GW Hoops / Mike Brey

**Posted by Thomas** 7/31/2019 7:16 am

This isn't necessarily a GW Men's hoops topic, but I put this here because Mike Brey played for GW. Harvard playing games at GW and Howard on back to back days for the upcoming season reminded me of this. Mike Brey scheduled Notre Dame to play a return game at Howard during the 2020-2021 season. I believe the reason for this is, Howard's new coach Kenny Blakeney also played basketball at DeMatha, and Brey may have recruited Blakeney to Duke in the early 90's when Brey was on Coach K's staff. K.Blakeney also hired former Notre Dame/M.Brey player Eric Atkins as part of his staff.

I can't think of any recent(25 years) instance where a BCS/ACC team played a road game at a low-major like this. If I'm wrong, someone can correct me. I know GW played a game at Howard(where it was actually free for everyone to attend) 8 or 9 years ago, but that may have been because GW was coming off several bad years and Karl Hobbs needed to schedule any win he could get, even if it's a road game at Howard!! Did Mike Brey EVER consider bringing Notre Dame to play at Smith Center??

https://twitter.com/DeMathaCatholic/status/1146748348805931008

Last edited by Thomas (7/31/2019 7:17 am)

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 7/31/2019 8:45 am

ACC schools who recruit the DMV used to be able to count on playing a game at Maryland to check in on recruits while in town. With Maryland out of the ACC, this has represented an opportunity for other DC area schools to fill the void. Miami agreed to play at Smith Center largely because Larranaga has always had ties to the region. The same is true for Mike Brey who had two area players on his roster last year. (DJ Harvey has since transfered to Vandy.) Plus, in this case, the Blakeney/Atkins connection likely has everything to do with this.

**Posted by jmoiii2016** 7/31/2019 9:26 am

Probably a pipe dream, but would be cool if ND was planning a little road trip like Harvard is and was going to start a GW-ND home and home next season with a return game in South Bend for 2021-2022.

**Posted by GW Alum Abroad** 7/31/2019 9:55 am

I saw nationally-ranked UNLV play at Portland in 2012 (don´t know if that counts as "BCS at a minor school" but it was Portland´s first-even non-conf home game against a ranked team). Also, UVA played at the Smith Center not too long ago It happens far too infrequently. I´d love to see Scaredycuse play at St Francis or Duke visit Alcorn St, but we know that is never going to happen.

**Posted by jmoiii2016** 4/23/2020 10:16 am

Very surprising for an ACC school to travel to a low-major conference team. Unless they signed 2 home-1 away thing like South Carolina has done with us. If not, and this is just a recruiting trip for Mike Brey to beat someone in front of all the high caliber DMV recruits, how were they not able to work something out with GW instead, which is Brey’s alma mater? Or could this be a little road trip and they are coming to play a game in Foggy Bottom as well while in the District? Anyone know?

**Posted by Florida Colonial** 4/23/2020 10:41 am

https://notredame.rivals.com/news/notre-dame-basketball-sets-date-for-return-trip-to-howard-per-report

"Mike Brey and a former understudy will coach against each other again this coming season — and Brey is making a sacrifice to make it happen.Notre Dame will play at Howard in a non-conference game Dec. 12, according to a report from Jon Rothstein. It is the return game of a home-and-home series that began in 2019-20. Howard is coached by Kenny Blakeney, who played at Duke from 1992-95 (when Brey was there) and was an assistant under Brey at Delaware from 1997-2000. One of Blakeney’s assistants is Eric Atkins, who played guard for Brey and Notre Dame from 2010-14."

Last edited by Florida Colonial (4/23/2020 10:42 am)

**Posted by Thomas** 4/25/2020 5:01 pm

I think it's clear that Mike Brey has more of an allegiance to Coach K and Duke than he does to his alma mater, so Notre Dame won't be coming to play at Smith Center!! I mean, how long has Brey been at Notre Dame, and he's never expressed any interest in playing a series of games against GW. But from what I've read on the GW boards over the years, M.Brey wasn't too fond of his coach at GW, so it's not surprising that he has more respect for Duke than GW.

**Posted by 22ndandF** 4/25/2020 5:23 pm

I remember a few years ago that Mike Brey came to the Smith Center. I found that very exciting, and still hope that maybe one day GW can arrange to play ND here in Washington, DC. I think an event like this would bring a lot of great attention to GW. And, I am editing this because I forgot to congratulate Howard for arranging the game. Don't know if there are any Howard U. fans that come to this site, but if even one of you do, congratulations!

Last edited by 22ndandF (4/25/2020 5:34 pm)

**Posted by GWRising** 1/19/2023 4:39 pm

Breaking News ... Mike Brey to Retire at end of season

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 1/19/2023 5:06 pm

Very happy for Mike. Just the nicest guy, and never stopped being this way no matter how much success he achieved. Will be remembered as a very solid coach by most, and an even better human being by those who had the pleasure of meeting him.

What if Mike Brey had taken over for Mike Jarvis? One of the top unanswerable questions pertaining to GW basketball.

**Posted by keithgreene** 1/20/2023 9:44 am

What if Mike Brey, ala Karl Hobbs, becomes an assistant next year to Chris Caputo?

Last edited by keithgreene (1/20/2023 11:17 pm)

**Posted by GW0509** 1/20/2023 12:11 pm

Gwmayhem wrote:
What if Mike Brey had taken over for Mike Jarvis? One of the top unanswerable questions pertaining to GW basketball.

What if Mike Brey had taken over for Jamion Christian?

When Notre Dame was on the tournament bubble last March, Brey thought about walking away and going after the open job at George Washington, his alma mater. “I said to Susan, if we don’t make it, I think I should take a hard look at GW,” he said. “But then we made it and won a couple games.”

Mike Brey, who is leaving Notre Dame, has always had perspective - The Washington Post

Last edited by GW0509 (1/20/2023 12:12 pm)

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 1/20/2023 1:02 pm

Speaking of John Feinstein, he made his weekly appearance with the Sports Junkies this morning and devoted his final minute to discussing GW. Some points he made:

Will be attending the Dayton game tomorrow.
That was a big win over George Mason.
James Bishop is turning into a national story. When he first played for GW, he would not pass the ball. He is a changed player. Definite candidate for Conference POY.
Chris Caputo is doing a great job.
Had Mike Brey reached his decision to leave Notre Dame a year earlier, he would definitely have had GW on his radar.

On this last point, that would have been fascinating. My view was that Jamion did not deserve to be fired (not with two years left) but rather, Diaz wanted Caputo to take over. Imagine had Mike been available and now Diaz had to lobby for CC against Mike Brey? That would have been something.

Worth mentioning that I'm not sure that even I wouldf have been in favor of hiring Mike to run out the clock in his career, and that there is little question at this point that CC looks to be an outstanding hire.

**Posted by GW0509** 1/20/2023 1:27 pm

Gwmayhem wrote:
Worth mentioning that I'm not sure that even I wouldf have been in favor of hiring Mike to run out the clock in his career, and that there is little question at this point that CC looks to be an outstanding hire.

I gotta agree with you. We would've been doing what La Salle did bringing Dunphy in.

Prior to the season, I would've picked Brey 10 times out of 10 because CC was unknown. But now seeing the effort CC has put into the job to increase student engagement, as well as the early returns on the recruiting front, I am so glad he was the hire.

**Posted by jf** 1/20/2023 2:11 pm

What about Mike Brey working as a special adviser, formally or informally?
Best of both worlds.

**Posted by BM** 1/20/2023 5:23 pm

Send the man a couple of season tickets!

**Posted by WisconsinColonial2021** 1/21/2023 9:37 am

Several years ago, I bumped into Mike at the Detroit airport. He was on his way to the final four for the annual coaches’ meeting. I introduced myself and we spent more than an hour talking. A very nice guy.

BTW, Feinstein’s piece on Brey today in the WaPo quotes Brey as saying he almost decided to go after the GW job last year but then, when Notre Dame made the tournament and won two games, he decided to stay.

**Posted by BC** 1/21/2023 11:01 am

Let Brey rest a while.

**Posted by Mentzinger** 1/21/2023 11:03 am

GW0509 wrote:
Gwmayhem wrote:
What if Mike Brey had taken over for Mike Jarvis? One of the top unanswerable questions pertaining to GW basketball.
What if Mike Brey had taken over for Jamion Christian?

When Notre Dame was on the tournament bubble last March, Brey thought about walking away and going after the open job at George Washington, his alma mater. “I said to Susan, if we don’t make it, I think I should take a hard look at GW,” he said. “But then we made it and won a couple games.”

Mike Brey, who is leaving Notre Dame, has always had perspective - The Washington Post

I had never heard about this. Amazing, and I don;'t think the door is yet closed. Coach Caputo I am sure has reached out at least to congratulate him, but having Mike back would be so great and -- it appears -- not totally out of the question. Imagine a bench with him and MJ behind CC. Squee.

**Posted by Alum '04** 1/21/2023 5:24 pm

WisconsinColonial2021 wrote:
BTW, Feinstein’s piece on Brey today in the WaPo quotes Brey as saying he almost decided to go after the GW job last year but then, when Notre Dame made the tournament and won two games, he decided to stay.

I always roll my eyes at stuff like this. It's like bragging about the colleges you considered attending but ultimately didn't. Or the chicks you really wanted to date. I mean just preposterous conversation.

It also demonstrates that Brey was mentally checked out for this entire season. Something I'm sure recruits would have liked to know.

I don't dislike Brey but I hate hearing people say that type of stuff.