Jock 2 Jock Podcast featuring Connor McCaffery - "Tournament Time"

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Look, we're getting into tournament time and this is the time that teams have to go out there and shine.

I'm talking about the man who shines the brightest.

The brightest star number 30 from Iowa men's basketball team Connor Caffrey.

Welcome back.

I don't know about all that.

I think you're just making that up as you go.

You don't shine.

You don't get out there and you don't have a glisten as it were.

Maybe a little bit, but not the brightest of them all.

But that's like, you know, that's some different.

Yeah.

I mean, we could talk about the big 10 tournament, but.

I think we'd rather talk about going into selection Sunday.

Yeah,

let's talk about the NCA tournament, not Big Ten.

Yeah, dude.

So as you guys are getting ready to find out where you're seated or if you're selected, what's that like?

I mean, are you guys hanging out in the traditional room?

What are you guys doing?

Yeah, so we practiced yesterday.

And so we came to Carver, met, got a lift in, got like a good lift in.

So we're in the way room for

I don't know, however long it took.

And then we just went right up to the gym, started going up and down, started practicing, did some shooting, run over our plays again, make sure everything is nice and tidy.

Make sure we got all the cues and we're doing everything.

We're not only like running the plays, but also executing them.

Cause that's a big, that's a big part.

So we did that.

And then after we ran through the plays, shots and free throws got up and down a little bit, just in terms of like,

five on 0 stuff sprinting up and down, make sure guys are getting a little tired standing shape.

And then we shot some free throws, went downstairs, showered up, watched the end of the Purdue Penn State game, had some food there for us.

We have it set up in this room.

We just had chairs and tables and stuff set up for some family, coaches, families and players and whoever else to go and see the show.

And we just sat down and watched we had a table set up for the players and that was kind of the that was the gist of it.

That's how it went down.

Do you guys have any heads up before it goes to the national broadcast of your seating?

So we did last year being at the Big Ten tournament.

We had like all of those, I don't know, all like the camera people and stuff there.

So they told us like when we were going to come on.

So they told us like when to like all be sitting down and celebrating and stuff because

like last year after the championship we were all kind of up and at him like walking around talking to people seeing family like we just weren't locked like we were locked in but it was just like we didn't have as much time you know to get settled before the show and so things were kind of still like moving parts but then the camera guy who was there kind of told us all like hey

like this is when you need to be ready, like that kind of thing.

But then this year, we didn't have that.

So it was just, we just had to be ready kind of right when the show started, but we weren't like, it's not like we were doing a bunch of different stuff.

We were ready when it happened and we just sat down and watched the whole thing.

There's kind of a shot where I see kind of the first row and I was looking around I'm like, well, where's Connor at?

You're either out of shot or you're up at the catering table.

It had to be one of those two, right?

So that wasn't actually the first row.

I know what picture you're talking

about.

I was actually in the first row, which is not pictured.

I feel like the first row is, I don't know, it's just not shown in it.

It's

weird.

I don't know why.

That was the second row that they showed in that picture.

I guess I don't have an answer for you on that one.

That's fine.

You're announced as the eighth seed in the Midwest region.

How do you feel about the seeding and how do you feel about Auburn?

Honestly, don't know a whole lot about Auburn, do you?

Not a ton.

I know nothing.

So I was hoping you could shed some light.

How does the SEC play typically in basketball?

I mean, you know that a lot better than I would.

They're good, like they're a good team.

So they played West Virginia earlier in the year.

And so we call Joe Toussaint who transferred to us, Virginia, and we asked him for the scouting report.

That was what we ended up doing.

So we have a little bit of information, but not much.

So Joe T still helping out the Hawks in one way, shape, or form.

Oh yeah, that's our guy.

That's our guy.

When you saw Iowa State announced just before you guys receiving the sixth seed, how did that make the locker room feel?

Honestly, I didn't even pay attention.

I didn't even know that they were before us.

I didn't know that, so you got me.

Iowa State a six seed and Drake a 12 seed.

All three Iowa schools on the men's side of things playing in the Midwest region.

Did you have any idea that this was happening?

I knew that we were all in that region because Gaten said something to me today about that.

Yeah.

But I didn't know, I didn't know what seed they were, like who they played or anything like that, I guess.

But I did know that we were playing them, or that we could play them before Final Four, whatever else.

Yeah.

Drake, the Missouri Valley Conference champion, and Iowa State, they suddenly turned around their game a little bit because they were on a little bit of a losing streak there for a while.

Drake or Iowa State?

Iowa State.

Yeah, I know they were.

It was weird.

But like, dude, the Big 12 is so good.

You never know with them how good the Big 12 is.

It's such a good league.

So like they lose a couple in a row.

It's like whatever.

You say Big 12 is good.

Having Purdue as a one seed, that speaks well for not only Purdue but the Big 10 as well, wouldn't you say?

Oh yeah.

No, the Big 10 is obviously, the Big 10 is very good as well.

I think the Big 10, I think we got eight teams in.

And that's always the misconception.

Like I think this year the Big 12 was the best league.

Like you argue that.

That's argued every year.

Right.

Like who's the best league, whatever.

But most of the time it's the big 10.

And then like people get barred and they're like, oh, well, the big 10 hasn't won the championship in forever long.

Okay, cool.

But the big 10 has the best amount of teams.

Like there's no bad teams in the big 10.

If there is, there's maybe like one, two, right?

There's never more than that.

It's like there'll be 12 really good teams instead of

you know, six or five, even four really good teams.

And then some that are just beyond God awful, you know what I mean?

Which is like some of the other teams in other leagues, I'm not going to throw any names out ACC where the, you know, they have some good teams and then they have, you know, you get to play Louisville.

On the women's side of things, the Iowa women receiving a two seed while I know you're not involved in that being

screwed.

Yeah.

They should be in one seat, shouldn't they?

Yeah, they got screwed.

I was pissed.

Again, I don't really know a whole lot, but I do know that they be Indiana last game of the year.

Okay, they have more losses than them, whatever, but they're coming into a home environment here, which is going to be ridiculous, by the way, beyond ridiculous.

And I mean, I'm not biased at all, right?

Not

even a little bit.

Not even a little bit.

No,

I

thought they got screwed personally, but it is worth

it.

Iowa State the five seed they play on Saturday against Toledo in the women's tournament and then Drake Plays on Saturday against Louisville.

So pretty interesting to see three state schools in both tournaments with the same schools the Iowa Iowa State and Drake Represented well in both tournaments.

So Iowa State women's are five five seed.

Yeah, but they don't get to host No Okay, that kind of sucks because they probably would have a lot of fans too, right?

Oh, yeah, absolutely

It's that thing kind of like you guys and stayed on the men's side of things.

Who's better at what time?

You know, are you on a streak?

Are you not?

I like you kind of thought that the Iowa women this year have kind of had a dream season and to have it come out with a two seat.

I guess I just put a chip on your shoulder at that point if you're the women, right?

A

little bit, yeah, but also a two seat ain't bad.

You know, you can do a lot worse.

You could be like North Carolina where you weren't selected for the men's tournament and says, nope, we're not doing the NIT either.

Yeah, when you have like a ten million dollar budget for players and you just decide not to play

The story is North Carolina will not participate in the NIT after learning that it was not selected for the NCAA tournament Landing is one of the first four out of the 68 team bracket Tar Heels became the first preseason number one team in the AP top 25 to ever miss the tournament

in history like

I have no sympathy for like some teams like I have sympathy for it's like okay like you had a tough year right like sometimes the media doesn't know like you should be good and for some reason you're not or you know there's a whole lot of different like things that go into being being good in a season okay don't get me wrong right but it's really hard for me to have sympathy for Carolina with the resources they have the fan base that they have the money they have

the players they have.

I mean, they made the national championship last year.

I'm no stranger to like things not necessarily going right over a season when you think they should go one way or another.

But like, geez, come on, fellas.

I'd say tell me how you really feel, but I think you did.

Do you change up your shoes in between games?

I know that you say that you break some in.

I've been wearing the same shoes all year, which is very unlike me, but it's just the way I've gone this year.

I don't know why I can't answer it, but they're really comfortable.

I mean, well, I guess I can answer it.

They're really comfortable and they, I don't know.

They, they're low like they just, they just work for me.

They're light and they're comfortable.

Like I just, I just like them, but normally I'll switch around.

As we move into the double, double dumbass segment here today, this one is tied to the tournament.

And I figured instead of the standard double-double dumbass, I would present four teams that don't necessarily have the state or city listed within their particular school.

These ones happen to be in the pool.

These are the ones in sometimes lower seating.

I just need to know what state that particular school is in.

If you happen to know the city as a bonus, I'll give you an extra point on that.

Okay.

I feel like I'm pretty confident going into this, but then when it comes down to it, I'm going to suck.

Let's start pretty easy.

Gonzaga.

Oh, that's in Washington.

State of Washington.

Yep.

Did you know happen to know the town?

It's in Spokane.

Spokane is correct.

That was easy.

Okay.

And there are three seed right now.

Oral Roberts University.

I see.

I knew this one was coming.

And so like,

I'm pretty sure there's two different places that I thought where it was.

Okay.

Missouri was my first initial thought.

Okay.

And then the other one was Oklahoma.

Those were the two states that I wasn't sure which one it was in.

Is it one of those two?

Yes.

So which one do you think it is?

Okay, they play in the Summit League, which is like the most random league of all time.

Like, the teams that are in their league, there's just no rhyme or reason to why they are where they are.

Because of that, in itself, I'm gonna say Oklahoma.

It's because it would make less sense.

Final answer?

Yeah, final.

That is correct.

Boom!

Wow, that's a miracle.

For a bonus point, do you happen to know which city in

Oklahoma?

Not even the slightest idea.

Not

even a little bit.

Okay, no guesses?

No.

Okay, next one.

Oklahoma City.

Guess.

That's a complete guess.

Guess and no.

Oh, nice.

All right.

No worries.

You've got three points so far.

Okay.

Colgate.

Oh, I know where Colgate is.

It's in New York.

That is correct.

Do you happen to know the city?

No.

Any guesses?

Something upstate, maybe like Ithaca.

You're not far off.

It's

definitely upstate.

I don't think I'd ever heard of this particular town.

Hamilton, New York.

Hamilton, okay.

And Oral Roberts, not associated with Colgate, is in Tulsa.

Oh, Tulsa.

See, I couldn't guess that, I guess.

Yeah.

All right, final one.

Farley Dickinson.

No, see, it's Farley.

It's FDU, baby.

Come on.

Okay.

Farley.

Did you know where this was before?

Absolutely not.

It's in Jersey.

Jersey is correct.

I love it!

Do you happen to know the name of the town?

Ooh, no.

That's fine.

Definitely

not.

Uh, T-neck.

Never heard of T-neck,

either.

Oh, I should know.

I did know that.

What?

Oh, my God.

I'm an idiot.

Dude, I did know that.

I swear I did.

So how do you know so much about FDU?

I just honestly know a lot about college basketball and what it comes down to.

I don't think it's as much FDU.

With the total points that you picked up today, you got five today.

That's not bad.

That's a pretty good round.

Yeah.

If we do one more episode, I will have your total for the year.

It can't be good.

It's better than you think.

I had a rough estimate figured out, but I'm going to go back through every one of our episodes, as the audience should do, available on rock108.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

But I'm going to go back through and I'm going to tally up everything to make sure that I've got all your points listed.

Points available too, like what I missed out on as well.

Like a shot percentage.

to show you what you shot for the double-double dumbass for the course of the year.

My points also got dramatically better once you started giving me cities.

I just want to throw that out there.

I didn't want you to shoot over throughout the rest of the season.

Which definitely, that was a possibility.

Let's say

that.

Absolutely.

But there's been a couple of times that you've had help.

Josh Oglesby showing up during one episode.

Your brother helping out a little bit.

Did Phillip Rabrach at any point help you out?

He's worthless.

We'll just say that.

We'll leave it at that.

Okay.

Anything else to add to the audience as we wrap up here today for this particular show on the Jock to Jock podcast?

I don't think so.

I feel like we covered everything.

We covered the tourney.

We covered double-double.

Last thing, I forgot.

Did Luca Garza tell you anything about NBA styles and fashions?

So, no, he didn't.

And honestly, I'll take that because I completely forgot to text him and ask him.

That is completely fine because you had an Ohio State game and you had a big 10 tournament obviously to worry about and some other stuff going on.

Yeah,

but I'll take full blame for that one.

That's on me.

We'll hang that one in the background and kind of take it from there.

Yeah, definitely.

All right, cool.

That'll do it for this particular episode.

Sounds like we got at least one more in us.

Make sure you download the episodes available now if you've missed them on rock108.com.

Connor McCaffrey, thanks again for the time.

Brian, you're the man.

Thank you.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the jock to jock podcast presented by rock 108 and sponsored by I'm on communications experience the I'm on difference.