TJ McConnell.... True Wildcat

catgrad97 · Post by **catgrad97** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:14 pm

Yeah, both JET and Eafon were special players at this university. So strong-willed and tenacious.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:32 pm

Khalid Reeves was not a point guard. Kerr is the only addition to the top pg list. But, really, the only thing he did better was shoot. TJ breaks down the defense and is the best defender at that position.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:40 pm

Are we going Lute / Miller era only?
I'm sure some old timers will throw out
Eric Money and Russell Brown. Didn't see them play myself, I started watching around Brock Brunkhorst time.

ASUHATER! · Post by **ASUHATER!** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:48 pm

Saw a graphic in the game that tj has the highest career a/to ratio of any point guard in az history.

Harvey Specter · Post by **Harvey Specter** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:27 pm

Beachcat97 wrote:
Lute4God wrote:
Airizona wrote:Seems like TJ is great at controlling the flow of the game. In the first half when we needed to get things going he was the guy to do it and had 8 pts and 8 assists at the half (I think). Second half we seemed to be in more of a rhythm and he didn't have to be as aggressive. The guy has been absolutely killing it this season.
Been doing this ever since the Utah game. Just dominates both sides of the ball. One of the top 5 pgs ever at UA.
Bibby
Terry
D Stoudamire
Gardner
TJ? Really?

As a point guard, absolutely. And I'll go against the grain and put him #3 on that list.

He may not be a better bb player than Terry or Gadner, but across the board he is a better POINT guard than both of them.

I cNnot remember... Which is the next game we should expect to lose after @ UW.

Gimino · Post by **Gimino** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 12:47 am

catgrad97 wrote:Yeah, both JET and Eafon were special players at this university. So strong-willed and tenacious.

Kelvin is superb. I wanted to get him talking about Terry tonight because Kelvin won't be on the pregame show Thursday as he will be coaching his Pueblo Warriors in a state playoff game. For anybody who missed us talking about Terry tonight, I hope to use a bunch of that stuff later this week for a story on JET's jersey retirement.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:12 am

Lute4God wrote: Im not much of an FB fan but he was *17 TDs" a short yardage RB and also a bench player for Olsen.

For who?

KaibabKat · Post by **KaibabKat** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:20 am

Loot.

Lute4God · Post by **Lute4God** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:28 am

Gimino wrote:
catgrad97 wrote:Yeah, both JET and Eafon were special players at this university. So strong-willed and tenacious.
Kelvin is superb. I wanted to get him talking about Terry tonight because Kelvin won't be on the pregame show Thursday as he will be coaching his Pueblo Warriors in a state playoff game. For anybody who missed us talking about Terry tonight, I hope to use a bunch of that stuff later this week for a story on JET's jersey retirement.

Thanks G - a great show. It really gave the feeling of what the cameraderie is like on the AZ team. Also great stuff about Terry's will and character on and off the court. Kind of stories that make you proud for the players and whole program.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:13 am

Beachcat97 wrote:
Lute4God wrote:
Airizona wrote:Seems like TJ is great at controlling the flow of the game. In the first half when we needed to get things going he was the guy to do it and had 8 pts and 8 assists at the half (I think). Second half we seemed to be in more of a rhythm and he didn't have to be as aggressive. The guy has been absolutely killing it this season.
Been doing this ever since the Utah game. Just dominates both sides of the ball. One of the top 5 pgs ever at UA.
Bibby
Terry
D Stoudamire
Gardner
TJ? Really?

I'd take TJ over Gardner any and every day. Love Gardner, but he tended to make some poor decisions, although he was an ironman.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:19 am

Merkin wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Lute4God wrote:
Airizona wrote:Seems like TJ is great at controlling the flow of the game. In the first half when we needed to get things going he was the guy to do it and had 8 pts and 8 assists at the half (I think). Second half we seemed to be in more of a rhythm and he didn't have to be as aggressive. The guy has been absolutely killing it this season.
Been doing this ever since the Utah game. Just dominates both sides of the ball. One of the top 5 pgs ever at UA.
Bibby
Terry
D Stoudamire
Gardner
TJ? Really?

I'd take TJ over Gardner any and every day. Love Gardner, but he tended to make some poor decisions, although he was an ironman.

Way to reimpose the curse. Now we'll lose to a Sevun seed.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:21 am

Is TJ really better than Gardner? Really??

That's incredibly high praise for TJ, if so.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:53 am

http://forum.goazcats.com/showpost.php? ... stcount=11

UDUG wrote:It's not me who cursed you!
You have cursed yourself.

Beachcat97 wrote:Is TJ really better than Gardner? Really??

That's incredibly high praise for TJ, if so.

JG was a 2G playing PG. Shot more than he passed.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 12:45 pm

Beachcat97 wrote:Is TJ really better than Gardner? Really??

That's incredibly high praise for TJ, if so.

Running offense, defending and taking care of the ball? Yes.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:18 pm

gumby wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:Is TJ really better than Gardner? Really??

That's incredibly high praise for TJ, if so.
Running offense, defending and taking care of the ball? Yes.

You're right. I think my memory of JG is a little embellished because he was on some really, really good teams, especially '01.

Well, if TJ can be part of a FF team this season, it'll help the TJ > JG argument significantly.

CBCat · Post by **CBCat** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:41 pm

Gimino wrote:
catgrad97 wrote:Yeah, both JET and Eafon were special players at this university. So strong-willed and tenacious.
Kelvin is superb. I wanted to get him talking about Terry tonight because Kelvin won't be on the pregame show Thursday as he will be coaching his Pueblo Warriors in a state playoff game. For anybody who missed us talking about Terry tonight, I hope to use a bunch of that stuff later this week for a story on JET's jersey retirement.

Great show Gimino.

CBCat · Post by **CBCat** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:43 pm

Lute4God wrote:
Gimino wrote:
catgrad97 wrote:Yeah, both JET and Eafon were special players at this university. So strong-willed and tenacious.
Kelvin is superb. I wanted to get him talking about Terry tonight because Kelvin won't be on the pregame show Thursday as he will be coaching his Pueblo Warriors in a state playoff game. For anybody who missed us talking about Terry tonight, I hope to use a bunch of that stuff later this week for a story on JET's jersey retirement.
Thanks G - a great show. It really gave the feeling of what the cameraderie is like on the AZ team. Also great stuff about Terry's will and character on and off the court. Kind of stories that make you proud for the players and whole program.

love the story about Jason having a full football (Kevin said he had no idea how he got it) uniform and wearing it/sleeping in it before a football game. Pretty awesome.

AZCatGirl · Post by **AZCatGirl** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:55 pm

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:07 pm

I'm worried about his knee.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:26 pm

Chicat wrote:I'm worried about his knee.

What happened to his knee?

TheBlackLodge · Post by **TheBlackLodge** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:54 pm

Beachcat97 wrote:
Chicat wrote:I'm worried about his knee.
What happened to his knee?

Do you even watch the games???

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:20 am

TheBlackLodge wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Chicat wrote:I'm worried about his knee.
What happened to his knee?
Do you even watch the games???

It's been clear for a long time that he doesn't watch much.'

Beachcat97 wrote:
Chicat wrote:I'm worried about his knee.
What happened to his knee?

It jerked.

splitsecond · Post by **splitsecond** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 2:30 pm

I can't wait to see this version of TJ in the tournament. No one defines nastiness the way he has this year.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:04 pm

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:15 pm

Is there a cat in here? Or maybe it's really dusty? All of a sudden my eyes are watering uncontrollably...

What all of our student athletes do in the community is simply awesome. I love that the AD and coaches instill a passion for public service.

Olsondogg · Post by **Olsondogg** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:23 pm

Chicat wrote:Is there a cat in here? Or maybe it's really dusty? All of a sudden my eyes are watering uncontrollably...

What all of our student athletes do in the community is simply awesome. I love that the AD and coaches instill a passion for public service.

Please don't tell Machina

CBCat · Post by **CBCat** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:31 pm

Chicat wrote:Is there a cat in here? Or maybe it's really dusty? All of a sudden my eyes are watering uncontrollably...

What all of our student athletes do in the community is simply awesome. I love that the AD and coaches instill a passion for public service.

This^

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:45 pm

Chicat wrote:All of a sudden my eyes are watering uncontrollably...

Glad it's just not me! Having a child myself with some medical issues this really touched me. No doubt the same for those with healthy children.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:24 am

That is awesome. Lot of great stories of players being gentlemen in the community in the Sean Miller era. The internet was either not around or not big when I was younger, so not the same access to great stories, but I have too many personal memories of too many star players being absolute d wads in the past. Not going to name names, but I can think of 6 or 7 at least, maybe more, who would be considered in the top 15-20 wildcats of all time, and then a whole slew of guys who had large roles on the team. Breaks your heart as a kid to see that, so I am happy anytime a wildcat puts a smile on someone's face.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:57 am

Merkin wrote:
Chicat wrote:All of a sudden my eyes are watering uncontrollably...
Glad it's just not me! Having a child myself with some medical issues this really touched me. No doubt the same for those with healthy children.

My heart breaks when my kids skin their knees. The thought of one of them having cancer tears me apart inside.

I can't even imagine how grateful Kelsey's parents are that she got to meet TJ and hang out with him and to be a kid and forget being sick even if it was just for a little while. Those moments must be priceless...

EOCT · Post by **EOCT** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 6:09 pm

Merkin wrote:

Thank you, Merk.

TJ makes me feel so proud of him and my alma mater. His love, generosity, initiative, compassion, character. A Man.

3goggles · Post by **3goggles** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 7:20 pm

TJ with the Jet Plane move after his 3! Love that kid!

RiseAndFire · Post by **RiseAndFire** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:05 am

Story on a great moment at the end of the Cal beatdown at MGM:
http://tucson.com/sports/basketball/col ... 8ce7d.html

With yet another blowout of the Cal Bears dwindling down, McConnell drew a foul and headed to the free-throw line. For the umpteenth time, the vastly pro-Arizona audience serenaded the Wildcats senior wizard with a raucous MVP! MVP! chant.
This time, McConnell obliged. His lips curled. He nodded.
“Damn straight,” he said.
....
“I don’t know man, I’m at the free-throw line, and the fans are chanting it, I’m getting fired up. … I might’ve said it,” he said. “I might’ve said it, I might not have said it.
“I might have said it.”

Damn straight.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:42 am

Definitely said it.

They had some extreme close-ups of FTs. Noticed TJ never takes his eye off the rim once he toes the stripe. So he's got that stare, then cracks a smile, says it, and makes the free throw.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:59 am

Good for him.

He's earned.

Somewhere RockyRaccoon is still cursing him for leaving Duquesne.

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:08 pm

Love the rim stare down when hes at the line. So focused.

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:11 pm

Had probably one of his worst halves in the first half tonight....but ended up with 10 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and was money when we needed him at the line.

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:34 pm

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:54 am

Nice write up on TJ

http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/ ... ght-032615

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:55 am

Nice teeth, no cavities?

Alieberman wrote:Nice write up on TJ

http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/ ... ght-032615

Last week, he became just the sixth player to record 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in an NCAA tournament game. He did it again against Xavier with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists, adding a block and a steal.

And not a MVP?

pokinmik · Post by **pokinmik** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 9:02 am

Merkin wrote:Nice teeth, no cavities?

Alieberman wrote:Nice write up on TJ

http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/ ... ght-032615
Last week, he became just the sixth player to record 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in an NCAA tournament game. He did it again against Xavier with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists, adding a block and a steal.

And not a MVP?

I think that's a typo, the sixth-player thing included 5 plus steals too. Plenty of players have had 15, 5, and 5.

a4ragtop · Post by **a4ragtop** » Tue Dec 10, 2024 5:09 pm

PieceOfMeat wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:34 pm

Hard to believe that it's been (almost) 10 years ... and it would have been harder to believe then that his next 10 years would be spent in the NBA!

Let's represent our pride in TJ at the Samford game as this True Wildcat enters the Ring of Honor - workingman's style!

Abrahamarvel · Post by **Abrahamarvel** » Tue Dec 10, 2024 10:23 pm

Great player. Will probably be a great coach as well

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Wed Dec 11, 2024 7:08 am

Yes…bring him back after he gets his coaching feet under him

TheCat · Post by **TheCat** » Wed Dec 11, 2024 7:37 am

TJ McConnell would not have been given a chance to get to the NBA if not for Sean Miller reaching out to folks in that circle begging them to give him a chance. TJ will coach someday under Sean as they are still extremely close.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Tue Dec 17, 2024 5:00 pm

Arizona Wildcats Basketball
Patrice Ann ·
·
For those going to the game tomorrow - it sounds like TJ McConnell will be honored before the game instead of at halftime. The entire Pacer team will be there, as well as their traveling party. His coach said he appreciated Arizona working with them so they can be present as it is an honor that TJ is truly humbled by & the Pacers want to be there to celebrate with him. His coach said to play for 10 years in the NBA is quite an accomplishment. I hope there will be many fans there to honor TJ … goodness I wish our guards could really look at what TJ brought to the program.

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Wed Dec 18, 2024 7:05 am

That's awesome. Congrats TJ... so well deserved

TheCat · Post by **TheCat** » Wed Dec 18, 2024 7:36 am

They only issue is that it is before the game and might not be packed. I'm sure that was at the Pacer's request and will will also see Ben.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Wed Dec 18, 2024 8:12 am

It would be awesome if he kissed the floor. Just for old times sake…

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:13 am

Anthony Gimino
·
The Arizona Wildcats have had 16 primary starting point guards since Jason Terry’s suburb senior season in 1999. Only one was NOT a four- or five-star recruit.
And yet it is T.J. McConnell who carries the banner for Arizona PGs in the NBA.

https://gophnx.com/celebrating-t-j-mcco ... cak-oXEvSQ

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