JotCast | ND men's hoops chat - December 2023

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Thomas Noie

2:18

That will do it for today - and for this month. Great run of questions and conversation. Best we've had in a while. Appreciate the effort from all. We'll roll this back around in January. Stay tuned for a specific time. In the meantime, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. Talk to you again in 2024!

2:00

In fairness, both Booth and Zona were in during garbage time the other night in Milwaukee. If Njie's game remains stuck in neutral, I'd ponder playing Zona a little more. Like Micah Shrewsberry has said, the bench can be a big motivator.

Mick

1:58

If Zona is going to get mostly garbage minutes, I'd prefer that Booth receive those minutes. This season is about taking their lumps and gaining game experience. You only become an in-game player by playing in-game minutes. I agree that Booth has the biggest upside on the roster by a fair margin. He's even been a surprisingly good rebounder in traffic when he's had extended minutes, which is surprising for someone with his skinny frame.

Frank from Mishawaka

1:57

I agree with Clint, fans seem to always find something to harp on. The last few years it was the short bench, well Brey always had a short bench. Be happy with a new era with young players learning along the way. How can you complain when you see the effort and intensity these young men are playing with. They rebound with other teams and play defense. Hopefully the offense will come along.

Thomas Noie

1:49

Clint: True. This was going to be a process. Maybe, a long one. But it was going to be trying and painful and frustrating. There would be times where everything everyone wants this program to be seemed so far away. Other times, it will feel like they're close. Really close. There was the low floor, then the bottom, then the basement, then something beyond that is where this program started when Micah Shrewsberry took over. It's not going to happen overnight or maybe even over two or three years. But you listen to Shrewsberry, you hear the resolve in his voice, in his actions when you watch him work and you think that maybe he's got the stones to actually pull this off. Let's see how it all unfolds. Still, 'fans" will find reason to complain, and let further credence to the fact that for some - not all, but some - fan is short for idiot.

Clint from Winnipeg

1:46

I can't believe how many people have seemed upset in the chat about how this season is going so far. I mean, we were last in the ACC last season and essentially half the rotation is true freshmen. (BTW, the prior complaint of a rotation comprised of 6-7 players now is a moot point with 9 guys regularly seeing action.) Let's enjoy the ride. It's going to be fun to watch this group grow up. I look forward to each game to see who looks improved from the last time out. It can only get better from last season, right?

Thomas Noie

1:36

I'll save that for my Jack Swarbrick chat!

joe from the south side

1:36

Tom, John Brian Swarbrick was born in Yonkers, NY. His mother's maiden name was Comey. James Comey, former FBI Director, was also Irish Catholic and born in Yonkers, NY. Are they related? Always wondered about that.

Thomas Noie

1:35

Final one in this next long stretch is the rematch with Miami (Fla.) on Jan. 24 in South Bend. Notre Dame believes that it did a lot to really win that game on Dec. 2 in Coral Gables, but just didn't do enough. Now they get the Hurricanes in their gym. Will they do enough? If they do, that's another brick in the foundation they're building.

1:34

Mickey: Four come to mind between now and Jan 24. It's foolish to look any further ahead than that because, well, with this group, you just can't. The first one is the Virginia game at home on Dec. 30. Notre Dame will have three home games leading into that. Virginia is the first "marquee" home game - sorry Hoya Saxa. How will the Irish handle it? Next one is Duke on Jan. 6 - the third ACC home game. It's the fourth league game overall. Notre Dame will know the deal. Next after that is the road game vs. Georgia Tech on Jan. 9 - arguably the "easiest" road game to date. What has Notre Dame learned about playing on the road?

Mickey, NY

1:31

Given where the players are on the learning curve and where the team is, what games this season will be most useful to gauge growth, development and gaps? And don't say the last one or the penultimate one, please. I mean, what teams or environment will give us a view into this team?

Thomas Noie

1:30

Jim: He did. Because it's Notre Dame, and they've done this or done that in a certain way for so many years, so they're going to still do it that way. Same reason why it took so long to get a stand-alone practice facility for hoops, and the Gug for football. They don't see the future very clearly over there. The past? They've got that part down!

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

1:28

Tom, Swarbrick swore by Brey? I believe you because you would know but how come he didn't do more to get Brey some of the pivotal things he asked for and, in reality, truly needed?

Thomas Noie

1:23

Frank: Can't agree enough. Social media is a vital part of my job, but to look at my mentions on X (Twitter) at any point after any game last season (and some this year) is brutal. Sometimes, I think fan is short for idiot. Put an actual name to your thoughts and have an adult conversation about why something is the way it is about Notre Dame men's basketball. It's not hard. We're doing it just fine now.

Frank from Mishawaka

1:22

Love your chats and wish more people would summit questions than bash the program(coaches, players, etc) on social media pages. People can get the insight that we the ordinary fan in the stands can't see everyday,

Thomas Noie

1:22

Justin: If either wants to play, like really play, they'll probably have to go into the portal and move down a level to get major minutes. If they're serious about their educations, maybe they come back. But it might be a mutual decision for both sides to go different directions. If they leave, they both will have their degrees. That matters most in the big picture.

Justin, Ft Wayne

1:20

I believe Tony Sanders and Matt Zona could be done after this year but also have the chance to comeback. You have any read on either one and what their decision may be? Just wondering from a scholarship perspective.

Thomas Noie

1:20

Justin: To be determined how often we'll travel this year. The more they win, that equation kind of works itself out. Travel never gets old, even after all these years. You don't like travel, you can't do this job.

Justin, Ft Wayne

1:19

Any other away games that you’ll be at this year? How was your time at the away games this year?

Thomas Noie

1:19

Jim: It's not a Matt Zona thing. It's a college basketball thing. A Micah Shrewsberry thing. If college basketball, if this head coach, relied more on the traditional two-big lineup look, Matt Zona might be a main rotation guy. But Shrewsbery prefers the 4-around-1 look of four perimeter guys to one big. That big is usually Kebba Njie, a player that Shrewsberry knew, recruited and took with him from Penn State to play a major role in preaching the Book of Shrews. So Njie's going to play. Sometimes, based on matchups, etc., the second big has been Tae Davis. There often aren't enough minutes to go around to get to Zona. We're not even to January and Zona already has set a career high for starts and assists. He's on his way to setting career highs for points and minutes and rebounds. It wasn't suddenly going to click for him after three years of basically nothing. He's a serviceable backup big. Every program needs/has guys like Matt Zona and Tony Sanders, regardless of their roles.

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

1:14

Tom, can you provide some insight as to what is going on with Zona. There was genuine hope that this season he would step up, elevate his game and become a real cornerstone guy. Instead, he's having very little impact and has seen his playing time being significantly cut. In your opinion, can Zona still become a factor as the season proceeds or is his window of opportunity rapidly closing?

Thomas Noie

1:08

Tyler: Pete Bevacqua, the athletic director in waiting if you will, hasn't opened up the media interview door. That's coming. I look forward to getting to know how he views basketball. Jack Swarbrick swore by Mike Brey. Let's see how the new regime rolls.

Tyler from Granger

1:07

Might have been asked but have you had the opportunity to converse yet with Pete Bevacqua and what do you think his relationship will be with Coach Shrews as it relates to his interest in the investment of this program as well as his overall interest as a hoops fan (if at all) compared to his predecessor?

Thomas Noie

1:06

Frank: I'll say maybe until I can see him on a college court playing with and against college players.

Frank from Mishawaka

1:06

More on that give me the &%^^$# ball could that be Nasir Mohammed next year?

Thomas Noie

1:06

Same for the post-game procedure. In the past, post-game interviews were held in the player lounge at Purcell Pavilion. We'd have three or four players scattered about - Ben Hansbtrough always sat in the same seat - and you could have a relaxed conversation with them. Now, players are brought to a dais in the conference room, where they say absolutely nothing. Or next to nothing. Getting away from that openess has closed down giving the coverage as much color as it deserves. Rant over.

1:03

Tyler: Great question, and you're going to get an answer you probably weren't expecting. It wasn't so much COVID that changed how a beat writer does his job in covering Notre Dame men's basketball. You know what it was? Rolfs Hall, which changed the way we work, and a lot of it NOT for the better. Before Rolfs, we could/would talk with players before practice in the arena or the Pit. You could get a feel for them and them for you. You could talk with them as normal people, not writer/player. We've lost that at Rolfs, where pre-practice interviews with the last two head coaches are conducted in the lobby, one floor above the practice court. There are so few interactions now. The players are more insulated. That's not always the best way to go...

Tyler from Granger

1:01

Since covid, is your access to the team/program any different than before? As it relates to your day to day job, coverage, your travel to road games, accessibility to players and coaches, "inside" information, and all that? Or is/was it all about the head coach allowing it more than how times now, in general, are different?

Thomas Noie

12:52

Nope. Nobody. The easy answer is Markus Burton because he's got the ball in his hands the most, but that #$%#@ guy might not be on the roster. Or the radar.

Mickey, NY

12:51

Your point about a guy who says “eff it, give me the ball and I’ll make it happen” has been the missing piece for a few years. Have you seen glimpses of anyone who might have it in them or is that person not on the roster yet?

Thomas Noie

12:51

Frank: I think it was more a case that the Notre Dame administration knew that if they were going to hire anybody who was serious about being a basketball coach that they had to get serious about the program. Mike Brey had lobbied to extend the staff for years, and was always told, yeah, no, make the best of what you have now. So he stopped asking. Shrewsberry's staff was extended at Penn State. If Jack Swarbrick came to him with an offer that didn't include a lot of what he already had, Shrewsberry would've been like, nah, I'm good. The staff, and the walk-ons, say that Notre Dame is serious about the program, more serious than they were when they were going to consecutive Elite Eights.

Frank from Mishawaka

12:49

I totally agree with one of your previous answers on the players Brey recruited and he told to wait out the hire. Those players could've helped the transition immensely. Last years team(upperclassmen) was very disappointing and something had to change. That being said, Shrewsbury has been given a larger support staff and even has 5 walk-ons. Was the larger support staff and walk-ons something Shrewsbury told his bosses had to happen for him to come here?

Thomas Noie

12:48

Tyler: I love Tae Davis and what he's done to date, but when the lightbulb comes on for Carey Booth, whoa, watch out. He's got the biggest upside, which probably includes NBA-potential upside. Remember, he should still be a high school senior right now. He's so raw and unpolished. Get him in the gym, get him stronger, get him older and he might be the prototypical stretch 4. You see snapshots here and there to where you're like, man, when he gets it, he's really going to get it.

Tyler from Granger

12:46

Tom, another ceiling question (sorry), who on this team do you think has the highest athletic professional ceiling? I'd say Tae Davis just based on his "point forward" position w his size, length, ability to defend the perimeter etc.. I'd say the old Matt Ryan situation though pretty much makes a question like this a dart throw anyway as far as predictability lol

Thomas Noie

12:45

Mickey: There have been other players besides the obvious ones - Phonz, Cornette - that have reached out to Micah Shrewsberry. Pat Connaughton is down with an ankle injury right now, but he still showed up to the Marquette game in Milwaukee. A lot of the most recent guys are too busy playing professionally to play too much attention. And Shrewsberry, to be fair, has to be more concerned about coaching this team than worrying/working with the former guys. That's something for the spring, when the staff finally gets a chance to breathe.

Mickey, NY

12:43

Have You heard anything about the connection to “Brey’s guys” and the new staff? I see Phonz and Cornette continuing their connectivity with the program. But no mention on X about what other guys might be doing in either the NBA or overseas (it used to pop up every so often). Is that something or a nothingburger?

Thomas Noie

12:37

Mickey: Goes back to the fact that they don't know what they don't know. Playing Marquette on the heels of hanging 86 points on Western Michigan set this team up for a total flameout in Milwaukee. It wasn't going to be as easy as it was back home against the Broncos. They had to be 10 times better than they were at the smallest of details. Shrewsberry and his staff can preach that all day every day (and likely did) but until the players were on the court at Fiserv Forum and saw it for themselves, they didn't know, Now they do. It's all been uneven because everything about this program is uneven. They'll eventually find that balance.

Mickey, NY

12:35

The effort has been one of the things that has stood out but even that seems uneven. Games where the energy/execution isn’t there from the jump seems odd since CMS and staff are emphasizing that so much. Other than maybe not having exposure to differ t game environments and the “trust” thing you have mentioned previously what is Shrew’s view on that? (See what I did there?)

Thomas Noie

12:33

Jim: That somebody has to sell someone on why they should watch Notre Dame men's basketball says a lot, doesn't it? Really? If you're expecting more wins than losses, you're not going to watch. If you're expecting more good basketball than bad basketball, you're not going to watch. If you want to jump in on the ground floor as this program is built back up, then you'll watch. If you want to see Markus Burton and Carey Booth grow their games as they grow up, you'll watch. Pretty simple - this season is a I-was-there-when situation for you.

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

12:30

Hi Tom, please provide a few reasons why ND fans should be interested in and should take the time to follow the Irish this season. What can make this team a viable and worthwhile watch? Thanks.

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