McCabe...

GodGodGodBathia

GodGodGodBathia

Well-Known Member
Before I say anything, I would like to say that I'm a huge Zach McCabe fan. I admire the effort he puts in night in and night out, and I truly appreciate everything he's given to the program over the last four years. I hope he lives a happy life and remains a Hawkeye fan until the end of time.

But for the love of GOD, can SOMEONE please explain to me why he steps foot on the court during the game? Does he have something on Fran and his family he's using as blackmail? Does Fran keep believing in something he's seen in practice that we haven't?

It clearly can't be for his "leadership." His "leadership" went out the window when he decided to respond to some hate from a random keyboard commando (pretty average stuff compared to other things I've seen directed at athletes) and hurt his team in the process. His offense is abysmal, his defense is average at best, he has no leadership qualities...SOMEONE HELP ME UNDERSTAND

When Woodbury was going through some of the same struggles early in the year, with fans getting on his back and whatnot, I could justify keeping him in the game because I could say, "alright, well at least he plays good defense." But with McCabe, I just don't know what he brings to the table.

Fran is obviously much more experienced than any of us and knows his players better than us, but it doesn't take a genius to see McCabe doesn't belong on the court against quality D1 opponents. As much effort as he gives, as much as he wants to be out there helping the team, him and Fran have gotta realize it's hopeless.

Again, I intend no harm toward McCabe, I'm just trying to understand this problem from a basketball perspective.
 
I think Fran thinks there is more there than we are seeing? Zach is really playing poorly at the moment. The rotation needs to be cut to 9.
 
I, too, appreciate Zach and the role he has played in helping a new coach build a program to the point it can be ranked for several weeks this season. Early in his Iowa career he was asked -- out of necessity -- to try to match up against bigger, better, stronger players down low in a physical basketball conference. At various spots he has hit some critical three-pointers to get us going, has grabbed some rebounds, blocked some shots, knocked the opponent's big men out of the way. Unfortunately, his turnovers and bone-headed plays also have been a part of his time here. And the phrase "dumb Zach foul" almost seems redundant.

Zach reminds of the type of player you saw in the Big Ten 25 years ago: big, slightly-out-of-shape, two-sport high school letter man who arrives on campus planning to play Division 1 basketball. Back then when other players weren't quite as skilled, as fast, as talented as today's athletes are, that worked -- he could play a solid 4 or be the sixth or seventh player off the bench to spell the 3-5 spots.

In today's game, he's really not a good fit, as we are frequently reminded. Coming out of high school now, I don't know that he would be on this or any other D1 staff's radar.
 
GodGodGodBathia said:
Before I say anything, I would like to say that I'm a huge Zach McCabe fan. I admire the effort he puts in night in and night out, and I truly appreciate everything he's given to the program over the last four years. I hope he lives a happy life and remains a Hawkeye fan until the end of time.

But for the love of GOD, can SOMEONE please explain to me why he steps foot on the court during the game? Does he have something on Fran and his family he's using as blackmail? Does Fran keep believing in something he's seen in practice that we haven't? .
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images
 
FBletterman said:
I think Fran thinks there is more there than we are seeing? Zach is really playing poorly at the moment. The rotation needs to be cut to 9.
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It needs to be cut to 7, 8 tops. This ridiculous 10 man, 11 man, or whatever it is rotation he plays is an absolute disaster. And McCabe should play a max 9 minutes a game.
 
sportstalent said:
Oh how things change on this bipolar website.
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But you have to admit the OP was funny as heck. I did not read anything after the first 2 paragraphs since I was laughing so hard.

In summary, "Thanks for everything McCabe......but you SUCK!!!!!"
 
I just really dislike how he throws his arms up in the air after every foul call. Last night a guy blew by him like he was standing in concrete so Basabe was forced to foul him. Then McCabe throws his arms in the air like he was somehow wronged on the play.

I also don't think you can play the hustle card with him anymore because, like a lot of other players on the team, he hasn't really showed hustle for awhile now.
 
I can understand him coming in at the 12 minute mark to give other guys a breather, but I'll never understand why he is coming in towards the end of the game. Lately he has been nothing but a walking turnover and a poor defensive player. Against the Gophers the other night Fran immediately took Uthoff out of the game about 4 seconds after being put in because of a poor defensive miscue. He seems to have a much longer leash with McCabe, because he's a senior? McCabe got just blown away by Vonleh at the end of the game in what was probably the decisive offensive rebound/dunk

That and every time he makes a foul he throws his arms in the air like "what did I do" after hammering a guy because he was out of position. It's rather frustrating as a fan.
 
I don't mind McCabe taking an open 3. But, when tries to drive, or even dribble the ball, BAD THINGS HAPPEN.

And it's not even his fault. Fran should never have him play the minutes he does.

Does anyone know, when Fran was talking up McCabe, saying that he would score 900 points in his career (he wont) that he actually meant commit 900 fouls?
 
PCHawk said:
I just really dislike how he throws his arms up in the air after every foul call. Last night a guy blew by him like he was standing in concrete so Basabe was forced to foul him. Then McCabe throws his arms in the air like he was somehow wronged on the play.

I also don't think you can play the hustle card with him anymore because, like a lot of other players on the team, he hasn't really showed hustle for awhile now.
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The unfortunate truth.
 
PCHawk said:
I just really dislike how he throws his arms up in the air after every foul call. Last night a guy blew by him like he was standing in concrete so Basabe was forced to foul him. Then McCabe throws his arms in the air like he was somehow wronged on the play.

I also don't think you can play the hustle card with him anymore because, like a lot of other players on the team, he hasn't really showed hustle for awhile now.
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He was wronged. He's saying, why the hell does the coach have me matching up one on one with someone he knows I can't stay in front of? Like, "WTF am I supposed to do? Put me in a situation that I can at least be proud of myself."

The issue is the coaches answer to this type of situation is not to adjust, or strategize, it's just to sub someone else in. Doesn't matter if they can do the job or not either, just matters that the first guy couldn't do it so some other guy might be able to.
 
He doesn't play great defense, partially because he is a tweener. He's too big to stick with guards, and too short to provide good D against PF/C's. He runs into the same problem on offense.
 
FML said:
I don't mind McCabe taking an open 3. But, when tries to drive, or even dribble the ball, BAD THINGS HAPPEN.

And it's not even his fault. Fran should never have him play the minutes he does.

Does anyone know, when Fran was talking up McCabe, saying that he would score 900 points in his career (he wont) that he actually meant commit 900 fouls?
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And every one of those fouls was a bad call. EVERY SINGLE ONE, which itself is a record.
 
clicheusername3 said:
He was wronged. He's saying, why the hell does the coach have me matching up one on one with someone he knows I can't stay in front of? Like, "WTF am I supposed to do? Put me in a situation that I can at least be proud of myself."

The issue is the coaches answer to this type of situation is not to adjust, or strategize, it's just to sub someone else in. Doesn't matter if they can do the job or not either, just matters that the first guy couldn't do it so some other guy might be able to.
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I loled a little at that one. So true.
 
This whole problem started at the beginning of the year when the rotation was 12 guys. I said then, I said at the mid-point, I have said it recently that type of rotation at the D1 level will lead to chaos and no team identity. Look at the national championship teams the last decade. You will find one common theme...a solid rotation of no more then 7 to 8 guys. Always in the pre-game talk of as long as they don't get in foul trouble...our team has no identity. They don't know who the go to guy is...they do not have a set group at the end of the game...or during a stretch of tough sledding. Take Gessel, how would he come out of last nights game? Everyone singing his praise as one of the top statistical guards in the country...and he gets subbed out...he got screamed at last night late. Now don't get me wrong he struggled last night...but what about Marble and his dribble into 4 guys all night and getting stripped. Did Fran go ballistic on him? I just think our guys have no clue what is expected of them. With that comes inconsistency, losing close games, lack of finishing....sounds familiar?
 
Something no one seems to want to address is why McCabe had to play so many minutes. A big part of it was because both of the centers were playing like crap and were in foul trouble because they were constantly in the wrong position defensively. Just like a big reason Sapp played so much was because Indiana's guards were blowing by Iowa's front line. Granted the offense suffers when McCabe and Sapp are in there but Fran was trying to find a defensive combination that could slow down Ferrell's drives and defend Sheehey.

If you would have told me before this week that Iowa would score 89 at Minnesota and 86 at Indiana and LOSE I would have thought you were crazy.
 
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