Exactly.  I've no enmity against Groce.  Don't read anything negative into that.  (Would I have done the same thing thta he did?  Don't know; maybe..maybe not.)  I enjoyed his time here.

But that time is over.  He made his decision.  And I've made mine.

I know you were trying to make a point, but I forgot everything you wrote when I read "Kate Upton"



But anyways, OHIO fans are emotional right now and have very right to be.

I believe the majority will forgive JG once they take a few days, look back and see what he did for the program.

If the correct hire is made, it is much better for OHIO to get a new coach this year than next. However, this new coach (Boals) better be able to win with this group - hate to waste one of the school's best rosters of all-time.

Not sure if I will root for Illinois, but I would like the man to succeed and then leave again to get that $2.5 million per. I would also like for him to succeed without a single Chicago high school player - just out of spite.

Jeff, count me solidly in your "court" on this one. I have nothing but respect for Groce. The days of Synder/Hess are long gone and Groce, in my opinion gave OHIO his all while he was here.

The guy was just offered 5 times what he was making at OHIO to go to a Big Ten power school in one of the power conferences in America. Harkening back to our '05 appearance in the NCAA's against Florida(stocked with future NBA'ers) we were an "airball" from knocking them off. We were going to return Fears,Leon and a cast of thousands, were the "Katz" meow, an "IT" team and our future looked bright. We ALL know how that turned out.

Yea, Groce was going to return a full monty of a roster. He however had NO guarantees that that was going to guarantee success. As they say with the stock market, "past performance is NO guarantee of future results". The iron quite possibly may never have been hotter for Groce at this particular moment at OHIO. How could he not accept the Illini offer?

The guy didn't make a lateral move(Geno) or a backward move(TOS) for more money. He took a BigTime Job at a BigTime School in a BigTime Conference that will have him competing against the elite in collegiate coaching. He also has created tons and tons and tons of FREE POSITIVE publicity for OHIO in coaching OHIO to 3 NCAA wins, 1 near NCAA win and how is it not a positive that a BigBoy School in a BigBoy Conference wants OHIO's coach? 

I know some are saying yea, but, Shaka and Stevens stayed at Mid-Majors. Yea but, Shaka and Stevens are getting paid BigBoy money to do so. Next to impossible in a MAC school as the MAC "attempts" to serve 2 masters, D1 football and D1 basketball, and NO MAC school has the resources or a T Boone Pickens to foot the tab for both at the BigBoy market rate.  

Sad that he left, certainly. Surprising, not at all. I don't know how he could have made any decision other than the one he made and that was to take the Illini opportunity. I fully expect for him to give the Illini his "all" in making it a success for them as well. I would expect nothing less from him based on how he handled himself here. I wish he and his family the best.