100% Cotten: Grobe and Greed
Jim Grobe is our football coach. And you can't have him.

Nov. 8, 2007

100% Cotten: Grobe and Greed

by Stan Cotten

Selfishness isn't something we have to learn. We're born with it. And most of us spend our lives perfecting this most annoying trait of human nature. We learn the word "mine" before we do "mommy" and "daddy."

I'm sure Jim Grobe has had his moments, as we all have. I bet a good lawyer could get Holly Grobe on the stand and do the Coach of the Deacs some damage. But I couldn't swear in court that he's ever done anything selfish. I just haven't seen it.

"Mr. Cotten, have you ever witnessed Mr. Grobe doing anything for himself?"

"Well, I've seen him eat before. He does that a lot. He really likes desserts. And we've played golf. Do those count?"

"Nice try, sir. I'm trying to get to his state of mind. Yes or no, is Jim Grobe a selfish man?"

"No."

"No? Your Honor, I'd like to treat this man as a hostile witness. Are you telling me that you've known this man for seven years and you've never seen him do anything selfish? I'll remind you that you are under oath."

"No."

And that would be it. And it would be true.

I once heard that there were two kinds of people in this world. Those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't. I think we're all really either givers or takers.

And Jim Grobe is a giver.

I remember during his first season at Wake Forest what got me started thinking that about him. It was late in the season, and I was standing with Coach Grobe on the practice field. It was that time of the year when, late in the day when the sun was out, it was comfortable. But when the sun dipped down below the tree line around the field it could get chilly in a hurry. I was in shirt sleeves and that was it, and Jim and I were talking about football or golf, or probably both, when he told me not to go anywhere - that he'd be right back. I didn't think anything about it and started watching a drill - not paying any attention to what he was doing.

A few minutes later he came up from behind me with a jacket he had gotten for me. He had left the practice field, gone inside the locker room and fetched a jacket so I wouldn't get cold.

We hadn't talked about the temperature, and I know I didn't tell him I was getting cold. I mean I'm not crazy. He had done that on his own, and instantly I knew we had a keeper. The head coach of an ACC football team had done something I wouldn't expect my daughter's youth soccer coach to do. Yet Grobe did it, and was happy to do it. It's who he is.

As Aaron Curry stole the ball from Carolina recently and took it home, Jim Grobe melted into the sidelines. It was Curry's moment. And Grobe was glad to let him have it. When Kevin Marion was sprinting 98 yards against the Heels Jim Grobe wasn't running down the sidelines, arms outstretched. He was likely walking in the opposite direction. Celebrating inwardly as the Deacs whooped and hollered. He gave Marion some space.

Yep. He's a giver.

He's for sure giving Wake's opponents fits as they ponder how to best him. Following the victory over North Carolina he's 21-5 against in-state foes. To me that figure is staggering. It's getting Wake better football players. That's for sure. Five-game win streaks in back to back seasons for the first time in Deacon history aren't anomalies. They are proof of a football program settling in on a solid foundation.

And as we head deeper into autumn there will be the seasonal speculation of the bigger schools that will show up soon with their suitcases of cash - standing in line for a chat with Coach Grobe. Well, let me state this as clearly, and selfishly, as I can:

Jim Grobe is our football coach. And you can't have him.

Case dismissed.