Bob, Take Notes
Frank Vitovitch
November 20, 1999

Notre Dame, Ind - Bob Davie, please take notes on how Matt Doherty is coaching the basketball team.  Davie is constantly saying how tough the schedule is, how tough opponents are on the road, how young the team, and countless other excuses for why the team is stumbling this year.

Matt Doherty, who like Davie had no coaching experience, comes to Notre Dame with going to the "Sweet 16" in this year's tournament one of his major goals according to the guys on ESPN.  He has a team that has only one senior, Jimmy Dillon, and only one junior, Martin Ingelsby, with the rest of the team being freshman and sophomores.  He opens the season on the road vs the #4 team in the land and what is the result? ND wins!!!

From day one he made no excuses.  He wanted to win, and he wanted to win right away.  Not a year from now or two years, he wanted to see immediate results.  And what did he do when his team lost to Marathon Oil in an exhibition game?  He made them run, and run, and run some more.  In just a few short months he has instilled discipline, respect, and faith in the team.  He has them believing they can play with the cream of the crop, and last night they did.

What have we heard from Bob Davie all year?  We have a lot of young players on this team, but wait till next year.  It seems we have been waiting till next for two years in a row now. 

Doherty believes in his team and they believe in him.   He doesn't make excuses for them after a loss and takes the blame when they loss.   He gets on his players when they do not perform to their capability, and he displays genuine emotion when his team plays the best they can.

Another major difference between Davie and Doherty is that in just one game Doherty has everyone believing in this team and after three years Davie has only a small group of people still thinking he is going to make something happen.

Maybe the most distinguishable difference between the two coaches however is the players attitude toward them.  After the win over Siena Thursday night, the Irish players said we owe all the confidence we have to coach Doherty.   Not only does Doherty believe in his players, but he has his players believing in themselves.

I cannot speak for the football players, but it does not seem Davie has done the same with them.  For example, putting Arnaz Battle in for a series here and there and not giving him any more time saying he had his chance.   Three plays here and there is getting a chance?  Getting a chance is having your coach put you in the game even after sitting the bench for most of your career like with Jimmy Dillon.  Dillon was not very good his first three seasons, but Doherty has given him a chance, and he responded with 12 assists against Siena.

Maybe Davie will build a great football team and maybe he won't.  The bottom line is, with far less talent and speed - one reason everyone gives for the football team not being as good as the rest in the nation, than other programs, Doherty has started 2-0 with a win over a top 5 team in his first game as a head coach.

Now, if only Doherty could coach the football team as well.