BobcatAttack.com - For Fans of Ohio University Sports

Welcome Guest!
Create an Account

site search

about us

advertise with us

help

BobcatAttack.com Message Board

Ohio Basketball

Topic: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Topic: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Author

Message

UpSan Bobcat
General User

Member Since: 8/30/2005
Location: Upper Sandusky, OH
Post Count: 3,812

Status: Offline

Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/24/2015 5:15:59 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOfIYAaxUS0&feature=youtu...

Recovering Journalist
General User

Member Since: 8/17/2010
Location: Cleveland, OH
Post Count: 1,852

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/24/2015 8:31:09 PM

UpSan Bobcat wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOfIYAaxUS0&feature=youtu...

Nice story. Thanks for sharing. I feel like I'm one of the few people on here who never held ill will toward that guy for a) not being Groce and b) taking an ACC job for a massive pay hike.

BillyTheCat
General User

Member Since: 10/6/2012
Post Count: 10,408

Status: Online

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/24/2015 11:00:15 PM

I'm with you RJ, I always found him to be a good guy and what a nice reward to the young man who's obviously worked so hard.

71 BOBCAT
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 1,903

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/25/2015 9:35:35 AM

While I agree this was a nice gesture I have never been a fan of JC. I was never in favor of his hire and consequently the program has suffered since his departure. Too many different coaches in too short a time to have any hope of being a consistently winning program.
The ironic thing about his leaving is both schools have had disappointing results.
I make this prediction; BC will struggle under JC. He had a loosing season LY and is currently in the same position this year. If he has another loosing season he will be on the hot seat to win in his 3rd year.

GO BOBCATS

OUVan
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Bethesda, MD
Post Count: 5,580

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/25/2015 9:45:07 AM

Recovering Journalist wrote:

UpSan Bobcat wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOfIYAaxUS0&feature=youtu...

Nice story. Thanks for sharing. I feel like I'm one of the few people on here who never held ill will toward that guy for a) not being Groce and b) taking an ACC job for a massive pay hike.

I'm with you on both counts.

ytownbobcat
General User

Member Since: 8/7/2006
Post Count: 1,253

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/25/2015 2:28:48 PM

I always thought of JC as a tough guy with a big heart off the court. I wish him the best.

UpSan Bobcat
General User

Member Since: 8/30/2005
Location: Upper Sandusky, OH
Post Count: 3,812

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/25/2015 7:53:56 PM

ytownbobcat wrote:

I always thought of JC as a tough guy with a big heart off the court. I wish him the best.

People didn't like him because there was no way he could meet the expectations that many had. No one could have. Then his personality was very different from the coach before and after him. He's not as "fun," but I don't think that makes him a bad guy or a bad coach. I think he was both a good guy and a good coach.

Alan Swank
General User

Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,233

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/26/2015 1:20:07 PM

That was a class act and the proper reward for hard work and dedication to a cause. Thanks for sharing.

rpbobcat
General User

Member Since: 4/28/2006
Location: Rochelle Park, NJ
Post Count: 3,598

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/26/2015 7:33:26 PM

I always thought JC considered O.U. nothing more then a Way Station and was looking for greener pastures soon after he got there.

Jeff McKinney
Moderator

Member Since: 11/12/2004
Post Count: 6,155

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/27/2015 12:55:14 AM

I thought this was about the kid getting a scholarship from Jim Christian. As to be expected, some have hijacked the thread into another general discussion of JC.

OhioCatFan
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 14,777

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/27/2015 10:57:55 AM

rpbobcat wrote:

I always thought JC considered O.U. nothing more then a Way Station and was looking for greener pastures soon after he got there.

I don't think that this is actually true. I think it might more accurately apply to JG than JC.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

bornacatfan
General User

Member Since: 8/3/2006
Post Count: 5,716

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/27/2015 11:55:20 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

rpbobcat wrote:

I always thought JC considered O.U. nothing more then a Way Station and was looking for greener pastures soon after he got there.

I don't think that this is actually true. I think it might more accurately apply to JG than JC.

If you think that ....you may have just lost a ton of credibility here....or you may just be trying to prove cluelessness. JG came here for his first head coaching job. I met him a couple of days later on July 3rd, 2008....at no time did he ever allude to or talk about any other or bigger job till it got put on his doorstep. Your assertion is unfounded and revisionist.

never argue with idiots, they bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Winter comes and asks how you spent your summer.....

The game loves and rewards those who love and reward the game

OUVan
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Bethesda, MD
Post Count: 5,580

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/28/2015 9:31:36 AM

bornacatfan wrote:

I don't think he means JG personally but his situation. Groce was a young up-and-coming coach. Like it or not we are a stepping stone. The chances of us keeping a good, young coach is unlikely. Christian, on the other hand, had had a shot at the bigger stage and his situation wasn't to his liking. Seems to me that we are more likely to keep a coach for a long time if he's already had a bite at the apple. I have no doubt that John Groce, and Jim Christian for that matter, gave 100% of his heart and soul to Ohio while he was here. But reality says that no matter what JG said we weren't going to keep him long if he had success. Not with our budget. He's got aspirations and he's got a family to take care of (as well as assistant coaches).

Recovering Journalist
General User

Member Since: 8/17/2010
Location: Cleveland, OH
Post Count: 1,852

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/28/2015 9:37:35 AM

bornacatfan wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

rpbobcat wrote:

I always thought JC considered O.U. nothing more then a Way Station and was looking for greener pastures soon after he got there.

I don't think that this is actually true. I think it might more accurately apply to JG than JC.

The whole argument is silly to me because almost every job in college sports is a way station. That's especially true at the MAC level, where head football coaches make less than half what P5 assistants do and head basketball coaches make a quarter or less what P5 coaches do. Yet here we are years later still trying to vilify guys who left our one-bid league to more than double their pay in leagues that send a majority of their teams to the Tourney. If Saul Phillips somehow makes a Sweet 16 run in the near future, you can rest assured that he'll be the next disloyal villain. His kids won't be graduating from Athens High if he's as successful as we all hope he will be here. That's just life when you're a "have not" in a world run by the "haves."

bobcat2nc
General User

Member Since: 12/28/2004
Post Count: 584

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/28/2015 9:59:29 AM

OUVan wrote:

Recovering Journalist wrote:

UpSan Bobcat wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOfIYAaxUS0&feature=youtu...

Nice story. Thanks for sharing. I feel like I'm one of the few people on here who never held ill will toward that guy for a) not being Groce and b) taking an ACC job for a massive pay hike.

I'm with you on both counts.

As am I.

Mark Lembright '85
General User

Member Since: 8/22/2010
Location: Highland Heights, OH
Post Count: 2,460

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/28/2015 10:07:28 AM

Recovering Journalist wrote:

bornacatfan wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

rpbobcat wrote:

I always thought JC considered O.U. nothing more then a Way Station and was looking for greener pastures soon after he got there.

I don't think that this is actually true. I think it might more accurately apply to JG than JC.

Agreed and Ohio's just as guilty as anyone else on getting (I was going to say "poaching" but that's too harsh a term) coaches from a lower level and increasing their pay. Example: our current coach. Ohio gave him a 300% pay raise to leave North Dakota State. So Ohio does the same thing. It's all part of the game.

OhioCatFan
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 14,777

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/28/2015 10:37:51 AM

OUVan wrote:

Yes, that's exactly what I meant. JC gave every indication when he came here that he might be a "Frank-type hire," in that he'd been at a bigger program and now he'd like to settle down in a place where he could concentrate on his style of coaching and develop a program and not be trying to build a resume for the next job. I didn't mean to imply that JG was striking (to use a Navy term) for his next job the moment he set foot in Athens.

cbus cat fan
General User

Member Since: 12/2/2011
Post Count: 1,169

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/28/2015 11:35:00 AM

Coach Groce and Coach Christian are great guys, I wish nothing but the best for both of them. Coach Groce seems to get more love though I certainly remember the times he was pilloried on this board. I related this story some time ago, but it is worth repeating. When the Bobcat off season travelling circus (for lack of a better word) was in Columbus, I spoke with Coach Solich and Coach Christian. You got the feeling they were down to earth guys. Coach Solich seemed a little shy, which I certainly can understand when you are in a room full of strangers and you never now what somebody is going to ask.

Coach Christian seemed very comfortable in his skin. I don't think I have ever seen a coach act quite like this. He was honest and engaging. He seemed very interested in my idea about he MAC tournament returning to Columbus. He was eager to learn about the days when the MAC tournament was in Columbus, and how that success could be replicated.

Everyone has their own style, I recall seeing Coach Danny Nee at Sunday morning Mass at Christ the King and he was the first one out, which I can understand because he didn't want to be barraged by people asking him questions. Coach Billy Hahn (on the other hand) would hold the door and engage people in conversation as they were leaving. I don't think Coach Hahn was Catholic but went with his wife, which might explain why he wanted to be polite to everyone since he might have felt like he wanted to be approachable. I don't know but I do know that everyone has their own style, and I wish some on the board would give Coach Christian the benefit of the doubt.

giacomo
General User

Member Since: 11/20/2007
Post Count: 2,734

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas (NT)

Posted: 12/28/2015 4:40:23 PM

Last Edited: 12/28/2015 4:42:12 PM by giacomo

Brian Smith (No, not that one)
General User

Member Since: 2/3/2005
Post Count: 3,016

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/29/2015 9:25:24 AM

Everybody is making this a character study. It isn't that complicated with me. Ohio was more fun to watch when Groce was coach.

cbus cat fan
General User

Member Since: 12/2/2011
Post Count: 1,169

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/29/2015 10:37:43 AM

Which season? The last season was very fun to watch. However, I remember the consternation on this board the season before when some wished, as do some in Illinois now, that he was fired. I was sad to see Coach Groce go, though I understand why he left. I root for him in every game and hope he wins the Big Ten and goes for in the tournament.

However, the fact is there was not a great deal of difference in the style of coaching between Coach Groce and Coach Christian. Some of the pieces on the floor were different, but the coaches weren't that much different.

If you want to see a difference look at Coach Danny Nee and his assistant turned successor Coach Billy Hahn, now that was a difference. Coach Nee with his methodical offense and Coach Hahn with an ABA--UNLV run and gun offense. On a side note; Coach Hahn may be the only coach in MAC history who had two future NBA players on his team and yet finished at or near the bottom of the MAC.

Brian Smith (No, not that one)
General User

Member Since: 2/3/2005
Post Count: 3,016

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/29/2015 2:18:01 PM

We'll just have to disagree that Groce and Christian coached in the same style.

And I loved watching Ohio even during Groce's first season. I remember being in Muncie watching us play terribly, but turning to the guy next to me and saying "This is horrible basketball, but I now GET where he's aiming." You could see the pace he wanted, the complete fearlessness he wanted them to play with. The way he ran a timeout was even different than anything we'd had before or since. There was an energy.

Maybe for some that's just window dressing. I don't think it is. I think it mattered. I think it's way we were a terror for other teams in tourney situations.

Then I think about D.J. Cooper's final game in The Q against Akron and the lack of energy, the stilted offense. The exact same team as the season before and it had no juice.

Last Edited: 12/29/2015 2:27:00 PM by Brian Smith (No, not that one)

SBH
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 4,292

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/29/2015 2:22:30 PM

If JC had stayed in Athens we would be in jeopardy of being placed on NCAA probation. That guy was bad news.

Jeff McKinney
Moderator

Member Since: 11/12/2004
Post Count: 6,155

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/29/2015 2:24:43 PM

I'm not seeing how a comparison of Coaches Groce and Christian relates to Coach Christian giving a walkon a scholarship at BC.

Brian Smith (No, not that one)
General User

Member Since: 2/3/2005
Post Count: 3,016

Status: Offline

RE: Jim Christian gives a walk-on a scholarship for Christmas

Posted: 12/29/2015 2:26:26 PM

Because this thread would be two posts long.

Wow, that's cool.

End of thread.

Showing Replies:	1 - 25 of 26 Posts
Jump to Page:	1 \| 2 Next >

View Other 'Ohio Basketball' Topics

There are 203 Active Visitors on BobcatAttack.com

201 Guests
2 Registered Users:
	Ted Thompson, BillyTheCat

There are no other users looking at this page.