JotCast | Notre Dame men's basketball March chat

Notre Dame men's basketball March chat

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Thomas Noie

2:00

Still answering questions....just multi-tasking right now so bear with me. Thanks!

1:58

JT: Guys know coming in how this system works and has worked. You wait your turn. You grow your game. I don't know if Matt Zona and Tony Snaders planned to play heavy minutes this year. Freshman and sophomore years, you wait and learn and work. Then you play.

1:56

Sorry, the player continues to play. What happen to bench time being a motivator? I don't care if Brey thinks the player he gave a scholarship to has less talent. Send a message of expectations.

Thomas Noie

1:56

Joe: We chat around these here parts at least once a month. Definitely plan on that through the offseason. It's good to talk hoops in the spring and summer and fall. Stay tuned.

joe from the south side

1:56

Tom: Let's say the season ends next week. Were you intending to have a season ending session, maybe in April, as there may be more events off the court than on?

Thomas Noie

1:55

Mike: I get it, but if there was nothing to the validity of my question last night, I'd think Mike Brey would've called me on it.

Mike - Fort Worth

1:32

Tom - I appreciate your response. I just think it really took 10-15 sophomores from Knott Hall in a spaced out section to make an audible chant, which directly led you to ask a pretty serious question to address the thought of people wanting brey fired, which led to a remarkable response from Brey which is currently coloring his future to a great degree. I'm just surprised a dozen guys yelling "fire brey" has led to the crazy reaction that it has. For an administration that seems so set in one direction (i.e. not making any big moves), 12 guys in a section seemed to really speed up where we are in this process (at least publicly).

Thomas Noie

1:31

Justin: When they were healthy, they won the Maui Invitational and got to what, No. 5 in the national rankings? Not saying that would've held, but you're probably looking at another Sweet 16 with that group. At the least.

Justin Ft Wayne

1:30

If Colson and Ferrell were healthy, that 2018 could’ve done some serious things. How far do you think they would’ve gone? Would have been fun to watch.

Thomas Noie

1:30

Not a chance. This season ends next week. The sooner the better. It was hard to watch last night, and the last three games, really. Now, along comes the first-place team in the league. My job is to root for the story, but I don't want to write the kind of story Saturday might become.

joe from the south side

1:29

Tom: If offered, ( I doubt it) would they go to Texas for the NIT or is this "Just shut it down" like in 2014 when Wake beat them by double digits in the first round?

Thomas Noie

1:28

John: Good stuff, though I think some of that perceived loafing would be a lack of overall spirit, like they know what they're up against and don't know how to fight their way out.

John from Connecticut

1:28

In regards playing the younger kids, I understand they are not ready but it seems to me that a little bench time for the juniors/seniors would have done the juniors/seniors some good. There was only one upper classmen that regularly sat on the bench for performance. It is really hard to watch a team where on defense you can sense they are pacing themselves and obvious defensive lapses are excused. I saw more intensity when I played pickup games and had to win to keep the court. In coaching I have found the bench and not yelling and screaming (though Brey did not do this or anything it seems) is the only medicine for improvement. So, I guess I would disagree that the Freshmen should not have played more. The upperclassmen needed it for their own competitive development. Would rather see guys hustling without the skill sets than quite frankly the loafing in game after game.

Thomas Noie

1:27

Lee: it's awfully hard when you've got guys coming downhill at you who can just get around you or by or or jump over you. That goes back to how everything needs to go right for this team to have a chance. When it doesn't, they don't have one.

Lee from Lancaster

1:26

I've heard Coach Brey comment on his team's lack of athleticism as one of the reasons that they haven't been competitive in certain games. Are there not coaching strategies that can be implemented that can offset this somewhat? Can't a player effectively compete with a more athletic opponent by outworking him and playing smart basketball? There were 100 guys in the NBA more athletic than Larry Bird but few as good a basketball player.

Thomas Noie

1:25

Morgan: Right guy at the right time. Perfect attitude for the job. Kevin White hit it out of the park with the hire. Can Notre Dame do it again?

Morgan Mac - DC

1:25

Last of the season. More Qs. Were you there when Brey was hired? If so, what was that and the first year like? If not, what was your first year and what was that like?

Jim Berlin, CT

1:25

Tom, let's just get to the heart of things. Mike Brey has to either be fired or be convinced to retire. Notre Dame men's basketball has become irrelevant over the past few years, and it's not going to get any better if Brey stays through the length of his contract. We're not getting any prize recruits, and every season we're lucky to field seven guys who know what a basketball looks like. Brey was good in his day but his methods just don't work anymore. We never make it to the Big Dance and even the NIT is out of our range. He uses the same excuses after losses like "We've got to execute better" and "The guys know what they have to do and just have to go out and do it." Wow, really? When Covid is finally under control and fans are let back into our arena I'd be willing to bet every game will be sparsely attended. Brey should do the right thing for the Irish and step aside so a new coach can come in and try to build back the program.

Thomas Noie

1:24

Andrew: It's a big jump from the Northern Indiana Conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Andrew, Mass

1:10

Wesley and Jr are players who are more then competent athletically(especially Wesley) Surely they can improve your defense next year ans should play right away as long as they get strong enough? No?

Thomas Noie

12:51

Chris: Hard to see it. This might just need to end.

Chris, virginia

12:51

Tom, We will see what happens on Saturday. However, given the seeding placement in the ACC tourney, it is not a bad path. However, the could lose 1st game as well, just like 2014. Maybe a slight run in ACC tourney?

Thomas Noie

12:44

Morgan: It's hard to see any of that. That ship might've sailed

Morgan Mac - DC

12:44

Tom - let’s assume Brey is back and everyone is playing like Hansboro’s spirit has blessed everyone. I believe they have talent and need some moxie. If that’s the case, with the way the ACC & NCAA are, how good could they be? Top 20 and possibly Sweet 16? Ever the optimist, I say Final Four!!!

Thomas Noie

Three hours and the queue has finally been cleaned out....what else you got? Let's keep this train moving.

12:29

Joe: Robby Carmody sat out after a fractured kneecap in the late summer. He was in the bench area last night and has been all season.

Joe, DC

12:28

There is a player who sat out this year, right. How good is he? Was Carmody on the bench last night?

Thomas Noie

12:28

Mark: Amen. Outside of earning an NCAA tournament bid, this is the ultimate win for this team this season. Nobody understands how demanding and difficult this has been from the players' side. Sequestered since Aug. 10. Not home to see loved ones in months. Testing constantly. So many road games stacked atop one another. Zero positives shows this team took this season seriously.

Mark Kruz from Mishawaka

12:27

Just one last comment from me this season I would like to commend coach Brey and the basketball staff for 0 positive Covid cases this past season and playing all 10 of their road games. For what has happened this past year on campus with Covid cases this had to be extremely difficult emotionally for everyone within the program

Thomas Noie

12:26

Morgan: Let's go with 2011 (Ben Hansbrough PoY year), the 2001 team (that one was LOADED) and 2003 though they were in WAY over their heads in the Sweet 16. Think 2011 is the one real bad miss with five seniors. They emptied the tank in the Big East tournament and had nothing really left. Also, I'd have liked to see what the 2018 team would've done with a healthy Colson and a healthy Farrell. They would've been a problem.

Morgan Mac - DC

12:25

I’ll break from Brey speculation. Besides 15 & 16, what 3 teams would you choose as having had the best shot to make the Final Four in the Brey/Noie era?

Thomas Noie

12:24

Lee: In fairness, they didn't boo their team as much as they called out the head coach.

Lee from Lancaster

12:24

Is it productive for students to boo their own team? After all, the players are students also, not professionals being paid millions of dollars for playing a game.

Thomas Noie

12:23

Dwight: Yeah, I don't see it. Matt Zona and Tony Sanders aren't ready. How did that work out two years ago when Mike Brey had no choice but to play the freshmen? They went 3-15 and looks like they still haven't recovered. Not a good plan.

Dwight from Arkansas

12:22

In a season that is going down the tubes I continue to be puzzled. Brey is always about 'getting older'. I guess that has worked for him in the past, but it's not working this year. Why not see what the young guys can offer? If they're going to lose, lose with players that can learn and get experience. Who knows what energy these young guys could bring that seems to be lacking in the veterans. How does it help these freshmen to gain valuable floor time if they won't see the floor until they are juniors. I think that especially holds true in a disappointing year like this one.

Thomas Noie

12:21

Joe: We interrupt this chat to bring you another infomercial from Joe on sports on TV...take it away!

joe from the south side

12:20

Tom: One other viewing option is Sling TV, as advertised by Megan Mulally and the incomparable NIck Offerman. Anyway, you would need to download the Sling TV App to your device of choice (this is where you will watch the game). You will need to subscribe to Sling via a monthly package $35. I think it is the Orange package that allows the addition of a sports package, which you will need. About another $10/month. Sling is affiliated with ESPN and the ACC Network, so hoops, hoops, hoops. To boot, you get storage capacity if you can't make the live stream.

Thomas Noie

12:20

Terry: Can't say it any better.

Terry

12:20

it would appear that whatever message Brey had has gone terribly stale. It’s time for a young, up and coming coach to lead this team to a higher level with a significant improvement in recruiting and game energy!

Thomas Noie

12:20

Chet: Just get to the tournament with no major issues. Then we'll see what happens. But I'm still suspect it gets off the ground in a good way because of the league tournaments. Those really shouldn't be played.

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