Ultimate Defense of Brey

[TeddyOH]

With the Super Bowl over (and LOI Day), I officially turn my sports eye towards college hoops. In a personal first, I am actually making an ND basketball post. This is a defense of Mike Brey, frequent whipping boy on this forum.

I'm not claiming to be a hoops junkie or insider, but I had season tickets for 4 years when I went to ND during the McLeod era. I was a student when we entered the Big East. I remember what that was like making the jump to a conference, and what most considered the strongest basketball conference at that time.

McLeod's first 3 seasons in the Big East went 4-14, 8-10 and 7-11. We were non-factors and died in the Big East tournament every year. Not once in his tenure did we make the NCAA tournament. After the abbreviated Doherty tenure, it wasn't until Mike Brey's first year that ND had a winning record in the Big East - which coincided with our return to the NCAA Tourney in 2001. So Brey instantly elevated our program in the Big East.

But that's not even my argument. My argument and defense centers around a comparison of ND joining the Big East to transitioning to the ACC.

Many thought this would be a death knell to competitive ND basketball. After a rocky first season of 6-12 (still better than the first Big East season), Brey's follow-up was a 14-4 season and an ACC tournament championship! In his 3rd season, Brey has us at 8-4 and positioned for a double BYE in the ACC tournament again. We look pretty good to finish with 4 or 5 more wins to go 12-6 or 13-5. Add to that our likely bid to the NCAA tourney again, which gives Brey 11 appearances in 16 years as coach.

I don't know what some people want. Sure, I'd love more NCAA wins. Our early exits are par for the course when you're consistently seeded in the 5-9 range. Get unlucky in your opponent and that's all she wrote. ND is not the only victim of this problem. Sure, I'd love a Final Four or even a title. However, we're never going to compete at that level. NCAA hoops is the land of the one-and-done players. We will never have that luxury. We have to build a team and win with skill, experience and teamwork. I constantly see Brey's teams evolve and adjust throughout the season, and this year is no different.

He's a very good coach who gets the most out of his players. We should be doing everything possible to keep him happy. Give the dude a break and just enjoy the greatest run of ND basketball since the heydey of Digger!

 

[NDSMC78]

I think that most of us recognize that Brey is a very good, although perhaps not an elite coach. Year after year, he gets superior results from players who are less talented than those at other top schools. There are a few naysayers here, who use every opportunity to criticize Brey. But they are routinely proved wrong by the results.

 

[scubastevefl]

The anti-Brey comes or came from his lack of post season success. A few years against teams like "08" Wash State,"13" Iowa State they were very uncompetitive. Years were they had high seems like being a 2 seed and not getting passed FSU "11". Or 2010 where they were about the only upset against Old Daminion. Or 2012 where all they had to do was beat Xavier and they would have walked into the second weekend considering the 2 seed Duke had been upset.

 

[TDIrish27]

Mike Brey is a solid coach-----and a great fit for Notre Dame.

This is not a destination spot for the One and Done kids who in the last few years have dominated college basketball.

We aren't UK or Duke yet we go toe to toe with them or beat them.

His players get better----they play together----they graduate.

 

[88ND]

Good post. It would be safe to say he gets the most out of his players.

The one thing i don't like is this constant excusing of the program for being above average but ultimately not elite. I see this with football non stop about the 40 year decision blah blah blah.
For most players in D1 football and basketball no matter the college these decisions are automatically 40 year decisions because very few of them will ever see a snap or dribble of professional ball.
However to me that is no reason to excuse the lack of ultimate success.

We are a football school and I do measure success with championships.or at the very least competing with the best teams in the business.
Right now we haven't had that since 1993 the confidence of beating anyone at anytime.
Long over due IMO but the last thing I will point to is our standards and the 40 year decisions. I want results and I believe it can done with the right people in place. Kelly is a step in the right direction after Davie,
Willingham, CW....but so far we have only gotten close to elite. I'm hoping Kelly can take the next step and I believe it needs to happen soon.

Brey on the other hand is making his mark as one hell of a coach. Getting these kids to compete and play hard against tough competition is incredible. He is doing what Jamie Dixon has been trying to do for a decade but actually succeeding with it.

If there is an equivalent to power football in basketball it would be Brey and Jamie Dixon. Brey is just doing it better.

 

[BGI User 1596]

Brey is the perfect fit for this job - he matches up with the expectations of the program - it would be hard to find a better coach at this point in time. Hope ND makes another run in the ACC Tournament. GO IRISH.