Gatens: A Hawkeye Hero

^ I think the difference is that this year he doesn't feel like he has to do as much. Playing more relaxed and able to settle in as a shooting guard like he should have been able to do a long time ago. And I think he is a leader for sure. Maybe not a vocal one, but leadership manifests itself in many forms.
 
Matt is a true Hawkeye through and through not everyone believes in loyalty (a lost feeling either you have it or you don't) I congratulate him in his perserverance of todays me me me culture.
 
1hawkeye1 said:
i will admit, i wrote him off after the last three seasons. Could never seem to hit a clutch shot when we needed him.
This season he has done everything we've needed from him and more. Defense, rebounding, and clutch shooting. Especially from 3.
I'm not sold on his leadership, but only because I don't think he is that kind of guy. And there's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone is. He contributes in other ways.
Congrats Matt Gatens. I salute you.
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Definitely a leader, just not an overly vocal one (at least when we see him). But Cole wasn't a very vocal guy in public, either, and we talk all the time about his leadership.
 
It's amazing what a guy can do when he doesn't have the pressure of being the "go to guy". Matt doesn't have to worry about that this year. Other guys are stepping up.
 
Reading this thread made me go back and re-read my very first post on HN from May 2010. I think it still holds up...

..."After discovering and developing a full blown addiction to reading HN these last few months, I have finally registered in hopes that Matt might read that I, for one, think he has already made his indelible mark on Hawkeye BB.

He's done it with his unwavering commitment to Team. Despite a clear lack of reward(wins), he has always maintained unquestioned loyalty evidenced by his on the court effort and in his off the court demeanor/attitude. I can only imagine how much deeper our climb would be starting if Matt Gatens' name was on that list of the de-committed. I feel his example has offered his fellow survivors a rare solid patch to stake their own claim to Iowa BB's bright future.

So, to Matt and every other committed Hawk...the promised land nears, thanks to you."

If I had one, I'd want my daughter to marry a guy like this, and/or he'd be the guy you'd want in your foxhole.
 
napleshawk said:
Reading this thread made me go back and re-read my very first post on HN from May 2010. I think it still holds up......"After discovering and developing a full blown addiction to reading HN these last few months, I have finally registered in hopes that Matt might read that I, for one, think he has already made his indelible mark on Hawkeye BB. He's done it with his unwavering commitment to Team. Despite a clear lack of reward(wins), he has always maintained unquestioned loyalty evidenced by his on the court effort and in his off the court demeanor/attitude. I can only imagine how much deeper our climb would be starting if Matt Gatens' name was on that list of the de-committed. I feel his example has offered his fellow survivors a rare solid patch to stake their own claim to Iowa BB's bright future.So, to Matt and every other committed Hawk...the promised land nears, thanks to you."If I had one, I'd want my daughter to marry a guy like this, and/or he'd be the guy you'd want in your foxhole.
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I have never heard it called a foxhole before
 
Matt IS a role player...and he finally found his perfect role as Senior leader. Very good job this season, thus far. His F.T. percentage is taking a bit of a hit (below 90% for first time in long time, i think) b/c he is busting his a@@ on defense...still 88-89% is not bad.

I, along with a lot of other fans, probably put too much on him to carry teams in the past, so I regret some of those thoughts I posted. He is proving himself much more mentally tough than us fans and I am very happy for him.
 
Gatens would have thrived as a fourth or fifth option on a good team. Instead he was forced to be the go to scorer from his first year on. We finally have some other options now and we're really seeing that helping his play as of late.
 
What a tough player. Not just on the court, but to also stick it out for 4 years at Iowa during arguably the darkest period of the program's history. Matt Gatens is a great Hawkeye.
 
I have always been a big fan of Matt Gatens. From one of his first Big Ten games as a frosh when he battled a much bigger and stronger Kraffenhoft of Wisky, he has shown himself to be a hugely competitive kid who will do whatever it takes to win.

I truly believe that Fran is correct when he says this is an unselfish group that is a TEAM, and that starts with the captain. I think next year Eric May will step into that role as captain,and do a fine job also...he is also a firey guy who will kill to win out there. Matt's been a good defender since day one,but all some fans seem to notice is missed shots. I was confident that Matt would have a ''senior'' season,and he is...congrats to him and the Hawks...great win!
 
napleshawk said:
Reading this thread made me go back and re-read my very first post on HN from May 2010. I think it still holds up...

..."After discovering and developing a full blown addiction to reading HN these last few months, I have finally registered in hopes that Matt might read that I, for one, think he has already made his indelible mark on Hawkeye BB.

He's done it with his unwavering commitment to Team. Despite a clear lack of reward(wins), he has always maintained unquestioned loyalty evidenced by his on the court effort and in his off the court demeanor/attitude. I can only imagine how much deeper our climb would be starting if Matt Gatens' name was on that list of the de-committed. I feel his example has offered his fellow survivors a rare solid patch to stake their own claim to Iowa BB's bright future.

So, to Matt and every other committed Hawk...the promised land nears, thanks to you."

If I had one, I'd want my daughter to marry a guy like this, and/or he'd be the guy you'd want in your foxhole.
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You said it much better than I could. I agree 100%
 
1977Hawkeye said:
What a tough player. Not just on the court, but to also stick it out for 4 years at Iowa during arguably the darkest period of the program's history. Matt Gatens is a great Hawkeye.
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It's not even up for debate. This has been by far the most miserable 4-year stretch in program history. Not even close.
 
The fact that Gatens has stayed means a lot. Forget all the Legacy stuff, he could have easily walked away.

Now on to his career, he has always been a better player than given credit for, he now has more players around him and he is doing exactly what he could have been doing his whole career.

It is funny how people continue to say he isn't that athletic, but he seems to be doing a good job on guys like Hardaway and Taylor.
 
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