Dick Groat
- Thread starter gary2
- Start date
Good to see him there. I know things didn’t end on his terms as the color guy, but I’m glad he’s still engaged with the program in some way.
Arguably the greatest athlete from Pittsburgh!(Swissvale) CBB HOFer; 1st rd NBA draft choice;
left NBA to play MLB, where he won a batting title
left NBA to play MLB, where he won a batting title
He was national league mvp in 1960 and second to Koufax around 64
It was a shame the way it ended but it’s good to see him back around.
He was informed he was done by a phone call
totally classless and bullshit
true story
totally classless and bullshit
true story
I know for a fact that lyke asked hillgrove to inform groat . Billy declined. Lyke called Groat . He was fired by phone call . That one is on heather . I know it violated the heather is god narrative but it is true
I understand he is a legend, but he was impossible to understand on the air his last two seasons. It’s a tough position for Heather to be in, but fans listening on air deserve to be able to hear clear, concise commentary. Hillgrove has lost his fastball in terms of his play-by-play call, but at least he still has his pipes.
Agreed. I’d rather be be fired over the phone rather than to trudge my fat arse wherever to get that news. Just tell me and let’s get it over with.
The problem for most older people dealing with the aging process is that we’re often the last ones to recognize it. I recall the first time that a young lady called me “sir”.
Yikes….sir? Already? (I had just turned 40…)
Another occasion was when I was helping one of my kids move, and some of his friends kept running over to help me when I’d lift anything heavy. (I thought that I was doing fine.) It was an eye-opening - and humbling - experience.
With Dick Groat, I suspect that it was the coldness of a phone call (rather than his actual release) that caused whatever animosity he feels. “Old School” -type guys are used to Old School manners, and that may have been a generational social faux pas.
Yikes….sir? Already? (I had just turned 40…)
Another occasion was when I was helping one of my kids move, and some of his friends kept running over to help me when I’d lift anything heavy. (I thought that I was doing fine.) It was an eye-opening - and humbling - experience.
With Dick Groat, I suspect that it was the coldness of a phone call (rather than his actual release) that caused whatever animosity he feels. “Old School” -type guys are used to Old School manners, and that may have been a generational social faux pas.
It is different with everyone. I have seen guys bee bopping Around and you find out they are 74. You see another guy barely able to get out of a chair and he is 60. I have an Aunt who just turned 80 and you would swear She is in her forties.
I'd suggest that he is INarguable the greatest athlete ever out of this region... and, perhaps, one of the greatest athletes EVER, ANYWHERE. To play different sports, professionally, and excel in both has been tried by a number of fabulous athletes - Bo Jackson, Tim Tebow, Michael Jordan to name a few - and they all failed. Groat was GREAT at the highest level of college hoops and drafted into the NBA, famously feted by Red Auerbach. Then he goes to MLB, plays the most demanding position on the field, and isn't just good, but among the best few players in the game.
Astounding accomplishment
Right. It's not as if he worked in the Athletic Department, and she could just meet him in her office and deliver the news.
Dick is a great guy. Amazing athlete. See him every year at his golf course and always chat a bit. He was around 90 when Pitt made the change. Do you know how he was getting to and from the games at the end? Can’t imagine he was driving himself in the winter at night.
Bo Jackson was an All-Star in Baseball and Football. He is the greatest athlete of all-time. You are barking up the wrong tree with him.
I think Groat was the best overall athlete from this area, so I do agree with that point.
I agree about Bo. If he doesn’t get injured he would be in both Halls of Fame. Groat was the best from the area.
Jim Brown actually is in both the Football Hall of Fame and the Lacrosse Hall of Fame. I think we all know of his football feats, but he was second team all American in lacrosse as a junior and first team all American as a senior, when he was second in the country in scoring. He also averaged double digit points per game as both a sophomore and a junior for the Syracuse basketball team before he quit the team as a senior because the custom at the time would only allow for two black players to be on the court for any team at any time. And he finished 5th in the decathlon at the NCAA track and field championships as a junior.
Any discussion of the greatest athlete of all time that doesn't have Jim Brown at the top is likely suspect.
"Many many" folks haven't achieved nor have the class of Mr. Groat. Maybe time to go, but better way to do it.
I don't know. I think it's pretty disrespectful to fire an icon/legend who has done so much for the university and basketball program in particular over the phone. Seriously, who does that? He deserved better.
Again. A phone call is a lot better than many, many people get. And frankly, being super old shouldn't mean Groat gets more respect than any other employee.
My wife is an oncology nurse. One of her coworkers (a mother of teenagers, if the additional context helps) was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. The hospital fired her. Because she couldn't work. Because she was too busy getting cancer treatment. In the hospital. That fired her.
That's deserving better. Not Groat *only* getting a phone call.
She deserved better. Doesn't change the fact that he did as well. You do recognize circumstances are different, don't you?
Agreed. We all knew dick stayed too long . Hell ben over stayed his welcome . Heather blew it by asking hillgrove to axe dick . Billy is too classy to slam her. No way do you fire a freaking icon by phone . Ride out to Edgewood and visit the guy . 20 minutesfrom
Campus
Hopefully she can sue their ass off and that "manager" gets fired
Probably not - there's no accountability any more except political.
No. Maybe it's because I didn't grow up listening to Groat so I feel less connected to him and his legacy. But I don't get the consternation here. We'll agree to disagree.
Jackie Robinson at UCLA was all-conference in football and basketball and was the long jump champion in track. Indeed, baseball was his worst sport there . . . and he only made his way to Cooperstown.
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