Nothing Like Having a Coach on the Floor

[hawkdrummer1]

Must admit I’ve been a CMac skeptic, he’s not “exceptional” at anything (shooting, ball-handling, defense, etc). But the more I see, the more I recognize that he’s a huge part of why this team looks so much more confident and tough on the court.
Coach on the floor is a good description. He seems to know what the team and individual players need to hear and do, recognizes situations, very much a disruptor of the opponent. Coach’s kid all the way.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Conner and Fran score about the same.

How's Fran's assist to turnover ratio?

How's Fran's free throw percentage late in games (or for that matter how was Gessell's?)

Who fed Luka for huge three pointers against Illinois and Minnesota?

Do we even beat your beloved Illini without Connor's three point shooting?

If you can accuse me of being a closet badger fan I can definitely do the same with you and Illinois.

I took all kinds of grief when my ninth grader, for his birthday, wanted to go to Columbus for the Badger game. What about Gold? I drove right by Champaign in the middle of a driving rainstorm on the way home that night and he didn't even offer me supper.. We had to settle for Arby's at a Love's truck stop!

 

[HawkGold]

How's Fran's assist to turnover ratio?

How's Fran's free throw percentage late in games (or for that matter how was Gessell's?)

Who fed Luka for huge three pointers against Illinois and Minnesota?

Do we even beat your beloved Illini without Connor's three point shooting?

If you can accuse me of being a closet badger fan I can definitely do the same with you and Illinois.

I took all kinds of grief when my ninth grader, for his birthday, wanted to go to Columbus for the Badger game. What about Gold? I drove right by Champaign in the middle of a driving rainstorm on the way home that night and he didn't even offer me supper.. We had to settle for Arby's at a Love's truck stop!

You never asked! Next time... That was a nasty day. I live about 20 miles back towards Columbus from where your door about got ripped off.
Did you mean this type of smile?

 

[Northside Hawk]

You never asked! Next time... That was a nasty day. I live about 20 miles back towards Columbus from where your door about got ripped off.
Did you mean this type of smile?View attachment 6358

Nasty night too. I joked about dinner then. You said you had already checked in for the night but it would have been around 6:30-7:00 when I was in your area.

Your recollection is right on about stopping at Love's and the wind about ripping my door off the hinges. It was gusting 55 mph and upward that night.

 

[HawkGold]

Nasty night too. I joked about dinner then. You said you had already checked in for the night but it would have been around 6:30-7:00 when I was in your area.

Your recollection is right on about stopping at Love's and the wind about ripping my door off the hinges. It was gusting 55 mph and upward that night.

We went to church that night that got out at 7:30.

Anyway, your posts about CM are pretty spot on. About the Illini, not so much, though I did follow them when a friend of mine and my assistant coach was an Illini assistant coach. I also coached one of one of the many football coach's kids in soccer and had no idea who I was talking to when I called until the mom invited the team to practice at their house. They were a really nice family. Also had some interest when one of my kids Sunday school teacher was an Illini QB. Greg Landry tried to make most of his stay here in the community. I can also tell you personally that J Leman is a very nice young man genuinely.

Less positive, a family we are friends with were losing their teenage son due to a long illness. I'd go and spend the night with the teen to give the parents a break. The kid lived and breathed Illini basketball and had Big Ten Network on 24/7. I'd think he was asleep, sometimes wondering if he'd stopped breathing and turn the network off to try and sleep. He'd soon call out my name to turn it back on. Anyway, I knew the family of one of the BB players and asked if he could come over and meet the child. He agreed and was bringing some teammates with him. We asked permission through the team officially and Weber nixed it as it was just before the Big Tourney and Weber was on the ropes with his job and said the team needed to concentrate. After the tourney team director called and said they could come. Had to tell them the boy had passed during the tourney. Kind of felt bad for asking and bad towards them not giving a couple of hours when the players had thought it a good idea. It's big business and they were busy.

I'm a Hawk fan through and through. My favorite Hayden moment was at Memorial stadium his last year. Warmly came back on the field on a miserable day and stayed and thanked the fans still hanging around. He had tears in his eyes.

 

[InGoodCo]

Turnovers are the last thing you want at the end of a close game and Toussaint turns it over a lot. Easy decision to keep him out now.

Jesus, do people still really think Connor is playing because of his dad and have the tin foil hat shit with JoeT? Joe is great, but he’s still young and raw, sometimes the moment is too big for him. It won’t always be that way, but right now, Fran is more comfortable with how he’s running it. It’s weird how so many fans see the game differently than me. Connor is a better basketball player then he is a baseball player and it’s not even close. His impact on the hardwood is greater then it ever would be on a diamond. Kid is a straight up competitor and could leave Iowa as one of toughest players to ever play.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Jesus, do people still really think Connor is playing because of his dad and have the tin foil hat shit with JoeT? Joe is great, but he’s still young and raw, sometimes the moment is too big for him. It won’t always be that way, but right now, Fran is more comfortable with how he’s running it. It’s weird how so many fans see the game differently than me. Connor is a better basketball player then he is a baseball player and it’s not even close. His impact on the hardwood is greater then it ever would be on a diamond. Kid is a straight up competitor and could leave Iowa as one of toughest players to ever play.

He definitely makes his share of what I call "hidden plays", and the points he does score, while not huge in quantity, are usually in critical situations. He had the assist on both JBo's Northwestern dagger and Wiesy's bank shot from the corner pocket. I also believe that had he been on the floor at the end of the Maryland game he would have cut off Anthony Cowan's late drive to the hoop that led to Bruno's putback.

Remeber how much turmoil this team was in last year this week? You had a Fran Fade in bull bloom, the Gary Dolphin controversy, the bigger controversy over how it was handled, Fran getting suspended after his rant at Ohio State chasing the official down the tunnel, then the uninspired senior day performance against Rutgers. There was also a blowout at Wisconsin and Nebraska's miracle comeback mixed in there for good measure.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Near the end of the Ohio State game B.E. was trapped on the inbound pass in front of the OSU bench and Connor Mc ask for a timeout with the Referee nearest him. It bailed out B.E. out of a turnover and Iowa ended getting points on the possession. ESPN even pointed it out during the TO. He does so many "TEAM" things and really shows great leadership skills. I also saw that he is a District COSIDA candidate for academic achievement. He is playing a ton of minutes and when the last 5 minute roll around you want him on the floor.

Connor is glue man. He is a GREAT "BASKETBALL PLAYER". He may not have theeee best or most consistent shot at this moment or is the most athletic on the court, but overall, he's a terrific basketball players with a terrific mind. The guy can play 3 or 4 positions and shows his versatility.

He is showing to be more valuable each season or even game actually.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Jesus, do people still really think Connor is playing because of his dad and have the tin foil hat shit with JoeT? Joe is great, but he’s still young and raw, sometimes the moment is too big for him. It won’t always be that way, but right now, Fran is more comfortable with how he’s running it. It’s weird how so many fans see the game differently than me. Connor is a better basketball player then he is a baseball player and it’s not even close. His impact on the hardwood is greater then it ever would be on a diamond. Kid is a straight up competitor and could leave Iowa as one of toughest players to ever play.

Woah woah woah. The post had nothing to do with taking Connor out at the end of games. It was about putting Joe T in to get open and make free throws. Connor is usually the inbounder.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

That was a very good play and his IQ is very helpful on the floor.

My second question would be why does Toussaint not come in for end of game free throws? I know he gets pulled throughout the game for turnovers or bad shots, but he’s shooting free throws over 80% and he’s our strongest and fastest guard. Seems like the other guys have a tougher time getting open. Fran did put him in after the aforementioned timeout by Connor but thought it was worth mentioning as in our other games, specifically Rutgers Toussaint was on the bench when we were turning it over.

My guess is his potential to turn it over at this point since is still quite a young player.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Jesus, do people still really think Connor is playing because of his dad and have the tin foil hat shit with JoeT? Joe is great, but he’s still young and raw, sometimes the moment is too big for him. It won’t always be that way, but right now, Fran is more comfortable with how he’s running it. It’s weird how so many fans see the game differently than me. Connor is a better basketball player then he is a baseball player and it’s not even close. His impact on the hardwood is greater then it ever would be on a diamond. Kid is a straight up competitor and could leave Iowa as one of toughest players to ever play.

I think I see it pretty similar to you.

The jury is still out which Connor is better at, basketball or baseball. Many say it is baseball. He only has one season under him in baseball and he was quite good while at West High. This might be a case where he ends up being a better baseball player but would be a more effective basketball coach vs a baseball manager.

 

[NikeHawk21]

My guess is his potential to turn it over at this point since is still quite a young player.

It has been discussed throughout the thread. Evelyn actually has a higher turnover ratio. My stance is that Joe T’s turnovers are typically non live ball turnovers (charges, travels, etc) and we discussing an end of game situation where we are trying to close out a game.

I think Fran and Co have figured it out because against OSU and after the timeout called by Connor, Joe T checked into the game.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

It has been discussed throughout the thread. Evelyn actually has a higher turnover ratio. My stance is that Joe T’s turnovers are typically non live ball turnovers (charges, travels, etc) and we discussing an end of game situation where we are trying to close out a game.

I think Fran and Co have figured it out because against OSU and after the timeout called by Connor, Joe T checked into the game.

Yea, I should have read down the thread before posting and answering. Joe is definitely coming into his own. He's just going to get more solid and consistent as games go on.

 

[InGoodCo]

Woah woah woah. The post had nothing to do with taking Connor out at the end of games. It was about putting Joe T in to get open and make free throws. Connor is usually the inbounder.

Joe isn't on the floor because he's not proven to be strong enough with the ball in that kind of situation imo. As well as he played the other night, his first 2 possessions in the game were turn overs. Connor is out there because he has 23 TO's in 800 minutes of play this season and is money at the line too. I wasn't pointing my response towards you, but there are STILL people out there that say "Why isn't Joe T in the game? Connor is out there doing nothing"

 

[NikeHawk21]

Joe isn't on the floor because he's not proven to be strong enough with the ball in that kind of situation imo. As well as he played the other night, his first 2 possessions in the game were turn overs. Connor is out there because he has 23 TO's in 800 minutes of play this season and is money at the line too. I wasn't pointing my response towards you, but there are STILL people out there that say "Why isn't Joe T in the game? Connor is out there doing nothing"

Well that’s absurd because Connor plays the 4 and 3. I don’t even view him as a PG at this point.

As I have mentioned Fran and company did bring Joe T back out there against OSU after the timeout. They also did against Rutgers after a huge BE turnover. I think they are catching on and we will see Joe T in there at the end when trying to close out wins.

 

[HuckFinn]

I sure am glad we have Conner and Joe T on our team.

 

[SpiderRico]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought we were going to be talking about Archie Miller or Tom Izzo....those guys are on the court more than the players.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

CMac's not going to the NBA or even to Europe to play.
He's probably not going to play in MLB.
But is there a coaching career for him? Oh yeah, obviously.

Maybe Fran puts him on the staff is some sort of way in a few years to kick start his career.

 

[SomersHawk]

CMac's not going to the NBA or even to Europe to play.
He's probably not going to play in MLB.
But is there a coaching career for him? Oh yeah, obviously.

Maybe Fran puts him on the staff is some sort of way in a few years to kick start his career.

Now how wild would that be? Both FB and BB with kid Assistants being groomed. Conner does have the makings of a good one someday. Already has the interviews down.

 

[oregonhawkeye]

Must admit I’ve been a CMac skeptic, he’s not “exceptional” at anything (shooting, ball-handling, defense, etc). But the more I see, the more I recognize that he’s a huge part of why this team looks so much more confident and tough on the court.
Coach on the floor is a good description. He seems to know what the team and individual players need to hear and do, recognizes situations, very much a disruptor of the opponent. Coach’s kid all the way.

I was a skeptic last year, now a huge fan. He's no good for carrying the team when things are bad. But great at making the team better overall.
And truly exceptional at feeding the post. Best I can recall anywhere.
Would I trade him for any of the best 25 players in the B10? Of course. But beyond that I don't think so.