MAC Men's Basketball 2021-2022

[GP1]

The topic of Groce leaving interests me because he is really at a "precipice of a great crossroads" (one of Carmine Jr's many malapropisms from The Sopranos). 

 

First, I'll say this. He has made great money as a basketball coach. Kind of money over his time as a head coach and assistant at OSU that put him in the top 1% of incomes in the United States. 

 

As you get older, you start to think more and more about the end game (retirement). Groce is 50 and has from what I can tell is 12-13 years as a public employee in Ohio. Roughly 7-8 more years would put him at 20 and probably set up for a comfortable retirement on whatever retirement system Ohio has set up for public employees plus his investments. He might have one more run at a big time job, but he is getting closer to the point where that is probably unlikely. Akron could be a great place for him to ride out those last few years of years in the Ohio retirement system. He has a winning program and is in a pretty safe position at Akron. I wouldn't be in a hurry to go anywhere else. Heck, 8 more years at Akron, retire a legend and consult for a few years. Consulting or part time work is great for early retirement if all you are looking for is some extra scratch and health insurance. You don't want to pay for health insurance out of your investment principal if you want to go into early/semi-retirement. Not a bad life plan if you ask me.

[Z.I.P.]

 

[NWAkron]

2 hours ago, Z.I.P. said:

 

For our friends in Muncie, their long national nightmare is over. And a new one begins.

Edited March 25, 2022 by NWAkron

[Let'sGoZips94]

3 hours ago, Z.I.P. said:

 

 

They announced the hiring of an assistant that is still coaching in the NCAA Tourney? Odd.

 

Can he recruit without the UCLA name?

Edited March 25, 2022 by Let'sGoZips94

[LZIp]

1 hour ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

They announced the hiring of an assistant that is still coaching in the NCAA Tourney? Odd.

 

Can he recruit without the UCLA name?

We sort of just did the same with Moorhead

[Let'sGoZips94]

28 minutes ago, LZIp said:

We sort of just did the same with Moorhead

 

Bowl games don't matter. Day of a Sweet Sixteen game does. 

[Captain Kangaroo]

On 3/25/2022 at 9:25 AM, GP1 said:

The topic of Groce leaving interests me because he is really at a "precipice of a great crossroads" (one of Carmine Jr's many malapropisms from The Sopranos). 

 

First, I'll say this. He has made great money as a basketball coach. Kind of money over his time as a head coach and assistant at OSU that put him in the top 1% of incomes in the United States. 

 

As you get older, you start to think more and more about the end game (retirement). Groce is 50 and has from what I can tell is 12-13 years as a public employee in Ohio. Roughly 7-8 more years would put him at 20 and probably set up for a comfortable retirement on whatever retirement system Ohio has set up for public employees plus his investments. He might have one more run at a big time job, but he is getting closer to the point where that is probably unlikely. Akron could be a great place for him to ride out those last few years of years in the Ohio retirement system. He has a winning program and is in a pretty safe position at Akron. I wouldn't be in a hurry to go anywhere else. Heck, 8 more years at Akron, retire a legend and consult for a few years. Consulting or part time work is great for early retirement if all you are looking for is some extra scratch and health insurance. You don't want to pay for health insurance out of your investment principal if you want to go into early/semi-retirement. Not a bad life plan if you ask me.

Everything you've written is 100% true, and I would LOVE for John Groce to think the same way as you. It just never seems to work out that way.

 

Dambrot was an "Akron Guy." Here for 13 years. He said a million times to Steve French - "I ain't going anywhere." And, he went somewhere.

 

You can live pretty good in Summit County with a $650,000 salary, and a whopper of a nest egg courtesy of his Illinois stint. Low pressure...the media hardly pays attention and you're not beholden to any meddling old money alumni.

 

Assuming his super sophs stick around through their full eligibility, he'll be favored to take the Zips to the NCAA tourney three straight seasons. Coaching them has to be more fun than leaving to pick up the pieces of some broken down P5 program that just fired their coach.

 

We'll see how it plays out. Next season should be a blast, and we'll take it from there.

[Illini Zip]

9 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Assuming his super sophs stick around through their full eligibility, he'll be favored to take the Zips to the NCAA tourney three straight seasons.

 

This is something I have been thinking about lately. I do think our Zips will continue to improve next year and have plenty of success. But they are now the hunted. Expect to get everyone's best effort.

 

 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Illini Zip

[Let'sGoZips94]

8 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

 

This is something I have been thinking about lately. I do think our Zips will continue to improve next year and have plenty of success. But they are now the hunted. Expect to get everyone's best effort.

 

 

 

I'd like to see KSUcks get more "best efforts" from their opponents. Luckiest team this season. 

[NWAkron]

57 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

I'd like to see KSUcks get more "best efforts" from their opponents. Luckiest team this season. 

Despite being a bunch of low lifes from the coach on down, East Mogadore JUCO doesn't seem to receive the enmity the Zips get from other schools teams and fan bases.  Never understood that.

[Blue & Gold]

3 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Despite being a bunch of low lifes from the coach on down, East Mogadore JUCO doesn't seem to receive the enmity the Zips get from other schools teams and fan bases.  Never understood that.

Fear.

[Blue & Gold]

On 3/27/2022 at 2:13 AM, Illini Zip said:

 

This is something I have been thinking about lately. I do think our Zips will continue to improve next year and have plenty of success. But they are now the hunted. Expect to get everyone's best effort.

 

 

Indeed. And the MAC is a grind and the MAC Tournament is a grinder.  So we don't get too cocky, it's good to remember that, in the MAC Tourney, we beat Buffalo after a Bulls last-second, potentially game-winning shot was a near-miss, and we beat Toledo by 8, while UT didn't help themselves, going 10-of-22 at the free throw line.

 

Having said that, our D was national-level elite -v- KSUcks & UCLA, not letting KSUcks get into any comfortable offensive flow, while also keeping high powered Blue Blood UCLA discombobulated for most of the game. (If the refs didn't cheap-foul Enrique out of that game we beat UCLA.)  Add to that young, sophomore-heavy roster the offensive fire power we're bringing in next year with our redshirted freshmen (and the fact they got to witness first hand how good we can be when we sell out on the defensive end of the floor) and I'd like to see us crack the Top 25 next regular season.

[zippy5]

 

 

 

[zippy5]

Our stretch 4? 😂

[zippyfan34]

31 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

Our stretch 4? 😂

Heck no!

[Captain Kangaroo]

Could he pull the dreaded “Reverse Bubba”?! 

[zippy5]

I kid. But he'd be perfect. Come on over Ben

[ewbrooman1]

I expect BVP is looking to move up a notch or two in terms of conferences.

Edited March 29, 2022 by ewbrooman1

[1981 grad]

1 hour ago, zippy5 said:

I kid. But he'd be perfect. Come on over Ben

Yes, come over Ben, the last MAC star transfer worked out so well.  (LOL)

[LoyalZIP]

Jeenathan Williams from UB declaring for the draft, not sure if he’s ruling out returning. David Skogman into the portal for the Bulls. 

[NWAkron]

3 hours ago, zippy5 said:

I kid. But he'd be perfect. Come on over Ben

[72 Roo]

BVP was always a pain to play against, but I think we can do better, especially for a one and done player. I think the staff can find a better addition. I guess we will all have to stay tuned.

[zippy5]

He's gonna go much bigger than us

[Illini Zip]

15 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

...and I'd like to see us crack the Top 25 next regular season.

 

When was the last time a MAC team achieved this accomplishment? Did Buffalo a few years ago?

 

 

[NWAkron]

7 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

 

When was the last time a MAC team achieved this accomplishment? Did Buffalo a few years ago?

 

 

Buffalo in Oats' last year.  

Edited March 29, 2022 by NWAkron