Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- Canisius University Golden Griffins

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[> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- BUCK FONAS!, Thu, March 05 2026, 19:24:49

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[> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- Linwood Larry, Fri, March 06 2026, 3:47:07

The only reason that the Bonnies are not at the absolute bottom of the A-10 standings is that Loyola-Chicago is even worse - 3 conference wins as opposed to 4 for the Bonnies.

Oregon State's Wayne Tickle makes about the same as Schmidt (as in too much), but Tickle's team has several more conference wins this year, he has put multiple recent players in the NBA and/or G League, and he has an Elite Eight appearance within the past five years. That's pretty impressive. Well, OSU just fired him. If OSU can can Tickle, St. Bonaventure can certainly fire Schmidt, who has done next to nothing in the past five years. The game has passed him by - he's like a dinosaur who overplays his starters and refuses to change.

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[> [> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- Griff, Fri, March 06 2026, 17:40:44

Not that it's a hell of a lot better but it's Wayne Tinkle not Tickle. Personally, I prefer a tickle to a tinkle any day.

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[> [> [> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- Linwood Larry, Sat, March 07 2026, 15:36:57

Whoa, Griff! Did you say that Tinkle's record is not a hell of a lot better than Schmidt's? Seriously? Tinkle has an Elite 8 within the past five years, and has a PAC-12 championship trophy sitting in their sports center lobby from the same year. Never mind anything else (as in overall W/L records) - OSU achieved the brass ring with that run. Tinkle still wants to coach, and plenty of teams will see that shiny E8 appearance and try hard to snap him up.

As far as the Bonnies? Schmidt never got past the first round in the NCAA tourney. That's not impressive - at all. What is impressive is that he took the job 19 years ago and brought the Bonnies back from a total dumpster fire. He's a good coach and deserves major props for all that he's done over the past two decades. But he also has not been able to adjust to the new NIL era, and it was way past time for St. Bonaventure to move on. And they did.

I don't enjoy disagreeing with you, but there are teams that have made the Elite 8, and then there is everyone else.

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[> [> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- Griff, Sun, March 08 2026, 19:33:45

Huh? I said his name is Tinkle and not Tickle as you had written. And that Tinkle isn't a much better name than you calling him Tickle. Where did I say his record is not better than Schmidt's?

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[> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- Schmidt, Fri, March 06 2026, 8:06:27

I get that the last few seasons haven't been pretty, and I've read the criticisms about adapting to the modern game. These Bona fans are insane if they think Mark Schmidt is the problem. Bona has a great home court atmosphere, but so does most of the A-10. They have nowhere near the facilities, funding, or NIL as the rest of the conference. I think Bona has a good administration, but so do lots of the A-10 schools.

This move only makes sense is if Mark Schmidt wants to retire and/or Bona has an absolute stud coach lined up. Otherwise, good luck on the search. It's going to be brutal to follow that guy and then deal with turning over the roster every year.

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[> [> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- Linwood Larry, Fri, March 06 2026, 13:10:56

No, Schmidt is part of the problem, although I agree that he is not all of it. He has in fact made some minor changes to his line up, but it is too little, far too late.

But, nowhere the facilities? What about Fordham and St. Joe's? And as far as NIL money, they have it. They bought Frank, and also basically wasted $400K on Joe Grahovac. That's on GM Woj, who may have been a big shot at ESPN but apparently knows little about recruiting quality college players. Some on the Bona board were comparing Joe G. to Bill Walton, which practically made me want to vomit. BW was the National HS Player of the Year and had similar awards in college. Top 50 All-Time NBA. As far as Joe G.? Never played a DI game and played very little roundball overall. Seems like a nice 25-year-old "kid", but...really?

The Bonnie's season has been a major disaster and someone's head has got to roll. They won't get rid of Woj - that will come later when they realize he's an emperor with no clothes.

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[> [> [> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- The A-10 Problem..., Fri, March 06 2026, 18:01:55

That's the thing. It's the A-10. The comparisons don't stop at Rose Hill Gym. Siegel at VCU is electric and larger. Chaifetz is bigger and nicer, and when they win it's a better environment. Dayton is probably the best mid-major arena in college basketball. Eagle Bank/Patriot Center is bigger and fantastic when GMU is good. The Ryan Center is nicer.

As for NIL, George Washington is in for over $3 million. Dayton is at $6 million. Even at $2 million, Bona still doesn't come close to the top of the A-10.

When you have Philadelphia, New York City, DC, Charlotte, St. Louis, Chicago, etc., all in your backyards, it's hard to recruit to Olean.

Is Schmidt blameless? No, but I don't think they've ever had a coach achieve more consistently, and I doubt they ever will again.

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[> [> Re: Mark Schmidt might be gone at Bona -- Bona fans are delusional, Fri, March 06 2026, 16:17:32

Schmidt is a terrific coach and victim of mid-major NIL.