JotCast | Notre Dame Hoops Chat II

Notre Dame Hoops Chat II

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Eric Hansen

2:26

Thanks to everyone who joined today's chat. Solid effort. And thanks for sticking with us with the new format....we'll get it figured out. Any additional questions, comments, concerns about hoops or the chat, drop me a note at tnoie@ndinsider.com. Let's do it again in early June.

He's still on the grind believing he has a place, and that's awesome to see, but the longer he goes, the harder it is to scramble back and stick.

2:22

Drew: Demetrius, shall I say, is a little difficult to pin down. The majority of the former players, I can usually get with a text or a phone call. Demetrius doesn't fall into that category. NBA windows for players like Jackson are open only so slightly, and then slam shut. He's had chances with three teams - Boston, Houston, Philadelphia. None have panned out. He'

Drew

2:20

Do you remain in contact with guys like Demetrius Jackson? Do you think there's another shot at the NBA in his future?

Eric Hansen

2:15

Drew: Joel Embiid agrees. Kind of. Sort of.

Drew

2:14

Man, maybe I'm too optimistic, but some of this panic from ND fans seems a little over the top. I'll admit there were times in Brey's tenure when I questioned if he should keep his job or not, but he's always won me back. Some of Brey's best teams have come after 1 or 2 disappointing years. It's become kind of a cliche recently, but some of us need to trust the process.

Eric Hansen

2:05

Joe: As long as he wears socks and doesn't cheat on his exams.....lol

joe from the south side

2:04

Tom: Chicago kid, Catholic HS Champion, went to Creighton, coached at St Louie under Majerus, and then made a Final 4 run at another Catholic school. He checks a lot of boxes. Even the Jesuits have their price.

Eric Hansen

2:04

Drew: Blank slate right now. Nobody stands out. Chris Quinn didn't want to leave the NBA to go to college and coach, why would Monty Williams? The next hire may be someone nobody sees coming.

Drew

2:03

Looking into the future, when Brey decides his time is up at ND (not saying it should be soon), who might ND look to? Do you go with an alum like Inglesby or even Monty Williams (I know that's a stretch)? Or an outsider who may have shown some coaching chops at a high level?

Eric Hansen

2:03

Bill: Look how long it took to re-do the arena. Then to get a practice facility. Hoops just got its first....football getting its second in the fall. But that's how it works. Always has. Always will.

Bill

2:02

When you say that ND does not prioritize men's basketball, would say that is the way of doing things under Swarbrick? Or is it a kind of irreversible symptom of being lost in the college basketball wilderness without a conference in the 90s? I totally understand football comes first, second and third, but there are plenty of football blue bloods that are able to also concentrate their resources to the basketball program

Eric Hansen

2:02

Wade: Kid went from Oakland to Loyola.....Oakland.....to Loyola.....that happens, there's probably a reason. Give me a choice between Norris and Pierce and I'm taking Pierce every single time. They can find another Norris, not necessarily as a transfer but a commit. Let's see.....

Wadelite

2:01

The thing I liked about Norris was a freshman he could make treys. Like half the ones he took. He was 6 for 8 at the Breslin center as a true frosh. After last seasons clankfest, it sure seemed like someone you could use for the future and take the ball handling pressure of Hubb...who btw shoots better off the pass. There are not a lot of point guards in the transfer portal who shoot near 50 percent on treys. They are not a dime a dozen as you suggest. He barely had his name in the portal and they brought him in and then noel not interested despite plenty of roster space. The loosest coach in America better strike gold with 2020 recruits, particularly guards who can shoot. Kind of a problem last season and it does not seem a strong suit for Hubb or Carmody.

Eric Hansen

2:01

UD, baby.....The city....not so much! lol

joe from the south side

2:00

Tom: Your continued affinity for Dayton, OH.

Eric Hansen

2:00

Adam: Don't get hung up on not getting Ivey. Gotta trust me on that one - it might be for the better that he's not at Notre Dame. For all involved. The Ivey commitment was not a surprise. it was headed in that direction for a while. It's OK to be nervous....that's what makes it intriguing....like how are they going to shake free of this and succeed? In recruiting, you can't be super confident about anything. Case in point - Matthew Hurt. Notre Dame was the first power conference school in on him, I want to say as a sophomore. Hurt loved Notre Dame. Loved Brey. Family did too. How did that one go? Not even on Final Five radar. It's harder than any of us will understand to do what this staff has to do, and do it against who they have to do it against.

Adam

1:57

I generally give Brey and staff the benefit of the doubt, that they know something we don't that dictates their decisions in ways we can't understand. I kinda thought confidence in Ivey may have been a reason they were withholding an offer from Norris, then once he committed to Purdue, they would offer. But then they started offering some other 2020 guards that they have been recruiting for awhile, and it just seemed like Ivey caught them by surprise and they were making it up as they go. That's why I'm nervous about the lack of plan or, at least, the lack of internal information that the 2020 class is going to come together like they have planned. Is it? Who are they super confident they are going to land? That's really where my concerns lie.

Eric Hansen

1:56

Joe: Let's go for four....and what's wrong with high expectations? Better to set the bar that high (and it's really not that high) than too low, right? Just figure that all the run of bad stuff that's happened the last two years is bound to swing the other direction. And getting into the NCAA tournament may mean going 10-10 in the league and going to Dayton. it's not like this team's projected to be a top-four seed....lol

joe from the south side

1:54

Tom: Here ND is coming off the worst 2 year stretch in recent memory and and we have a 3 hour chat in May. Love the fact that people care this much! But, temper your expectations. A realistic outcome might be under .500 in league play and barely making the NCAAs or even the NIT. Considering all the injuries and transfers, that might be a significant step.

Eric Hansen

1:48

Maybe not comforting, but you've got to figure this staff has a plan....it's not like they woke one morning earlier this month and said, well, look at that....we've got a roster imbalance brewing. They're smart enough to figure it out....maybe.

Adam

1:47

"Everything else takes care of itself" is not particularly comforting, but I very much appreciate you engaging with me, Tom.

Eric Hansen

Bill: Is jack Swarbrick still AD in five to seven years? That would impact if Brey gets to groom/help pick his successor. I don't see it happening.

1:44

Bill:

Bill

1:44

Looking 5-7 years down the road upon Brey retiring, I assume Ingelsby is the guy waiting in the wings. I would think, ideally, ND would like to see him go to a higher level school than Delaware between now and then. Would would be the perfect stepping stone job in that situation?

Eric Hansen

1:42

Adam: Here's the plan as I've been told from the inside of the basketball office - they believe they have enough talent to win next season and get back to the NCAA tournament. And when that happens, everything else takes care of itself. Let's see....

Adam

1:40

It's not really about Norris. Just...what's the plan? Recruit a class of 5-6 every other year? Hope you don't have too many defections in an era where that's unrealistic? I just don't understand. I'm fine with them passing on the 2019 class, more or less. I even understand the bullishness on the 2020 class. But there are SO MANY scholarships opening up, and the roster imbalance across classes is quite obviously a problem and one that Brey in particular has always tried to ensure isn't a problem in his program. Now it just doesn't seem like there is a plan to correcting it, and I just don't see how that's sustainable. Not in this program at least.

Eric Hansen

1:30

Wade: You gotta finish it first. Staff and players were using a side exit door much of the season because the place wasn't done. It was so disjointed.

Wadelite

1:29

The state of the art practice facility. If you build it they will come. That's what we were told. No verbal since Chris Doherty. Hmmm.

Eric Hansen

1:29

Joe: Filed away.....though he's got it good in Chicago. He can coach there as long as he wants. Perfect fit professionally, and personally.

joe from the south side

1:29

Tom: I'll give you one name who fits the bill if Brey goes after this year.....Porter Moser

Eric Hansen

1:28

Bill: Waaay too early. Still somewhat of a blank canvas. The program didn't start moving in until April 1. It was there but kind of sort of not really last year. They used it but it wasn't fully operational. We'll have to see after next season.

Bill

1:27

Has the new practice facility lived up to expectations in terms of of the day-to-day requirements for a big time program? At least from an outsider's perspective, it seems its unveiling has been a little chopped up and disorganized

Eric Hansen

1:27

Adam: No, you can't "hope" this year goes great. You have to make sure it goes great, and get it all back on track. Another Braden Norris (really, we're worked up about Braden Norris??) will be there in December and again in April. You also have Prentiss Hubb and Dane Goodwin for two more years and Robby Carmody for three after this year. Again, a tough sell for a guard who wants PT.

Adam

1:25

So the plan is to just give up on planning for the future and hope this year goes great? Even if it does, then what? You have 6 open scholarships, possibly more. Why not take a guy that could help you build for the future, won't prevent you from getting anyone for now, and helps you balance your classes more?

Eric Hansen

1:24

Phil: Can't agree more. Like, 258 percent....lol....I've said it before and will say it for as long as Mike Brey has been here. I don't know if there are five coaches, maybe less, who could've done what he's done here with similar results. They'd have been fed up with the lack of facilities, the loss of the Big East, the emphasis on football, etc. They'd have been on the first or second train out to another job. Brey's made it work. Should he have been better in this year or that year? Absolutely. But is any fan base truly happy with their coach? You have to ask yourself, how does the administration see Notre Dame basketball? Short answer - exactly what Brey's done with it. Don't like it? That's not a Brey problem. That's a problem with Notre Dame.

Phil

1:22

A lot of hate being shown for Mike Brey in this chat. I have never been the biggest fan of his, but given the lack of resources and fact that Administration doesn't care about men's basketball, he has done an admirable job. I am not sure who these people think would take the ND job and do much better than Mike has. Agree or disagree?

Eric Hansen

1:21

Joe: Ben Hansbrough is working in Kentucky, wife recently had a child and has another on way....might not be ready for the grind of college hoops.

joe from the south side

1:20

Tom: You mentioned earlier that Anthony S. was the "in your face" coach. Always thought there was a spot for guys like Ben H. filling that role. Since he left WKU, what is he doing these days?

Eric Hansen

1:20

Adam: That IS the argument....but not really an argument. Can't be that concerned about 2020-21 and beyond if you can't fix it next season. And again, they feel they'll have the scholarship flexibility to explore a transfer/graduate transfer again in December...or April. Notre Dame doesn't get it back on track NEXT year, who's to say what the future looks like. Right?

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