JotCast | Notre Dame men's basketball March chat

Notre Dame men's basketball March chat

Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page

Joey from Highland, IN

11:40

Tom, if Mooney was on this team, are they any better in your opinion?

Thomas Noie

11:40

Joey: It wouldn't be a hoops chat or a hoops dialogue without you worrying about mass roster issues. Now it's official.

Joey from Highland, IN

11:39

I see a mass exodus after the season. Goodwin and Laszewski will leave. Goodwin can shoot 3-11 every game somewhere else.

Thomas Noie

11:39

How about a letter to the editor in The Observer? I find it odd that you spend the whole game cheering and making noise and being into it....and giving the building some much-needed energy....and then at the decide, yeah, let's give 'em one final kick. That will show 'em. Speak out, by all means. Just wouldn't have gone about it in that way. Felt bush league, but you're young. You'll learn.

Eggbert, Section 115

11:36

"And then, there's the education, something those in Section 115 apparently are wasting given their decision to do what they did last night." So we are supposed to sit quietly and not complain that our four years as students at ND saw ZERO NCAA tournament bids? Maybe we were speaking out to try to leave the place better for the students behind us -- to give them some hope.

Thomas Noie

11:31

Justin: He can rebound in the Ivy League, but here comes one of the Joes favorite (least favorite responses). I don't know. Like how does something someone does in the Ivy League translate to the Atlantic Coast Conference? Can it? Will it? It's the same as not knowing about recruit A, B or C. They're great in high school, but the ACC's the big leagues. Paul Atkinson will have a chance to rebound, that's for sure.

Justin Ft Wayne

11:29

Can Paul Atkinson rebound? Nobody on this team seems to want to put a body on someone and box out and grab the rebound. The other team always seems to get easy offensive rebounds. Something has to chnage on the glass. and soon I hope.

Thomas Noie

11:29

Tim: That's not a theory, that's truth, which is why it was important to bring back Nik Djogo this year, who has absolutely embraced his role as resident program sage. But in terms of not having those other guys who knew the success no longer here, that was something I felt could work in favor for this group. Like, there's no more cloud of the Elite Eights hovering over the program. These guys could build their own legacy on their terms and not worry about living up to the 2015 and 2016 teams. In a lot of ways, it was seen as a fresh start. Turns out everything remained stale.

Tim from Chicago

11:27

One of my theories is that Brey always relied on his upperclassmen to pass down the culture of the program to the younger guys. What could this year's Jr and Sr class possibly pass down to the freshmen and sophomores. The last link to the successful ND teams of the last 10 years left when Rex Pfleuger graduated, and that is even a bit of a stretch. Now you are mish mashing transfer student-athletes in. The program's identify is lost and probably needs a new vision and a reset. Great reporting this year, Tom, thanks for making us continue to feel engaged with the team. Love your reporting and your honesty to the fanbase and looking forward to your annual "where are they now" column on former Irish playing professionally around the globe.

Thomas Noie

11:27

Joey: There are sets called when sets need to be called. But when it's flowing, Mike Brey is more apt to let it flow. Don't get in the way and screw it all up. Thing is, when it doesn't flow, that all-important basketball IQ doesn't kick in. That's what leads to the what-next looks.

Joey from Highland, IN

11:26

they don't seem to run any offense, i know Brey doesn't call sets, but, they usually pass it around the perimeter then shoot a 3. is he that stubborn that he just can't start calling sets?

Thomas Noie

11:26

John: Great point. Get a couple guys who can make shots, a guy who can distribute, and get a few guys who can just go get the ball off the backboard, kick it out and recycle everything. It's about pieces. That's why they didn't fit this year. They were the wrong pieces.

John from Connecticut

11:25

Tom, thanks for the therapy sessions. In regards recruiting, I feel it is not necessarily the level of talent ND has been securing but the mix of player types. You need some bangers and energy guys to mix with the finesse players. It seems the current squad is all finesse which leads to non competitive practices and the ensuing half hearted defensive efforts in games. Add to it the short roster and the players are too comfortable playing poor defense as they will not be benched. Basically if they do not make shots there is nothing to bring to the table. Do you agree that even at the current level of recruiting a better mix of skill sets recruited could greatly elevate the Irish?

Thomas Noie

11:24

Joe: I think we're too far down that road. Mike Brey talked Wednesday like someone who knows where this is headed.

joe from the south side

11:24

Tom: Since FSU is potentially Brey's last home game, if you are Jack S., do hold a meeting this week, players only, no coaches, and say, "Guys, air it out. What went wrong?" Then base your decision on that info.

Thomas Noie

11:24

Morgan: You've got to wonder. How can everyone have missed on this entire class? Harvey was a talent, but it was going to be a struggle in terms of buy-in.

Morgan Mac - DC

11:23

Tom - how good are the recruiting lists? ND has its best recruiting class but they just might not have it. Like DJ Harvey. He was a big recruit but fizzled. Maybe these guys are just soft. Ryan seems to be firey but the rest of the guys are the opposite of Ben H. Looks like Zona will mix it up. Do you see that too?

Thomas Noie

11:22

Dane Goodwin. Give Cormac Ryan somewhat of a pass on adjusting to life in the ACC from the pac-12, but this was set up for Dane Goodwin to have a really good year. It hasn't happened.

Joey from Highland, IN

11:21

biggest disappointment....Goodwin or Ryan?

Thomas Noie

11:21

Adam: Demetrius Jackson's my guy, but one question.....why?

Adam from Tx

11:21

All for Brey, but what do you think the odds are for Demetrius Jackson to become coach?

Thomas Noie

11:21

Morgan: Great question. Going off the top of my head, let's go dunkers - Austin Burgett, Zach Auguste, Ryan Humphrey; shooters; Kyle McAlarney, Colin Falls, Matt Carroll, leaders: Pat Connaughton, Bonzie Colson, Tory Jackson. That's it. That's the list.

Morgan Mac - DC

11:19

Hello Tom - thank you for the positive vibes groundrules. Start off with something easy. Who are the all time 3 best ND dunkers in your era, shooters and leaders.

Thomas Noie

11:18

Joe: Easy....because we don't see anything in terms of what they practice or how they practice. What do they emphasize? What do they spend more time on? How do the players interact with one another on the practice floor? What do the players really think? We currently operate with zero face-to-face interact with anyone on the team or the staff. It's all done via Zoom and if you know anything about Zoom, you know that nobody's saying anything in that format. I don't know is a way better/honest answer than saying, well, Mike Brey says they do this and this and this.....I'm not taking that and running with it. Go in an interior room late at night and turn the lights out. That's what it's like trying to cover a basketball program during a pandemic. You're left in the dark 80 percent of the time.

Joe

11:14

You said: “There's an unspoken communication needed between guard and big to complete the play - do A, B or C. These guys just don't have that. Do they practice it? Do they teach it? I don't know.” Your job is covering this program. How do you not know?

Thomas Noie

11:14

Bob: Plenty of time to ponder all that down the road. Today's not that time.

Bob from Chi

11:14

What do you think is a possible replacement? Porter Moser? Chris Quinn? A nova or Gonzaga lead assistant/great recruiter?

Thomas Noie

11:13

Dan: If this ends in the way everyone thinks it's going to end, there will be some sort of quiet financial settlement/buyout/parting gift with it being framed as Mike Brey's choice to retire. But it's out of his hands now. As I mentioned earlier, you can't fire him. Terrible optics. So they're not going down that road.

Dan from Indy

11:12

Thanks Tom for all that you do on the ND beat! I know Brey signed a contract extension that keeps him here through the '24-'25 season, but what does buyout $, guaranteed $, look like if Swarbrick lets him go or if it's a mutual parting of ways?

Thomas Noie

11:12

Adam: He's an offensive coach. And I don't know if anybody is being recruited these days exclusively because they can get in a stance and guard their guys.

Adam from Tx

11:12

Do you think Mike should try to switch up his team dynamic and try to recruit more talent in the defense department?

Thomas Noie

11:11

Adam: So many to choose from. Troy Murphy would go get these guys 20 and 10 and sometimes 30 and 20 every night. Ben Hansbrough would light guys up when they need to be lit up. With his words and his work. Bonzie Colson would just go and compete and hold it down in the post. Drag everyone along with them.

Adam from Tx

11:10

If you could insert a previous player on this team to lead them who would you choose and why?

Thomas Noie

11:10

Adam: I've actually been a proponent of going more the transfer route - if you get the right transfer. Get old, stay old, get experienced, stay experienced. Especially in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Notre Dame's been hesitant to take transfers just to take transfers. And not every transfer is looking long and hard at Notre Dame. They've been rather selective. But I'd like to see them take a chance on a transfer. That's where everything started to turn for me. After going 3-15 and finishing last in the ACC two years ago, Notre Dame should've explored every single option to improve the roster. Get a transfer. Maybe a grad transfer. Notre Dame did next to nothing.

Adam from Tx

11:07

ND has transitioned into being a transfer school over the past 5 years. How do you think this effects team development?

Thomas Noie

11:07

Justin: Don't count me among those "many people." No, they had a chance to make a big move this year. What changes after the six-month offseason? No, the pieces just don't fit. Maybe it's coaching. Maybe it's from within.

Justin Ft Wayne

11:06

Many people say next year is going to be better for the junior class. What makes them believe that? They haven’t developed by now so what makes them think they will develop by next season?

Thomas Noie

11:06

My man Joe coming through with the public service announcement....

joe from the south side

11:06

Tom: For those of you who are addicted to hoops like me, (and ND hoops especially), subscribe to a VPN (virtual private network about $10/month). Then subscribe to ESPN Player. Theoretically, it should work and cost about $20/month.

Thomas Noie

11:06

Brian: You have five seconds....maybe 10. Name me said "big-time" high school player who's sat on the bench at Notre Dame as a freshman. Go....

Connecting…