The Ed Cooley aired last night from Chelo’s Hometown Bar & Grill. Here are some notes and quotes:
Cooley talked about how when he first saw the team practice, he figured 6 BIG EAST wins were achievable. After the first exhibition game against Assumption, he told Bob Driscoll the team would win two – and he was being honest. On where the team is now?:
“Although we are 1-5 in the BIG EAST. We’ve played 5 top 25 teams, the #1 team in the country twice in a 10 day period. We’ve lost two of our starters in back to back games. I think from a program standpoint we’re where I want us to be at this moment. We could have snuck out maybe a win against Seton Hall, make a few free throws against Georgetown maybe on the road. I have to be realistic with the process it takes to build a national championship program and there are going to bumps in the road like it’s going now. But i’m satisfied where we are.”
On Bryce Cotton:
“I don’t think it surpises me (his play). I thought he worked really hard this summer. He was in the gym every day making shots”
“It suprses to me that he’s not confident yet. If the coach told me to shoot, he would have to tell me to stop shooting. He doesn’t take enough shots. I’m proud of his work and the effor that he’s put in.”
On Kadeem Batts:
“He’s working on his body. I told him in practice that if he doesn’t play well, I’m going to embarass him with my body, and take my shirt off.”
“We need him to rebound at a higher level”
Bilal Dixon:
“Bilal has bought in to just winning basketball games for the Friars”
On biggest challenge as the head coach:
“To attract high level players that’s going to believe in us where our program is right now.”
On Rick Barnes saying there are difficulties in recruiting without a football program:
“Rick wasn’t from here…he did an ubelieveable job, but Rick Barnes didn’t walk Smith Street. He didn’t walk Eaton Street. He didn’t know what it was to chill out on Federal Hill. That’s what you sell. I can sell something totally different than any coach in the past because this is home for me. It’s authentic. It’s real, It’s love, it’s pride. That’s what you sell.”
Cooley then talked about the lack of privacy being the head coach, saying sometimes he just wants to be alone and go get the paper in his drawers. John Rooke was getting a little flustered, so Cooley said “I bet you go out in a bikini…with boots”. HA!
Kadeem Batts joined the show.
He was able to focus on school in the first semester, and said he did well. Also did some things to give back to the community, which Ed Cooley always stresses for everyone.
Fatigue is not a problem because everyone grew up playing AAU ball, playing all day.
Ed Cooley butts in: “Oh come on. That’s a layup drill AAU basketball, nobody plays hard”
Coming together as a team has been the biggest development.
Former Friar Kevin Stacom joined the show, who is now a scout for the Dallas Mavericks.
Cooley on Marquette: They are well coached, play relentless defense. Undersized but make up for it in their tenacity. 3 game changers. Jae Crowder one of the most under appreciated players in the country. Friar fans are going to enjoy seeing him come to the Dunk, and the Friars have to make sure he has a miserable afternoon. It’s going to be an “old school” BIG EAST battle.
