A college football coach is more than just an X's and O's guy. He is a dignitary on behalf of the university and a spokesperson for the school community. In areas such as this, where football in part defines culture, a school utilizes its coach as an ambassador -- someone who will take winning seriously but balance it with the perspective of college athletics. In Mr. Albert Groh, Virginia has found just that man.
Never was this more apparent to me than when I was fortunate enough to cover the Cavaliers when they played at Florida State. Everyone knows who Coach Bowden is. He is king of his court, and during a Sunday morning breakfast with the media, every reporter in that room leaned in, hanging on his every word, and we know it was not because Bobby is soft-spoken -- his booming voice carries with it an instant command.
His command also became obvious when a waiter brought him a heaping helping of bacon, eggs and hash browns. Being a novice reporter, I whet my lips awaiting the same meal. It never came. We, the media, had to fend for ourselves on the stale continental buffet across the room.
In having a coach who wonderfully encapsulates his school, I dare say U.Va. has a winner.
But a coach is so much more than that. He is entertainment. We win there, too.
I present to you: Al Groh, comedian.
I used to think he simply enjoyed lashing out at television reporters asking utterly inane questions or at hapless redheaded Cavalier Daily football correspondents making long-winded, overly verbose inquiries. But that's because he cares about the team. Between the periodic bouts of intensity comes a relaxing humor.
While maintaining a high level of professionalism and determination to win, he has become somewhat of a stand-up comedian at his weekly Monday press conferences. To wit:
= Groh had this to say when asked if he has changed his coaching style now that he has left the NFL: "Relative to different age groups, I'm an equal-opportunity jerk."
= When asked if a certain player -- who will remain nameless in order to save him the indignity of having been the object of this comment -- had yet turned the corner into becoming a star player, Groh said dryly, "He's 14 blocks from that corner with two stop signs and a traffic light along the way."
= On his prime motive for being here, Groh had this to say: "We're here to win championships -- not to finish second, not to have bake sales."
I'm glad that was cleared up. And now I know that I shouldn't be expecting Carber's Chocolate Cake any time soon.
= Someone directly asked Groh why he was such a good recruiter. He looked around, flashed a goofy grin and explained, "I guess I'm just a warm, fuzzy figure."
= Just this past week, there was a questionable non-call on a potential Virginia forced fumble. Having reviewed the play and seen the obvious, Groh chose the high road and avoided point-blank criticism. Instead, he offered this: "At one moment in the freeze frame, there was a ball on the ground." He paused, and then deadpanned, "I'm assuming it was the same ball we were playing with."
= Coach even makes the occasional, but necessary, reference to himself in the third person! "That's what I meant when I said I was displeased with the head coach." Just like Grady Little! -- the manager of my favorite baseball team.
= Hey Mr. Groh, has the team's success this season been personally meaningful?
"Of course. This isn't R2-D2 running around here. We're not droids."
= And how again do you choose when to run a trick play?
"Ouija board. Maybe 'mirror, mirror, on the wall
'"
I admit that part of the comedy rests in Groh's delivery and earnest calm. I do not offer these quips in jest but instead to show a different side of a coach who has done a remarkable job with a very young team. "Games are had to win," he says. True. But he's won six already and that'll go a long way toward helping this team. After all, as the Big Man is fond of saying, "Confidence is the result of demonstrated performance."
The confident Cavaliers now have a bye week for their coach to keep inspiring and preaching the good word.
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