Illinois Coach Groce Blames Twitter For Losing
February 27, 2013 / Winning Hoops
USA Today
College basketball seasons always have their ups and downs.
As far as turning points go, most Illinois fans will point to Tyler Griffey’s game-winning lay-up with 0.9 seconds left to topple No. 1 Indiana (the first time, that is).
Illini first-year coach John Groce credits a different remedy.
Following a disastrous January in which Illinois went 2-6 and seemed to be falling into a Big Ten death trap similar to last season’s awful ending (The Illini lost 12 of their last 14), Groce had the perfect solution: Ban his players from using Twitter.
Groce certainly isn’t the first coach to make this call, and considering the Illini’s resurgence (winning five in a row before Sunday’s loss to Michigan), it’s hard to argue with the results that have put Illinois firmly back in the NCAA tournament picture.
Coincidence? Nah. Plus, Groce has a pretty convincing explanation in the Chicago Tribune:
“I believe in freedom of speech. But you get off to a 12-0 start and social-media wise, it’s like these guys are rock stars. Then you don’t play as well, they’re scum. I said, ‘Fellas, that’s the way of the world. The reality is you’re not rock stars. You’re not scum. You’re somewhere in-between.’ I wasn’t sure we were staying level with social-media stuff.”
Illinois Coach Groce Blames Twitter For Losing
USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/02/27/illinois-coach-john-groce-blames-losing-on-twitter/1951205/
College basketball seasons always have their ups and downs.
As far as turning points go, most Illinois fans will point to Tyler Griffey’s game-winning lay-up with 0.9 seconds left to topple No. 1 Indiana (the first time, that is).
Illini first-year coach John Groce credits a different remedy.
Following a disastrous January in which Illinois went 2-6 and seemed to be falling into a Big Ten death trap similar to last season’s awful ending (The Illini lost 12 of their last 14), Groce had the perfect solution: Ban his players from using Twitter.
Groce certainly isn’t the first coach to make this call, and considering the Illini’s resurgence (winning five in a row before Sunday’s loss to Michigan), it’s hard to argue with the results that have put Illinois firmly back in the NCAA tournament picture.
Coincidence? Nah. Plus, Groce has a pretty convincing explanation in the Chicago Tribune :
“I believe in freedom of speech. But you get off to a 12-0 start and social-media wise, it’s like these guys are rock stars. Then you don’t play as well, they’re scum. I said, ‘Fellas, that’s the way of the world. The reality is you’re not rock stars. You’re not scum. You’re somewhere in-between.’ I wasn’t sure we were staying level with social-media stuff.”
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