GIF: Looking Back At An All-Time Great John Groce Moment

John Groce was not always the head coach of Illinois. He used to be the head coach at Ohio. To look at him in green and white, instead of orange and blue, should make you a bit uneasy, just as a picture of your wife with her ex-boyfriend would. She's better off with you, so don't let it bother you too much.

He looks better in orange and blue. I know it. You know it. He knows it too. This GIF is not of him in orange and blue, but it's so damn wonderful that we're showing it anyway.

Coach Groce is in the middle, as you can tell. The picture starts with Groce having his kid on his lap, as any good and loving father would do. We know John Groce is a loving father. We understand that this is normal.

Roll the tape...

When OHIO is announced, Groce gets that kid right out of the way. "Step down for a second, son." The kid is off the lap before papa Groce has even fully extended his legs. And by the time he's up, his right arm is already feeling the tingle of excitement.

Roll the tape again...

That's as hearty of fist pump as you'll find anywhere in the sporting world.

What makes it even better is that Groce's emotion wasn't a product of unexpected passion. Ohio wasn't an at-large bid in this GIF (2012). This wasn't unexpected, nor did it create the too-heavy burst of emotion that usually precedes fist pumps. Ohio's bid to the NCAA Tournament was guaranteed, since they won the 2012 MAC tournament. And still Groce was excited as hell.

That's our ball coach, guys and gals.

That's our guy.