. Carey
BBA 2001

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Ted Thompson
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 12:49:45 PM 
The thing I struggle with Love is where does Groce go if not the Big 10? To me, he seems built to take a job in the Indiana/Ohio/Illinois territory. The jobs at Purdue, Indiana, Notre Dame and Ohio State don't seem like they are coming open anytime soon. Which leaves Illinois. If Illinois is not the right job for him, which jobs are?  

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Gallia Cat
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 12:59:49 PM 


I don't think OSU will go the assistant coach route. Wasn't Randy Ayers an assistant to Gary Williams? When Matta. retires OSU will go after another head coach with a track record as a head coach. If Groce were to stay, I think it's a no brainer that OSU would go after him. I also feel that if/when Groce leaves Boals is a logical fit.


Another thought is if Groce leaves would Geno Ford be interested? I have heard his package at Bradly is in the $700,000 range. It would be a lateral move but it would be to a program in solid shape plus the school he graduated from. I doubt he we ever consider another mid- major. There is no way he could go from Kent to Ohio but he could go from Bradley to Ohio. I don't know how I even feel about it.

Thoughts?

Last Edited: 3/26/2012 1:02:02 PM by Gallia Cat
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GoCats105
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 1:30:29 PM 
Ted Thompson wrote:
The thing I struggle with Love is where does Groce go if not the Big 10? To me, he seems built to take a job in the Indiana/Ohio/Illinois territory. The jobs at Purdue, Indiana, Notre Dame and Ohio State don't seem like they are coming open anytime soon. Which leaves Illinois. If Illinois is not the right job for him, which jobs are?  


He could also be in line for that Wake Forest job in the future through the Xavier coaching tree. That's the first one that comes to mind.
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GoCats105
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 1:31:52 PM 
Gallia Cat wrote:


I don't think OSU will go the assistant coach route. Wasn't Randy Ayers an assistant to Gary Williams? When Matta. retires OSU will go after another head coach with a track record as a head coach. If Groce were to stay, I think it's a no brainer that OSU would go after him. I also feel that if/when Groce leaves Boals is a logical fit.


Another thought is if Groce leaves would Geno Ford be interested? I have heard his package at Bradly is in the $700,000 range. It would be a lateral move but it would be to a program in solid shape plus the school he graduated from. I doubt he we ever consider another mid- major. There is no way he could go from Kent to Ohio but he could go from Bradley to Ohio. I don't know how I even feel about it.

Thoughts?


If we're giving anyone the job with the last name Ford his first name will be Dustin. Just my opinion.
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Gallia Cat
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 2:06:09 PM 
GoCats105 wrote:
Gallia Cat wrote:


I don't think OSU will go the assistant coach route. Wasn't Randy Ayers an assistant to Gary Williams? When Matta. retires OSU will go after another head coach with a track record as a head coach. If Groce were to stay, I think it's a no brainer that OSU would go after him. I also feel that if/when Groce leaves Boals is a logical fit.


Another thought is if Groce leaves would Geno Ford be interested? I have heard his package at Bradly is in the $700,000 range. It would be a lateral move but it would be to a program in solid shape plus the school he graduated from. I doubt he we ever consider another mid- major. There is no way he could go from Kent to Ohio but he could go from Bradley to Ohio. I don't know how I even feel about it.

Thoughts?


If we're giving anyone the job with the last name Ford his first name will be Dustin. Just my opinion.


I thought of that as well.
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BobcatJH
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 2:13:47 PM 
Geno would not be a step up from Coach Groce.
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intrpdtrvlr
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 3:21:04 PM 
Bobcat Love wrote:

This is certainly not an uncommon phenomenon. Guys like Roy Williams never wanted to play Dean Smith, Crean doesn't play Izzo, Howland doesn't play Dixon, and the list goes on. There's obviously a special bond formed, the point your entire scheduling philosophy is altered b/c of the opposing Coach.


Huh?  They certainly avoided it when Crean was at Marquette but it didn't stop Crean from accepting the Indiana position where he plays Izzo one to three times a year.  It was too attractive to pass up.

If everything else says "yes," I can't envision this as a dealbreaker, B. Love. 

BA - Michigan State '03, MA - Ohio '05, PhD - Ohio '15
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Turney13
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 3:26:31 PM 

Gm twit fam. Didn't wake up to the best of news today😳

Turney Duff
Twitter: @turneyduff

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bigtillyoopsupsideurhead
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 3:37:59 PM 
Turney13 wrote:

Gm twit fam. Didn't wake up to the best of news today😳



Maybe he's a Lakers fan?
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Gallia Cat
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 3:47:54 PM 
BobcatJH wrote:
Geno would not be a step up from Coach Groce.


I agree he is not. Like I said, I have some mixed feelings on it just curious what others thought. I am confident Groce wouldn't leave Ohio for a Bradley type position which is the biggest reason for the mixed feelings. It's a trust issue.
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ohio9704
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:19:20 PM 
retweet by Arkley says it is done.
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GoCats105
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:23:44 PM 
Just read that too...Smith also had a tweet earlier that was somewhat depressing. No bueno.
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BobcatJH
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:24:32 PM 
To be fair, the "it's done" tweet he's retweeting comes from an "insider" with a total of two tweets. Grain of salt.
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medler
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:26:18 PM 
For fun...the folks at Illinoi Loyalty are following the web cam at the Champaign airport and have noticed a private jet from Columbus and a hurried exit to a waiting car....

http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=17...

Let's GO HAWKS! 

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Mike Coleman
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:27:35 PM 

Following is the activity of the plane the tweeter says Groce is on. As you can see, this plane also apparently entertained Stevens and Shaka.

ACTIVITY LOG
W
Date Aircraft Origin Destination Departed Arrival Duration
26-Mar-2012 FA10/L Port Columbus Intl (KCMH) Univ of IL - Willard (KCMI) 03:44PM EDT 03:28PM CDT En Route
26-Mar-2012 FA10/L Austin Straubel Intl (KGRB) Port Columbus Intl (KCMH) 10:41AM CDT 12:35PM EDT 0:54
26-Mar-2012 FA10/L Univ of IL - Willard (KCMI) Austin Straubel Intl (KGRB) 07:53AM CDT 08:35AM CDT 0:42
22-Mar-2012 FA10/Q Indianapolis Intl (KIND) Univ of IL - Willard (KCMI) 11:58AM EDT 11:13AM CDT 0:14
22-Mar-2012 FA10/Q Univ of IL - Willard (KCMI) Indianapolis Intl (KIND) 06:18AM CDT 07:34AM EDT 0:16
21-Mar-2012 FA10/L Chicago Midway Intl (KMDW) Univ of IL - Willard (KCMI) 08:18PM CDT 08:45PM CDT 0:27
20-Mar-2012 FA10/L Univ of IL - Willard (KCMI) Chicago Midway Intl (KMDW) 07:29AM CDT 07:50AM CDT 0:21
19-Mar-2012 FA10/L Washington Dulles Intl (KIAD) Univ of IL - Willard (KCMI) 02:02PM EDT 02:15PM CDT 1:13
16-Mar-2012 FA10/L Univ of IL - Willard (KCMI) Washington Dulles Intl (KIAD) 03:59PM CDT 06:08PM EDT 1:09
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Mike Coleman
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:32:10 PM 
medler wrote:
For fun...the folks at Illinoi Loyalty are following the web cam at the Champaign airport and have noticed a private jet from Columbus and a hurried exit to a waiting car....

http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=17...


LOL. The plane hasn't even landed yet.
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athena
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:32:51 PM 
I feel sick.
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Diamond Cat
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:32:57 PM 
Saw that too, Mike. Man this will eat away at me if it happens. Don't like seeing the tweets from Smith and Coop. Not good.
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Ozcat
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:33:58 PM 
This has to be the worst part of being a fan of a mid-major . . .
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Mike Coleman
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:35:53 PM 
Ozcat wrote:
This has to be the worst part of being a fan of a mid-major . . .


Not just midmajors. I'm sure they were following Self's plane to Lawrence, Kansas.
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Ted Thompson
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:38:49 PM 
Mike Coleman wrote:
Ozcat wrote:
This has to be the worst part of being a fan of a mid-major . . .


Not just midmajors. I'm sure they were following Self's plane to Lawrence, Kansas.




Or Kansas followed Roy's plane to Chapel Hill. Everyone is part of the coaching food chain. Although midmajors do get eaten more often.

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Ted Thompson
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  Message Not Read  RE: A quick thought on Groce/Illinois...
   Posted: 3/26/2012 4:41:06 PM 
Evan Bradds tweeting that he's getting a little nervous about all of this.

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