Gatens is a GREAT HAWK

[CGHawk]

I wouldn't say 30 points a game. That is a completely unreasonable number, but asking that the player be top 10 in the conference in rebounding, scoring, or assists seems reasonable. Or that he made one of the all-conference first second or third teams two or more times.

Listen, as I said, there is a lot about Matt which is highly commendable. Without Matt over the last four years things are even more dismal than they have been for Iowa basketball. While other players had more individual notable seasons than Matt during his tenure at Iowa, he is the one that stuck it out and continued to perform on a consistent basis. We owe him a debt of gratitude, that is definite.

I just don't put him in the group of Hawkeye greats such as Marble, BJ, Acie, Street, Andre, Ronnie Lester, Freddy Brown, Stokes, Nelson, and the like.

Or even in the group with Brunner, Horner, Oliver, Haluska and Reggie, who were multiple all conference performers, but who I suspect the old timers wouldn't put in the first group.

It might just be a testament about how bad Iowa has been in the last four years that we are even having this conversation.

I just don't think you have to be a great basketball player to be a great Hawkeye.

IMO he is a very good basketball player. I wouldn't say he is as good as some former hawkeyes like you mentioned, but I still think he is a great hawkeye regardless of his ability/production.

 

[hawkubes]

Noone will care about my opinion, but Mattt Gatens is a GREAT HAWK!!!!! AND HE ALWAYS WILL BE

 

[clicheusername3]

Got it. Thread #47 about how "great" Matt Gatens is for any other reason besides being good at basketball. In 10 years no one will remember him.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

Was he still a great hawk when he and his Dad threatened to transfer if lickliter wasn't fired? A great hawk would never do that would they? These Gatens threads are ridiculous.

 

[CGHawk]

Got it. Thread #47 about how "great" Matt Gatens is for any other reason besides being good at basketball. In 10 years no one will remember him.

Why is it necessary to say something like this? I could see if you wanted to make a negative comment about a coach, because they are being paid a lot of money for a job that they know is going to involve criticism... but why say something that is negative?

If Matt happens to read this site... would you not feel kind of like a jerk?

Btw, I think every commentator has said Matt is a great player. Granted, there are quite a few times where the commentators don't know what they are talking about all that much and just talk to talk, but there have been people who know what they are talking about say he is a very good basketball player and I don't know how you could argue this.

We are pretty limited when it comes to B1G level talent this year and most of are guys are still young and struggling to stay consistent.

Gatens is probably our most consistent performer with White and Marble being up there as well.

Gatens leads the team in PPG and Steals per game and is in my opinion our strongest defensive player when it comes to consistency.

If you comment wasn't meant to be negative towards Gatens, then disregard this, but it is more directed in general to the people saying negative things about him in this thread.

I just don't see the need to have anything but the utmost respect for a guy that has given and continues to give his all for the Hawkeye basketball program.

 

[DuffMan]

still a shot at the NIT. better than most thought. he deserves some post season in his career as a great, loyal, hard working hawkeye!

Absolutely not. Not when you lose to Penn State, Nebraska and Northwestern.

NW is a borderline NCAA team you clown

 

[DuffMan]

there's captain miserable...yay. shouldnt u be on the football board being miserable?

No, you can't have losing record and play in NIT. Stated a fact, Iowa isn't going to NIT. Even CBI is a reach at this point.

You don't understand the CBI do you?

 

[CGHawk]

NW is a borderline NCAA team you clown

Right on.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but if we somehow were to pull of an amazing 'miracle'... and win the B1G tourny.. don't we automatically get a bid into the big dance?

P.S. I know that it is crazy, but crazier things have happened and I would really like to see Gatens go to a post-season tourny and as long as there is still a chance... I'll remain hopeful.

 

[sioux34]

Define Great.

Because there are some things about Matt that are commendable, but as the supposed leader of the team he has fallen short of being the guy who can build team unity. He isn't the kind of player who can put the team on his back, and he does a lot with what he has, but is limited athletically.

I think people feel bad for the hometown kid we wished could play on a better team. But great players make teams better and they make other players want to play with them. This just has not been the case with Matt.

Also, great players don't need other great players around them to put up great numbers and to get all conference recognition. They need that for wins, but you don't see GREAT players put up average numbers just because you don't have another scorer in college basketball. Also, Matt doesn't draw double teams. Teams basically play him straight up and he puts up extremely pedestrian numbers for a guy who started for four years. He is not in the top ten in scoring, rebounding, shooting percentage, or assists.

Sorry, but there is just nothing but sentimentality that would lead anyone to consider Matt a Hawkeye Great.

He is a hometown kid that was a decent contributor during one of the worst eras of the history of the program. It is appropriate to feel bad for him. It would have been nice if he was a contributor on a much better team. But going beyond that is just hyperbole.

Why don't you just find another team to post about. You obviously get no enjoyment from the Hawks, so quit torturing yourself and just be a full time clone.

 

[Igothawked]

Spot on. Gatens had zero first half points. He was part of the problem in the first half.

Wrong, he had 2 points in the first half and he knew he wasn't getting it done. He came out and played very well in the 2nd half.

 

[FalseMirage]

NW is a borderline NCAA team you clown

I didn't understand why he used them as an example either.

 

[Tmoney12]

Was he still a great hawk when he and his Dad threatened to transfer if lickliter wasn't fired? A great hawk would never do that would they? These Gatens threads are ridiculous.

So we can thank Matt for getting rid of Lick???? That alone makes him a "great hawk"

 

[Row55]

So we can thank Matt for getting rid of Lick???? That alone makes him a "great hawk"

This

 

[HawkeyeShane]

Define Great.

Because there are some things about Matt that are commendable, but as the supposed leader of the team he has fallen short of being the guy who can build team unity. He isn't the kind of player who can put the team on his back, and he does a lot with what he has, but is limited athletically.

I think people feel bad for the hometown kid we wished could play on a better team. But great players make teams better and they make other players want to play with them. This just has not been the case with Matt.

Also, great players don't need other great players around them to put up great numbers and to get all conference recognition. They need that for wins, but you don't see GREAT players put up average numbers just because you don't have another scorer in college basketball. Also, Matt doesn't draw double teams. Teams basically play him straight up and he puts up extremely pedestrian numbers for a guy who started for four years. He is not in the top ten in scoring, rebounding, shooting percentage, or assists.

Sorry, but there is just nothing but sentimentality that would lead anyone to consider Matt a Hawkeye Great.

He is a hometown kid that was a decent contributor during one of the worst eras of the history of the program. It is appropriate to feel bad for him. It would have been nice if he was a contributor on a much better team. But going beyond that is just hyperbole.

Is there an end point to your douchiness or should we just expect everything that comes flying from your piehole to be pi$$y, b!tchy and moany til the end of time?

 

[HawkeyeShane]

Spot on. Gatens had zero first half points. He was part of the problem in the first half.

I'm shocked that you would agree with that one...

 

[HawkeyeShane]

Was he still a great hawk when he and his Dad threatened to transfer if lickliter wasn't fired? A great hawk would never do that would they? These Gatens threads are ridiculous.

Wait, now we're supposed to feel betrayed that he and his dad got the ball rolling to get rid of Lickliter? Now I'm REALLY confused...

 

[Section136]

So we can thank Matt for getting rid of Lick???? That alone makes him a "great hawk"

+1,000,000. This just moved Mike Gatens up a couple notches on the list of all-time great Hawks also.

 

[HawkeyeShane]

Got it. Thread #47 about how "great" Matt Gatens is for any other reason besides being good at basketball. In 10 years no one will remember him.

To quote the great Nipsy Russell in "Wildcats"...

Riiiight...

 

[HawkeyeShane]

So we can thank Matt for getting rid of Lick???? That alone makes him a "great hawk"

Well played, 2 and half hours before me, Mauer...

 

[Section136]

Is there an end point to your douchiness or should we just expect everything that comes flying from your piehole to be pi$$y, b!tchy and moany til the end of time?

Its what CAAR does. I have compared him to Skip Bayless in that he just takes the side of the argument that is going to irritate the most peole and goes with it.

I wish he would spend a lot more time on the CAL message board.