While I am oozing with pride for the accomplishments this team has achieved, impressed with the determination, heart and focus they have played with and amazed at their ability to block out the critics, non-believers and haters....I am most impressed with the way they have handle themselves in the media over the last few weeks.
They have presented themselves as confident (a little cocky) but not arrogant.
They have presented themselves as well spoken and intelligent individuals.
They have presented themselves as having a mentality that this is all bigger than one or two people. It is a team, a department, a community, a university and a bobcat nation.
They have presented a consistent message of what they are all about.
They have handled this attention with absolute class, dignity, respect and humility.
For those reasons, I could not be prouder to be a Bobcat. I could not be prouder of our coaching staff, our players, our administration and our university. Every second of this spotlight has painted Ohio University in the best possible light it could. These young men have been outstanding ambassadors for Ohio Basketball, Ohio Athletics and Ohio University and I cannot thank them enough for that!
Also, I want to give Coach Groce all the credit in the world for the way these young men are representing this university. Many on this board have been critical of the turnover , transfers and academic issues of players in Coach Groce's tenure. While I would love every player that comes to Ohio University to play basketball to stay and live out their full potential as a Bobcat, that just isn't realistic. Some that come will be a great fit and will represent the Green & White with pride. Others will not be the right fit and will move on. I wish those that move on the very best in their future endeavors. While the turnover may have negatively affected our APR and caused some negative attention in the past, it has become very clear to me over the past few weeks that we can have a great deal of pride in the guys that are a part of the program and that it is as important to Coach Groce as it is to us. While there may be turnover, we can be confident that it is for a reason and that Coach Groce is doing everything he can to bring in quality young men to represent Ohio University and if they are not representing in the way they should, they will not be a part of the program.
My final note on the way these young men have represented Ohio University is that the tone has clearly been set at the top with Coach Groce. If I had a dime for every time a player used the exact same wording or phrases as Coach Groce has or for every time a player has provided a consistent message about the team's attitude, mentality and belief in their ability, the indoor practice facility would be fully funded. I have not heard one player waiver or not be able to answer questions about what they are all about. They have clearly bought into what Coach Groce has been preaching to them and they are only beginning to see the result of that buy in.
Go OHIO!
paradigm shift and culture change were the words used in july now 4 years ago