Transcript
Jock 2 Jock · Tue Jan 17, 2023
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It's the basketball season and my guest here in 2023, number 34, the Iowa basketball team, Connor McCaffrey.
Welcome back.
Good to be back.
I'm going to get some answers right today.
Yeah, that's right.
The double, double dumb ass is coming up a little bit later.
I'm excited for you to get a couple more right this time.
So I think, I think I'm heating up.
Are you?
Yeah.
That's why I feel it.
When you're on the court, do you feel
when things are just working or does that not register until after the game?
It kind of depends on the game, if I'm being honest.
Some games, I'm like, okay, we got to find this guy.
This is working every time we do it.
They can't stop this.
A lot of times that's the case.
But then there's also games where you go back and you watch the film and you're like, wow, I didn't realize this was open at the time.
Or
like, dang, we should have ran this again.
or you know what I mean?
Like if that makes sense, like that a lot, most of the time, I'll say 90% of the time that you realize that during the game because that's on you, that's on the coaches, that's on the other guys on the team.
But if you don't, you're definitely going to see it on film.
When you have as many coaches as you do, what kind of conversation has had between Fran and his assistant coaches about what needs to be done?
Or is that all his decision?
No, I think it's everyone.
Honestly, I think like he'll yell to the like they talk every time out they're talking all the time throughout the entire game on side of the bench They'll also take suggestions from the players too.
But ultimately it is his call But with that being said like he he really does listen a lot to all other people like last night down the stretch I called two plays and he and we ran him
interesting
like that.
Yeah, so like it's kind of
I don't know.
It kind of just is a little bit, depending on what he likes and then maybe what you're suggesting and then a combination of the two.
Peyton Sanfort.
I mean, he was feeling it last night, at least from the outside looking in.
That guy, he gets on fire.
He's charged up.
Philippe Roches had games like that.
You've had games like that.
Does it feel good at the end where you just like, not only with the W, but that you knew you had a good night?
That always helps, right?
I mean, it helps when you play well and everybody, you know, everybody's telling you how great you are.
Everybody's in a good mood, happy, whatever.
Definitely.
But I think that like, you know, I've played well in games that we've lost, like Wisconsin, for example.
And it didn't really, like I didn't really care.
Like, you know, it's still sucked.
But like then you play bad at games, you win.
And it's still great.
You know what I mean?
it helps but it's not once you get the win like it's not the complete overriding factor if that makes sense
coming off of wins from Rutgers and now Michigan as we're recording right now feeling pretty good about how things have panned out here recently because the team is really jealous on that
yeah I mean you know lose three in a row then we win three in a row like anything can happen in this league though right like you I mean last night it seemed like
Minnesota was set to be the worst team in the league.
They hadn't won a game yet.
They're six and eight and then they go in and they beat.
They go in and they beat Ohio State on the road in a game where Ohio State was favored by like 16, I think.
So like these kinds of things happen.
So just because we won three in a row and lost three in a row before, like that doesn't mean anything for what might be upcoming in the season.
There's no gimmies.
Like there's no
There's no game where you go into it and you're like, all right, we're not going to lose this.
We could play horrible.
We're not going to lose this.
That just doesn't happen anymore.
There's too many good players.
There's too many good coaches.
And we need to be ready every single night.
People are saying during this stretch we have at home, it's like, oh, they got a couple easy games, easy.
Because they're home games, but in reality, that's not the case at all.
Yeah, like we've met Maryland's good.
They were ready to start the season.
And then you look at Northwestern, who is 12 and four now, I believe, but they beat Michigan State on the road.
They beat Indiana on the road.
Right.
Like they're beating teams that are really good.
And they loot like they they had Rutgers beat.
They made a stupid help.
play that like sometimes happens and they would agree like it was a bad play.
They help off cams, that's when he hits a three.
And that's how they lose that game.
And then they lost.
There's a couple outliers in there, but like they beat Illinois.
They got a lot of big wins.
Like they're a good team.
So there's two teams that it's like, okay, on paper, maybe you should beat, but that's that's not necessarily always how it breaks down.
You mentioned something here just a second ago that you at least had an eyeball on the line.
for one of the other teams.
As a player, do you keep an eyeball on what Vegas is saying about your team or other teams?
Not obviously participating, but just knowing what the line is or what the odds are stacked against you.
Honestly, not really.
The reason I see the lines that I do is because I check the ESPN app for
like game times and who's playing who and where and whatever.
And if you just look at the ESPN app on your phone right below the time of the game, it says it says the
line.
Well, like I noticed that because I saw it and I was like, wow, that's a little weird.
Like I thought it was a lot of points.
And
it was and
yesterday, it was the number one game showing up on the ESPN app because it was the earliest game played.
So that's why it stuck in my head, I guess.
But normally like I don't know I mean sometimes you see it like by accident people might Tweet about it or mention it to you or something like but I never like oh I wonder what you know I wonder what Vegas thinks we're gonna win or lose by that kind of thing that doesn't really ever happen because It's very strict like we we really have to stay away from it The only thing I'll ever do is like you know a couple like gentlemen's bets with my friends like about certain games like for fun
like nothing crazy, just like a, hey man, 20 bucks on the World Series.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Harmless.
We're talking and we took a week off obviously because of some news from your family.
Your brother has taken time away from the team and that's already been covered at length through many other sources.
The question I have for you is how are you dealing with this?
You kind of knew about this obviously behind the scenes and how are you feeling?
Yeah, I I'm doing I'm good with it.
You know, I want to be I Want to be there for him, you know as much as I can and be somebody who You know, he can lean on if he wants to but if he doesn't that's also okay
You
know because not everybody wants to talk all the time Sometimes they do sometimes they don't and so I'm just trying to be that person that is kind of always
available in that regard and I think that he's really been mature and you know I'm proud of him for for saying what he said and doing what he did he said an example and it lets other people who may be dealing with the same thing know that it's okay seeing a division one basketball player come out and say what's going on and what they've been struggling with that's it that's such a huge deal and I think that he
I told him, like, dude, you need to be a little selfish in this, right?
Like, you need to do what's good for you.
Like, I know there's things like, obviously, you'd help the team if you were playing.
He knows that.
Everybody knows that.
But it's not about that sometimes.
There's more important things than, you know, this basketball game we're trying to win.
Like, his health ultimately is much more important.
And so if he's feeling some of the ways that he's been feeling that I know he's been feeling,
It's important that he can step away and that he feels comfortable doing that and that he has support in doing that which he which he does and that's why I think at least I hope that maybe we can see you know some some type of Change in a positive direction here in the upcoming future
He's kind of cast a spotlight and you touched on it as a division one basketball player having as much pressures and schedules
Being a student on top of that at a major university All of all of that that goes into it What do us sitting on the couch at home?
You've got the open floor on this.
What don't we understand?
I mean the pressures that you're under on a day-to-day basis, especially during the season
there Yeah, there's a I don't know like there's just a lot that kind of goes into it like the time that we put in the time that we're there and then everybody
can struggle with playing a game in front of thousands if not millions of people right like that that would Get under anybody's skin and know going into it and I think like for him for example Like being a part of my dad's team doesn't exactly help at times Which maybe makes it a little bit more difficult.
Maybe that's not the case But like that that's always been something that I personally struggle with
Being putting the pressure of my dad winning on top of on top of myself playing because you know for so long We were kind of I mean that was our livelihood, you know before before we got here.
I mean still is to a certain extent, but It's just you get trained into like living and dying with every win and loss and That's maybe not how it should be but it's how it is and so like for Patrick and for anybody else who may be struggling it's
Maybe the game's bother, maybe it's everyday practice.
Maybe it's the fans saying stuff on social media.
Maybe it's the amount of time that you put in just to then go and maybe you don't play well.
There's a multitude of things that can affect you.
And I don't think there's maybe one certain thing, but kind of all of them put together, I guess.
To be able to come out the way that he did with the statement that he did,
not only professional, but mature of him to identify and say, look, I need this time.
And I don't believe in my recent memory, I can think of anyone who's done that.
And maybe I just haven't been around it.
Without a doubt, without a doubt.
And to be honest, it is, I can't name a lot of scenarios in which it's happened in the past either, if I'm being completely honest.
You've seen different athletes,
uh, a different times step down and be open about this, but I don't remember a basketball player in college doing it.
And, and maybe, maybe I'm just being naive and I should know about it, but this is definitely, and maybe because it's a power five, that's why it's more out there.
Like it was on the ESPN ticker on the ESPN app, whatever, but you know, it's just, it's different.
And, and that's a good thing.
It's okay to be different.
You know,
Yeah.
Last piece of this, with his being away from the team, how much more pressure does this put on you to perform on the court?
I mean, definitely a little bit more pressure, but I try not to think about it that way.
I
think we got the rest of the guys that are going to pick everybody up as well.
Phillips playing great, Chris playing amazing, Peyton's kind of hitting his stride.
We got a lot of guys, a lot of options for what's going on.
And then whatever I can do is always a plus to a certain extent.
I feel like I've played pretty well for the most part.
Maybe not my best overall game last night, but it's not like I've sucked.
So I'm just trying to go out and continue to be aggressive and do
what I have to do to keep, I don't know, stay on this winning streak, right?
Yeah.
At least you don't have players landing on your head, you know, not getting called for a foul.
So there's that too.
I mean, that was an interesting play.
Phillip worked at the ref and was like,
he just got
teabagged.
What's going on here?
Teabagged.
I mean, he kind of did.
He did.
It was it was an unreal play.
I mean, a ridiculous display of athleticism.
Yeah, he literally he literally jumped over it
literally and still it's still hit him.
And he's seven foot like and he's doing that.
Yeah,
that's
crazy.
Anything else about the team right now and some of the games that you have upcoming that you want the fans to know about before we get into the double double dumb ass?
Nothing else from the team, but I did want to ask you a question.
Hmm.
I'm
ready.
So.
As you and I know, the person who got me into this is Oglesby, Josh Oglesby.
Yes.
I don't think that guy works much.
Like, he just seems like he's taking days off left and right.
Like, I see him posting on a Snapchat.
I just need to hear from you what he actually does at your guy's company.
It's funny that you mentioned that because, A, he did line up the jock to jock podcast with not only yourself, but Tori Taylor.
Today I was
like his opportunity of the like that was his deal for the year and now he's good
No, I mean he works with a lot of the the senior living facilities around the area So I think he knows a lot about pickleball a little shuffleboard If I remember correctly, I don't think I'm speaking out of turn I believe he also had a ping-pong class when he was going to Iowa if I can remember correctly
He also funny story
He went to the wrong class for like six weeks.
What?
Like, if you go at Iowa and your room says, you know, you're in room 312, like the next thing would be 314, right?
Like on the third floor.
Okay.
He went to 312 and he was supposed to be in 314.
Like he went one room over for half a semester.
Just the
sleep.
And he didn't realize.
That is a true story.
I will address that.
I'm joking.
I know he's working hard.
Because that has not always been the case, by the way.
Oh.
But no, I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.
He's the best.
I love that guy.
I just got to check in and make sure, you know, I'm kind of like his big brother.
So I kind of got to check in and make sure he's doing what he needs to do.
It feels like maybe Josh had done some initiation to you before you started getting out there and being the upperclassman that you are
today.
He would maybe like to think that, but I think secretly he was always a little bit more like little bro to me.
I was kind of like the big dog in that little relationship.
See, and that's a fascinating part to me is learning, you know, like when I had Jordan Bohannon on for last year's Jock to Jock podcast, kind of learning about the dynamics amongst the individuals and what the hierarchy was.
It's not far off from what we dealt with in high school, is it?
No, not too far.
But he did, J.O.
did like he always kind of, I mean, he looked after me in all seriousness and he like, I mean, he was definitely like a role model for me.
Um, like when I was coming up, he was, I mean, he was funny.
He was always like definitely a little bit more immature than the rest of the guys.
So that's probably why I got along with him a little better because I was younger and he would agree with that.
But now he's the best and I'm glad he
He set me up with this.
I'd have to shout him out for that, obviously.
I know he's been working crazy because he posts about it on the Snapchat.
That's what he does.
Game of Horse, who wins?
You or J.O.?
In his prime or like now?
Yeah, let's take his prime because, you know, I don't know if he's got prime right now.
I don't.
Yeah, no, he doesn't have prime right now.
I'm destroying him now.
But maybe in his prime, like, I mean, that dude, he could flat out freaking shoot.
Yeah.
Like I might have to, I mean, I'm pretty confident in my ability.
I'm going to say I beat him like by one letter maybe, but it would be close.
He probably, he maybe beat me like six out of 10.
I get him four and like that.
But nowadays.
Oh, I'm destroying him now.
Yeah.
If I threw in that the E had to be a dunk, are you still destroying him?
Yeah.
Cause he can't dunk either.
Yeah.
There it is.
Let's get to the double, double dumb ass.
The three schools on the docket today are Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio State.
We have two different stories, and I think you'll appreciate these both.
First one, a man who was pulled over for drunk driving tried to prove he was sober by performing a backflip.
Oh God.
Yeah.
He argued with the officer of what a straight line actually was and was arrested there.
Again, the schools are Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio State.
The second story,
A school district is under fire after allegedly bringing students to a restaurant that has stripper pole lounge and supposedly threatening legal action.
P.S., the students that were brought there, sixth graders?
I wish I was in that class.
That's the day I became a man.
Exactly.
Which one do you want to take first and walk me through?
Do I not get the counties anymore or whatever?
I've got Hart Middle School.
in Rochester Hills for the second story, the first one doesn't have anything listed other than the state, and I can't give that away to you.
Okay.
Well, Rochester Hills, that doesn't do a lot for me.
I have no idea where that is.
All right.
And because of that, I'm gonna guess Michigan for that one because I'm not as familiar with whatever's going on around there.
Okay, final answer on that one?
Yes, final answer.
I'm going Michigan on that one.
Boom.
You nailed it.
Oh, that's money.
And then the stripper pole.
Yeah.
I'm going to go Illinois because that just seems like something that would happen in Champaign, Illinois.
Like, you don't know what's going on there.
Final on that one?
Yeah.
Sorry you missed on that one.
Ah, jeez.
It was
Ohio.
That was, that was Ohio.
All right.
The guy was pulled over.
He had glossy eyes.
It was slurring his speech.
Officers asked him to walk a straight line, but at that point he performed a standing backflip and landed on his feet.
If you can do a backflip, you're not drunk.
I don't care what they say.
That's not true.
Don't people don't start doing backflips.
Yeah, don't start doing backflips while you're drunk.
The other one was a pizzeria that they brought the sixth graders to, but they didn't have enough room in the pizzeria.
So they took him to the room that has the stripper poles.
Because Nicky's Pizza also operates in conjunction with Nicky's Lounge, which is a risque nightclub.
I was
like, we need to go to Nicky's Lounge.
The owner said, no, no, no.
The metal poles aren't stripper poles.
They're just part of the decoration.
He's just trying to cover his ass.
Well, they don't do that at stripper clubs.
Yeah, that's a good point.
That's pretty good.
I would ask if there are any good strip clubs in Big Ten country.
But no, you guys don't do that.
You guys get on the plane and get back home, don't you?
No, we we actually never stay like we don't stay the night after we leave right after the game every time
Is that to keep you guys out of trouble?
No, I don't think so.
It's normally to get back to class one two guys like sleeping in their own bed And I mean maybe to a certain extent like if we win a big game on the road, you know, you never know what guys are gonna do But I'd like to think like for the most part we'd be we'd be all right, but hey It's not a given
Connor McCaffrey with us opening up on
Josh Ogles beat today, letting us know a lot of different things and got one out of two today in the double, double dumb ass.
Nicely done.
I got one more jail story real quick.
Please.
We had a guy, Gabe Olashini from London.
All right.
I don't know if a lot of the people probably remember him.
Yeah.
Really good player.
They came in together.
Really good.
And he's from London, England.
Okay.
Keep that in mind.
Yep.
Jail walks up to him like one of the first days.
that he was there and Gabe went to prep school in the Midwest.
I can't remember exactly.
I should know that, but I don't.
But
he came and was going to school.
He went to high school in the U.S.
J.O.
goes up to me, he goes, hey man, you speak much English before you move here?
They speak English in London, brother.
Just straight up walks up to him and ask him that question.
I
mean, I guess.
How did Gabe handle it?
I think there was kind of like, yeah, bro, like, we speak English where I'm from.
Like, I don't know what you want to say.
Please tell me that was the running joke for the team for the remainder of the season.
Oh, probably.
Yeah.
He misses the play.
Hey, Josh, you speak English?
Exactly.
Connor,
I
tell you what, it's good to have you back on the jock to jock podcast.
Hey, any resolutions for 2023?
Do you do that?
Um, not really to be honest, because even if I said anything, I wouldn't do it anyway.
So that's fair.
There's no point,
man.
I appreciate you being on the show for the jock to jock podcast again this week.
Yeah.
No, thanks for having me.
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