Zack McCabe Appreciation Thread

[dave3912]

Ok, first off let me say this, just because some people go to twitter and vent or say what is on their mind that's their right to do so. Second anyone on here that would honestly say that they would want McCabe to shoot the ball with the game on the line(is fullofchit) he has not shot the three well in the last what 8 games. He should not even be in the ball game in that situation. Look I love the kid and all, great person, hard worker, big heart, but I am not going to blow smoke up his AZZ just because I am a Hawkeye Fan. He should never ever shoot the ball in a last second, minute, or any other time to attempt to win or tie the ball game period. That is all carry on

Do you understand what actually happened? People weren't just venting on twitter, they were sending him tweets that show up on his twitter feed for him, his family and friends to see calling him names and letting him have it. Sure people have the "right" to do that but that doesn't make it ok. It's actually sad and pathetic if you ask me. If they were going to vent, don't vent by tweeting at Zach's twitter handle.

I don't think you understand what happend or understand twitter at least. You're probably a facebook guy, it would be the same as me posting directly on Zach's facebook page. I am sorry but in absolutely no way, shape or form is it ok to post/tweet bad things directly to a players facebook page/twitter account. If you believe it is your right to be able to do that, you live a sad life and I feel bad for anyone around you that has ever done anything to disappoint you, ever.

 

[Hawkstrat]

Re: Zach McCabe Appreciation Thread

I guess you don't like McCabe, huh? McCabe is, IMO, one of two Hawkeyes that can deliver in crunch time (when his shot is on). His outside shot must be guarded by a guard so he's got that mismatch. Before the Wisconsin game, he had a shooter's mentality. Whether his shot was in or out, it didn't effect his play... Not until posters decided to start 'I hate McCabe' threads on HN, and heckle him at games. Way to go bozos. Now we have one player on Iowa's team that has the mismatch, has ice water in the veins, and can deliver in the clutch. Oglesby might be a third (if I include McCabe) if he's consistent...

Is this real life?

Holy cow.

 

[Knight78]

Like you know anything about that pressure. I can tell youre a nerd who didnt play sports because no real athlete would try an act like theyve never had a bad game. Of course you think it would be easy to do what hes doing.....youve never done it.


Your the kind of coward that ZM should get to punch in the face.

Playing college basketball at any level is hard. I was on the team at Wartburg (my avatar) back in the day. Besides the three hours a day for practice (get there, get dressed, practice, get cleaned up after) there was also chalk talk time. And practice was a LOT of breakdown drills and not much scrimmage, so it wasn't fun. Not to mention you have to actually attend classes! Plus the effort you put into practice drains you both mentally and physically making classes and studying for them even harder than for the average student. I can only imagine what D1 basketball players go through today.

As Tom Hanks said in "A League of Their Own": "It's SUPPOSED to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it."

 

[MelroseHawkins]

It's pretty unfortunate when "fans" call out players via social media, etc. Do I get intense when watching Iowa athletics? Absolutely. Do I take to Twitter because a player missed a shot or hooked a field goal to the right? No.

The unfortunate thing about social media is it allows people to reach a lot of people - instantly. And in many cases, those people feel entitled or powerful behind their anonimity.





Zach, like every player before him and ever player after, did and will work his tail off as part of the Hawkeye program.

Me? Well, my basketball career never advanced beyond 10th grade. So who am I to call out a kid who is obviously talented enough to have the opportunity to play basketball at a Big 10 school. That is a rare opportunity. Who am I to single him out for a missed shot? Who am I to say "he is too slow" to play in the Big 10. I never received any letters to play college ball. I never had my favorite Big 10 think enough about my skills to offer me a scholarship and allow me to wear the Black and Gold for 4 years.

Nope. My level of basketball skills stopped at the 10th grade ... And I am guessing that not many of us had careers that extended beyond highschool (if even that).

Let's keep things in perspective. Your team loses? Sure, be upset. But leave it at that. You don't think these kids want to win or hit that last-second shot? Could you have hit that last second shot? Could you have taken that charge? Nah ... I am guessing you were at home eating Cheetos and drinking a Coors Light ... Perspective folks ... Perspective ... And I think the majority do have it... but with social media, the unfortunate part is it allows EVERYONE to have a voice ...

Zach will soon be a former Hawk. He was lucky enough to run on the court for four years at Carver. He was part of the program when it hit rock bottom, and he stayed ... Countless hours in the gym ... managing school and managing being an athlete in a major division ... That has to be a lot of sacrifice ... I don't know ... I was never good enough to be asked ...

OMG. That was good & spot on! Kudos to you. Well stated. Fans now think they are part of the game (see Texas Tech knucklehead fan) and now get too involved with the players (social media). Players need to try to avoid the negative on social media, but that would be hard.

 

[SpiderRico]

I appreciate McCabe for giving his best when called upon and for living out a dream to play for the Hawks.

I also appreciate the fact that this is his last year.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Better than me no doubt... but that ain't saying much.
I still say he should play 5-10 minutes tops. And if he were to sit out I think we'd be better off.

You couldn't play worth a crap, and now you think you can coach. None of us know these players like Fran and his staff. One can't just look at points and rebounds & decide a guy isn't effective. Players play because they may be a lock-down defender or just an excellent rebounder (see Dennis Rodman) who can get a team extra possessions. People who have played b-ball realize these intangibles that some players bring.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I appreciate McCabe for giving his best when called upon and for living out a dream to play for the Hawks.

I also appreciate the fact that this is his last year.

That's a solid opinion. I respect that.

 

[Hawkstrat]

You couldn't play worth a crap, and now you think you can coach. None of us know these players like Fran and his staff. One can't just look at points and rebounds & decide a guy isn't effective. Players play because they may be a lock-down defender or just an excellent rebounder (see Dennis Rodman) who can get a team extra possessions. People who have played b-ball realize these intangibles that some players bring.

McCabe isn't a good Big Ten player. McCabe is awfully inefficient on offense (can't drive without charging, and can't hit a shot), isn't a good rebounder, is a terrible defender, and fouls at an absurd rate. He's a pretty good passer for his position.

I know Iowa basketball has turned into a fan contest centered around McCabe- say really positive things about a guy despite all evidence to prove how great of a fan you are. 2+2=5, after all.

 

[WindsorHawk]

I appreciate McCabe for giving his best when called upon and for living out a dream to play for the Hawks.

I also appreciate the fact that this is his last year.

We should also appreciate McCabe, Basabe and Marble for coming to Iowa when we were down and going nowhere. Like them or not they all contributed to the 4 year improvement of the Iowa program.

 

[Knight78]

I would love to get a one on one set up between you and McCabe. You would get some perspective on how good you think he is and how good he really is... You are so clueless.

I working a basketball camp back when Wade Lookingbill was a player for the Hawks. I remember watching him run a shooting drill. It was an "easy" drill. He run out to the wing area from under the basket, get a basketball passed to him by a manager at the three point line, then turn and shoot a jump shot. Then run down touch the baseline under the basket (with his hand) and do the same thing on the other side. Back and forth, back and forth. Those of us who watched the Hawkeyes then all know Lookingbill was NOT a three point threat for Iowa - only 65 attempts in his career. Yet he absolutely nailed this drill. He swished (not even rim - straight through nothing but net) nine in a row before rimming one in. He finally missed one at shot #12.

Yeah, most people don't know how good these players really are.

 

[Ihawks61]

Do you understand what actually happened? People weren't just venting on twitter, they were sending him tweets that show up on his twitter feed for him, his family and friends to see calling him names and letting him have it. Sure people have the "right" to do that but that doesn't make it ok. It's actually sad and pathetic if you ask me. If they were going to vent, don't vent by tweeting at Zach's twitter handle.

I don't think you understand what happend or understand twitter at least. You're probably a facebook guy, it would be the same as me posting directly on Zach's facebook page. I am sorry but in absolutely no way, shape or form is it ok to post/tweet bad things directly to a players facebook page/twitter account. If you believe it is your right to be able to do that, you live a sad life and I feel bad for anyone around you that has ever done anything to disappoint you, ever.

No, I understand what was said. I did not say it was ok what they are doing just that we forget that people have the right to say things as protected under the Constitution in the 1st amendment of the bill of rights. Do I think its tacky? Sure? would I ever do it? No but that was not the point of my reply. My point was to have someone who is not in a shooting slump to take the shot. Thats it. And I am pretty sure I gave him accolades on the things he does bring to the table. Like I said he should not have even been in the game, when the game is on the line you want your best players on the court right? Right now he is not in my opinion playing like he is in the top 5. No I dont live a sad life, I have had to go to funerals where people protest the war and even when a soldier in my unit was killed, its it right that they disrespect a fallen hero because of their view on the war? Not in my opinion but that is what makes this country great, you can protest or have freedom of speech and those are the very values this country was founded on! I say if you dont believe in that then you sir are the sad one. Probably even voted for Obama, smh so sad, just a sad little man you are lol

 

[1977Hawkeye]

I working a basketball camp back when Wade Lookingbill was a player for the Hawks. I remember watching him run a shooting drill. It was an "easy" drill. He run out to the wing area from under the basket, get a basketball passed to him by a manager at the three point line, then turn and shoot a jump shot. Then run down touch the baseline under the basket (with his hand) and do the same thing on the other side. Back and forth, back and forth. Those of us who watched the Hawkeyes then all know Lookingbill was NOT a three point threat for Iowa - only 65 attempts in his career. Yet he absolutely nailed this drill. He swished (not even rim - straight through nothing but net) nine in a row before rimming one in. He finally missed one at shot #12.

Yeah, most people don't know how good these players really are.

After the 1992-93 season, several of the Hawkeye seniors from that year held a charity exhibition game against local college players, at my high school's gym (Sioux City East). Val Barnes played in that game, and both during pre-game shoot arounds and during the game, every three he put up was nothing but net. Didn't even touch the rim. I am hard pressed to remember him literally missing a shot all day long. Dude simply didn't miss. Period. Now doing it in games, while you're being guarded by Big 10 caliber players, and fans are in the seats, and an important game on the line, it's a totally different story, but you're right as to exactly how good these players are.

I remember going to the rec center and managed to knock down 70 out of 100 threes once, just shooting by myself and nobody watching. For myself, that was pretty good, but that's a far cry from what Val Barnes would have done if he had been there shooting alongside me.

 

[JonnyGuido]

In all fairness I could have gone 0fer from the field and fouled out. Probably would have hit rim too.

Everyone needs to relax a bit. When I read this post, I chuckled a smidge. Everyone is killing this guy for inserting a little humor and perspective.

My take is that if someone is upset with McCabe they are missing the point. What is he supposed to do? When Fran says, "Zach, go get Woody." His response should be, "No thanks Coach, I have been playing terribly and think you should play someone else." He does not determine when or where he plays. The Coach does. And while I understand what Zach does well (directs people well in the zone, reads defensive sets well, hustles, and supposedly can stretch a 4 who may be guarding him), his liabilities are much more obvious to the casual fan (lacks athleticism, foul prone, can't get to 50/50 balls, rarely gets a charge call, seemingly always charges or has his shot blocked close to the basket). I absolutely love Fran but he is driving me nuts by being stubborn about McCabe, especially playing him in crunch time. With that being said, Fran knows more about basketball than my nana knows about pasta, so I will trust in Fran and hope we go on a run. But I can still have an opinion, right? As for the morons who contact a student athlete in any capacity, they have WAY too much invested in this stuff.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Everyone is killing this guy for inserting a little humor and perspective.

Sorry JG. I don't think he was doing either.

 

[expos1994]

You couldn't play worth a crap, and now you think you can coach. None of us know these players like Fran and his staff. One can't just look at points and rebounds & decide a guy isn't effective. Players play because they may be a lock-down defender or just an excellent rebounder (see Dennis Rodman) who can get a team extra possessions. People who have played b-ball realize these intangibles that some players bring.

I know the difference between me... who occasionally plays pick up games at the rec center, and a guy who plays D-1 basketball for our beloved Hawkeyes.

So in other words, I think I can beat you on the court... but I know how I stack up to D1 players.

And I'll still confidently say that Zach McCabe is a liability and should be playing 5-10 minutes per game tops and taking even less shots.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

I swatted Greg Helmers dunk attempt on one of the Iowa hoops alumni tours after the season. Im 6'3. He was ******. LOL

 

[lightning1]

People are making far too much of this. Being critical of a players performance is as much a part of being a fan as praising a player is. Being a dick on a players twitter account is a whole different issue. Lets not lump the two together because its not the same thing.
Being critical of a player doesnt mean you dont like them or want them on your team. I love Devyn Marble but if I was a Heat fan, I wouldnt want him starting in place of Lebron James. Some people need to get some perspective....on both sides of this issue.

 

[SpiderRico]

There's nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade....assuming it can be done with tact and maturity. Obviously what was said to McCabe was not done with tact or maturity, but neither was his response.

Look, the guy is obviously a great teammate. He's got the respect of both the players and the coaches. He hustles and does his best with what the Good Lord gave him. But let's be honest, unless we're playing sub 150 RPI-type teams, where he can match up with players who are just as athletically challenged as him, he isn't going to get it done. I think since we've hit B1G play, his 3 point % is hovering around 25% and his overall % isn't much better. That's not his fault, though. As I said, he's doing his best with what he's got. The fault, unfortunately, lies with Fran. And I think Fran is just stubborn enough that he's going to continue to play him even though there is more than enough data point over this season to say that Zach shouldn't be in there for much more than mop up duty or to help out when fouls become an issue.

But I don't know what else Fran needs to see of game action to see that McCabe isn't cutting it. Early in the season, he tried using McCabe at the 5 in crunch time instead of Woody or Gabe and that failed miserably. He's tried to use him in late game situations as the primary threat in last second shot attempts. That has failed miserably. As I've mentioned before in previous threads, McCabe attempts more shots per 40 minutes than anyone on the team not named Dev Marble. That is also a problem and has failed miserably as Zach has the lowest effective field goal % of anyone on the team.

Yet time and time again we've looked to him as one of our top 5 players in the last 4 minutes and it has rarely worked (Xavier is probably the only example that comes to mind in the last 2 seasons).

So I see nothing unfair about calling a spade a spade....as it relates to either McCabe or Fran.

 

[JonnyGuido]

Sorry JG. I don't think he was doing either.

Well that is how i chose to interpret it. It made me laugh so I was able to find humor in it. At this point with this situation, you either laugh or cry. As for the last shot, I have never seen anything like that. If that was on a putting green, that would be called a "yip" and the putter would be referred to as Alice and told to "pull up your skirt."

 

[kicker22]

Responding to posters is one thing...Expressing your opinion to an entire fanbase is another. I don't hold it against him as I think he has a right to defend himself, but at the same time if he thinks its bad now he may have opened pandoras box.