I'm writing in response to John Chute's March 1 letter to the editor.
If one were going to take the time to write a scathing letter of such length, I would assume he would do some fact-checking.
First, to claim that this is the worst season since Notre Dame joined the Big East 14 seasons ago is factually wrong on several fronts. We played our first Big East conference game in 1995. That same season we went 4-14 in conference, with some staggering blowouts. I know; I was a freshman with season tickets in the pullout bleachers directly behind the hoop. Also of note from that 1995 season were students showing up in UConn jerseys and openly cheering for the other team.
I'm going to assume that Chute, like much of the Notre Dame community, didn't pay attention to basketball that year, because he obviously doesn't realize how poorly we played that first year. To compare this current season to 1995, no one could say we are hurtling toward our "worst record in 14 mostly mediocre seasons in the Big East." It hasn't been 14 seasons, and we have played much worse than this year.
We all admit that this season has been tough and heartbreaking, and at the end of the day, results are all that matters. And this year, we have fallen short of those results. Accountability begins at the top, and this is something I'm sure Coach Mike Brey recognizes.
However, I'd ask Chute one other question about his diatribe against our program and staff: Until this year, name all the coaches who finished the Big East regular season at or above .500 from the 2000-2001 season through the 2004-2005 season. The list is pretty short, and doesn't include some HOF coaches currently in the Big East, yet our own coach is there.
Chute, don't let the disappointment of the past two seasons cloud your judgement. We are all disappointed, and we should expect more, as I'm sure the team and staff expect more. But don't use patently false statements and hyperbole to bolster your argument. The truth is simple. While we haven't been a member of the conference elite, we haven't been a bottom dweller (as we were in the initial 1995 season), either.
Kevin McCarthyalumnusClass of 1999March 1
