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Topic:  TOS to Butler

Topic:  TOS to Butler
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Ted Thompson
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  Message Not Read  TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/16/2026 5:15:07 PM 
Matta retires. Groce landing spot?


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GraffZ06
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/16/2026 7:13:35 PM 
Ted Thompson wrote:
Matta retires. Groce landing spot?


Very well could be Groce.

Could have been Jeff succeeding his mentor if he wanted it and had done better the last couple years.

Not sure how appealing that job is long-term. Butler has been getting their teeth knocked in pretty regularly since Holtmann left in 2017.
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FJC31
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/16/2026 7:50:00 PM 
I’d say Steele before Groce. Steele is a Butler Alum.
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GraffZ06
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/16/2026 8:33:55 PM 
FJC31 wrote:
I’d say Steele before Groce. Steele is a Butler Alum.


Could be as well - but Steele feels like a better fit for UC to me.
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FJC31
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/16/2026 8:41:56 PM 
GraffZ06 wrote:
FJC31 wrote:
I’d say Steele before Groce. Steele is a Butler Alum.


Could be as well - but Steele feels like a better fit for UC to me.


UC will go Calhoun from Utah State. He’s the closest thing to Huggins (former assistant at WVU) that still remains.

Last Edited: 3/16/2026 8:45:19 PM by FJC31

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M.D.W.S.T
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/16/2026 8:56:48 PM 
Oh, man. Thanksgiving is gonna get weird.

Talk about timing.

4 months ago this job was earmarked for Groce. Still say it should go to him.



Travis Steele, Welcome (back) to Hinkle.

Last Edited: 3/16/2026 8:57:19 PM by M.D.W.S.T

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Ted Thompson
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/16/2026 11:03:28 PM 
Just don't know how Butler fans would feel after Steele didn't get it done at Xavier.


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GoCats105
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/16/2026 11:49:37 PM 
Ted Thompson wrote:
Just don't know how Butler fans would feel after Steele didn't get it done at Xavier.


Ditto for UC.
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Andrew Ruck
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/17/2026 8:18:29 AM 
Ted Thompson wrote:
Just don't know how Butler fans would feel after Steele didn't get it done at Xavier.


Same can be said for John Groce at Illinois though. This is a pretty crazy storyline with these 2 brothers. I feel like we don't talk about it enough, the story probably gets lost in the different last names and being half bros, but it's pretty insane. The MAC a two bid league for the first time in forever, coached by brothers, whose teams went 35-0 when not playing each other. And now potentially interviewing for the same job(s).


Andrew Ruck
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Bobcat1998
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/17/2026 9:36:18 AM 
Steele or Groce is fine with me. No matter who it gets of the two they can take their guys with them. If Steele leaves I can almost guarantee that at the very least two of Byers, Elmer, Perry or Kirby leaves with him. If it's Groce then I think Eric Mahaffey and Young could go with him (he does lose a ton of senior leadership). Both have earned the shot and both sucked at High Major previously. I think Steele was better at X than Groce was Illinois. Was always hoping Boals would follow his boy Matta but he screwed the pooch the last two years. Maybe Kron would give him a look if Dustin Ford isn't promoted if Groce goes.
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shabamon
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/17/2026 9:59:11 AM 
Is Butler a top half of the Big East job?
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FJC31
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/17/2026 10:30:23 AM 
Adam Zagoria tweeted Groce (among a list of others) is involved with the BC job. Some have interviewed on campus already.
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GoCats105
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/17/2026 10:36:51 AM 
shabamon wrote:
Is Butler a top half of the Big East job?


Squints...probably not?
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Pete Chouteau
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/18/2026 10:36:13 AM 
BC?

Now THAT'S a black hole.
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JSF
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/18/2026 11:30:47 AM 
I’ll never forget meeting Matta at Butler in 2021. He could not have been more unhappy to be recognized.


"Loyalty to a hometown or city is fleeting and interchangeable, but college is a stamp of identity."- Kyle Whelliston, One Beautiful Season.

My blog about depression and mental illness: https://bit.ly/3buGXH8

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Ted Thompson
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/25/2026 9:39:23 AM 

 


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FJC31
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/25/2026 9:56:33 AM 
Ted Thompson wrote:
Butler is expected to hire former Bulldogs player and NBA assistant Ronald Nored, source told https://twitter.com/TheFieldOf68?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw .

Nored, 36, was briefly an assistant at Northern Kentucky before spending the last decade in the NBA with the Long Island Nets, the Hornets, Pacers and with the Hawks.…— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/20367976288604939...


Good sign for MAC. Idk that Groce ever leaves at this stage in his career. Steele could also be comfortable at Miami, especially with the incoming arena and more inevitable realignment.
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FJC31
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/25/2026 10:17:07 AM 
FJC31 wrote:
Ted Thompson wrote:
Butler is expected to hire former Bulldogs player and NBA assistant Ronald Nored, source told https://twitter.com/TheFieldOf68?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw .

Nored, 36, was briefly an assistant at Northern Kentucky before spending the last decade in the NBA with the Long Island Nets, the Hornets, Pacers and with the Hawks.…— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/20367976288604939...


Good sign for MAC. Idk that Groce ever leaves at this stage in his career. Steele could also be comfortable at Miami, especially with the incoming arena and more inevitable realignment.


Steele was never pursued by Butler

https://x.com/char_cliff/status/2036802227197583841?s=46&...
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M.D.W.S.T
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/25/2026 10:39:51 AM 
FJC31 wrote:
Ted Thompson wrote:
Butler is expected to hire former Bulldogs player and NBA assistant Ronald Nored, source told https://twitter.com/TheFieldOf68?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw .

Nored, 36, was briefly an assistant at Northern Kentucky before spending the last decade in the NBA with the Long Island Nets, the Hornets, Pacers and with the Hawks.…— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/20367976288604939...


Good sign for MAC. Idk that Groce ever leaves at this stage in his career. Steele could also be comfortable at Miami, especially with the incoming arena and more inevitable realignment.


I never saw Groce as Akron's Solich, but good for him if he stays. Groce is still in his early 50's. It just feels like hes been around forever because he was at OU in his 30's. I still think he has some P5 offers in his future. I think he wants to prove he can be successful somewhere like the Big 10, but maybe hes comfortable being the highest paid coach in the MAC, with almost no pressure at all. Though constantly losing in the NCAA Tournament is probably eating at him.

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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/25/2026 10:51:27 AM 
FJC31 wrote:
. . .Steele was never pursued by Butler.


Probably because word got around that he wasn't interested.


The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

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shabamon
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/25/2026 10:53:17 AM 
Groce and Steele staying put forces our hand to raise the standard and investment at Ohio.
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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/25/2026 11:04:53 AM 
shabamon wrote:
Groce and Steele staying put forces our hand to raise the standard and investment at Ohio.


Exactly!


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

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FJC31
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  Message Not Read  RE: TOS to Butler
   Posted: 3/25/2026 5:34:13 PM 
Samurai Hoops is pretty dialed in. Sounds like Groce was heavy in the mix for USF before Mack got it.

https://x.com/samurai_hoops/status/2036903802964418850?s=...
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